Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer 3.9.23

Tick, tock. Turn forward your clock!

Daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m. March 12.

SPAC designers down to 6

Task force reveals potential architects for project. SEE PAGE 3

Chef wins gastro society’s top award

A Sarasota chef has been recognized for outstanding culinary skills, dedication to the industry and commitment to “providing exceptional dining experiences to guests.”

Christopher Covelli, the executive chef and co-owner of Sage Restaurant and Bijou Garden Café, has been honored by La Chaîne des Rotisseurs of Sarasota with the Briallat Award.

With a local chapter in Sarasota, it is the oldest and largest gastronomic organization in the world. The Briallat Award is named in honor of the Jean Briallat, who was a prominent figure in the world of food and wine.

Covelli has been a mainstay in the Sarasota culinary scene for more than 15 years and is known for his contemporary cuisine that blends classic French techniques with local, seasonal ingredients.

Cafe L’Europe celebrates its golden year

Café L’Europe has reached the big five-O! The St. Armands Circle restaurant celebrated this milestone by launching its inaugural Legacy Chef Wine Dinner series with Euphemia Haye former owner and chef Ray Arpke on Feb. 28 and March 1.

The Legacy Chef Wine Dinner series brings together acclaimed local chefs who started their culinary careers at the restaurant for a night of storytelling over wine and cuisine.

“There’s a long line of hospitality in those four walls. We want to bring our style of fivestar fun to Cafe L’Europe,” said Cafe L’Europe CEO John Horne.

Dariela Delgado

Rab’Bee’ Shefrin along with Savannah Hart and Jacob Shefrin enjoy the Purim Carnival March 5 at Temple Emanu-El.

Courtesy photo

Dariela Delgado

Newsweek ranks SMH among best in U.S.

Sarasota Planning Director Steve Cover. Read more on page 6

BY THE NUMBERS

Dolphin Aviation sold after 50 years

Longtime Sarasota aviation company Dolphin Aviation has been acquired by Hawthorne Global Aviation Services. The acquisition includes Dolphin’s fixed base operator lease at SarasotaBradenton International Airport and several businesses from the company’s portfolio.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Dolphin Aviation was founded in 1969 by the late Ron Ciaravella in 1969. Ciaravella, who had a deep history of community involvement, died July 19,

2021. Over 21 years Dolphin Aviation awarded more than 100 scholarships to local graduating high school students to support their college studies.

“I am grateful to have a company with Hawthorne Global’s reputation take over the business Ron spent so much of his life building,” said Shannon Ciaravella, Ron Ciaravella’s widow. “They have the resources and expertise to continue to advance Sarasota as the most private aviation-friendly destination in our region.”

Dolphin Aviation had grown from nine to 25 acres with 75 aircraft based there at the time of the transaction. It hosted several flight-related businesses including FAA-approved flight schools, aircraft sales companies, an avionics facility, aircraft maintenance and repair shops, helicopter companies and storage for private and corporate aircraft.

Headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, Hawthorne Global was founded in 1932. With the addition of Dolphin, the company operates 11 FBOs.

For the fifth straight year, Sarasota Memorial Hospital has been recognized among the world’s best hospitals in Newsweek and Statistica Inc.’s annual global ranking of hospitals.

It’s also the fifth year of the rankings by the magazine in collaboration with market research company Statistica, among approximately 2,300 medical institutions across 28 countries, including 440 hospitals in the United States and 16 in Florida.

SMH-Sarasota is the only hospital in Southwest Florida to make the list.

SMH is ranked 146th in the U.S. and was not among the top 250 in the world rankings.

Newsweek releases the list each year to help consumers discover leading hospitals. In addition to the U.S., countries in the global study include Germany, Japan, South Korea, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, Brazil, Canada, India, Australia, Mexico, The Netherlands, Austria, Thailand, Switzerland and more.

The 2023 World Best Hospital rankings are available at Newsweek.com.

School system fires police chief Oakes

More shakeups have occurred at the top levels of Sarasota County Schools. Chief of Police Duane Oakes, also the school district’s executive director of safety and security, has been removed from his position.

Interim SCS Superintendent

Allison Foster has appointed Stephen Lorenz, currently a captain in the department, to assume Oakes’ duties on an interim basis effective immediately. Foster was named interim superintendent after the Sarasota County School Board fired Brennan Asplen in December.

With more than 35 years of law enforcement experience, Lorenz is a former security officer with the U.S. Air Force. A graduate of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Future Executive Studies program, he has also served with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and the North Port Police Department.

“In this proposal there are no changes to height anywhere in the downtown, so I just want to make that clear.”

Courtesy photo

Dolphin Aviation was home to 75 aircraft based at its Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport operation.

SIX FOR SPAC

Four European- and two U.S.-based architecture firms are semifinalists for the job of designing the new Sarasota Performing Arts Center. The candidates will be narrowed to three in May.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Four Europe-based architecture firms are among the six semifinalists selected by the Sarasota Performing Arts Center Foundation’s Architect Selection Task Force.

The narrowing of the field from 18 culled from 43 responding to a request for qualifications by the task force comes on the heels of the announcement of a $10 million contribution from the Paul Seed Fund at KBF CANADA to support the architect and design team in building the project.

The six finalists include American firms Diller Scofidio + Renfro of New York City and Gehry Partners of Los Angeles. The Europe-based firms are Foster + Partners Limited of London; Renzo Piano Building Workshop of Genoa, Italy; Snohetta of Oslo, Norway; and Henning Larsen of Copenhagen, Denmark.

All six are regarded as global firms, many with multiple locations, and each with a portfolio that includes performing arts facilities.

“Our rigorous review process for selecting the architect for the new performing arts center is a reflection of our unwavering commitment to position Sarasota as a top-tier arts destination,” said Jenne Britell, SPAC Foundation vice chair who also serves as chair of the task force, in a news release. “With the narrowing of our candidate pool, we are getting closer to accomplishing our vision for a world-class facility that will be a hub for creativity and innovation.”

The community members selected to serve on the SPAC task force for the planned Sarasota Performing Arts Center are:

Jenne Britell, chair, and vice chair of the Van Wezel Foundation Board of Directors; retired senior officer of several financial institutions, including GE Capital, and chair of United Rentals. Mary Bensel, executive director of The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall and member of the Broadway League and Florida Presenters. Mark Famiglio, co-founder of the Sarasota Film Festival. Michele Hooper ,CEO of the Directors Council, governance expert and business leader. Larry Thompson , president of Ringling College of Art and Design; founding executive director of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The next step in the task force’s work is to narrow the field to three finalists. That will require each member to make site visits to one project each by the semifinalists. The finalists are scheduled to be selected at its May 12 meeting, after which each will be invited to Sarasota for in-person interviews and community engagement.

Because the task force is subject to Florida Sunshine laws regarding government meetings, none of its members may make site visits together.

The architect selection process began in October, with the first of six public task force meetings. Funded through an appropriation from the state of Florida, the meetings have been held to discuss applicants’ qualifications and submissions.

Specifications for the SPAC include a 2,100-seat main hall, a 300-seat flexible performance space and a total of 165,000 square feet of building utilizing inside and outside education, event and rooftop spaces. The project, to be built on the opposite corner of the parking lot from the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, is projected to cost approximately $275 million.

It will be funded in part by a tax increment financing district surrounding The Bay, the city’s 53-acre bayfront park between Boulevard of the Arts and 10th Street along North Tamiami Trail. The TIF captures 95% of any increases in property tax revenue within the district above the baseline year of 2019 and expires in 2049. The balance is to be funded by grants and private contributions.

Located within The Bay, which is being redeveloped under the auspices of the Bay Park Conservancy, the SPAC is a separate entity operated by the SPAC Foundation. Like the Van Wezel, the new SPAC will be owned by the city. TIF funds apply to redevelopment of the entire property, including the SPAC.

The TIF district covers much of the downtown area ripe for redevelopment north of Fruitville Road.

DILLER SCOFIDIO + RENFRO

Headquarters: New York City

About: Founded in 1981, Diller Scofidio + Renfro spans architecture, urban design, installation art, multimedia performance, digital media and print. With a focus on cultural and civic projects, DS+R’s work addresses the changing role of institutions and the future of cities. It received the first grant awarded in the field of architecture from the MacArthur Foundation, which called it, “Architects who have created an alternative form of architectural practice that unites design, performance, and electronic media with cultural and architectural theory and criticism. Their work explores how space functions in our culture and illustrates that architecture, when understood as the physical manifestation of social relationships, is everywhere, not just in buildings.”

Image: Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, New York City

FOSTER + PARTNERS LIMITED

Headquarters: London, England

About: Foster + Partners is a global studio for sustainable architecture, urbanism, engineering and design, founded by Norman Foster in 1967. With offices around the world, sustainability is at the heart of its design approach. It audits projects against global standards as well as its own. To build sustainably requires holistic design, with each project beginning with fresh thinking, leading to innovative solutions that are tailor-made to site, user and climate.

Image: PGA Tour Global Headquarters, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

HENNING LARSEN

Headquarters: Copenhagen, Denmark

About: Henning Larsen is an international studio for architecture, landscape and urbanism whose design philosophy centers on the play of light and nature. It strives to bring joy to those who occupy the spaces by shaping the conditions for human interaction. Often described as the “master of light,” the firm was founded in 1959 by its namesake, who led the firm for more than 50 years, designing a vast array of works of architecture in Denmark and abroad.

Image: Copenhagen Concert Hall, Copenhagen, Denmark

GEHRY PARTNERS

Headquarters: Los Angeles, California

About: Gehry Partners brings broad international experience in academic, commercial, museum, performance and residential projects. Established in 1962, it employs a large number of senior architects with extensive experience in the technical development of building systems and construction documents who are highly qualified in the management of complex projects, all designed personally by founder Frank Gehry. The firm relies on the use of Digital Project, a modeling program originally created for the aerospace industry, to thoroughly document designs and to rationalize the bidding, fabrication and construction process.

Image: Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles

RENZO PIANO BUILDING WORKSHOP

Headquarters: Genoa, Italy

About: Contrary to what its name might imply, the firm does not build pianos, rather is led by founder Renzo Piano, established in 1981 with offices in Genoa and Paris. It can provide full architectural design services and consultancy services before and during the construction phase. Its work also includes interior design, town planning and urban design, landscape and exhibition design services. The practice permanently employs about 120 architects together with support staff including 3D visualization artists and model makers. It has completed more than 140 projects around the world.

Image: Hanoi Opera House, Hanoi, Vietnam

SNOHETTA

Headquarters: Oslo, Norway

About: Snohetta began as a collaborative architectural and landscape workshop, and has remained true to its transdisciplinary way of thinking since inception. It strives to enhance our sense of surroundings, identity and relationship to others and the surrounding physical spaces. Snohetta has grown to become an internationally renowned practice of architecture, landscape architecture, interior architecture, product, graphic, digital design and art. A global firm, it has offices in Paris, Innsbruck, Austria, New York City, Hong Kong, Adelaide, Australia, and San Francisco.

Image: Shanghai Grand Opera House, Shanghai, China

Courtesy renderings

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Kennel club site back on the market

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

The nearly yearlong battle between Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport and the city over a proposed apartment complex at the former Sarasota Kennel Club site has ended without either party having its day in court.

With the cancellation of the purchase agreement of the property with Aventon Holdings of Raleigh, North Carolina, the airport and the property owner, the Jack G. Collins Revocable Trust, are seeking to reset the zoning to its prior use and dismiss all pending legal action.

The Collins Trust is looking for a buyer for the 25-acre property that would plan to develop it under the prior zoning of the site, which allows for high-intensity commercial.

Aventon had proposed a 372-unit apartment community there, a plan embroiled in controversy over its close proximity to the airport across University Parkway and its positioning beneath the noise contour, which the airport cited as a health and safety issue.

The airport also said the approval of apartments there was a violation of a 2018 agreement between the city and the airport, one that prohibits residential development beneath the noise contour.

The City Commission gave final approval for the project in November 2022.

The purchase agreement between Aventon and the Collins Trust was extended until Feb. 2, 2023 in hopes of allowing time to reach a compromise with the airport. The close did not occur by that date, and the contract to purchase was automatically terminated.

This week, the Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority and the city both approved a settlement agreement with Collins Trust, under which the city will rescind the comprehensive plan change approval. The City Commission will officially vote to rescind that change at its April 3 meeting, and its certain approval will automatically negate the zoning changes and site plan approval for the apartments. Those approvals were contingent upon the comprehensive plan change, which was being challenged in court by the airport. That and other legal proceedings remain pending, so once the recision is official, all lawsuits will be dropped, and along with them, claims for legal expenses.

“Very significantly, all parties would waive any claims they have against the other for attorneys’ fees,” City Attorney Robert Fournier told commissioners Monday. “When the City Commission approved the rezone and site plan ordinance with finality on second reading back in November, it required the authority within 30 days to file these two suits, so they were seeking reimbursement of their attorneys’ fees in that regard, but they’ve agreed to waive that if this is approved.”

During the approval proceedings last year, a representative of Aventon Holdings told city commissioners the company had already invested $1.5 million in site plan development for the apartments.

File photo

The SarasotaManatee Airport Authority and the city of Sarasota have reached a settlement agreement with the owner of the Sarasota Kennel Club site to drop all legal proceedings if the property is returned to its previous commercial zoning. Apartments are no longer planned for the site.

Six months / $160

months / $200 Three months / $128

months / $160

With the termination of the Sarasota Kennel Club site sale, the airport is dropping its legal challenges with the project.

City vows no 2025 sunset for Bay Runner

CATCH A RIDE

passengers.

On Day 1 of the Bay Runner last year, 208 passengers tested the route between downtown Sarasota and Lido Key. In the one year since, more than 150,000 riders have taken advantage of the free ride as the trolley service marked its first anniversary on March 2. That success already has city offi-

The Bay Runner trolley service is available every day from 8 a.m. to midnight. A route map is available at SarasotaBayRunner.com. A mobile app with real time tracking and arrival information can be downloaded via the Apple app store and Google Play.

cials thinking about expanding the program.

Funded by a $1.5 million grant from the state of Florida, doled out in $500,000 increments each over three years, and bolstered by $50,000 each annually from the Downtown Development District and the St. Armands

Business Improvement District, the Bay Runner enters its second year well ahead of ridership projections, said Planning Director Steven Cover.

Combined with the micro-mobility bike and scooter program operated by Veo, total ridership is on pace to exceed 300,000 by the end of March.

“We’re just thrilled with the success,” Cover said before a ceremonial ride from City Hall across the Ringling Bridge to St. Armands Circle on Thursday. “The vendors have been spectacular to work with, and we fully intend on keeping this going.”

That will require more funding beyond 2025. Cover said the ridership figures, should they continue on pace, will bolster the city’s case for further state dollars. The primary objective of the Bay Runner is to take vehicles off the road, par-

ticularly over the perpetually busy Ringling Bridge, reducing traffic and emissions. Should the state decline, Cover said additional funding sources will be explored.

“We understand the important role the Bay Runner is playing with mobility,” said City Manager Marlon Brown in a news release. “We are reviewing all potential funding sources to ensure the trolley continues.”

With a fleet of three open-air buses, two of them in operation at any given time and all three during certain special events, the Bay Runner is operated by CPR Medical Transport, the company that runs the popular Siesta Key Breeze trolley. Each trolley-style bus seats 28.

But not everybody is sitting.

“One of the really fun things to see is the little kids,” Cover said. “They just get up there and stand right at the window and are just amazed. It’s not just a form of transportation. It’s fun.”

Just two weeks following the Bay Runner launch, the city rolled out its e-scooter/bicycle rental program. Veo is reporting 127,753 total trips taken between March 2022 and January 2023. Many riders incorporate the Bay Runner and Veo to reach their destination by taking the trolley and a scooter, or vice-versa, for the first or last mile of their trip.

“It’s something to enjoy for visitors, but also for citizens. It’s also taking a lot of traffic off the roads, particularly going over to St. Armands,” Cover said. “I met a couple who lives about five blocks from here and they walk to downtown, hop on the trolley to go to dinner on St. Armands, ride the trolley back and then walk home. That could have been a car on the road.”

Expansion of the program may include an additional route or routes.

“If the ridership keeps going up every month we might have to expand not just on our existing route, but we are going to be looking to maybe have a north-south route as well, potentially linking up with the airport, the colleges and Newtown,” Cover said.

The Bay Runner and e-scooter/ bike rental programs were honored together in June 2022 by the International Parking & Mobility Institute with an Award of Excellence for innovation with a mobility program.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

One year after launch, the free trolley service between downtown Sarasota and Lido Key has carried some 150,000

Andrew Warfield

Sarasota Planning Director Steven Cover speaks to media members on the first anniversary of the Bay Runner trolley service.

Affordable housing goal: 11.5% of new units developed

The city of Sarasota is revising its rules to incentivize developers to take advantage of density bonuses and create more affordable housing.

ANDREW WARFIELD

STAFF WRITER

In the two months since the city of Sarasota Planning Department held its first of two affordable housing town hall sessions, staff refined zoning text amendments intended to incentivize the development of affordable and attainable units in the downtown zoning districts.

At its follow-up Affordable Housing town hall on March 1, staff presented details of the changes it will propose to the City Commission. The commission made way for the ability to make changes by amending the comprehensive plan in fall 2022. This first round of zoning changes applies only to the four downtown zoning districts. Once adopted, staff will turn its attention to zoning districts along the city’s commercial corridors where redevelopment opportunities exist.

The program is voluntary for developers.

Attempting to allay at the onset a recurring concern over the changes, which emphasize density bonuses in exchange for providing affordable and attainable priced residential units, Director of Planning Steve Cover addressed building height. “There’s always been the issue of height that’s been brought up throughout this initiative,” Cover said. “In this proposal there are no changes to height anywhere in the downtown, so I just want to make that clear.”

There will be changes in density bonuses, relaxed parking requirements and other developer incentives. If approved, the incentives in

the downtown zoning districts are available only if attainable housing is provided on-site for a minimum of 30 years. Density bonuses include:

n Downtown Neighborhood Edge: Existing 18 units per acre up to 72 units per acre.

n Downtown Edge: Existing 25 units per acre up to 100 units per acre.

n Downtown Core and Downtown Bayfront. Existing 50 units per acre up to 200 units per acre.

Standards for the attainable and affordable units will:

n Allow attainable housing incentives to households earning below 60% area median income, consistent with the comprehensive plan definition.

n Require fixture and finishes of attainable housing units to be functionally equivalent to market rate units.

n Require attainable units to be interspersed throughout the development.

n Require bedroom mix of attainable housing units to be comparable to

the bedroom mix of the market rate units.

For developers who take advantage of the program, the percentage of affordable and attainable units is legally binding for 30 years and runs with the deed. The proposed ordinance will include noncompliance enforcement actions available to the city against the developer or future owners of the properties.

Some attendees at the town hall suggested requiring a minimum of 15% of the bonus units was too generous to developers, a standard that results in 11.5% of an overall development priced in the affordable and attainable ranges.

Cover countered that in the existing Rosemary Residential Overlay District, which was established in 2019, 25% of the bonus units are required to be designated as attainable in order to qualify. That experiment has yielded no results.

“What we’ve seen since that was adopted is really no activity,” Cover said. “What has been recommended

by the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, also the blueprint for workforce housing, is 15%. And so what we’re proposing is that 15% of the additional bonus units be required for attainable housing.”

That means, for example, should a builder add 100 units to a project to take advantage of the density bonus, 15 must be priced in the affordable and attainable range. In addition, at least one-third must be priced at 80% or below area median income, at least one-third 81%-100%, and no more than one-third 101%-120%.

Excluding the barrier islands, the current median rent in the city is $2,500 per month. For an individual at 100% AMI earning $60,500 per year, the recommended maximum rent, including utilities, is $1,513 per month. For someone earning 120% AMI, $72,600 per year, the maximum rent is $1,815, all-inclusive.

For a family of four earning 100% AMI, or $90,400 per year, the recommended maximum rent is $2,260. For a family earning 120% AMI,

$103,560 per year, the maximum rent is $2,589, $89 above the median rent in the city.

Those figures do not permit workforce individuals and families to afford to live in the city. And those earning less than 100% AMI — typically firefighters, school teachers, restaurant workers, etc. — cannot affordably live anywhere near where they work. That results in labor shortages in the service industries used by those earning well above 120% AMI.

The text amendments include not only rental apartments, but also forsale units. Individual owners who hold those homes for 30 years will be permitted to sell the property at market rate. They can also sell earlier at market rate, but a sliding scale of net proceeds based on years of ownership will go to the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund to help build more units. For example, if an affordable unit is sold after 10 years of ownership, the seller may keep one-third of the net equity, the remaining two-thirds deposited into the fund. At 15 years it’s a 50-50 split, and so on.

That requirement is legally binding and will be recorded with the deed.

With the city’s household makeup of 30.5% one person, 47.1% two people and 22.4% three or more, the emphasis should be on one-bedroom affordable and attainable units, staff said.

“The demographics of our area are 82% of households are without children and 77% are one- and two-person households,” said Senior Planner Briana Dobbs. “We really have a need for one-bedroom units. We’ve also had heard from the Sarasota Housing Authority that the longest wait list for units are one-bedrooms, so we want to make sure that we are providing for those.”

Before implementation, the text amendments must be approved by the Sarasota City Commission.

PRESENTING SPONSORS

Drs. Joel Morganroth and Gail Morrison Morganroth

Photos by Andrew Warfield

General Manager of Planning Ryan Chapdelain makes notes while Senior Planner Briana Dobbs speaks during the March 1 Affordable Housing town hall. Staff will present its plan to incentivize developers to the Sarasota City Commission

Planning Director Steven Cover speaks during the second Affordable Housing town hall meeting. The first set of text amendments will apply only to the downtown zoning districts, with recommendations for the city’s commercial corridors to follow.

First Phase of Luxury Homes Just Released

Announcing the release of the first phase of luxury homes at Wild Blue at Waterside in Lakewood Ranch by Stock Development. This new waterfront community features oversized homesites and luxury single-family homes by some of the region’s most notable builders.

Residences range from 2,300 to over 4,000 square feet, with nature and waterfront views, and floor plans that include expanded outdoor living spaces to enjoy the best of the Florida lifestyle.

Wild Blue at Waterside’s unparalleled lifestyle includes the 13-acre Midway Sports Complex with 6 tennis courts, 8 pickleball courts, kayak launch, miles of walking trails and so much more. The 25,000-square-foot social clubhouse features indoor and outdoor dining, two pools, movie theater, fitness center and a lifestyle director to organize social events.

Designating fentanyl as a WMD would increase overdoses

Cracking down on drugs often has an unintended effect: The creation of more potent, and lethal, replacements.

OPIOID RELATED MORTALITY BY SUBSTANCE

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

Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

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Fentanyl overdoses are devastating the entire country. In 2021, over 107,000 Americans died from a drug overdose, 71,238 of which were caused by fentanyl. In Florida alone, fentanyl ended over 5,000 lives the same year. This tragic crisis will not be resolved by doubling down on prohibition policies that have failed for decades and are actually fueling overdose deaths.

In a letter by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody published in The Observer last month, she called upon President Biden to officially designate fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. The plea came a day after a House Energy & Commerce Committee hearing on the fentanyl crisis, which largely shared the same sentiment. Although much of the rhetoric blamed a porous Southern border, illegal immigration has little to do with fentanyl overdoses.

According to Customs and Border Protection, Southwest border encounters fell during the Obama Administration, increased during the Trump Administration, and have skyrocketed amid the Biden Administration — yet illicit opioid overdoses (like fentanyl) rose every single year of each presidency. Indeed, fentanyl increasingly infiltrated the country while President Trump reduced the unauthorized immigrant population. The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of fentanyl is trafficked through ports of entry and carrier packages — not on the backs of illegal immigrants and trafficker coyotes. And unfortunately, there’s no amount of enforcement that can stop it. In fact, it’s the enforcement itself that has led to fentanyl being the preferred drug of traffickers, and labeling fentanyl as a WMD would only lead to more concentrated illicit drugs.

HOW IT STARTED

Heroin overdoses began to increase in 2011, the year after law enforcement began mandating reductions in opioid prescribing across the country. Indeed, opioid prescribing rates have decreased every single year since 2010, and it is no coin-

cidence that overdoses from black market opioids have increased in tandem, as CDC data in the accompanying figure shows. Attorney General Moody’s aggressive policies on prescription opioids doubles down on the very cause of the overdose crisis.

Drug Enforcement Administration data show that as heroin seizures rose over the past decade, production of heroin in Mexico began to decline. Simultaneously, drug enforcement increasingly encountered fentanyl. Although illicit heroin has a high overdose potential, it is still much less potent compared to fentanyl. But it was the success in heroin seizures that motivated drug traffickers to begin engineering more potent substances, so that they could more easily conceal the product while transporting. During alcohol prohibition in the 1920s, bootleggers stopped supplying beer and wine in favor of liquor, since it was easier to conceal from police and provided more “bang for the buck” so to speak. These same incentives have motivated the cartels to supply fentanyl instead of heroin.

Now, after the Drug Enforcement Administration’s record year of fentanyl seizures in 2021, a new drug that can be 20 to 100 times stronger than fentanyl — isotonitazene — has started to appear more and more in the toxicologies of drug overdose victims. There is a pattern of futility here in addressing the problem with more prohibition. If Congress labels fentanyl as a WMD, the U.S. will increasingly see drugs like isotonitazene in the country and even more overdoses.

Some may think that there has been an increase in opioid addiction in the U.S., but the Substandard Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that opioid use and addiction have both been dropping since 2015, and in fact the misuse of opioids in the U.S. is now at its lowest rate in over 20 years. The only reason why so many more people are dying is because the illicit drug market is so dangerous — not because there are more drug users.

If we were to offer both legitimate pain patients and those addicted to opioids safer legal alternatives to cartel-supplied drugs, we would see a massive decrease in death. Punishment rarely convinces those with drug abuse problems to quit, but help addressing their problems that cause drug abuse does. But that requires weaning them off the drugs, which is hard to do with prohibition. Prohibition also creates massive incentives for violence and ever more unsafe versions of drugs, creating an environment where helping drug users is very difficult. It’s a circular problem and we have to break the cycle. But until our policymakers recognize the factual reality that prohibition keeps failing, and doubling down on it with a WMD declaration is only doubling down on failure, expect drug overdoses to continue to rise.

Adrian Moore is vice president at Reason Foundation and lives in Sarasota. Jacob James Rich is a policy analyst at Reason Foundation and a researcher at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Value-Based Care Research.

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1970 Main St. Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-3468

ADRIAN MOORE AND JACOB JAMES RICH

YouTube competitor opens new Longboat Key headquarters

MARK GORDON BUSINESS OBSERVER

The California tech company party balloon has landed on Longboat Key — along with a sweet bottle of rum.

The rum comes from Rumble. The publicly traded video-sharing platform, which rose to national prominence by catering to a conservativeleaning audience, especially during the pandemic, officially opened its new U.S. corporate headquarters Feb. 27 on Longboat Key. It celebrated the opening with a party Feb. 24 attended by some notable video content providers and national and local convservative luminaries, including Donald Trump Jr. The company’s main corporate offices were previously in Toronto.

Traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol, RUM, Rumble has been operating in some capacity on Longboat for more than a year. It reported revenue of $22.36 million in the trailing 12-month period through February — more than double the $9.4 million it did in 2021. The revenue gains have been accompanied by heavy losses, including $20.8 million in the past 12 months. Rumble shares closed at $9.34 March 6.

Rumble, which went public Sept. 19 through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company, known as a SPAC, makes most of its money from ad revenue, where rates increase based on viewership metrics. On that front, Rumble has been on a tear: It hit 71 million monthly active users in the 2022 third quarter, according to a January report from Statista. That’s up 61.3% from 44 million in the 2022 second quarter.

The official office opening, announced in a short press release sent over the business news wires March 2, was both a news item and a call to action: the company, said

Chairman and CEO Chris Pavlovski, is hiring people to work from the Longboat office, mostly in engineering and software, but in sales and support, too. It seeks to hire at least 25 people right now, with more, said Pavlovski, “in bunches of 25,” to come.

In documents Rumble filed in 2021 with Sarasota County for a potential jobs-based incentive package — it never materialized — the company indicated it aimed to create 165 local jobs. It said at the time that management jobs would pay $170,000 a year, while non-management positions would pay $80,000 a year.

LURE OF LONGBOAT

In a one-on-one interview the day the new office press statement was released, Pavlovski talked about Rumble’s history, his plans for the company’s near future (what he could disclose publicly) and the rapidly shifting video platform industry. He spoke with sister publication the Business Observer from a secondfloor balcony as the occasional boat motored by and light chatter from Dry Dock could be heard nearby the building at 444 Gulf of Mexico Drive.

“My focus,” Pavlovski said, “is to live here and grow here and make us the free speech capital of the world.”

The free speech mantra is a throwback to when Pavlovski, 39, first thought of the idea of Rumble. That was in 2010, when, he said, he saw YouTube, the pioneer in uploaded video content, had “been going with big brands and getting corporate. They weren’t for your aunts and uncles and friends and family anymore.”

His answer, Rumble, was founded in 2013. “I saw an opportunity to help provide tools YouTube was no longer giving people,” he said.

The company picked up a lot of “little wins,” Pavlovski said, until

summer 2020, when then-U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes, R-California, joined Rumble. Pavlovski said it took Nunes, a conservative and major ally of then-President Donald Trump, a decade to get 12,000 subscribers on YouTube. On Rumble, Nunes reached 300,000 subscribers in three months. “That was a key moment people in the conservative sphere noticed,” Pavlovski said.

More wins after Nunes came from election night 2020, when conservative comedian Steven Crowder surpassed 3 million views. British comedian Russell Brand, citing Rumble’s free speech-embracing platform, joined Rumble in 2022, another big win. Brand attended the opening night party.

Another big decision? The move to Longboat Key. Like many others who have moved businesses to the Sarasota-Bradenton region, Pavlovski had family here; his parents, he said, have had a place on Longboat

Key for more than 15 years.

“I’ve been to a lot of places all over America but once you come here, you don’t leave,” said Pavlovski, a Toronto native and lifelong Maple Leafs hockey fan. “It captivates you. It’s a little piece of heaven here.”

That’s part of the pitch the company uses to recruit and retain employees — to live and work in a “piece of heaven.” Similar themes are part of employees’ social media posts.

A new Rumble employee, when they come to work at the firm’s new Longboat Key digs, will get a taste of what, pre-pandemic at least, had become the standard Silicon Valleystyle office. The stylish renovated, two-story office is in the back building of the Sailboat Square office complex, next to Dry Dock Waterfront Grill and across the street from the Resort at Longboat Key Club. The back of the office, built in 1981, has docks and unobstructed views of Sarasota Bay.

While the views aren’t unusual for Longboat, what’s different is the inside. One floor has back-toback rows of tables with large computer monitors lined up, one next to another. Another floor has a sleek kitchen with a coffee bar, near a wall adorned in green faux grass. (Green is a primary Rumble color.) Another wall is painted with detailed comicbook style murals, including one with green fighting red, which is YouTube’s primary color.

The office’s inside, combined with the location, combined with Florida’s popularity, resonated with some of the company’s already 200-strong employee base when the Longboat move was announced. Employees relocated to Longboat Key from Canada, California and other places. Pavlovski said he could see it in real time on the company’s internal Slack messaging channel. “Within days,” he says, “people were posting pictures on Slack of the moving trucks.”

After

with Dr Silverstein I was

at ease, so much so I scheduled a full

The hip replacement was such a success that now Dr Silverstein is doing my knee. I have complete confidence in Dr Silverstein and will highly recommended him to anyone who may need any type of orthopedic services.

Dr Silverstein has given me a new outlook on life again. I was very skeptical of getting a hip surgery at 34. But now 2 months after I am completely back to a normal life and getting better than ever thought. I am playing with my kids and just got my first job after three years. Dr Silverstein is very intelligent and amazing. I am forever grateful of what he has done for me. Don’t wait in pain like I did.

In a rare interview, Rumble CEO talks about tech companies, freedom of speech principles and the YouTube competitor’s growth track.

Courtesy photo

Rumble Chairman and CEO Chris Pavlovski cuts the ribbon at a grand opening party at the video platform’s new Longboat Key office Feb. 24.

Exterior Door Hardware

It’s a frustrating reality for many Gulf Coast homeowners – discolored, pitted and tarnished exterior door hardware caused by our harsh salt-rich air.

We eventually learn that the tease of “lifetime brass” really means a lifetime of maintenance and repair. There is a practical solution to this common problem – Bronze or Stainless

MONDAY, FEB. 20

POLICE CAR VS. CURB

MONDAY, FEB. 20

BAR TRICK

8:55 p.m., 1400 block of Main Street

Beautiful AND Durable Exterior Door Hardware

Both materials offer excellent salt tolerance and oxidation/corrosion resistance with a minimum of maintenance. A variety of styles and finishes provide a perfect match to existing color schemes including rich patinas of classic bronze, contemporary polished or matte nickel, and black.

1:30 p.m., Waldemere Street near South Tamiami Trail Property damage: An officer responding to a call had a minor accident, causing damage to a patrol vehicle. When dispatched to a residential burglary in progress the officer attempted a U-turn, causing the passenger-side front fender to brush a loose yellow reflective pole that he could not see over the hood. Running over the curb then caused the passenger-side tires to flatten. The vehicle remained stuck on the curb until a towing company arrived to assist.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 22

BORROWED, OR STOLEN?

It’s a frustrating reality for many Gulf Coast homeowners – discolored, pitted and tarnished exterior door hardware caused by our harsh salt-rich air.

Smitty’s Architectural Hardware, located

The Plumbing Place, displays many lines of door hardware in beautiful styles for your home that are well suited for our demanding environment, and will create the first impression your front door deserves.

Beautifully crafted bathroom and kitchen fixtures, fittings and accessories from leading designers. Masterpieces of functionality and style showcased in an astounding showroom.

We eventually learn that the tease of “lifetime brass” really means a lifetime of maintenance and repair. There is a practical solution to this common problem – Bronze or Stainless

Visit our showroom or call to arrange an appointment. 5678 Fruitville Road • Sarasota • Florida 34232 • 941.378.5678

sq.ft. Showroom for the Extensive Collection Anywhere.

10:16 p.m., 2800 block of Pershing Avenue Stolen vehicle: An oral argument between two people in Manatee County morphed into a case of a borrowed vehicle reported as stolen. Police apprehended the vehicle in Sarasota. The suspect, a man, had permission to borrow the vehicle from the complainant, a woman, but after the dispute refused to return it. The complainant then reported it stolen. When officers stopped the vehicle, they also discovered a small amount of marijuana inside. The driver was issued a civil citation for the marijuana. The owner arrived on the scene and took possession of the car. She did not wish to press charges, and no further action was taken.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 22

ROUGH HORSEPLAY

Robbery: A man sitting at a downtown bar reported his wallet, which he had laid atop the bar, was stolen. The victim told police that while sitting there, he was tapped on the shoulder by a man demanding to know where his cigarette was. He responded he did not have it but because the suspect was behaving aggressively, offered to give him money to de-escalate the situation. The suspect repeated his question while pointing to his waistband and stated he had a weapon. The suspect then left on a bicycle, after which the victim noticed his wallet was missing.

While speaking with the victim, officers were approached by an employee of a neighboring bar who stated that a fellow employee sent him a photo of a male subject who was causing similar disruptions there. Witnesses confirmed it was the same individual. Other patrons said they witnessed the incident, and an officer recognized the suspect from several prior contacts with police.

The suspect was later located on his bicycle as a chase ensued. When captured, officers were unable to locate the victim’s wallet in his possession. Identified by the victim in the lineup, the suspect was transported to Sarasota County Jail.

OWNER

SARASOTA, FL  34232

OWNER | SARASOTA, FL  34232 THEPLUMBINGPLACE.COM

THEPLUMBINGPLACE.COM

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Showroom for the Extensive Collection Anywhere.

OWNER SARASOTA, FL  34232

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Both materials offer excellent salt tolerance and oxidation/corrosion resistance with a minimum of maintenance. A variety of styles and finishes provide a perfect match to existing color schemes including rich patinas of classic bronze, contemporary polished or matte nickel, and black.

FAUCETS • SINKS • TUBS • VANITIES

SHOWERS • MIRRORS • STEAM ROOMS

SAUNAS • TOILETS • BIDETS

DOOR AND CABINET HARDWARE

LIGHTING • ACCESSORIES

Smitty’s Architectural Hardware, located inside The Plumbing Place, displays many lines of door hardware in beautiful styles for your home that are well suited for our demanding environment, and will create the first impression your front door deserves.

www.theplumbingplace.com

Beautifully crafted bathroom and kitchen fixtures, fittings and accessories from leading designers. Masterpieces of functionality and style showcased in an astounding showroom. Visit

Dispute: An intoxicated father playing rough with his children prompted his wife to call police. The complainant told police there was no physical incident between the two but said her husband “gets really intoxicated at times” and when he does, he becomes more playful with their children, but the horseplay at times can become a bit rough. The complainant called law enforcement, she said, when he began yelling at the children, although he did not become physical with them. She did say he bit their daughter on

the hand earlier that evening. Leaving barely a mark, it was determined that it was done in a playful manner and there was no intent to harm. The man said he had not put his hands on anyone inside the home and that he went to his room to change into pajamas after arriving home. Police found no further need to investigate.

• ACCESSORIES

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON ONE PARK SARASOTA

One Park Sarasota is an 18-story, 123-residence tower wrapped in glass that pays tribute to the local architecture and promises exquisite attention to detail and a serene, holistic residential experience. Designed by Sarasota-based firm Hoyt Architects and developed by Property Markets Group (PMG), One Park will be a first-in-class luxury development in downtown Sarasota. To date, 75 people who love the Sarasota community have already purchased and are excited for the project to break ground.

The concept was to create an iconic tower, creating a gateway building that would connect the front yard of “The Bay” with the activity energy center of Quay Commons and the Waterfront District.

- Gary Hoyt AIA, Hoyt Architects Setting The Record Straight On One Park Sarasota

Though referenced as the soon-tobe largest building downtown, One Park Sarasota will not overshadow its neighbors in The Quay Sarasota in height nor size once completed. The unique angle of the property with its glass-lined facade will be a stunning addition to the area, seamlessly blending with its surroundings both natural and built.

By Comparison:

• One Park is 2 feet, 7 inches shorter than the new Ritz-Carlton Residences being proposed on Blocks 7 and 8 in the Quay.

• The VUE and The Westin Sarasota is significantly larger than any other completed or proposed property in the Quay, measuring at 859,000 gross square feet with a linear frontage (along Tamiami Trail and Gulfstream Blvd.) of 719 feet. This is almost double the linear frontage of Bayso and One Park.

• One Park’s linear frontage is smaller than Bayso, measuring approximately 360 linear feet whereas Bayso is approximately 365 linear feet. Lennar’s linear frontage (North and South along Quay Commons) is much larger than One Park, measuring 435 feet in length.

Thoughtful Development Approach

Decisions regarding the size of the property were made meticulously and intentionally in order to increase the overall benefit to those who will call the city of Sarasota home, beyond the residents of One Park Sarasota itself. The developer had the opportunity

to build 150 units on the site where One Park will be built. After internal discussions, thoughtful decisions about the size of One Park were made with future residents of One Park, neighbors in the Quay and the community in mind. The developer reduced the size of the building by 18% to total 123 units. Reducing the saleable square footage and number of units allowed the architect to substantially increase the distance from the building to the property line in order to maximize light and air for residents and neighboring buildings.

One Park Activates Community Connection

Outdoors on the ground level, One Park Sarasota will deliver a 76foot wide, 22-foot high, beautifully designed, well-lit and safe breezeway above Quay Commons with access to The Quay and The Bay Park from the Boulevard of the Arts. This dynamic pedestrian walkway will not only bring safe, widened sidewalks and lush greenery to an otherwise vacant space, but will also activate the space for Sarasota locals and residents. While the City of Sarasota code does not require the project to have any retail space, the developers of One Park are planning more than 13,000 square

feet of retail, dining, and outdoor café seating. Whether someone is looking to grab coffee or find respite during a particularly rainy or hot summer day, this activated space will benefit all who visit The Quay by offering a seamless way to commute to and from its array of shopping and dining venues.

Developing With The City in Mind

During the planning phase of the project, the developer had the opportunity to maximize two buildable lots on the future site of One Park Sarasota. Rather than constructing two larger towers and forgoing any retail component in the development, the developer has chosen to create one seamless property that will activate the pedestrian experience with shops, restaurants, and cafes for the community to enjoy, serving as a warm welcome for all to The Quay. The development team is making a commitment to Sarasota. A commitment to provide not only the most architecturally significant building in downtown Sarasota, high-quality construction, mindfully designed interiors, sweeping vistas and best-in-class amenities for residents, but a commitment to the community to provide exciting retail offerings including shopping, restaurants, a café and expansive sidewalks, all as part of a well-lit and safe atmosphere for the community to enjoy.

ARTIST CONCEPTUAL RENDERING

2nd Annual Polo for Parkinson’s

Tzeva serves up Mediterranean fusion

Lumpkin is from Oakland, California, and has worked in Jamaica, Japan, Memphis, New Orleans and Dallas.

“When you say Mediterranean, you are going to think about Greece, France and Italy. I want to go into a different style of cooking, explore those spices,” said Lumpkin.

Lumpkin comes from a Japanese background, and formal dining was something he was unfamiliar with.

The alluring aroma that drifts onto Palm Avenue is coming from the newly opened restaurant nestled in the ground floor of the Art Ovation Hotel, Tzeva. Now open a month, Tzeva lures those who want to travel with their taste buds.

With Executive Chef Ken Shiro Lumpkin leading the kitchen, the menu reflects his culinary journey.

“Mediterranean style was very similar to how I ate as a child growing up in a Japanese household. It’s really family oriented. It’s a lot of sharing and a lot of different dishes. I’m trying not to be so formal.”

Finding joy in the amusing times where he shared meals with multicultural friends, he aims to bring that experience to Sarasota. “Those were fun times for me.

2023 6th Annual Spring Art Show & Sale

The newly opened Mediterranean restaurant at Art Ovation Hotel adds some creativity to its menu.

Photos by Dariela Delgado

Bartender Chris Hembrough and Beverage and Entertainment Director Nick Purdue mix up some signature cocktails.

IF YOU GO

Personally, going to friends’ houses, there will be a bunch of plates and dishes and styles. That’s how I geared this restaurant.”

Lumpkin encourages diners to order something for themselves and something for the table. The Grouper Chairme is North African inspired with spicy tomato vegetable stew with couscous and cilantro.

Israeli influences can be tasted with the falafel that features chickpea fritters paired pickled watermelon rinds, tzatziki and smoked chutney. Japan comes through with the lamb loin shashlik kebab that has yuzu kosho, a Japanese condiment made with fermented chiles and yuzu fruit.

Beverage and Entertainment

Director Nick Purdue takes inspiration from the experimental menu.

“We are elevating without complicating,” he said. “We want people to say, ‘Hey, this is very straightfor-

ward. This is exciting. This is new, but it’s not pretentious or complicated.’”

One of Purdue’s most popular drinks is Sacred Corner, made with reposado tequila that’s been infused with palo santo wood then paired with lime and fresh passionfruit.

“We did a good job with having stuff that’s familiar and allowing people to experience new things at the same time,” Lumpkin said.

Added Purdue: “I think there’s a difference between dining and going out to eat. I think we are landing the dining part. It’s an experience.”

TRIBUTES

Alan A. Ades

A true patriarch of his family, Alan A. Ades, 92, passed away peacefully at his home in Dedham, MA, on February 22nd, surrounded by his loving children.

He was predeceased by his loving wife, Ruth z”l of 68 years. He is survived by his children Stephen, Philip (Ellen), Andrea Ades Woolner (Steven), and Sara Ades Goodwin, his brother Richard (Elaine), his sister Sherri Ades Falchuk (Kenneth), his brother-in-law Alan Flink and his sister-in-law Rebecca, his 22 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. He was also predeceased by his brother Harvey z”l and his sister-in-law Renee z”l.

Alan was a graduate of Yale and Harvard Business School. He served in the US Coast Guard as a Lieutenant during the Korean War before joining his family’s manufacturing business. In his younger years, he enjoyed, golf, tennis, and skiing. He loved his family and watching it grow over the years and treasured their frequent visits. He taught them to work hard, live life to its fullest, and always give back to the community.

He was actively involved with many Jewish organizations both locally and nationally, including President of New Bedford’s JCC, Tifereth Israel Synagogue and The Jewish Federations of New Bedford and Sarasota, FL. It was Alan’s

greatest honor to serve as International President of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, and he was actively involved on the Board of the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). His love for Israel and Jewish communities in need throughout the world led to more than 50 trips abroad over the years with his beloved Ruth.

The funeral service was held on Friday, February 24, 2023, at Temple Israel of Sharon, 125 Pond Street. Interment followed at Sharon Memorial Park.

DONATIONS:

Donations in Alan’s memory may be made to Temple Emanuel, 385 Ward St., Newton, MA 02459, Hebrew Senior Life, Attn: Development Office, 1200 Centre St., Roslindale, MA 02130, Tifereth Israel Synagogue, 145 Brownell Ave., New Bedford, MA 02740 or The Jewish Federation of SarasotaManatee, 580 McIntosh Rd., Sarasota, FL 34232.

His love for Israel and Jewish communities in need throughout the world led to more than 50 trips abroad over the years with his beloved Ruth.

SPORTS

Fast Break

Former Sarasota High baseball star Ben McCabe, a catcher, has started his senior season at the University of Central Florida red hot. Through 12 games, McCabe is hitting .400 with seven home runs, four doubles and 14 RBIs. McCabe also has yet to make an error and has recorded four defensive assists behind the plate.

... Sarasota Military Academy

senior girls wrestler Christina Turner finished second at the Florida High School Athletic Association state tournament in Kissimmee on March 4, falling 8-4 to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High’s Gabriela Cabo. Turner finished her season with a 35-3 record.

... Sarasota High girls lacrosse sophomore Ava Kozicky has 43 goals through eight games as of March 8, which according to MaxPreps statistics is the ninth most in Florida.

... Riverview High senior linebacker De’Shaun Olave signed with Lake Erie College (Painesville, Ohio) on March 1. Olave led the Rams with 61 total tackles in 2022.

... The Sarasota-Bradenton Triathlon comes to Nathan Benderson Park from March 1012. The triathlon features Elite, Junior, Youth and Age Group races, plus paratriathlon races. The event is free to attend as a spectator. For more information visit SRQTriFest.com.

... Sarasota High baseball alum Casey Kelly continues to extend his career. In December, Kelly — a former first-round pick of the Boston Red Sox in 2008 — re-signed with the LG Twins of the Korean Baseball Organization on a one-year deal worth $1.8 million. The 2023 season will be Kelly’s fifth in the KBO, where he’s found the most success of his professional career: in 2022, Kelly held a 2.54 ERA and a 1.076 WHIP.

COURT OF DREAMS

RYAN KOHN SPORTS EDITOR

Last year, on its way to a state title, the Cardinal Mooney High beach volleyball team had to drive to a public court like the ones at Bee Ridge Park to practice.

Now, all the Cougars have to do is walk outside.

The Cougars debuted their new beach volleyball courts, located next to the team’s football stadium, in a Feb. 28 match against Sarasota Christian. The match resulted in a 5-0 win for the Cougars, but that was a secondary concern. All anyone wanted to talk about were the courts.

“Who thought we could pull it off?” Davis said. “This is a dream come true. It’s a great day for our seniors and all the kids, who are like, ‘We can’t believe this is happening.’”

Davis has been a proponent of adding courts to Mooney’s campus since he took over the volleyball program, indoor and beach, from Chad Sutton in January 2021. The dream only recently took the shape of something resembling reality. Davis said he got approval from Mooney Principal Ben Hopper to move forward with the courts in late November, then had to come up with the money for the courts in three weeks, and they didn’t come cheap: Davis said the courts cost approximately $50,000, a large percentage of which was spent on high-quality sand.

Thanks to the generosity of the Mooney community, Davis said, the program raised the funds. Then, through a volleyball family connection, Davis found a construction company that could build the courts in two months to be ready for the start of the Florida High School Athletic Association’s preseason practice window on Feb. 6.

Davis said he’s impressed and thankful that everyone worked together to get the courts built in a short amount of time — he would have been ecstatic if they were ready a month from now, he said — but he’s equally impressed by their quality.

The three courts are surrounded by fencing and the high-quality sand provides an ideal playing surface.

Emblazoned on each net’s padding

are the names of the families who donated money to the cause, sponsoring that specific court. The top of each net features writing that lets players know where they are: “Mooney Beach.”

“Obviously, I’m biased, but I think it looks awesome,” Davis said. “This will set the standard, I think, for beach complexes. It’s great for spectators, too.”

That second point is one that has not escaped the attention of Mooney players. While the school’s indoor volleyball matches regularly draw strong crowds — and get loud interactions from the student section — beach volleyball matches, played on the road or at public courts, have largely been limited to a crowd of parents. Now that matches can be hosted at the school in the afternoons, the Cougars are hoping more of their peers pay attention to the team’s success.

“No one’s had an opportunity to see us play,” senior Gracie Page said. “They only hear about it afterwards. Now students can come, teachers too, and they can see how different beach volleyball is from indoor. I get a lot of questions about that. A lot of people think it’s the same sport, just on sand, when it’s not. I hope they come out and see the differences.”

Page’s playing partner, senior Sawyer DeYoung, said she’s expecting home matches against other premier programs like Venice High and Berkeley Prep to be intense, and she’d like it if the crowd matched that intensity. At Mooney, despite blasting music at practice, the Cougars take the beach season as seriously as they do the indoor season, evidenced by the team attempting to win two different state titles on back-to-back weekends a season

ago. Though the team only won one of them, the Sunshine State Athletic Conference state championship, the Cougars proved themselves to be among the elite of the elite.

With practices now easier than ever to arrange and a bevy of talent back, the Cougars are gunning for another title. It’s not only the ease of the courts that give the team an advantage it didn’t have a season ago, but the amount of them. Davis said having three courts available will allow the team to use two as space for their top-five pairs, while the three court will be used to train everyone else in the program and prepare them for when it is their time to shine. Davis said there are now 21 kids in the program, up from 10 when he took control.

Helena Hebda, the program’s beach volleyball captain, said she hopes the advantages of the new courts mean the team is set up to have its best season yet, and that everyone on the team knows what needs to be done to make that happen.

“We can never take any reps off,” Hebda said. “We play a lot of games in practice, so things stay competitive, and that helps us. It translates to our matches. And we can’t give up. Last year, we did a good job of fighting back no matter the score.”

Her coach agrees. Davis said he’s proud of what is being built within the program and believes last year’s postseason success can continue, assuming his team, top to bottom, plays how he knows it can.

“You have to win three out of five (scoring) pairs to win a match,” Davis said. “Someone’s going to have to be really good to knock off three of our pairings. If our girls play the way they should, we’re going to be tough to beat.”

“I love that it’s such a team game, and as a pitcher, I can make it a game against myself on the mound ...”

— Sarasota High’s Tanner Crump

Courtesy photo

Former Sailor Ben McCabe is now a senior catcher at UCF.

The Cougars believe the courts will give the program an advantage and promote growth.

Photos by Ryan Kohn

Cardinal Mooney senior Helena Hebda leaps to send a ball over the net against Sarasota Christian.

Mooney coach Chad Davis said the school’s new courts cost approximately $50,000.

Cougars senior Sawyer DeYoung dives for a ball against Sarasota Christian.

Cardinal Mooney senior Gracie Page plays a ball to senior teammate Sawyer DeYoung (8).

PUNK ROCK ROWER

those stories.

To wit: asked about his origins in the sport, Stomporowski paused before he spoke.

“Do you know the band the Sex Pistols?” Stomporowski said. “I love the Sex Pistols.”

So began the tale of how Stomporowski found his life entwined with rowing. Growing up in Germany, Stomporowski admits now that he was a bit of a scamp, a punk in the cultural sense. He dressed like his favorite bands and dyed his hair different colors — he still dyes it, he said — and believed in the freedom of doing what you want. He also made some bad decisions that landed him in trouble. Stomporowski said his grades suffered as a result, and he often slept in places that were not his family home, as was the punk way.

Eventually, Stomporowski said, he found himself in front of a judge at age 16, who told him that he’d have to clean up his act unless he wanted to ruin his life forever. The judge used the local rowing club — the once across the way from where Stomporowski and his friends often sat and smoked — as an example of something that might be good for him: a club that valued structure and discipline. It was something that might teach him a few things while also being fun.

mance teams, including the nationals teams of China and Brazil. In joining the Scullers, Stomporowski said, he’s looking to get back to his roots and find the sport’s joy.

“I love rowing,” Stomporowski said. “It gave me my life, basically. It got me out of that downward spiraling life of being a punk. It helped me stay afloat. It’s enriching, and I want these rowers to feel that enrichment.”

What that means, practically, is that Stomporowski is not concerned solely with wins or losses, though he certainly hopes his kids win when they take the water. His first goal is making sure his athletes have a good experience and leaving the Scullers with a lifelong appreciation of rowing, whether they continue to row in college or not — or even if they’re “good” or not. Stomporowski said that he’s willing to help kids reach the upper echelons of the sport if they ask him for assistance — he has the teaching pedigree to help them give it their best shot — but that won’t be his focus. The environment of the Scullers will be a welcoming one, with people of a mix of skill levels working together to achieve the best results they can without setting unrealistic expectations that might turn some rowers off.

are loving it. The Scullers set up a WhatsApp group, something Stomporowski learned about abroad, where everyone can share pictures of their workouts or fun activities or just spout nonsense and silly jokes. It’s a popular way for everyone to communicate, Stomporowski said. Having been on the job just a little more than two months, there’s still a lot for Stomporowski to do to put his mark on the program. The Scullers sent out their first newsletter, written by Stomporowski, on March 3, providing the Scullers community with news on the program, lots of smiling photos and results from the American Youth Cup and Sarasota Invitational Youth and Masters regatta, both of which were hosted at Nathan Benderson Park. It’s another way Stomporowski can make the community feel like a connected group.

Now married with two kids, Stomporowski said his days spent traveling the world, a new destination every few years, are coming to an end. He and his family like Sarasota, he said, and he likes the potential he sees in what the Scullers can be.

Not much about Bernhard Stomporowski, the director of rowing and head coach of the Sarasota Scullers, is traditional.

Not his credentials — the 56-year-old “Stompo” is an Olympic rower and world champion from Germany, and has coached the sport in Switzerland, China, Brazil and California among other stops — and certainly not his way of telling stories or the contents of

Stomporowski did join the club, but at first, he and a fellow punk friend only planned on using the club’s facilities as a place to sleep. But when he started competing in races and feeling the thrill of victory, Stomporowski started thinking of the sport as something more: a future. In his first year as a rower, Stomporowski won a German junior championship. After that, his career took off. Stomporowski went on to win world championships in the lightweight 4x in 1989 and 1990, and represented Germany at the 1996 Summer Olympics in the event, finishing fifth (6:14.79).

After his own rowing days were over, Stomporowski spent time as an interior designer before getting into coaching. He joined the Sarasota Scullers in December after years of coaching high-perfor-

An example of the passion Stomporowski want to breed already exists. Stomporowski said one of the rowers he coached in Switzerland is now the president of the same club that brought them together. If 20 years from now one of Stomporowski’s Scullers is leading the club, he’ll consider it a job well done.

“That’s the kind of deep love for rowing that I want to foster,” Stomporowski said.

The Scullers aren’t exclusively rowing anymore when together, though. They play soccer together on Saturdays, for instance, and Stomporowski joked that he went so hard that he injured his shoulder in the last game. The club has also hosted a number of movie nights — this week’s selection is “Rocky IV” — and gone on beach outings. So far, Stomporowski said, the kids

He still listens to punk music sometimes, not only the Sex Pistols, but bands like the Dead Kennedys and even rappers like Grandmaster Flash, who Stomporowski said were expressing themselves like punks, just with a different sound. He may not dress like those bands anymore, but he still believes in some of their ideals, like letting people be themselves.

With the Scullers, Stomporowski finally has the perfect group to combine that ideal with the sport that changed his life, while helping young rowers flourish. “Ultimately, I want to provide a good experience for everyone,” he said.

Ryan Kohn is the sports editor for the Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer. Contact him at RKohn@ YourObserver.com.

Bernhard Stomporowski, a world champion rower from Germany, took over the position in December.

PROSE AND KOHN RYAN KOHN

Ryan Kohn

Bernhard Stomporowski — nicknamed “Stompo” — was named director of rowing and head coach of the Sarasota Scullers in December.

Tanner Crump

Tanner Crump is a senior pitcher on the Sarasota High baseball team. Crump threw a complete game one-hitter March 6 in the Sailors’

2-0 road win against Charlotte High, with no walks and 10 strikeouts.

Crump has a 1.00 season ERA.

When did you start playing ?

I have played since I was 5. I started in T-ball. My brother (Jaxson Crump) started playing first and I followed him. He’s playing for the Air Force Academy now.

What is the appeal to you?

I love that it’s such a team game and as a pitcher, I can make it a game against myself on the mound. I’m a competitive person. I also just love being outdoors.

What is your best pitch?

Probably my fastball, honestly. I can throw it for strikes and it tails. It sits in the mid-80s.

What else do you throw?

I also use a changeup and a slider, and I can throw them both for strikes.

What have you been working to improve?

Mostly just being able to throw more pitches consistently and increasing my stamina. I did a lot of running and stretching and getting more loose so I can go deeper into games.

What is your favorite memory?

Last year, the team took a trip to Tallahassee for a tournament. We ended up going 2-1 and were up there for four or five days. It was just a great overall trip with the guys.

What is your favorite food?

I love bread. Just plain bread.

What is your favorite TV show? I have been loving ‘Outer Banks’ recently.

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

Which superpower would you pick? I would want to fly. I think the views would be great.

What are your hobbies?

I like to play basketball. I actually played for the school my sophomore year. Other than that, just hanging with my friends and going to the beach, that kind of thing.

What is the best advice you have received?

Just keep grinding and keep your head down, stay humble. Even when you’re up, you still have to work hard.

Finish this sentence:

“Tanner Crump is ... “ ... Energetic. I’m always smiling and having a good time.

Embracing the ability in disability

Hallie Peilet Young had a soft spot for The Haven since the first story. As former Suncoast News Network’s evening anchor and reporter, she encountered the nonprofit organization back in 2017 while working on a news segment. Young felt a strong connection with The Haven and has stayed in touch with the nonprofit ever since.

Now as The Haven’s development director, Young held a book signing for her newly published book, “My Disability Is My Superpower: Seeing the Ability in Disability” on March 4 at The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime.

Members of The Haven came early to support the author, who wrote the story of a boy named James who has a disability and realizes that it’s a special gift and he’s capable of extraordinary things. The story is based on Selby Preschool, which is part of The Haven.

“(The Haven) has so many programs that inspire me, but one in particular is our preschool. It’s an inclusive preschool. You have kids with and without disabilities learning in the same environment,” said Young. “I’ve seen how this makes the kids without disabilities become really kind, loving and accepting kids.”

Young wanted her book to be multipurpose; she wanted to spread the book’s message and bring awareness to a place that sees those with disabilities as something to be celebrated. Young hinted that she plans to write another book sometime this summer.

“I wanted to give the kids out there who are different the courage to realize, ‘This doesn’t make me bad. I have a superpower,’” said Young.

— DARIELA DELGADO

The Haven members came out to support Development Director Hallie Peilet Young at her book signing for “My Disability Is My Superpower: Seeing The Ability In Disability” at The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime.

The Haven’s Development Director Hallie Peilet Young decided to write her book after her time working with children with disabilities.

Jose Joia gets his book signed by author Hallie Peilet Young.

Photos by Dariela Delgado “My Disability Is My Superpower: Seeing the Ability In Disability” release was on Valentine’s Day.

St. Armands Residents Association members gathered for the group’s annual dinner on March 7 at the Sarasota Yacht Club.

About 150 people attended this year’s event, making it the largest turnout in the organization’s history.

“This is the highest attendance in the 70 years of our association,” said St. Armands Residents Association President Chris Goglia.

Before sitting for dinner and the general meeting presentation, neighbors hugged, chatted and laughed with each other with drinks in hand.

Schey with Kevin and Kathy Beam.

Photos by Dariela Delgado Jessica and Jon Patella with Linda and David Weiler.

In a bluesy mood

Nicole Guy left her guitar back home in Canada but brought her appreciation for the blues. She, as well as hundreds of other music lovers, flocked to the Downtown Sarasota Blues Festival on March 3-5 at J.D. Hamel Park to enjoy the music.

“We are wannabe musicians,” said Guy as she sat in her inflatable bed while listening to live blues music.

Her husband, Jacques Guy, clarified: “We are closet musicians.” These blues aficionados joined together to listen to groovy licks that had their heads bobbing to the rhythm. Attendees had the opportunity to do some shopping with local vendors and enjoy food in between band changes.

— DARIELA DELGADO

Photos by Dariela Delgado Jay and Gabriella Hart along with Andrea Begley listen to some blues at the Downtown Sarasota Blues Festival. Hundreds attended the Downtown Sarasota Blues Festival to listen to some groovy blues.

Lynne Galipeau, Gary Didonna and Dexter are serious blues lovers.

Othell Dunbar serves up grub for attendees in between band changes.

Temple Emanu-El gets into character for Purim

The temple hosted its annual Purim Carnival on March 5.

The sizzling sun didn’t stop these kids from dressing up as their favorite character and getting the wiggles out at Temple Emanu-El’s Purim Carnival on March 5.

Purim is a Jewish holiday that remembers the salvation of the Jewish people of Persia and is celebrated as a joyous occasion.

“This is a holiday of resilience, fantasy and fun and identity. It’s a holiday where we affirm ourselves as Jews amidst all of the silliness,” said Rabbi Shefrin, who dressed up as a bee and went by Rab”Bee” Shefrin.

The celebration started indoors with a play and a costume parade. Then the party was taken outside, where kids jumped on bouncy houses, climbed a rock wall, played games and met local firefighters.

— DARIELA DELGADO

Photos by Dariela Delgado Todd and Vivian Masters enjoy the Temple Emanu-El Purim Carnival.

Felicia and Alana DeRowe dress up whimsically for Purim.

Blake Levine dresses as a firefighter and meets local Sarasota firefighter Allen Simunovic at Temple Emanu-El’s Purim Carnival.

Mitchell, Safta Ilana and Madison Hime

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SATURDAY, MARCH 25

SARASOTA GARDEN CLUB’S

ANNUAL ‘GARDENS IN PARADISE’

9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Sarasota Garden Club, 1131 Boulevard of the Arts. Want to take a sneak peek into someone else’s garden? Sarasota Garden Club will host its “Gardens in Paradise” event this month so you can have a chance to tour six private gardens in Sarasota, followed by a buffet lunch if you choose. Advance tickets $35; Day of tickets $40. For information, visit SarasotaGardenClub.org.

THURSDAY, MARCH 9

MARCH WINE TASTING

6:30-8:30 p.m. at The Reserve Retreat, 1322 N. Tamiami Trail. Develop your palate at this month’s wine tasting. You will get the chance to sip on red, white, sparkling, dry and sweet wines. Tickets $15. For information, visit TheReserveRetreat. com.

BROWN BAG CONCERT SERIES

Noon-1 p.m. at Phillippi Estate Park, 5500 S. Tamiami Trail. Bring your brown bag lunch, a lawn chair and spend your lunchtime listening to Stephen Ditchfield. This laidback concert will have you wanting to stay longer for an encore. This is a free event. For information, call 8615000.

SATURDAY, MARCH 11

LE MARCHE’ BOHEMIAN OUTDOOR MARKET

10 a.m. until 5 p.m. at Five Points Park, 1 Central Ave. Stroll Five Points Park like a Parisian. Shop local vendors and discover artisans’ work while listening to Parisian vocalist Michelet Innocent. This is a free event. For information, visit DestinationDowntownSarasota.com.

SUNDAY, MARCH 12

SUNDAYS AT THE BAY

FEATURING AMANDAH JANTZEN

6-7 p.m. at The Oval, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Bring your lawn chair and listen to some sweet jazz sung by San Francisco native Amandah Jantzen. Have a listen to her vocal renditions of the Great American

Songbook. This is a free event. For information, visit TheBaySarasota. org.

MONDAY, MARCH 13

SWIM STROKES 203

SWIM LESSONS

5:40-6:10 p.m. at Arlington Park & Aquatic Complex. Want to learn how to refine your swim strokes? Look no further. Children ages 10-12 years old will learn refine the in-line kick, back kick and others. Prerequisite is to swim 15 feet without the aid of a flotation device, face in the water and breathing as needed. Session is $80. For information, visit LetsPlaySarasota.com.

TUESDAY, MARCH 14

NATIONAL SAVE A SPIDER DAY!

11-11:30 a.m. at The Children’s Garden and Art Center, 1670 10th Way. Learn some interesting things about these creepy crawlies that live in the garden and make some fun crafts. Admission up to 2 years old is free; 3-12 years old, $6 plus tax; teensadults, $10 plus tax; 60 and older, $9 plus tax. For information, visit SarasotaChildrensGarden.com.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15

K.O.P.S (KIDS & OFFICERS PROMOTING SOLIDARITY)

MARCH MADNESS

6-10 p.m. at Robert L. Taylor Community Complex, 1845 34th St. Play various sports with Sarasota cops while developing a friendship. Dinner and refreshments will be provided. This is a free event. For information, call 263-6562.

Siesta Key home tops sales this week at $6.65 million

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Ahome on Siesta Key tops all transactions in this week’s real estate. James and Linda Stallings, of Sarasota, sold their home at 8569 Midnight Pass Road to Vasilios and Jennifer Kiritsis, of Leesport, Pennsylvania, for $6.65 million. Built in 2012, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 6,033 square feet of living area.

SARASOTA

THE LANDINGS

Barry Wolk and Noreen Ginsberg, of Sarasota, sold their home at 5110 Kestral Park Way to C. Beth Cotner, trustee, of Sarasota, for $1.65 million. Built in 1986, it has four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,683 square feet of living area. It sold for $550,000 in 2010.

ANCHORAGE STREET

Bonnie and Robert Bevington, of Sarasota, sold their home at 1676 Anchorage St. to KDAR Properties LLC for $1,629,000. Built in 1956, it has two bedrooms, threeand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,362 square feet of living area. It sold for $735,000 in 2016.

BURTON LANE

Lorelei Michaels, trustee, sold the home at 2364 Burton Lane to Charles Denault and Beate Langsford, trustees, of Sarasota, for $915,000. Built in 1992, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,915 square feet of living area. It sold for $470,000 in 2007.

PAYNE PARK VILLAGE

Gail Fagan, of Parrish, sold her home at 419 Wingfield Drive to Jay Harshadbhai Thakkar and Blanca Thakkar, of Sacramento, California, for $815,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,986 square feet of living area. It sold for $500,000 in 2020.

CRECELIUS

Wagler Enterprises LLC sold the home at 2229 Alice Road to Bolt Capital LLC for $789,000. Built in 1957, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,728 square feet of living area. It sold for $730,000 in 2022.

1500 STATE STREET

Rita Loreti and John McQuiston, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 504 condominium at 1500 State St. to Gregory Perrone and Carolyn Perrone, trustees, of Lecanto, for $750,000. Built in 2017, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,014 square feet of living area. It sold for $495,000 in 2021.

TROPICAL SHORES

Christopher and Rachel Lenerz, of Sarasota, and Roger Kasle, of Birmingham, Michigan, sold their home at 1705 Wharf Road to Joseph Eric Thomas and Emily Anna Thomas, of Sarasota, for $745,000. Built in 1994, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 3,382 square feet of living area. It sold for $354,900 in 2015.

FIFTH STREET

William Milligan sold the home at 1653 Fifth St. to MQOZB SRF LLC for $657,000. Built in 1940, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,071 square feet of living area. It sold for $385,000 in 2020.

SOUTH GATE

Susan and James Davis, of Sarasota, sold their home at 3033 Pinecrest St. to Deirdre Heyder-Harris and Gregory Scott Harris, of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, for $651,000. Built in 1962, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,578 square feet of living area. It sold for $350,000 in 2021.

Brian McNamara and Elizabeth Bryan and Andrew Caswell, of

TOP BUILDING PERMITS

in order of dollar amounts.

Other top sales by area

SARASOTA: $6.35 MILLION

Bay Point Park Barbara Collins sold her home at 1507 Bay Point Drive to 1507 Bay Point Drive (Western Lot) LLC for $6.35 million. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, four-andtwo-half baths, a pool and 6,817 square feet of living area.

PALMER RANCH: $1.8 MILLION

Legacy Estates on Palmer Ranch

Todd John Peplinski and Sheli Lee Peplinski, of Sarasota, sold the home at 5336 Greenbrook Drive to Constance Anne Bertuca 2020 GST-Exempt Family Trust for $1,825,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,639 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.8 million in 2022.

OSPREY: $2.5

MILLION

Gainesville, sold their home at 2737 Siesta Drive to MGOOD Properties LLC for $610,000. Built in 1957, it has three bedrooms, two-anda-half baths, a pool and 1,777 square feet of living area. It sold for $375,000 in 2017.

ONLINE

See more transactions at YourObserver.com

Oaks I M&P Real Estate Holdings LLC sold the home at 134 Marys Chapel Court to Derek Salvatore Criscuolo and Mistique Rene Criscuolo, of Pickney, Michigan, for $2.5 million. Built in 1995, it has five bedrooms, eight baths, a pool and 5,521 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,359,700 in 2022.

NOKOMIS: $671,000

Roberts Road

Nicole Bird, of Nokomis, sold her home at 211 Roberts Road to Matthew Smidt and Bonnie Rose Smidt, of Westminster, Colorado, for $671,000. Built in 1992, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,829 square feet of living area. It sold for $365,000 in 2016.

Courtesy photo

The home on 8569 Midnight Pass Road was built in 2012. It has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 6,033 square feet of living area.

By Luis Campos

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

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TWO-WAY SWITCHES by Pam Amick Klawitter, edited by Jeff Chen

RED PAGES

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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.