Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer 3.23.23

Observer

Fearless endeavor

Working as an associate in veterinary medicine, Dr. Josie Hamilton wondered why a trip to the vet was often a frightening experience for animals.

After much deliberation over the risk, she chose to take a leap of faith and establish a fear-free certified clinic, Burns Court Veterinary Care, at 1530

Dolphin St.

Hamilton said since children may find a visit to the doctor frightening, they receive toys, stickers and other materials to put them at ease. So Hamilton will take a similar approach with pets.

“Bringing down that anxiety and fear and stress, we get better exams, which means the dogs are less terrified to come in here and their people are less stressed when something’s going on with their pet … and that means we can practice better medicine,” she said.

“This is a long time coming,” said Mayor Kyle Battie, who attended the grand opening.

E-scooter/bike program marks one year

Two weeks after the city celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Bay Runner trolley service, it marked the first 12 months of its micro-mobility e-scooter/bicycle sharing program.

To date, nearly 150,000 rides have been taken on the two-wheelers with Veo, the city’s vendor, reporting record rentals in Sarasota. To meet the service demand, the Veo fleet was increased from 400 to 550.

Qualified riders must be at least 18 years old with a valid driver’s license, and acknowledge they have read Veo’s safety guidelines prior to the vehicle unlocking for use.

Alternative mobility options were included in Sarasota in Motion, the citywide transportation master plan adopted in 2019. First-year combined ridership for Veo and the Bay Runner exceeded 300,000.

Boaters worry about Canal District impacts to ramp access and parking. SEE PAGE 5

Objections ramp up on The Bay

READ ME A STORY

Young readers share their passion for books with canine companions at Sarasota County libraries’ Read with the Dogs events. SEE PAGE 12

festival turns 25. INSIDE

Ian Swaby

Six-year-old Emilia Kalev reads to Olive, a pug who arrived with Joanne Long, a volunteer with The Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs.

Andrew Warfield

Workers apply water to freshly sodded areas at Bobby Jones Golf Course.

Ian Swaby

Andrew Warfield

WEEK OF MARCH 23, 2023

BY THE NUMBERS

1,009

The yardage of the planned “adjustable” short course at the Bobby Jones Golf Complex.

PAGE 3

276

The number of multifamily units on the agenda of the most recent meeting of the Sarasota Development Review Committee.

PAGE 7

116

The nation-leading number of points scored by Riverview High lacrosse star Susan Lowther.

PAGE 15

CALENDAR

n Sarasota City Commission regular meeting — 9 a.m., Monday, April 3, Commission Chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St.

n Sarasota Development Review Committee regular meeting — 9 a.m., Wednesday, April 5, Commission Chambers City Hall, 1565 First St.

n Sarasota County School Board regular meeting — 4 p.m., Tuesday, April 4, Commission Chambers, Landings Administration Complex, 1980 Landings Blvd. (black awning entrance).

Bobby Jones Golf Course restoration architect Richard Mandell.

Read more on page 3

Community foundation calling all leaders

Gulf Coast Community Foundation is accepting applications for the 2023 Gulf Coast Leadership Institute. The program is designed to identify and develop aspiring, emerging and experienced leaders who reflect the diversity of the region.

As many as 25 applicants will be accepted into the program of leadership development sessions over a two-month period. Applications must be submitted by Monday, April 10, and are available at GulfCoastCF. org/GCLI.

Led by faculty of the Leadership Development Institute at Eckerd College, the program will provide leadership skills and resources necessary to positively impact the community.

“Gulf Coast Leadership Institute is an exciting opportunity for our region’s current and future leaders to harness their leadership skills,” said Kelly Carlstein, GCCF vice president of brand strategy. “This leadership development training provides participants with a chance to positively impact the community and take their leadership to the next level.”

SPD partners for DEA Drug Take Back Day

All Faiths Food Bank CEO to retire this year

After 11 years as CEO of All Faiths Food Bank of Sarasota, Sandra Frank has announced her plans to retire by the end of 2023.

Under her leadership, the food bank has evolved beyond the traditional “food in, food out” model to target the underlying causes of hunger before it begins.

In collaboration with the board of directors and the senior leadership team, she launched a new mission and rebranding of the organization in 2018, helping to create All Faiths’ Campaign Against Summer Hunger, which

provides food to students and their siblings during the summer months when schools are closed.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of that campaign, which has raised more than $14 million and feeds more than 35,000 children every summer.

Frank’s leadership has earned All Faiths Food Bank national and local recognition as a pioneer and model in the program areas of hunger and health, evaluation and rural hunger.

All Faiths’ Executive Committee has launched a search for

Frank’s replacement, headed by former Chairman Benjamin Hanan.

Frank will remain CEO through the recruitment and transition process and will consult as needed.

While Frank has been considering retirement since 2020, a triple-threat of crises — COVID-19, the resulting economic impacts and Hurricane Ian — caused her to delay her plans.

To learn more about All Faiths Food Bank, visit AllFaithsFoodBank.org or call 941-379-6333.

The Sarasota Police Department will partner with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Glasser/ Schoenbaum Human Services Center, and Drug-Free Sarasota for DEA National Take Back Day on Saturday, April 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Residents can safely rid their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. Drop boxes are at the SPD headquarters at 2099 Adams Lane and at Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center, 1750 17th St.

Drop-off sites can accept tablets, capsules, patches and other solids. National Take Back Day is free and anonymous, with no question asked. The drop box in the SPD lobby is available year-round. Glasser/ Schoenbaum is a drive-thru location that will also accept sharps and liquids.

“The short course is 100% mine to do what I want with it.”

Courtesy Nancy Guth

Sandra Frank has been CEO of All Faiths Food Bank for 11 years,.

1,000 YARDS OF FUN

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

With sod installed around the greens, tee boxes visible from Fruitville Road and fairways sprigged on some of the back-nine holes along 17th Street, the Bobby Jones Golf Course is starting to look like a golf course again.

Now that fine-tuning is underway on the front nine in preparation for sprigging the tees, rest of the fairways, rough and all 18 greens in his restoration of the original 18 holes designed by famed golf course architect Donald Ross, architect Richard Mandell is turning his focus on the nine-hole “adjustable” par-3 course across Circus Boulevard from the golf club’s main entrance at Azinger Way.

Mandell, a Pinehurst, North Carolina-based course architect who specializes in Donald Ross restorations, is enthusiastic about the pitch-and-putt companion course. Heavy equipment is currently shaping the layout on the 25-acre cityowned property across Circus Boulevard from the primary facility.

The main course is Ross, with modifications for modern water management techniques that didn’t exist when it was built nearly 100 years ago. The short course, though, is all Mandell.

“The short course is 100% mine to do what I want with it,” Mandell said. “It strays from the original plans a bit here and there, and I’m working to formulate what its personality is going to be. The original plan had native waste areas, and I wasn’t really sure how that would shake out until we got into it.”

The short course is described as adjustable because it is intended to offer flexibility in routing. Playing at 1,009 yards, the score card shows the longest hole at 173 yards and the shortest at 78, offering a variety of short-game shot selections. Among the changes from his original vision, Mandell has eliminated traditional bunkers. Instead, the course will be composed largely of native sand areas and grass, resembling a linksstyle course.

Unlike the Ross course, which was built atop an urban watershed, the short course site has a sandy foundation that offers effective natural drainage off the site. Mandell speaks about it like a kid in a pro shop.

“This is the first course I’ve been able to design from scratch that is pure sand, so it puts me in another realm where I can do different things,” Mandell said. “If you’re building a golf course, you want to build it on pure sand. All of your links courses are on sand, and so you can do more things because it naturally drains.”

There will be retention basins on the course, but otherwise golfers can expect more of a links golf experience on the short course — few if any forced carries with an emphasis on a strong ground game — which Mandell said will appeal to the spectrum of golf skills.

“I think this course is going to be a major attraction for all golfers, but

I’ve got to make sure that it’s playable for seniors and juniors,” Mandell said. “It will be a great golf course for a low handicapper to have a lot of fun and still make it playable for junior golfers and senior golfers as well.”

LONGER FROM THE TIPS

The main attraction, though, will be the Ross course, designed in 1925 and named Municipal Golf Course and Recreation Grounds when it opened in 1926. It was dedicated in 1927 when Jones, the legendary golfer, was already well known in the community as a sales executive for a real estate developer.

It is Mandell’s 12th Ross course restoration, which follows the original 18-hole design with necessary updates to facilitate drainage. Built on a floodplain, soil was removed from the 120 acres of what are now wetlands to elevate the golf course. The routing is the same and the greens follow the original Ross specs, but regular Bobby Jones golfers will likely notice some changes.

Among the differences from the original layout is the length, playing 6,715 yards from the back tees compared to the original Ross course at 6,230 yards.

With a set of “Ross” tees, golfers

THE SHORT COURSE

Distances for the nine-hole adjustable par-3 course at Bobby Jones Golf Complex. As an adjustable course, routing can vary from day to day.

1: 173 yards

2: 100 yards

3: 118 yards

4: 125 yards

5: 79 yards

6: 98 yards

7: 100 yards

8: 97 yards

9: 120 yards

Total: 1,009 yards

“We have a couple of designs in hand and the plan is to present them to the City Commission, most likely sometime in April, and staff will be asking for direction on which design they want to pursue,” said John Kretzer, the city’s project manager.

ROSS VISION TAKING SHAPE

Closed in 2020, prior to excavation, the only reminder that remained of the golf course along Fruitville Road was a deteriorating sign as nature reclaimed the property. That sign is gone, and now visible from there are parts of holes 3 through 6.

may play the original length.

The greens follow the original Ross specs — Mandell found them in the Tufts Archives in Pinehurst — but regulars who played the original layout as part of an expansion that created a 36-hole complex will note some changes between the tees and greens.

“We raised all the playing areas above the 100-year floodplain,” Mandell said. “We have water features that were not part of the original Ross plan, but we had to have them to make sure the course drains properly. We’re not going to spend all this money and have it wet like it was before.”

The golf course restoration and wetlands creation was budgeted at $12.5 million, the entire project funded by a $20 million city bond and a $3 million in grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Included in that total are accessory buildings such as two on-course restroom structures, a driving range building, the Gillespie Building at the short course and a temporary clubhouse.

Final plans for the permanent clubhouse are still being developed. Currently, there is no time frame set for its construction.

Sprigging on the front nine will begin within a few weeks, according to Kretzer. The contractor is awaiting the arrival of the sprigs from a farm in Georgia, where the weather is not quite warm enough for growing and cutting sprigs.

Construction moved from the back nine forward to follow the flow of water, both above and below the surface.

“When you drive down 17th Street, you can see that there’s a large water tank, which is the source of the irrigation for the golf course,” Kretzer said.

“All of the infrastructure for the golf course originates from that point. It just made sense to start there and work forward. A lot of excavated soil was needed to build up the front side to a higher elevation to help alleviate some of the flooding problems that we used to have there.”

That flooding primarily came from overflows of Phillippi Creek Main B, flows from University Parkway through The Meadows, then beneath 17th Street, across a portion of the back nine and then along Circus Boulevard. That follows the drainage of the entire property from 17th Street to Fruitville Road.

Raising the golf course to create new wetlands serves the dual purpose of mitigating the flooding while naturally filtering the water flowing southward through the site.

Richard Mandell turns his creativity to a links-like par-3 companion to the Donald Ross design.

The scorecard with all yardages for the restored Ross course at Bobby Jones Golf Complex. The back tees are nearly 500 yards longer than the original Donald Ross layout.

Andrew Warfield

A view from the tees of the first hole at the Bobby Jones Golf Course. The collars around the tees are sodded, and the tee boxes will be sprigged.

City hires real estate firm to find affordable housing properties

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

The city of Sarasota has hired a real estate agent. City commissioners on Monday unanimously approved entering into an exclusive buyer brokerage agreement with Ian Black Real Estate for the purpose of locating property within the city that could support affordable and attainable housing development.

The agreement’s term is from March 20 through Oct. 1. However, the city can cancel the agreement at any time with written notice to the broker. The broker’s compensation for a successful acquisition is 3% of the sales price, although the commission can be negotiated to be the seller’s responsibility, as it typically is, in any transaction.

City Manager Marlon Brown told commissioners a brokerage service is a necessary step in the property procurement process because, “I don’t have the staff that has the ability to do that.” Brown developed the plan to hire a broker following the commission’s March 13 workshop on affordable housing.

The broker will receive no compensation outside of commission for any sale.

Currently working their way through the city’s legislative process are zoning text amendments to incentivize the inclusion of affordable and attainable housing in the four downtown zoning districts. Those will first be heard by the Planning Board, which will give its recommendation to the City Commission for consideration.

Once all that goes through, Brown indicated it would be important for the city to already be working toward identifying possible properties for development.

“All we are doing is engaging an individual to look for the property. If it’s something that we cannot afford, obviously the commission can make that decision,” Brown

said. “But if affordable housing and attainable housing is a priority of this community, including other governments and nonprofits, maybe we can partner with others to purchase a property. We know that attainable and affordable housing is a priority of this commission, so let’s do that and then we can have an informed discussion about it.”

In February, Commissioner Erik Arroyo floated the idea of the city becoming involved in the quest to develop affordable and workforce housing. He suggested the city identify and acquire property, then contract development and management of rental communities. Proceeds could go into an account to fund future such projects.

Including affordable units in multifamily developments is purely voluntary for developers. Inclusions are designed to result in about 11.5% of an overall project priced for buyers and renters earning below 80%, 81%-100% and 101%-120% of the area median income.

The city is also seeking ways to build more such units more quickly. That’s where Brown said the brokerage relationship will be beneficial.

“Let’s seriously find out if there’s property out there that we can do this on,” he said. “Let’s put our money where our mouth is and do something.”

by Dental Implant Specialists

Andrew Warfield Ian Black Real Estate has been contracted to scout Sarasota for potential properties for affordable and attainable housing to help ease the housing crisis.

BPC navigates zoning changes for The Bay Canal District planning

Boaters worry about ramp and parking obstacles as plans are developed for the park’s Canal District.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

As it continues planning for the Canal District of The Bay, the Bay Park Conservancy is seeking to streamline the city approval process as it considers design and uses on the nearly nine acres of the site known as Centennial Park.

That brought more than a dozen largely commercial users of the boat ramps and parking area to City Hall on Monday as the conservancy proposed changes to the Future Land Use Chapter of Sarasota’s Comprehensive Plan, which will make that site consistent with the zoning in the rest of the city-owned 53-acre park.

The boaters were concerned about limitations that Phase 2 of The Bay — the Canal District north of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall parking lot — may impose on access to the ramps and parking for the only mainland deep water boat ramp between Bradenton and Venice.

The amendments proposed by the conservancy included changing the classification of Centennial Park at 10th Street and North Tamiami Trail to allow for implementation of the Bay Park Master Plan, which includes administrative review process in certain circumstances.

Further, the conservancy sought to add administrative review and approval of any proposed building of less than 10,000 square feet, and in an unrelated matter, to include up to 10 live-work apartments for artistsin-residence accommodations.

Administrative approval for

commercial buildings — which are necessary to generate revenue to sustain the park, the conservancy maintains — will save considerable time, which can result in millions of dollars in development cost savings.

The live-work units, though, are not included in the Canal District, which will be oriented toward water recreational activities and entertainment. Those would be in the future Culture District, located farther south in the 53-acre city-owned site.

That didn’t stop the objections of boaters and city commissioners to that use included by right, nor of conceptual drawings that show buildings along the north side of the canal and a reconfigured launch area with ramps moved from the canal to the bay. Boaters further argued that parking of trailers at Centennial Park is already at a premium, with many boaters receiving citations for parking in a grass area owned by Florida Power and Light.

Not sitting right with commissioners and some speakers was the administrative approval of buildings less than 10,000 square feet, which the conservancy envisions as small shops, food service operations and other marineoriented uses to serve day dock users who would tie up on the south side of the canal.

A one-hour lunch break provided Bay Park Conservancy COO Bill Waddill, attorney Bill Merrill and Philip DiMaria of planning and design consultant Kimley-Horn an opportunity to discuss concessions to the amendment requests and to future planning on the north side of the canal.

“The break was timely and it gave our team a chance to talk,” Waddill said. “We think that it is probably appropriate for us to revise the recommendation to go from 10,000 square feet to 5,000 square feet to go for administrative review.

THE MOTIONS

n Approve the Future Land Use Map amendment to Metropolitan Region No. 5 to allow for implementation of the Bay Park Master Plan, which includes an administrative review process in certain circumstances. Approved 4-1 with Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch opposed.

n Approve the text amendment revising Metropolitan Regional

On the residential, whatever the commission’s direction is, we’re fine either way, whatever you would like on the artist-in-residence units.”

Waddill also stipulated the current boat ramps on the north side of the canal will likely remain at or near their current location, and that further workshops with the boating community will be held.

Commissioner Erik Arroyo’s three motions to approve the amendments included the commercial building square footage reduction for administrative approval and elimination of the by-right residential component,

No. 5 and adding new action strategy with the proffers that: 1) Any residential uses must be tied to a qualified arts organization and approved by the city manager; and 2) administrative approval only for buildings of 5,000 square feet or fewer is allowed. Approved 4-1 with Commissioner Ahearn-Koch opposed.

n To direct the Bay Park Conser-

leaving that option open for cultural organizations to request.

Two of the three motions were opposed by Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch, who maintained her consistent opposition to any expansion of administrative approval citywide.

Waddill reminded commissioners that no commercial buildings either north or south of the canal are currently included in the master plan and that any changes to that plan must first come before the commission for approval.

As for Centennial Park and the boaters’ parking and access con -

vancy to bring to the commission proposed changes to expand boat ramps, docks, piers, water taxi stop, parking and other changes to the The Bay master plan. Approved 5-0.

n A super majority of at least 4-1 is required for amendments to the Comprehensive Plan. Future changes to the master plan will require a simple majority.

cerns, which falls under the second and third phases of the Canal District, “That’s several years out, so we’re going to start that process this summer,” Waddill said.

He added a possible solution is land owned by FPL surrounding a substation adjacent to the north end of the park.

“It’s obviously an issue. We’re committed to listen and to evolve and to represent to this body, the community and what the community wants,” he said. “And of course any changes to the master plan would have to come back to the City Commission.”

Commissioner Erik Arroyo’s three motions to approve text amendments and future land use changes to The Bay.

File photo

The boat ramp area in Centennial Park will likely remain at or near its current location in future phases of The Bay Canal District redevelopment, according to Bay Park Conservancy officials.

City reviews downtown multifamily additions

Four condo and apartment developments will bring nearly 300 new units in the city.

Multiple projects adding to the housing stock in and around downtown Sarasota are making their way through the city’s Development Review Committee.

At its March 15 meeting, the DRC, comprising representatives of multiple city departments that regulate development, made suggestions and identified requirements for projects that would bring to the city 276 apartments and condos ranging from affordable to luxury.

The DRC collectively advises developers on regulatory specifics regarding projects for them to receive final signoff. Some are approved administratively, while others will go before the Planning Board and/or City Commission for final approval. The following is an overview of the four projects.

780 SRQ CONDOMINIUMS

A resubmittal, the five-story, 34-unit building is planned for a 0.67-acre site on the north side of Fruitville Road between Central and Cocoanut avenues. The project will include ground-level parking with vehicle access from a public alley.

The parcel is located within the Rosemary Residential Overlay District and will include two attainable units, which with a bonus density will allow 34 units, eight more than the by-right 26. The remaining 32 units will be priced at market rate.

A rendering shows a second-floor fitness center overlooking a required 10% open urban green space, which by code will be open to the public during the day and locked overnight. The top floor shows extended ceiling heights.

With partial DRC sign-off, the project will not have to undergo another resubmittal. The DRC has final authority over the project.

SARASOTA VETERANS HOUSING

A new submittal, the Society of St. Vincent De Paul of Pinellas County is proposing a 10-unit low-income apartment development to house veterans at 1529 25th St. in the

Commercial Business Newtown zoning district. The two-story building on a 0.43-acre site will have five units on each of the two floors and an on-site laundry facility. With multiple matters remaining, the project will be required to resubmit.

SARASOTA STATION

Conceived in 2016, Sarasota Station, a 393-unit affordable housing development with at least 20% of units priced at or below 80% of the area median income is a resubmittal.

Proposed by Sarasota-based affordable-housing developer One Stop Housing, the project recently was granted a three-year extension by the City Commission to pull its first building permit.

Planning is underway for the first phase of the project, which will include 201 residential units.

The site sits on 7.8 acres with an address of 2211 Fruitville Road, although it is located a block north of Fruitville Road. Currently on the site are a call center for Vengroff Williams Inc. and a diner, Bob’s Train, housed in a rail car. The rail car and restaurant will remain. The call center will eventually be demolished for the second phase of

the development.

The resubmittal cleared up a handful of remaining issues and received partial signoff by the DRC. All remaining issues will be handled individually with appropriate departments. The DRC has final approval authority over the project.

625 GOLDEN GATE POINT

A resubmittal, 625 Golden Gate Point is proposed as a 12-unit residential condominium building. The 0.5acre site currently has two multifamily structures that will be demolished. The project does not include an attainable housing element.

The plan shows a nine-story building with parking on the first level. The developer held a community meeting with Golden Gate Point residents, and consultant Joel Freedman reported widespread support of the plan. That was confirmed in a letter from the Golden Gate Point Association and Development Review Senior Planner Tom Sacharski, who reported receiving multiple emails in support of the project.

Only minor issues remain and the project received partial sign-off and will not be subject to resubmission.

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ANDREW WARFIELD | STAFF WRITER

780 SRQ Condominiums will include 34 units, two of them priced as attainable.

Courtesy rendering

Part II: ‘Courage to Be Free’

The more you read Gov. DeSantis book, the more convinced you become that it is his way of giving voters a quick-read of from where he came; his principles; and that he wants to be in the White House.

EVER THUS: THEY ALWAYS MAKE IT WORSE

The chaos in the global banking system should surprise or shock no one. It is just as we published in this space Sept. 22, 2022: “It’s all ‘Planned Chaos.’”

One of the challenges for Gov. Ron DeSantis is the same one individual restaurateurs face: How to maintain standards when the boss is away.

We have all seen it: When the restaurant owners are in the house, the wait staff is on its game, the food prep is tip top. But when the owner is on an extended vacation or losing interest, service declines.

That’s the challenge for DeSantis as he hopscotches around the country promoting his book, “The Courage to Be Free,” and trying to gain national exposure to determine whether it makes sense to run for the presidency.

What will happen to Florida, and state government? Will he lose focus on insuring that state government — and he — will live up to the expectations of the record number of Floridians who voted for him last fall? Floridians will be watching.

Meantime, each day we continue to hear political observers read the tea leaves that DeSantis is running for president. We hope he doesn’t. We’re still in the camp that DeSantis long-term would be better off to prove to the nation that his first term in office wasn’t a one-term wonder and that he could, in fact, keep Florida the freest of states and best state in the nation in which to live — and do it for eight consecutive years.

That would be an accomplishment.

But now that we’ve completed the governor’s book, more than before, we’re convinced he has what overcomes so many politicians. Especially after his successes and notoriety from 2020-2022, he has that confidence and that belief in himself, that feeling that swells so many politicians’ heads.

After digesting it, “Courage to Be Free” can be seen as a surface-level, quick-read narrative to address what DeSantis wants voters nationwide to know about him — from where he came; his core principles; what he learned in Washington (The Swamp is a terrible place.); what he believes a leader should do; and how he took on the establishment and woke progressives.

If you’re an above-average consumer of politics, read the book; it’s enlightening at least to know DeSantis’ roots. What’s the saying:

If you want to know the man, know

the boy.

A few points in the book that struck us:

n The media. Because we’re part of it, we paid special interest to this topic. No surprise, he can’t stand the media, especially the national “corporate media.” He focuses solely on them, giving the reader the impression that all media are the same.

He rightly criticizes the national media for their blatant, intentionally tilted narratives. Be sure to read the story on how 60 Minutes tried to destroy DeSantis.

Of course, we would argue not all media are the same. We consider the Observer nothing like the DC hacks. It would have been beneficial for DeSantis to point out any news organization or reporter that meets his standards of integrity. Or offer a prescription of how the media should behave.

Given his dislike for the media, you get the sense that no matter what, DeSantis will consider the Fourth Estate his mortal enemy. But he will do so at his peril.

We all know free speech is essential to the republic, and that outside of the DC swamp, local media often serve as a glue that keeps a community together and helps it thrive and improve.

If DeSantis’ political career continues, there will be days and times when he will need the media. Rather than derisively dismiss all of them, he would be wise to figure out a détente and a working relationship — particularly with the news organizations that operate at the local levels and that are in touch with the people in their communities.

n The irony is rich. DeSantis writes candidly about the disgustingly rigged caste system in the DC Swamp, specifically how the U.S. House of Representatives works:

“…(A)ll the power is concentrated in the leadership — and mostly in the speaker. While a single member can, in theory, shape the process either on a committee or by offering amendments on the House floor, in practice, the entire process — committee hearings, legislative markups, floor votes — is choreo-

That is the title of a booklet of lectures by the late Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises. And it’s a play on words: As the book illustrated again and again: All government planning and intervention always bring the same thing: chaos and failure. Government always makes whatever it “plans” worse.

Mises: “All the methods of interventionism are doomed to failure.

… “No economist ever dared to

assert that interventionism could result in anything other than in disaster and chaos …

“What these people (politicians and bureaucrats) fail to realize is that the various measures they suggest are not capable of bringing about the beneficial results aimed at. On the contrary, they produce a state of affairs which, from the point of view of their advocates, is worse than the previous state which they were designed to alter.”

As we said then and say now: “The end of the chaos is nowhere in sight.”

TIME TO MOVE ON, PROTESTERS

Unfortunately, no one can change the past.

And for sure, everyone involved with caring for the patients who died from COVID-19 will have lasting memories and pain from that experience. We’ll say it again: Given the circumstances, you have to believe everyone did his or her best.

What’s more, as demonstrated in the hospital’s report last month, the professionals at Sarasota Memorial learned from the experience and are taking steps to be even more prepared for the next pandemic.

graphed by the leadership … (V)ery little occurs outside the preordained contours of what leadership decrees.”

We can imagine everyone in Tallahassee laughing — lawmakers, lobbyists and legislative staffers — because that’s exactly the way it works there, too. If you want to move up in the Legislature to a committee chairmanship or be part of the inner-circle leadership team, you need to kiss the rings (and other things) of the governor, Senate President and House Speaker. Don’t dare speak out against their agendas.

Ask former Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg. An independent thinker and the smartest lawmaker in Tallahassee on property insurance, Brandes clashed with leadership on numerous issues. During last year’s insurance crisis, he found himself out in the pasture, not consulted on DeSantis’ special session strategy on how best to fix Florida’s crisis. He’s one example.

In his first term, DeSantis admits in his book that, as governor, rightly so, he wielded as much power as the law allows. He writes: “I understood the authority I possessed under the laws and constitution of Florida, understood the various pressure points in the system and understood how to leverage my

So what’s the point, protesters?

More reviews? More time-sucking efforts devoted to trying the past — at the expense of improving the now and the future?

Sarasota Memorial officials, we will believe, have learned from this experience. They don’t want it to happen again and will work so it doesn’t.

It’s time to let the hospital board focus on the business of the business — making and maintaining Sarasota Memorial Healthcare System among the best in its class.

authority to advance our agenda through that system.”

n What motivates him. DeSantis makes it abundantly clear that he will not let radical progressives take over the country and destroy our nation’s founding values and virtues. And he truly comes across as sincere about his love for this country.

“Casey and I both see the battles we fight to be essential for the protection of freedom and opportunity for our kids and beyond. We want to leave our communities, our state and our nation in better shape for future generations, and to God, than we found it.”

In the final paragraphs of the last two chapters, DeSantis writes:

“Florida has shown we have the capacity to win against (the) elites. It takes determination. It requires strategic judgment. It calls for strength in the face of attacks. Most of all, it requires courage.

“The Florida Blueprint is a simple formula: Be willing to lead, have the courage of your convictions, deliver for your constituents and reap the political rewards. This is a blueprint for America’s revival …”

It’s his blueprint to get to the White House.

Matt Walsh can be reached at mwalsh@yourobserver.com

Sarasota County gushing with tourist-tax money

This is a great time to be collecting the tourist sales tax on rental accommodations in Sarasota County. It is great especially for Sarasota County government, the county’s municipalities and the county’s tourism promoter, Visit Sarasota. Everything is up. Inflation has pushed up room rates and rental rates. Tourist traffic is up, thanks to two things — Hurricane Ian, which pushed many of Southwest Florida’s snowbirds north to Sarasota County; and the northern snowbirds who fled winters and crime-ridden cities in the Northeast and Upper Midwest. And, thanks to the additional sixth-cent that was added onto the tourist tax beginning last October.

As the table shows, all of this contributed to a nearly 40% increase in tax collections in the first five months of prime time for tourism.

All of this newfound cash is to be used to benefit you, the county and city taxpayers. Thank you, tourists.

“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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MATT WALSH

Walsh’s column blind to DeSantis’ faults

Matt Walsh’s opinion piece on March 16 reads more like a love letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis than a description of presidential candidates.

I’m afraid Mr. Walsh’s infatuation with the governor has led him to write something any 15-yearold boy could use as a template for next Valentine’s Day. It seems that Mr. Walsh has missed the latest statements by DeSantis where he expresses infatuation with Mr. Putin. Any real Republican knows that Ronald Reagan is spinning in his grave at the notion that the governor is behaving more like Prime Minister Chamberlain than Mr. Reagan.  Has Mr. Walsh forgotten that while in Congress DeSantis received a 0% rating from the Alliance for Retired Americans?

Let’s not forget how hard DeSantis tried to cut Social Security benefits to the old folks. As a member of Congress, DeSantis voted for three nonbinding budget resolutions calling for raising the retirement age and slowing future spending growth for Social Security. He also said he wanted to restructure entitlements like Medicare.

If he felt so sure about cutting Social Security and Medicare as a congressman, what’s to say he won’t feel the same way if he is in the Oval Office? At one point in 2012, he even talked about privatizing these benefits that Americans have paid into while they were employed.

Do any of the happy folks hiding behind the gates in their Longboat condos have any idea that more than half (56%) of Florida’s 4 million children are living in or near poverty? Has anyone ever heard DeSantis speak about this pressing issue? Or is it more important that these hungry kids not get their hands on the biography of Roberto Clemente? Florida’s KidsCount ranking for economic wellbeing in 2019 was 42nd out of 50 states. In 2020 Florida spent less than the national average on basic assistance from the TANF

program (assistance for needy families). Is that the governor’s way of fighting “woke?” Does anybody reading this paper even know what “woke” means?

Mr. Walsh needs to do what many other elderly folks in America need to do also, turn off Fox News and turn on Major League Baseball. Take out your anger on an umpire. Enjoy America’s pastime, which by the way, is watching DeSantis as he fights diversity and inclusion in Florida and hope that MLB doesn’t pull spring training out of the state completely.

GERARD IANNELLI HADDON HEIGHTS, NEW JERSEY

Quay developers should be held to their promises

As a member of the Planning Board (2010-2016) I have familiarity with the Quay Project. Given its prime location between Bay Park and the Rosemary and Downtown districts, plans for the Quay were of interest to the Planning Board, City Commission and public at large.

One Park’s attempts to alter important public benefits originally included in the Quay development plans and its attempt to sidestep well-established review procedures for its amended plans is a litmus test for public confidence in the city’s development process.

After hours of public hearings, including sworn testimony and presentations by the developer, Quay Venture received authority in 2016 to proceed with a “General Development Plan,” a unique development template giving Quay Venture latitude over time to build out the Quay through individual Block Site Plans. Critical to the Quay development were common areas and open spaces, including Quay Commons, a 78-foot-wide, tree-lined pedestrian-friendly boulevard joining U.S. 41 and Boulevard of the Arts, and separating Blocks 1 and 9. No provision was made in the 2016 plan approvals for development

over Quay Commons.

Yet, that is precisely what One Park is attempting to do by proposing to build a condominium spanning directly over Quay Commons, which is not in a “Development Block” or eligible for development in the Block Site Plan.

The city’s development staff correctly determined that request to be “inconsistent” with the 2016 General Development Plan and Development Agreement. Staff also determined that if One Park wants to attempt to modify the GDP and Block Site Plan, it needs to do so through a “quasi-judicial” major amendment process.  Yet, One Park is attempting to sidestep those safeguards by substituting a “legislative” process, perhaps for expediency or perhaps because it is less rigorous. In a letter to the City Commission, the city attorney called One Park’s process a “charade” and strongly advised hearing the amendments to the Block Site Plan together with the changes to the develop-

ment agreement to protect the public’s interest and ensure due process. The city’s failure to follow the city attorney’s advice is troubling.

Also, without the benefit of a contemporaneous review of the Block Site Plan for One Park, there is no certainty as to what One Park can and will do if it gets approval for “vertical development” over Quay Commons.

More disconcerting is the potential long-term harm to our community and the public’s interests if a developer is allowed to spin on its heels and change course years after receiving city approvals for a very different plan of development. Aside from the fact that the city and its residents relied and made purchases based on the approved plans, there is an even greater fallout and that is an erosion of public confidence.

How can the public believe in the integrity and fairness of the city’s development process when well-connected developers ignore sworn promises, approved

plans and recorded agreements seemingly for their own financial gain? Although city staff has properly recommended that One Park’s proposal be “denied,” One Park must believe that its slick advertising, creative characterizations and sales pitches will gloss over the elimination of promised open spaces and other public benefits.

Yet, as evident by the scores of witnesses from communities throughout the city lined up against One Park, the public is making it clear that public confidence is at issue.

Developers, including Quay Venture, should be held to their sworn promises and plans. Public confidence and public rights are at issue.

MORT SIEGEL PLANNING BOARD MEMBER, 20102016

Courtesy rendering

A rendering of One Park, which is planned to span across Quay Commons on blocks 1 and 9 in The Quay.

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Keeping mosquitoes under control

Sarasota County’s mosquito manager says residents can help battle the pest population during the rainy season.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

As the wet season approaches, it brings with it mosquito season, and that means Sarasota County is ramping up its mosquito mitigation operations. With a yearround staff of 20, plus 11 seasonal workers, the Mosquito Management Department covers the entire 725 square miles of the county, including the city of Sarasota.

To keep mosquitos under control, that means they need the help of residents.

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Mosquito Management focuses on killing the insects at the larvae stage, and Wade Brennan, department manager, said they know where to look and apply environmentally friendly, targeted products that kill only mosquitoes. It also uses “adulticides” when necessary, which includes spraying from trucks and planes.

Mosquito hunters wade deep into mangroves, marshy areas and other bodies of water thick with plant life to take samples and, where larvae are present, they treat right at the source.

Much of the adult mosquito presence in the urban environment, Brennan said, can be controlled right in your own backyard, in places where water can pool and serve as breeding grounds. These can range anywhere from bird baths to old tires where, within eight to 10 days, eggs can hatch and larvae become adult flying mosquitos, some species that can fly miles from the source.

“The industry has really morphed in the sense that adulticides are the last resort to manage the population because it’s the least effective,” Brennan said. “It really costs a lot, and it’s hard. If we can treat

MOSQUITO-BORNE DISEASES

Diseases that mosquitoes transmit:

n West Nile

n Zika

n St. Louis Encephalitis

n Chikungunya

n Dengue

n Eastern Equine Encephalitis

n Japanese Encephalitis

n Malaria

n La Crosse Encephalitis

Visit SCGov.net to read more on the diseases.

a small body of water or ditches themselves, we’re putting a little tiny bit of pesticide out there that’s an extremely environmentally friendly bacteria that really only affects mosquito larvae.”

When spraying to control adult mosquitoes is necessary, that must occur within the three hours around sunset, when they are most active. Unlike the old days of fog trucks slowly moving down streets and covering neighborhoods with DDT, modern products are applied in low volume and, to be effective, the mosquitoes must be flying, conveniently at a time when beneficial insects such as butterflies typically are not.

“Some mosquitoes will actually overwinter and last months, and those are more problematic for West Nile virus because they can go on and on,” Brennan said. “It depends on the species, and that’s what’s important about our surveillance program because if we can identify the species that’s causing the problem, we know exactly where they’re coming from, how long they’re going to be there, if their flight range is 300 feet or five miles. It’s knowing what we’re battling to know how to most effectively manage that population.”

As part of the county’s program, staff will respond to individual residents who report a problem.

For more than 70 years, Kelly’s Roast Beef has been the staple of the North Shore of Boston, renowned for its thinly sliced “melt-in-your-mouth” roast-beef sandwiches and generous platters of Fresh New England seafood.

LOBSTER ROLL

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ROAST BEEF

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.

Cuteness encourages reading IF YOU GO

Families keep returning to the program, which is held at multiple Sarasota County libraries and features certified pet therapy dogs.

SWABY STAFF WRITER

Five-year-old Kiara Rogalski couldn’t wait for what she would find at the Gulf Gate Library on March 15.

It wasn’t just the books that excited her, but also the idea of checking out a group of furry new friends.

Once she was settled on the floor of the library’s youth section, she quickly bonded with Sirius, an Italian Greyhound, placing stickers on

his harness, offering him hugs and also reading him picture books.

“They’re a little bit tickly,” she said, referring to the dogs’ slobbery kisses. “It makes me laugh.”

Michele Guffanti, a youth library assistant at the Gulf Gate library, said the Read with the Dogs program, which allows children to read books to and interact with certified pet therapy dogs, has been featured weekly at the Gulf Gate Library since she began working there in 1992, but was put on hold due to the COVID-19

pandemic.

Since September, however, the program has been up and running once again.

The program is held on varying schedules at some other Sarasota County libraries, including Elsie

Quirk Library, North Port Public Library and Shannon Staub public library, although Gulf Gate Library is currently the only library to host it as often as once a week.

Many parents said that the week of March 15 was not their first time in attendance.

Dave Kreiseder said that day was the third or fourth time he was returning with his 6-year-old daughter, Tara Kreiseder. Tara’s love of animals was key to her enjoyment of the event, and it was her growing enthusiasm for reading that kept the family coming back, he said.

Tara described the experience as “Great, great, great.”

She said while she loved petting the dogs, the best part was reading the books to them.

“She responds to it incredibly,” he said. “It’s the highlight of her week. It’s definitely given her a flavor for reading, an interest in it.”

Guffanti said such responses are common, providing a comment card from a parent who said as a result of the program, her first grade daughter, who was initially frustrated with reading, eventually received a student of the month award for the improvements she made.

“We’ve had so many parents and kids come back, saying that the program started them reading because the dogs are accepting. They’re not the most critical,” Guffanti said.

“It’s definitely contributed to her love of books and her advancement in reading,” Ulyana Havorka said of her 6-year-old daughter, Emilia

Kalev. She said that since the family did not have a dog at home, a canine reading companion was something the family had to travel to the library to experience.

It is the volunteers who make the program possible, Guffanti said.

The dogs are provided and supervised by individuals from organizations, including The Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs and Humane Society of Sarasota County.

Phyllis Loewengart, a volunteer from the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, said her dog, Kyna, is the second she has entered into the program.

“I think it’s good exposure for the kids, and it’s good for improving their reading,” she said. She added that while some kids are initially afraid of the dogs, she sees them gradually grow more comfortable.

“It’s a win-win situation. If you get kids and parents in, then there’s more of a chance that they’ll get exposed to books, and that’s what our society needs.”

“The kids feel safe in reading,” Guffanti said. “The dogs have all been trained for this. The handlers have all helped the kids to read without being critical. You start reading, and that’s a lifetime skill.”

Havorka said she hopes the program will continue so that her children, including 3-year-old Daniel Kalev, will be able to remain a part of it.

“We’re happy to be here. We hope it continues and that we will be able to enjoy it for many more years.”

Photos by Ian Swaby

Osprey’s 6-year-old Tara Kreiseder and Sarasota’s 6-year-old Vesper Lee enjoy an interaction with Scrabble, the black lab of Deer Creek’s Bob Hulvat, a volunteer with The Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs.

3-yearold Daniel Kalev pets a poodle, Montague, who arrived with Raena Korenman from Alliance of Therapy Dogs.

SATURDAY, MARCH 11

POSITIVE ID

2:48 p.m., 10th Street at Florida Avenue Robbery: A woman reported she was standing in front of Publix when a man approached her from behind, grabbed her purse and ran off. When the officer first made contact with the suspect, he initially stated he was not involved in the crime and had instead come out of a neighboring store looking for friends. He also denied taking the victim’s purse.

As the officer was standing at the corner speaking to the suspect, the victim drove past and positively identified him. She stated she recognized his clothing. Surveillance video at Publix captured the suspect taking the victim’s purse and dropping it as he was running. The victim recovered the purse along with all her belongings.

The suspect later admitted to taking the purse and was placed under arrest for strong-arm robbery by sudden snatching without a weapon.

SUNDAY, MARCH 12

ALL IS FORGIVEN

8:29 p.m., Main Street near Indian Place

Dispute: A complainant stated he was in an argument with his girlfriend at an unnamed restaurant when she left in their vehicle with his property inside. He told police he attempted to call and text her to retrieve his property but was ignored. Further, he advised that she froze their shared bank accounts, leaving him unable to withdraw funds to stay at a hotel.

At his request, the man was transported to the Salvation Army. Shortly after arriving, his girlfriend called him back and stated she was going to come and pick him up.

TUESDAY, MARCH 14

DOG DAY AFTERNOON

5:13 p.m., 3100 block of Fruitville Road

Suspicion: A woman told police that her vehicle’s passenger-side mirror was possibly intentionally damaged while parked at a nearby park, where she went to take her dogs. While there, she advised that she had asked three owners of larger dogs to move to another area where other larger dogs were located. She

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15

TOWEL FIGHT

12:38 a.m., 1200 block of Fifth Street

Dispute: An argument between two men drew police to investigate an alleged assault.

The complainant accused the home’s resident of stealing his belongings, which elicited an angry response. As he left in an attempt to defuse the situation, he said the accused struck him twice in the face with a closed fist.

Officers observed the man had no indications of bruising, bleeding or laceration, and the complainant later admitted the accused struck him with a towel. The complainant further clarified that the alleged attacker had wrapped his hand in a towel before striking him.

Instead of filing charges, the complainant said he wanted the incident documented.

Contact was then made with the accused, who appeared to have just exited the shower and was wrapped in a towel. He said there was no physical altercation. The parties were separated and the complainant left the premises. There was no evidence of a crime and no further action was taken.

added that the dog owners became agitated by her request. After leaving the area to avoid further verbal confrontation, she later returned to her vehicle and noted that the side-view mirror was damaged, suspecting but unable to prove it was caused by one of the other dog owners. She drove to the reported location, where she called for police response. She said she did not want to press charges but did want the incident documented.

SPORTS

Fast Break

FAST FACTS

JOLIE PASTORICK

Sport: Golf

Age: 14

Home course: Laurel Oak

Country Club

Favorite golf club: Driver

Favorite golf course played: Merion Golf Club (Ardmore, Pennsylvania)

Favorite food: Seafood

Favorite movie: “Top Gun: Maverick”

Favorite class: Physical education

Dream superpower: Teleportation

Current University of Michigan starting quarterback JJ McCarthy will be holding a meet-and-greet/signing event from 12:30-3:30 p.m. April 8 at Raffurty’s Bar and Grill.

Former Wolverines at the signing will include Mark Messner, Garrett Rivas, Andy Mignery and Riverview alums David Baas and Karan Higdon. The event will benefit McCarthy’s JJ For the Kids Foundation. Tickets are $100 plus tax and a site fee. Visit TheBigHouseSouth. TicketLeap.com to purchase tickets or for more information.

... Cardinal Mooney High senior linebacker JR Rosenberg announced his walk-on commitment to Texas A&M on March 18. Rosenberg had 90 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss and four sacks in 2022.

... Riverview High football landed an intriguing prospect this week, as offensive coordinator Brody Wiseman announced on Twitter that junior Braxton Thomas had joined the team’s quarterback room. Thomas, who is 6-foot-3, threw for 2,275 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2022 at Desert Vista High in Phoenix.

... Former Sarasota Military Academy rifle shooter Mary Tucker, a senior at West Virginia University, took home five All-America honors from the Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association on March 17, including Senior of the Year and Shooter of the Year. Tucker, who earned a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, is in her first season with the Mountaineers after transferring from the University of Kentucky.

Cheyenne Stubbs, who played girls basketball at Sarasota High for two seasons before transferring to Braden River High, entered the NCAA transfer portal March 14 after two seasons at Canisius College. The 5-foot-5 Stubbs averaged 8.7 points and 2.9 assists per game in 23 games (12 starts) in 2022.

ON TO AUGUSTA

RYAN KOHN SPORTS EDITOR

The big day is approaching, and thoughts of what it will bring occupy Jolie Pastorick’s mind. She can’t wait.

“In a week and a half, I’m going to be on a plane to Augusta National (Golf Club),” Pastorick said. “I think about it every day, every minute of the day. I know what I have to do. I’m nervous, but I play well when I’m nervous. That’s one thing about me: When I’m under pressure, I do better.”

Pastorick is headed to Augusta, Georgia, to compete in the 2023 Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals, held at Augusta National, the annual site of the PGA Tour’s Masters major tournament and widely considered one of the top courses in the world. The competition will be held April 2. Pastorick earned the honor by winning the girls 14-15 division of her regional qualifying event at The Bear’s Club in Jupiter in October.

It was Pastorick’s fifth attempt to qualify for the finals; only the winner advances. Pastorick has come close several times, including three years ago, when she missed first place by a single point.

Pastorick, who plays out of Laurel Oak Country Club, will be one of 80 girls in her age division competing for the top prize. As her father, Dirk Pastorick said, getting to go to the finals at all is a prize in and of itself.

“She has perseverance,” Dirk Pastorick said. “She never gives up. She has been frustrated so many times

from this, but she has stuck with it. This has been a dream of hers since she started playing at 7 years old.” Golf doesn’t run in the Pastorick family. Dirk Pastorick played the sport casually over the years, but never considered it an essential hobby to pass down to his daughter. Jolie became interested in the sport after a viewing of “The Short Game,” a Netflix-produced documentary that followed a group of 7- and 8-yearold golfers as they prepared for the 2012 U.S. Kids Golf World Championship. Pastorick’s parents thought she would like it because it featured kids her age; she did, but she liked the golf aspect just as much, if not more. She asked her parents if she could play it herself.

She showed more talent than they anticipated. She was hitting the ball more consistently than many adult beginners, Dirk Pastorick said.

He began setting goals for her. If Jolie hit a ball a certain number of yards, for instance, he’d buy her a prize. One such prize was a fish. It didn’t have a name, and it only survived a few weeks, she said — but it was a memorable few weeks.

“It was pretty obvious from the start that she was going to be good if she stuck with it,” Dirk Pastorick said.

Her career has continued on an upswing, including shooting 77-7472—223 to win the Florida Junior Tour’s 2023 University of Florida 54-hole major (13-15 division), held January 14-16 at Mark Bostick Golf Course in Gainesville. But the Drive, Chip and Putt final will be a different challenge.

The motivational tactic worked: Jolie improved quickly. Seven months after her first tournament, she qualified for the U.S. Kids Golf World Championships herself, and finished tied for ninth (5 over par).

Jolie Pastorick won the girls 14-15 division at The Bear’s Club in Jupiter last October with 143 points.

At Augusta, competitors will take three shots of each variety listed in the event’s name. The drives are scored purely by distance, so long as they land in a designated 40-yardwide grid. The chips are taken from a spot between 10 and 15 feet from a hole and measured by distance to the hole. The putts are one each from six feet, 15 feet and 30 feet, also measured by distance to the hole.

The competition is fierce, and golfers don’t get practice opportunities. The first time they get to hit on the course will be the real thing. That’s tough for all the categories, but especially putting, which takes place on the 18th hole, a hole that has a notoriously fast green and is downhill.

Jolie has been practicing.

She tries to do something golfrelated every day, she said, whether that is a full round of play or simply focusing on something like her chips, finding the club she’s most comfortable with and getting the muscle memory of a good shot down pat. If the weather isn’t cooperating — Pastorick said the typical 4 p.m. rainstorms in the fall are “so annoying” — she’ll head to the PGA Superstore at University Town Center to hit balls using its technology.

Anything can happen on the course, but Jolie is making sure she’s as prepared as can be. No matter how it goes, she will be making lasting memories.

“I’m just excited to see the course in person,” she said. “And to buy all the Augusta merchandise from the shop.”

“Being in the air like that is so fun. People don’t usually get to feel that. It’s like you’re stuck in the moment. It’s amazing.”

— Sarasota High’s Tyler Pack SEE PAGE 16

File photo Cardinal Mooney junior J.R. Rosenberg celebrates after catching a touchdown from senior Tayven Clark.

Jolie Pastorick is headed to the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta National.

Ryan Kohn

How does one follow a 73-goal girls lacrosse season?

If you’re Riverview High junior Susan Lowther, you follow it with a 79-goal season — with four regular-season games yet to be played.

Lowther is on a tear unlike any the Sarasota area has seen in lacrosse. As of March 21, Lowther’s 79 goals lead not only the state, but the nation, according to MaxPreps data. That impressive designation does come with a caveat, as many northern states have either just started or not yet begun their lacrosse seasons. But the fact remains: Look at the leaderboard now, and it is Lowther’s name at the top. No matter how the dust settles on the season’s stats, Lowther is having a year to remember.

She’s done it by increasing her goals per game average from 3.8 in 2022 — still a strong mark — to 6.1 in 2023. All the while, she’s continued to feed her teammates.

Lowther’s 37 assists are closing in on her total of 45 from 2022, and she will likely surpass that number soon. (Her 116 total points also leads the nation, per MaxPreps.)

It’s something everyone in our sports community should be talking about. But the last person in the world who wants to talk about it is Lowther.

“I just try to win (games),” Lowther said.

Lowther said she resists peeking at the record books, opting to focus on her team before anything else. She and the Rams have done a good job of that. Playing a tough schedule, Riverview is currently 8-5. Sometimes, though, she doesn’t have a choice but to hear about it, like on March 20, when during Riverview’s 23-9 win over Cardinal Mooney High, the team’s PA announcer informed the crowd that Lowther had set the program’s single-game scoring record with 13 points (six goals).

Perhaps the reason Lowther hasn’t developed a big head is that she’s had to earn her success. She was not always a great scorer, she said. In fact, she used to be timid, too nervous to take shots, even

SCORING ONSLAUGHT

when she had open looks. After her eighth grade season, she said she knew something had to change. She spent the offseason ramping up her shot and overall stick work.

“I realized that in order to win, you have to score goals,” Lowther said. “If I have the opportunity, I have to take it.”

During her freshman season, Lowther put up 37 goals and six assists — good numbers, even though she was adjusting to a new level of lacrosse. Then things took off. Her play this past season earned her looks from major college programs. She committed to Ohio State University in October, citing the program’s “amazing” facilities and coaches as major factors in her decision.

What is it that makes her tough to defend?

It’s not one trait. It’s that she does everything well. She has a strong, accurate shot, and she’s adept at creating space to let it rip,

even when double-teamed — or triple-teamed, as happens on occasion. She’s on the taller end of the spectrum at approximately 5-foot10, and she’s strong enough to fight off pesky defenders, but she’s also quick enough to get down the field ahead of opponents in transition, and she has the so-called lacrosse IQ to know when to use each of the tools in her toolbox. A sign of her overall athleticism: Lowther also competes in track and field. She finished ninth at the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 4A state meet in the discus in 2022 (121 feet, 0.75 inches).

In her mind, Lowther credits her teammates with finding her when she’s open. While Riverview coach Ashley McCloud agrees that the Rams have done a good job in distributing the ball, she also knows Lowther has a rare ability to make plays happen. McCloud has coached Lowther since she played U10 travel lacrosse. She’s

seen Lowther’s offensive explosion happen, and she’s convinced it happened because Lowther earned it.

“She has an intense hunger,” McCloud said of Lowther. “She’s incredibly hard on herself. She puts in the work. She has ever since she was little. She’s always hitting the wall and shooting on an empty goal. She’s texting me about different things we can try.”

After she set the scoring record against Cardinal Mooney, Lowther headed to the sidelines — the game was in hand and there was no reason to risk an injury to the star. But she stayed engaged anyway, cupping her hands around her mouth to cheer for her teammates and pointing out positioning tips to the Rams defense.

Lowther said she wants to share what she’s learned from her playing experience with her teammates, who have been receptive to her feedback. Lowther said being a vocal team leader is as important as being an on-field leader. She wants be both for the Rams.

But Lowther will be the first to remind you, she’s not willing the team to victory alone. The Rams have received 45 goals from sophomore Caroline Steinwachs and 32 goals from sophomore Chloe Hackl. Having multiple scoring options means opponents can’t triple-team Lowther for an entire game, even if they may want to try. It’s a plan that makes Riverview a challenge to play, and that, more than anything else, is what excites Lowther about this season and the future.

“If we play like we’ve been playing and execute everything, we’ll be good,” Lowther said. “Winning districts is our big goal.”

With the biggest offensive threat in the country at their disposal, the Rams certainly have a shot.

sponsorships and tickets on www.aquacaresfoundation.org

April 7, 202

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

PROSE AND KOHN RYAN KOHN

Rams

junior Susan Lowther

has 79 goals and 37 assists (116 points) through 13 games.

Susan Lowther leads the nation in goals (79) and total points (116) as of March 21.

Photos by Ryan Kohn Cardinal Mooney’s Darling Bergstrom (12) and Riverview’s Susan Lowther (18) face off.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Tyler Pack

Tyler Pack is a senior on the Sarasota High boys track and field team, participating in the high jump and triple jump. Pack is currently sixth in Florida High School Athletic Association Class 4A high jump after jumping 6 feet, 2.75 inches at the 2023 IMG Spring Break Invitational on March 18 at IMG Academy. Pack also played for the school’s football team as a defensive back.

When did you start doing track and field events?

I started last year. In football, I always had a high vertical, and my brothers did track and field here, so I thought I should try it. The first time I jumped I hit 6 feet. From then on, I’ve been practicing and trying to get better.

What is the appeal to you?

Being in the air like that is so fun. People don’t usually get to feel that. It’s like you’re stuck in the moment.

It’s amazing.

What is your favorite event?

For sure the high jump, because I’m better at it. (Laughs.)

What is your favorite memory?

Last year at the North Port Invitational. It was my second meet ever, and no one (outside of the program) thought I was going to do much.

I jumped 6 feet, 3.5 inches in the high jump and won it. I was proud of myself.

What are your goals for the season?

I want to hit 7 feet in the high jump. That would be a school record and I want it.

What is the key to practicing high jump?

I do a lot of workouts on one leg to create explosiveness. That’s the main thing in the high jump, not speed. Since you push off of one leg, it has to be strong.

What is your favorite food?

I love cheese pizza.

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.

What is your favorite TV show?

I like “Family Guy,” “Dragon Ball Z” and “Naruto.”

What is your favorite school subject?

This year, I like history a lot because my teacher is our basketball coach (BJ Ivey). He’s my favorite teacher. We just have a good connection.

What are your hobbies?

I hang with my friends and play video games, a lot of “Fortnite” and Madden.

What is the best advice you have received?

Always stay humble. Keep working and keep your head down. As soon as you buy into the hype, that’s when the downfall starts.

Finish this sentence: “Tyler Pack is ...“ ... A funny person. But I get serious when it’s game time.

Ringling College embraces growth of esports

Ago, a captain of the Ringling Rollers’ Super Smash Bros. team.   Consisting of 600 square feet, the arena will feature a minimalist design aesthetic with sealed concrete flooring, dark walls and a dark ceiling. It will feature 10 PC setups, four gaming console setups and an XBOX station, as well as a lounge viewing area with modular upholstered seating. A Ringling College press release describes the gaming equipment as “state of the art.”

ESPORTS GET ON A ROLL

It was in 2020 that esports rose to prominence on campus. The pandemic increased the demand for the activity, which gave students a way to interact with one another remotely.

Recreation and Wellness Coordinator E Ramey said when he started with the college in 2016, he was surprised to find limited social opportunities related to gaming, which led him to help establish the varsity esports team, the Ringling Rollers, in 2021.

Centering on teams for the games “Overwatch,” “Super Smash Bros.,” and “Valorant,” with an eventual goal of six teams, the Rollers are coached by Nick Deangelis, whose history includes 10 years of professional coaching, including semi-pro tennis.

Esports competitor Ana Payro said, as a result of the program, she finally discovered a community of other video game players, including players of “Valorant.”

The Ringling Rollers

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

As Ringling College of Art and Design student Viktor Niksdorf nears the end of competition, his heart is pounding.

He’s reminded of a steep hill near the end of a cross-country race he ran while in high school.

But for this contest, he hasn’t left his seat.

Niksdorf is a member of the “Super Smash Bros.” division of the Ringling Rollers, the varsity esports team at Ringling College. Video game competition may not involve physical exertion, but the effects on his brain feel similar, Niksdorf said.

“It’s the feeling that you’ve just finished a five-hour race,” he said. “And, you have just finished a really tough battle.”

The college established a varsity esports program in 2021, with its efforts now culminating in the gift of a dedicated arena.

Currently under construction on the ground floor of the Ann and Alfred Goldstein Hall residential building, the arena will be housed in the space of a former conference

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGIATE ESPORTS (NACE)

n NACE is the largest intercollegiate esports organization in the United States. Its more than 240 member schools include 5,000 students, with member institutions providing $16 million in esports scholarships and aid.

n NACE offers an annual national convention, as well as a private discord server, or voice-over software, for personnel including coaches and athletic directors.

room. The arena is expected to hold its grand opening on June 18.

“Even though we didn’t necessarily ask for this, this arena is probably one of the best things that could happen to our program,” said Hanz

“I didn’t really grow up with video games, so a lot of people around me didn’t play video games. So, getting here and being able to find people that are in the same place as me, was really fun.”

Students called esports a respite from the demands of school work.

“The work culture of the school can be very exhausting sometimes,” said Jaehee Kim, calling the arena a place where students can “think about something else other than school and not have to feel anxious about something.”

With esports being a relatively new concept, selling the idea can

pose a challenge, Ramey said. Nonetheless, he said the school, including its senior leadership, has grown in its understanding of what esports can offer the students.

The team’s win of the Varsity Plus Fall 2022 East Coast Divisional Championships in “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate,” which saw the Rollers finishing with a perfect 18-0 record, helped obtain momentum for the arena, Ramey said, as did the presence of Deangelis as coach.

“We’re really lucky to have someone as supportive as E is, because he’s very willing to fight for us and supply us with the resources that we need to continue competing,” Ago said.

THE SCHOOL GIVES BACK

In addition to providing a designated space in which the Ringling Rollers can host in-person competitions with varsity esports teams from other colleges, members of the Ringling Rollers said the arena would change the school’s approach to gaming.

Kim said sharing a space would help team members form closer bonds than they do playing online.

“I feel like I’m a lot closer to my Smash team because I met them in person,” said Kim.

Currently, “Super Smash Bros.” is the only game that can be played in person, because it utilizes a portable device, the Nintendo Switch.

Kim also said the arena has the potential to draw students who might otherwise be unaware of esports. Bennett Hanus, a member of the Overwatch team, echoed Kim’s comments.

“I kind of lucked into competitive gaming,” he said, stating his interest in esports began when he discovered an on-campus club for “Overwatch,” one of his favorite games.

Another benefit of the competition room will be improved internet connectivity, students said, noting that presently sporadic delays and even disconnection can take place. Ramey said everything is about giving back to the Ringling Rollers.

The arena is under construction on the ground floor of the Ann and Alfred Goldstein Hall residential building.

Photos by Ian Swaby

Pictured inside the arena construction area are Valorant team member Ana “Power” Payro, Super Smash Bros. team member Jaehee “AsianShack” Kim, Super Smash Bros. team super captain Hanz “RawSauce” Ago, Recreation & Wellness Coordinator E Ramey, Super Smash Bros. team member Viktor “Tachio” Niksdorf, and Overwatch team member Bennett “BlitzStorm” Hanus.

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Shamrock celebrates luck of the Irish

For members of Sarasota’s community, the appeal of the annual St. Patrick’s Day Block Party at Shamrock Pub isn’t limited to the live Irish music or option to purchase a good brew.

Attendees at Friday’s event, which also drew plenty of newcomers to the parking lot along Ringling Boulevard, said the event is also about the sense of community the pub offers year-round.

“It’s a commitment to come here every week, with a designated driver,” said Bob Glantz, who lives in Siesta Key. As a former Sarasota resident he formed many friendships watching soccer at the pub.

Glantz said he was glad he could attend the party, as he does every year, following a hip replacement the previous week.

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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.

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

The block party featured a variety of beers along with food and live music. Among the performers were bagpipe player Mark MacPhee, Andy Thomas, Blue Skye Pipe and Drums and Wondering Hours.

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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

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Sarasota

— IAN SWABY

Photos by Ian Swaby Dennis Schnack and Ron Lange

The Morrissey and McCarthy families were having a blast at the event.

moderated by Kim Richmond, Director of 26 West Entrepreneurship Center.

To register for the event, scan the QR Code!

Everyone’s invited to this party

Sponsorship opportunities are still available. If your business is interested in being a sponsor for the event, please email ehill@sarasotachamber.com

Although Jonathan Parks and Kathryn Parks may not be involved with the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, that didn’t stop the couple from attending the charitable organization’s block party-style event, Better Together, on Thursday.

Kim Richmond, Director of 26 West Entrepreneurship Center

Presenting Sponsor:

The event closed down a block of State Street for the evening, and the Parks, who live downtown, decided to see what it was all about. “This is such a great cause. They do so much for the community,” Kathryn Parks said.

It was exactly the kind of turnout the foundation hoped it would be.

Kelly Borgia, a strategic engagement manager for the foundation, said the event, which celebrates donors and nonprofit partners of the foundation, has not been open to the public in the past and was always held in a dinner format since it began in 2006.

“We decided to open up the

event to the full community and really celebrate community, collaboration and connection,” she said.

The event included a community art piece provided by local artist Brandon Thrift, a booth for submitting “random acts of kindness” to community helpers, music provided by DJ Lira with live instrumental accompaniment, numerous food trucks, and performers from The Circus Arts Conservatory making the rounds.

Chief Operating Officer Veronica Thames said the event was an opportunity to celebrate that the foundation’s Philanthropy Center in Sarasota is an extension of its headquarters in Venice as well as an extension of the infrastructure of the foundation’s partners.

“Many nonprofit partners do not have space downtown,” she said. “We want to open our doors to the community and nonprofits.”

— IAN SWABY

Photos by Ian Swaby

Gulf Coast Community Foundation staff member Kameron Hodgens, Debbie Partridge and 7-yearold Evelyn Hodgens

Modern tropical style rises to meet urban sophistication in the heart of walkable downtown Sarasota. Pairing an intimate collection of luxury tower residences with the curated amenities of a boutique hotel, SOTA delivers serviced simplicity to a stylish new address overlooking the city.

Two Siesta Key homes tie as the top transactions at $2.4 million

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Two homes in Siesta

Key top all transactions in this week’s real estate.

BAY ISLAND PARK

Amy Fisher and Jo Fisher, of Sarasota, sold their home at 3455 Anglin Drive to Tammi Gustafson, of Hibbing, Minnesota, for $2.4 million. Built in 1974, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,360 square feet of living area. It sold for $685,000 in 2018.

SARASOTA BEACH

Peter and Angela Florian, of Sarasota, sold their home at 5223 Calle Menorca to BCHC LLC for $2.4 million. Built in 1958, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 1,753 square feet of living area. It sold for $665,000 in 2018.

SARASOTA

MARK SARASOTA

Wayne Evan Visbeen, of Sarasota, sold his Unit 708 condominium at 111 S. Pineapple Ave. to Kenneth Satir, trustee, of Sarasota, for $1.65 million. Built in 2019, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,557 square feet of living area. It sold for $947,300 in 2019.

GROVE HEIGHTS

Patricia Kordis, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 1842 Grove St. to Terra Land Trustee LLC, trustee, for $1.15 million. Built in 1989, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 3,072 square feet of living area. It sold for $975,000 in 2021.

WASHINGTON PARK

Robert and Brenda Gordon, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the home at 617 Madison Court to Helene Ann Panzer and Stanley Eli Schulman, of Sarasota, for $1,135,000. Built in 1959, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,480 square feet of living area. It sold for $925,000 in 2021.

SARASOTA BAY CLUB

Sarasota Bay Club LLC sold the Unit 501 condominium at 1301 Tamiami Trail to Lois Portnoff, of Sarasota, for $1.1 million. Built in 2000, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,832 square feet of living area. It sold for $769,000 in 2018.

ALINARI

Patience Ryan Humphrey, trustee, of Bratenahl, Ohio, sold the Unit 711 condominium at 800 N. Tamiami Trail to Raji Patel, trustee, of Sarasota, for $1 million. Built in 2007, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,323 square feet of living area. It sold for $905,000 in 2022.

BAY PLAZA

Hans and Kimberly Schmeits, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 204 condominium at 1255 N. Gulfstream Ave. to Robert Bartner and M. Beverly Bartner, of Jupiter, for $1 million. Built in 1982, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,822 square feet of living area. It sold for $282,000 in 2017.

1350 MAIN RESIDENTIAL

Kenneth Satir, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 701 condominium at 1350 Main St. to Donna and Errol Green, of Norwood, Massachusetts, for $990,000. Built in 2007, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,364 square feet of living area. It sold for $649,000 in 2020.

WESLO WILLOWS

Magdalena Marzec, of Sarasota, sold the home at 2432 Whippoorwill Circle to Krishna Ravindra Kumar and Olesya Karpenko, of Sarasota, for $765,000. Built in 1954, it has five bedrooms, three baths and 2,360 square feet of living area. It sold for $550,000 in 2022.

PHILLIPPI LANDINGS

Malcom Wayne Cutrer Jr. and Natalie Marie Keep, of Frisco, Texas, sold their Unit 3103 condominium at 5548 Cannes Circle to Chippy Ajithan, of Lakewood Ranch, for $726,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 1,745 square feet of living area. It sold for $449,900 in 2021.

SOUTH GATE

Judith Weisser, of Sarasota, sold her home at 3041 Homasassa Road to Elizabeth Helvey, of Sarasota, for $620,000. Built in 1977, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 2,058 square feet of living area. It sold for $285,000 in 2020.

Bache Investments LLC sold the home at 3522 Jaffa Drive to Russell and Veronica McGonegal, of

TOP BUILDING PERMITS

Other top sales by area

SARASOTA: $2.15 MILLION

Condo on the Bay Geir Fjugstad, of Sarasota, sold his Unit 1904 condominium at 888 Boulevard of the Arts to Alfred and Heidi D’Amico, of Sarasota, for $2.15 million. Built in 1982, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,729 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.83 million in 2022.

PALMER RANCH: $1,125,000

Esplanade on Palmer Ranch

Walworth, New York, for $540,000. Built in 1957, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,369 square feet of living area. It sold for $310,000 in 2022.

SOUTHPOINTE SHORES

Perfecto Barba II, of Sarasota, sold his home at 1857 Sandalwood Drive to Margaret Lynn Glanzer and Carolyn Beck, of Sarasota, for $619,800. Built in 1970, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,517 square feet of living area. It sold for $216,000 in 2011.

NORWOOD PARK

Allison Dain and Victoria Diaz, of Bradenton, sold their home at 2126 Craft Lane to Vito Mariano, of Sarasota, for $610,000. Built in 1959, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,395 square feet of living area. It sold for $193,000 in 2013.

Jeffrey Hawkins and Magdalena Reyes, of Sarasota, sold their home at 5419 Lago Manggio St. to Patricia Gelfand, of Sarasota, for $1,125,000. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,383 square feet of living area. It sold for $667,000 in 2019.

OSPREY: $1.6 MILLION

Southbay Yacht and Racquet Club

Bradford Bauer and Michel Bauer, of Sarasota, sold their home at 304 Yacht Harbor Drive to Christopher and Michele Brown, of Osprey, for $1.6 million. Built in 1978, it has three bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,324 square feet of living area. It sold for $790,000 in 2004.

ONLINE

See more transactions at YourObserver.com

Courtesy photo

A home in Bay Island Park ties in topping all transactions in this week’s real estate. The home at 3455 Anglin Drive sold for $2.4 million.

FRIDAY, MARCH 24

THE HONEYBEE: WHAT’S ALL

THE BUZZ ABOUT?

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota Campus, 1534 Mound St. Attendees will learn about bees from the perspective of a beekeeper and certified apiologist (bee scientist), Ashley Williams of Beesmake LLC, with sample hives on display. Due to the materials involved, those with bee-sting-related allergies should avoid this event. For more information visit Selby.org.

FRIDAY, MARCH 24 TO SATURDAY, MARCH 25 VENICE BOOK FAIR AND WRITERS FESTIVAL

Writers festival Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at William H. Jervey Jr. Venice Public Library, 300 Nokomis Ave. S. and includes an invitation to the Saturday Book Fair. At the writers festival, authors share their first-hand knowledge of publishing in a discussion moderated by former director of Sarasota Library Systems Nancy Pike. Afterwards, local and national authors sign books at an outdoor market. Registration $20. Cash at door $25. For information visit VeniceBookFair.com.

SATURDAY, MARCH 25

HISTORY DAY IN THE PARK

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Phillippi Estate Park, 5500 S. Tamiami Trail. Enjoy a full day of activities, including live music, a Civil War encampment, food trucks, a children’s scavenger hunt, stories from historical authors and more. All donations and proceeds go toward creating

a museum in the historic Keith Farmhouse. For information visit HistoryDayInThePark.com.

UF/IFAS EXTENSION: PROTECTING OUR WATERSWORLD WATER DAY

11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Blue Pagoda at The Bay, 655 N. Tamiami Trail. Held in celebration of World Water Day, this event educates participants on Sarasota’s coastal watershed and how it can be protected for future generations.

UF/IFAS Water Resources

Extension Agent Michael D’Imperio leads this tour of The Bay Park. For information visit SCGov.net.

MY HOMETOWN FEST

Noon-5 p.m. at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle. This backyard gatheringstyle event draws thousands of participants and features food, craft beers, spirits and live music. The event benefits Sertoma Club of Greater Sarasota and Sertoma Kids Speech and Language Center, both of which serve children and adults with speech, language and hearing challenges. General admission $35. Food only (no beer and spirits, all ages) $25. Kids 12 and younger eat free. For information visit MyHometownFest.com.

SUNDAY, MARCH 26

WALK TO END SUMMER HUNGER

7:30-11 a.m. at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle. All Faiths Food Bank celebrates the 10th anniversary of the walk, which is held in support of children experiencing hunger after the school season ends. Participants

can choose from a 1-mile “fun” walk or a 5K walk. A light breakfast is provided. Adults $25; ages 17 and younger $15. For information visit AllFaithsFoodBank.org.

THE MEADOWS FARMERS MARKET

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 5041 Ringwood Meadow. Local farmers and business owners offer fresh produce, amid live music, at this weekly market. This pet-friendly event also features treats for dogs from Happy Paws Bakery. This is a free event. For information, call 315-7773.

BEST BET SATURDAY, MARCH 25 AND SUNDAY, MARCH 26

ENCHANTED GARDEN

FAMILY FESTIVAL

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ Historic Spanish Point campus, 401 N. Tamiami Trail. Visitors will enter a fairy-tale land, where they can ride “unicorns,” participate in arts and crafts and step inside fairy houses. Popcorn and ice cream will be available to purchase. This event is included with general admission and is free for Selby Gardens members. Adults $16; ages 5-17 $11; member guests $8; ages 4 and younger admitted free. For information visit Selby.org.

SUNDAYS AT THE BAY

6-7 p.m. at The Oval at The Bay Park, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free parking offered in front of the Blue Pagoda 655 N. Tamiami Trail. Sarasota singer-songwriter Sheri Nadelman, lead singer of the popular band soulRcoaster, entertains crowds in this live performance featuring a different artist each week. For information visit TheBaySarasota.org.

By

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UPENDED by Dennis Nullet, edited by Jeff Chen

Luis Campos

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

RED PAGES

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