Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer 4.6.23

Observer

YOUR TOWN

A royally creative Easter painting

Seven-year-old Hazel Suman and 7-year-old Lillie Ziegler left spring break camp April 4 with pieces of Easter decor they were happy to call their own.

As with the other students at the Twist Kids Camp at Painting with a Twist on Palmer Crossing Circle, the subject of their painting was the Easter Bunny, but they both chose to add the same personal touch — a crown atop the bunny’s head. Suman also painted a sunset background.

“It was nice because we could get really creative,” said Suman. “It really allows you to express what you can do with art.”

Instructor Elizabeth Urschel said she encourages children to be creative, “Hey, your bunny could be wearing a crown; your bunny might be wearing a bonnet; your bunny might be wearing a baseball cap. It can have rainbows, it can have whatever you want.”

See the stars at STEAM Night

The line between art and science is a thin one, and that’s just one of the lessons Southside Elementary School students learned at the school’s March 30 STEAM Night.

More than 300 children explored the open house. Booths and demonstrations celebrated science, technology, engineering, the arts and math. Kids and parents had some 30 interactive booths and stations to explore.

There was even a table displaying pieces of meteorites. Children and parents were impressed to learn that the ferrous rocks they handled were more than 4.5 billion years old.

Outside the school, students got the chance to peer through high-powered telescopes thanks to the Sidewalk Science Center.

“It’s good!” said Maya Biter, age 6, of her view through the telescopes. “I saw the moon and the sun.”

Ian Swaby

Patrick Scialabba congratulates Ayden Scialabba after running in a 5K to support

Mote

Marine Laboratory and Aquarium’s sea turtle conservation efforts.

Courtesy photo

The Sarasota downtown and bayfront luxury condo market remains robust among second-home buyers.

Ian Swaby

James Peter

WEEK OF APRIL 6, 2023

BY THE NUMBERS

Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche to 10 new officers. Read more on page 12A

New Kilwins opens in Siesta Village

A Siesta Key native son now operates a new Kilwins Chocolates, Fudge & Ice Cream shop at Davidson Plaza in Siesta Village. Franchise

owner Lance Cassagnol has opened the new location at 5140 Ocean Blvd.

The space was formerly home to Local Chill Ice Cream shop. Cassagnol took over the location in July 2022.

Cassagnol began his career as a line cook before going to Australia to study marine biology. He then returned to Sarasota to build an investment banking company. Cassagnol opened the Kilwins store to fulfill a desire to return to his foodservice roots.

Kilwins’ offerings include heritage chocolate, in-store-made fudge, caramel apples, caramel corn, brittle, chocolate-dipped treats and Kilwins original recipe ice cream.

The new store joins other Sarasotaarea locations at St. Armands and in Waterside Place in Lakewood Ranch.

Public input sought for roundabout art

The next time the three finalists to present their sculpture concepts for the roundabout at U.S. 41 and Fruitville Road will be Tuesday, April 18. And this time, the public is invited to participate and provide input.

Selby Gardens graduates 10 electricians

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens has prepared 18 residents for in-demand local jobs in the construction trades with the help of an investment of $100,000 from the campaign for development of its master plan.

Partnering with CareerEdge, the workforce development initiative of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, Selby Gardens has supported two fast-track skills training classes. Most of the 18 participants had received job offers before they

completed the training, including one who now works full time for Selby Gardens.

“Our Master Plan is estimated to have an economic impact in our region of more than $78 million,” said Selby Gardens President and CEO Jennifer Rominiecki in a media release. “Investing in innovative workforce training partnership with CareerEdge and the Sarasota Chamber is keeping more of that impact and its long-term benefits here in the Sarasota community.”

The classes were facilitated by CareerEdge through its Bridges to Careers Program. Training was provided in a compressed timeframe and during evening hours, allowing participants to work during the day. The students also received training in life and career skills and employability.

Students were considered for employment by subcontractors working on the master plan project site for construction management firm Willis A. Smith Construction.

From 5:30-7 p.m., the artists will present their further refined concepts to the Sarasota Public Art Committee in a meeting that will be open to the public via zoom. Citizens can register for the meeting at SarasotaFL.gov/art-zoom.

During its previous meeting, sculptors Mark Reigelman and Sujin Lim, both of New York, and Shan Shan Sheng, of San Francisco, presented their partially developed concepts to the committee and received input for further refinements. At the April 18 meeting, the public will have the opportunity to ask questions and make comments.

The program is paid for by the city’s public art fund, to which developers contribute for any construction project valued at more than $1 million. The committee will later present its recommendations to the City Commission for consideration.

“(Kind is) a four-letter word; it’s short. It’s easy to remember, and it’s just very simple to remember when you’re going to these calls for service.”

Courtesy photo

Graduates of the CareerEdge construction training program sponsored by Selby Gardens.

CEO talks future for The Bay

When she arrives in Sarasota in May to assume her role as the first full-time president and CEO of the Bay Park Conservancy, Stephanie Crockatt will bring with her a rare skill set of landscape architecture, fundraising and operating a nonprofit park conservancy.

She started with designing irrigation systems for golf courses. Then Crockatt became tournament co-director for the Oldsmobile Classic LPGA event, parlaying that experience to the LPGA Tournament Owners Association, where she was president and executive director for nearly eight years. After another seven years of leading fundraising and awareness building at University of Georgia, she joined the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy in 2014. Within months, she ascended to the executive director position there.

Following the announcement of her new role in Sarasota, Crockatt spoke to the Observer about the progress so far of developing the conservancy, its primary mission of building The Bay and how she plans to build the organization for long-term sustainability.

How did you come to be involved in the specialized field of park conservancies?

My career started with golf as being my green-space forté. I was going to be a famous golf course designer and wound up working with a professional golf tournament for a number of years. That was my introduction to nonprofit work. It was a charitable nonprofit that ran the (LPGA) tournament, and that was very eye-opening. And from that tournament, because of the title sponsor at that time (Oldsmobile), which was also the owner of the tournament, was a member of an association of many other owners and title sponsors and I was recruited to lead the nonprofit that was basically the chamber of commerce of all of those title sponsors.

Why did you move on from the LPGA?

I was spending a lot of time on the road. When my 5-year-old daughter threw a fit once because I told her that we had to go downstairs to eat at the breakfast buffet and she’s said, “We need room service!”, I knew that the road was getting weary. So I decided to do what I was doing at all of the tournaments, which was fundraising, and that’s when I went to the University of Georgia and did that for about seven years. It taught me all about just the relationships of fundraising. Then, once I felt like I really had accomplished that, it just seemed like a natural fit to try to go back into the nonprofit world and apply that there.

Why did you pursue the job?

This is an opportunity of a lifetime to enhance my career. I get to

move closer to my kids, which is a super bonus. I’ve been able to work with people like AG Lafley and the people I’ve met on the board, and I’m blown away.

My son just moved about a year ago to Tarpon Springs and he told me I’ve got to see this place. I have friends who live in Dunedin. I have friends who live in Naples, but I really didn’t know people in Sarasota.

The day it was announced, so many people started getting a hold of me saying they’ve got a place there. We’re going to have coffee on St. Armands. There’s just so much enthusiasm. People are really sincerely excited about this, even in Buffalo. It’s all been extremely positive.

As you learned more about what The Bay is, what do you see as unique about the project?

Where I’m at now, I’m taking care of six major parks, and each one of them has a different personality. And the park in Sarasota definitely has its own personality. It is incredibly conservation based, but also public access based, inclusivity and connectivity. I’ve been schooled in the Olmsted principles of design and the social inclusion and democracy of space, and I think that this park has taken on a lot of those principles.

They did a really outstanding playground that doesn’t look like a playground. It’s just so innovative and fresh. They want to get people connected to the water. They want to bring new vendors and business opportunities to help with the park, and the fact that it’s dotted with these other cultural institutions is very interesting.

This park is just very dynamic.

When I was down there being interviewed, there was a salsa class going on at night. Everything about it is just very friendly. I have to tell you, Sarasota is one of the cleanest cities I have seen in a long time.

Other than a small paid staff, The Bay has largely been a volunteer effort. How do you assess what’s been done so far?

Every conservancy is birthed through a friends group or some type of grassroots initiative. And this group, led by AG and their board and all who’ve been involved are incredibly savvy.

They are a bunch of professional volunteers who have an incredible passion for parks. You can tell that it oozes from them and gives you a lot of confidence when you talk to them about this initiative. They

have done an absolutely outstanding job in getting this initiative off the ground, to put together a 501(c)(3) is outstanding for what the small group has done and bringing in a professional landscape architect and project manager like Bill Waddill, who is overseeing the capital side of this, is just knocking it out of the park.

I’m hoping it’s kind of like a field of dreams in some ways where you build it and they come.

When are you going to start?

My contract here has a 60-day notice clause, and my board does think it’s going to take 60 days to get them doing their own search, and I need to transition an interim director here, so my last day is May 18. But it could be sooner if stars align. I’m sure I’ll have many familiarization visits over long weekends to come down and see warm Sarasota and soak it in.

What are your first priorities?

From a project standpoint, I think things are pretty well in hand. The funding is there, the staff are there, so from a Phase 1 standpoint going into Phase 2, I think they’ve got the right recipe.

What I think I’m going to need to focus on is getting the conservancy as an organization more established. There’s going to be some HR; there’s going to be some finance; there’s going to be some team-building. I’m going to have to do some assessing.

I’m going to be meeting with a lot of folks who have a keen philanthropic interest. So it’s going to be getting to know the fabric of all of it.

It’s all about sustainability. We can build and build and build, but we want this conservancy to be sustainable, to be there for the long haul to make sure that the investment has a long life. The TIF funding is pretty well established, and it appears as though the numbers are going to come up pretty well ahead of what their initial projections were.

What about on the philanthropic side of the funding equation? How do you feel about where it’s at right now and what the potential is for more private investment?

I’m hoping it’s kind of like a field of dreams in some ways where you build it and they come. But I do think that there’s a very robust private philanthropic community there, and I’ve heard that there are kind of three buckets of giving in Sarasota. If you take a Venn diagram of all three of those buckets and overlay them, parks are at that intersection. That’s because they are culturally rich and bring people together for great experiences. They are about the environment and conservation and healthy living and wellness. Having access to open, clean, healthy spaces is important to quality of life and our physical and mental health. Those three buckets are really kind of brought together by parks, and so I’m hoping that through more investigation into private resources that we can see some solid investment to make sure that this has a good, long, sustainable life.

Courtesy photos

Stephanie Crockatt is the first full-time president and CEO of the Bay Park Conservancy.

ANDREW WARFIELD | STAFF WRITER

The Bay master plan.

‘We want this conservancy to be sustainable,’ says the new president and CEO of the Bay Park Conservancy.

— Stephanie Crockatt

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The Observer plays dirty for April Fools’ Day

Some readers apparently forgot to check the date.

JAMES PETER MANAGING EDITOR

It was a dirty trick. But we played it anyway. Our annual April Fools’ edition was published on March 30, in accordance with our usual Sarasota Observer publication schedule. We just couldn’t wait, and we just couldn’t resist.

So on Thursday, March 30, even though the front page of the paper was dated Saturday, April 1, we let our writers play fast and loose with the news — at least in the front section of the paper before we told you on Page 4: GOTCHA! But we promise it was all just a joke, admittedly a tricky one, and we won’t do it again — for at least a year.

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Forbes’ Best-in-State Wealth Advisors, April 7, 2022, based on the 12-month period ending June 30 of the year prior to publication. Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research, LLC and selected from a pool of nominations as indicated in the methodology. Neither SHOOK Research nor Forbes receive compensation from the advisors or their firms in exchange for placement on a ranking. The rankings may not be representative of any one client’s experience and are not indicative of the financial advisor’s future performance. Investment performance is not a criterion for selection. Forbes is a registered trademark of Forbes, Inc. All rights reserved. For more information on the selection methodology, see www.stifel.info/award-disclosures.

Neither Stifel nor its financial advisors provide legal or tax advice. Please consult your legal or tax professional if expert assistance is required.

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PUBLIC NOTICES

The Sarasota/Siesta Key, East County and Longboat Observers

| San Rafael, CA 94901

No, Elon Musk will not be buying New College. Nor will the Van Wezel be turning into a casino anytime soon. Raccoon yoga might be a thing someday but not just yet. And the roundabouts will absolutely not be changing directions every day — some of you wonderful readers were rightfully concerned about the safety of that engineering project. We’re also happy to report that the guerrilla group placing dead fish back on the beaches was a work of fiction.

If we learned anything this year, it’s that we’ll have to make the “GOTCHA!” on Page 4 even bigger, because we fooled quite a few of you. Naturally, you shared some of your concerns with us, along with a mixture of kudos, disbelief and even gratitude. Here are some of the thoughts you, the readers, expressed. As you might expect, there was a wide range of responses to the notreal news. Names have been redacted in order to protect the innocent.

n “Thank you for the April Fools’ article about the Eye of Ringling on St. Armands. I’ve been burned by the Observer on April Fools’ Day before,

so I knew what to expect. But your article had me smiling the whole time, and I burst out in laughter at one point. Thank you for sharing your sense of humor, and for the satire!”

n “Apparently, you very cleverly did an April Fools’ joke. I’m so happy about that.”

n “The paper received 3/30/23 was probably the greatest paper EVER!!! My wife and I fell for the articles hook, line and sinker. It was clever, well-done and apropos. THANKS GUYS, ‘you done real good.’”

n “I’m questioning the headline: ‘Musk Ado About New College.’ Is this an April Fools’ joke? If it is, A.) It’s not funny. I hope it’s not true. And B.) I can’t find any news about Musk purchasing New College. Do you know something that the rest of the world does not know?”

n “I saw the article about changing the direction of the (roundabout). You guys are out of your mind. I don’t care what they’re doing in Scotland. You’ve got people here who can barely navigate it the way it is and you want to change it around on a daily basis? That’s criminal.”

n “This year’s edition (was) the ‘most inspired one’ yet.”

Courtesy rendering

We’re happy to report that the Eye of Ringling won’t be debuting on St. Armands Circle any time soon.

One year later, Fruitville roundabout art decision nears

Clouds and birds are the themes as the Public Art Committee sees revisions of finalists’ sculptures for the Fruitville Road roundabout.

ANDREW

WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

After the Sarasota City Commission sent the Public Art Committee back to the drawing board for a new recommendation of a sculpture for the roundabout at Fruitville Road and U.S. 41, it is on track to present three finalists about a year later.

In April 2022, commissioners rejected the committee’s endorsement of “Dwell” — a coral-shaped sculpture by New York artist Sujin Lim — the overwhelming opinion because it bore no relevance to the city or its environment.

Lim is in the running again with two other artists, Mark Reigelman of New York City and Shan Shan Sheng of San Francisco, as the committee met with each of the three via Zoom this past week to discuss further refinements of their concepts to be placed inside the traffic circle.

“This is a design development process, and we’re in the second review phase,” said Senior Planner Mary Davis Wallace, who spearheads the city’s public art initiative. “At our last meeting we all heard presentations and we were able to provide comments. This is now the response to those comments.”

Each artist made presentations of the partially developed progress from their original concepts, then answered questions and heard feedback from the committee. The artists will make their final presentations to the committee on April 18, exactly one year after the commission rejected Dwell. On May 3, the committee will make its final recommendations to commissioners.

“This is really the last time that you’re going to have a good dialogue

with each of the artists,” Wallace said.  Chairman Jeff Jamison said the April 18 meeting will also provide an opportunity for the public to provide its thoughts to the committee on the order of preference.

SHAN SHAN SHENG, ‘DANCING CLOUDS’

Tapping into her penchant for using multicolored architectural glass in her sculpture, Sheng incorporates multiple shapes and forms in cloudlike panels suspended atop steel rods. The colors will appear different throughout the day and in varying weather conditions and would be unlighted at night.

The concept shows more than 20 panels ranging in sizes from threenine feet across and composed of sturdy architectural glass used in building construction to withstand the elements. Sheng said the sculpture is designed to be pleasing whether viewed from ground level or from above via the condominiums

that surround the roundabout. The medium, she said, connects the sky with the crystal beaches of Sarasota.

MARK REIGELMAN, ‘SNOWBIRDS’

Something of a whimsical throwaway during his original presentation, committee members gravitated toward Reigelman’s totems of multiple birds. The revised version of three juncos — ironically nonmigratory birds — balanced atop heads was inspired by a combination of the city’s circus history, “While examining our own migratory impulses versus the desire to stay put.”

Reigelman’s refined concept reduced the number of stacked birds to three, allowing him to make them larger. They can be fabricated into multiple colors or one, all pointing toward the setting sun or in another direction to take better advantage of positioning.

Reigelman described the sculpture as a whimsical tribute to Sarasota and its residents, capturing the

essence of its culture and history through a contemporary lens.

SUJIN LIM, ‘SUN ALWAYS SHINES’

Combining inspiration from the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and Sarasota’s climate, Lim’s sculpture is two clouds suspended in the air by angled sunbeams that resemble the suspension cables of the Skyway Bridge. The sunbeams are illuminated a bright yellow at night and the clouds lighted internally to render a soft glow. Atop the largest cloud is perched a tiny house, also lighted from inside.

Lim describes the house as conveying a sense of home among the natural environment of the city inspired by sunbeams shining down through openings in the passing clouds. The base would be buried beneath the surface and covered by grass and landscaping to lend the appearance of glowing down upon a natural hillside.

If I could give Dr. Lento 10 stars I would. I trust him completely with the medical care for my bone on bone knees. Everything he suggested and prescribed in the way of treatment I have done, and the results are amazing. He listens and takes time to address questions. He really thinks about the best approach for dealing with my problem, with the least invasive, “do no harm” treatment. He is phenomenal!

Courtesy renderings

Left to right: Conceptual images of “Dancing Clouds” by Shan Shan Sheng; “Snowbirds” by Mark Reigelman; and “Sun Always Shines” by Sujin Lim

What’s the point?

JAMES PETER MANAGING EDITOR

I’m at the Observer because of something I read 11 years ago. I was fresh out of college, vaguely pursuing a fitness career in Chicago. But during a burst of latenight self-improvement, I chose a novel by Jay McInerney from a list of 100 books to read before one dies. I read it in a single sitting. I got up, stretched, then immediately read it again. The prose was like a long rail of cocaine. A habit was already forming. It was not yet an addiction. Days later, another novel from the list. I thought “A Sport and a Pastime” would be about baseball, despite its cover. Bathed in light from an open window, a woman’s slender, stockinged legs graced the cover. The words within were layered like the brushstrokes of a master painter. James Salter was not writing about baseball.  And now I had a certifiable problem. Reading Salter cemented in me a desire to write — to write something, anything worthwhile.

I fit everything I owned (not much) into an aging Ford and drove west, to Montana, where a remote mountain-town newspaper was in need of a staff writer. I’ll spare you details of the progression that followed. It’s the same for most writers, although in my case, Search and Rescue was called once (I survived).

I learned writers and editors need to do three things to improve. Read, write and repeat. I love newspapers for a number of reasons. For one, their very nature is a regular routine of trial and error. Every day, you get a chance to try again.

I’m biased, but nearly all writers worth reading either started in journalism or leapt into the pool in between books: Tom Wolfe, Hemingway, Salter — I discovered the contemplative novelist Annie Dillard through her magazine writing … This is no coincidence.

Typically in a space like this, the new editor outlines some sort of grand philosophy of journalism.

First, I want to ask you the same questions I’ve often asked myself:

Why write?

Why read?

What’s the point?

I’ve thought a lot about the answers. I still think about them.

“To write? Because all this is going to vanish. The only thing left will be the prose and poems, the books, what is written down. … Without it, the past would completely vanish, and we would be left with nothing, we would be naked on earth.”

I can’t be any pithier than Salter, but I know of someone who might be. A woman, retired, once dropped off a note for me in another newsroom. In shaky cursive, it said, “Your writing marks people’s memories.”

Writing marks people’s memories.

A good newspaper is a record of things that matter. The good and bad, the events some people may wish to forget or pretend never happened. Journalists observe. They record — although many journalists are only there to speak with you on your worst day. One reason I was drawn to the Observer is that it seems to me this newspaper is often present on your best days, too.

Years later, I returned to that small town in Montana where I started as a reporter. Occasionally, on the wall behind a scarred woodtop bar or — once — in someone’s home office, I saw a story from the local paper hung in pride of place and framed under glass.

It’s good for reporters to keep that in mind. A writer’s goal here should be this:

Write your next story like it might end up on someone’s wall.

James Peter

Your Friends Are Waiting

When was the last time you swung a racket or hit a golf ball, biked the trail or simply took a long walk with your favorite person to talk to?

Joint pain can creep up on us, faster than we’d expect, robbing us of the activities and experiences we used to treasure. Shoulders get stiff. Hips hurt. Knees creak and the back aches.

Before you know it, you’re spending more time watching Friends than seeing your own.

At Sarasota Memorial, our award-winning team of orthopedic specialists and surgeons is nationally recognized for excellence in joint repair and joint replacement, using the latest robotic and minimally invasive techniques to rebuild and restore, so you can get back to the things you love and the people you love sharing them with.

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So don’t wait . Life’s too short to spend it on the sidelines.

DeSantis’ weapon: The law

WE ARE ON PATH TO DESTROYING OUR WAY OF LIFE

In last week’s edition on this page, we printed the commentary of historian Victor Davis Hanson, “Are We the Byzantines?”

Hanson revealed the frightening parallels of the destruction of the Byzantine Empire and the path the United States is on.

ered many storms in its turbulent times — and yet it ultimately collapsed completely.

It has been estimated that 1,000 years passed before the standard of living in Europe rose again to the level it had achieved in Roman times.

done the exact opposite of what Barack Obama said as a candidate, on issue after issue, should not cause half the surprise and disappointment that it has produced in many people who pinned high hopes on him.

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

Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

President and Publisher / Emily Walsh, EWalsh@YourObserver.com

Executive Editor and COO / Kat Wingert, KWingert@YourObserver.com

Managing Editor / James Peter, JPeter@YourObserver.com

MATT WALSH

No Florida governor in the past 50 years has wielded as much power and used the law the way Gov. DeSantis has. It’s all about the ‘BHAGs.’

Speaking at a luncheon two months into his term as Florida’s new secretary of education in early 2019, Richard Corcoran gave listeners a preview of what to expect from the state’s new governor, Ron DeSantis.

You could tell from his facial expressions, comments and tone

Corcoran was impressed. And it would take a lot to impress him. Up to that point, Corcoran had spent nearly three decades working the halls of the capitol — as a staffer to Republican House leaders and speakers; as a Republican political consultant; eight-year member of the House and ultimately two years as Florida speaker. In all that time, he had first-hand experience observing and working with previous Florida governors.

DeSantis impressed him like no other governor. Watch out, Corcoran told his listeners. Big things are about to happen. “He is all about the BHAGs,” Corcoran said. He is all about “Big Hairy Audacious Goals.”

Corcoran warned us. And he was right.

GOVERNORS IN THE MARGIN

Sure, every governor is different. And every governor, because of unforeseen circumstances — savings and loan failures, hurricanes, real estate depressions, mass shootings at bars and schools, pandemics — is forced to adjust to the moment.

But when you look back at the eight governors who preceded DeSantis, a simplified way to describe their terms and the Legislatures with which they worked is that of in-the-margin tradition. They operated mostly within legislative, political and fiscal guardrails, rarely straying into the extremes.

Throughout the previous 48 years, Florida’s governors and Legislatures annually focused on the fiscal state of the state — adopting a balanced budget; avoiding tax increases; managing Florida’s growth; and meddling with the perennial issue of education — its funding and how to improve Florida’s low-rated public schools and the state university system.

Of the rare, bold initiatives that governors shepherded through the Legislature, there was Lawton Chiles’ last-minute, $11 billion settlement against the tobacco industry, still being paid today. Jeb Bush triggered the school choice revolution that has grown every year in Florida and spread nationwide. Rick Scott pushed lawmakers to cut spending and regulations, igniting Florida’s economic turnaround and boom after the Great Recession. Unemployment dropped from 11% to 3%; and employment expanded by 1.5 million jobs during his two terms. But after DeSantis’ surprising election in 2018, he immediately began to deliver what Corcoran predicted — BHAGs.

Out of the norm for conservative Republicans, DeSantis promised to spend $2.5 billion over four years to clean up Florida’s waterways. He promised big educational reforms — eliminating and replacing Florida’s hated assessment testing; placing greater emphasis on vocational and technical training; and expanding school choice.

In his first inaugural address, DeSantis signaled he was going to be different — a standard promise

This week, we are printing the introduction to Thomas Sowell’s 2010 book, “Dismantling America.”

Like Hanson, Sowell, one of the best American philosophers, economists and commentators of the past 50 years, sends a chilling warning to Americans and our way of life.

— MW

To have what is called “a perfect storm,” many dangerous forces must come together at the same time. Those dangerous forces have been building in the United States of America for at least half-a century. By 2010, increasing numbers of Americans were beginning to express fears that they were losing the country they grew up in, and that they had hoped — or perhaps too complacently assumed — that they would be passing on to their children and grandchildren.

No one issue and no one administration in Washington has been enough to create a perfect storm for a great nation that has weathered many storms in its more than two centuries of existence.

But the Roman Empire lasted many times longer, and weath-

up to which few politicians live. But DeSantis pledged:

“I will not be a rudderless vessel in this endeavor; my compass will be the principles reflected in the constitutional oath I have just taken, and for which Americans have given their lives: that our rights are endowed by God, not government; that we the people loan power to government under the Constitution in order to protect our rights; that government’s role is not to run our lives for us but to provide what Lincoln called an ‘open field and fair chance for one’s industry, enterprise and intelligence.’

“Alexander Hamilton wrote, ‘Energy in the executive is the leading character in the definition of good government.’ I agree. So let there be no misunderstanding: As governor, I will lead with purpose and conviction … ”

He has done that and more. And because of forces borne from the chaos engulfing Donald Trump and Joe Biden over the past six years, DeSantis did what he said he would do — lead with conviction. He thrust himself into the vortex of a civil war over the soul of our nation.

HIS POWER SWORD: THE LAW

This is a political world totally different from that of his Republican predecessors. They were traditional conservatives (except for Charlie Crist) who professed allegiance to limited government, lower taxes,

The collapse of a civilization is not just the replacement of rulers or institutions with new rulers and new institutions. It is the destruction of a whole way of life and the painful, and sometimes pathetic, attempts to begin rebuilding amid the ruins.

Is that where America is headed? I believe it is. Our only saving grace is that we are not there yet — and that nothing is inevitable until it happens.

While the Obama administration in Washington is not the root cause of the ominous dangers that face this country, at home and abroad, it is the embodiment, the personification and the culmination of dangerous trends that began decades ago.

Moreover, it has escalated those dangers to what may be a point of no return.

(T)hat such an administration could be elected in the first place, headed by a man whose only qualifications to be president of the United States at a dangerous time in the history of world were rhetoric, style and symbolism — and whose animus against the values and institutions of America had been demonstrated repeatedly over a period of decades beforehand — speaks volumes about the inadequacies of our educational system and the degeneration of our culture.

That Barack Obama in office has

less regulation. But DeSantis has been an activist warrior, leading the charge, waving his gubernatorial power sword as the protector of Floridians’ American values. He unapologetically and aggressively has used “the law” and his constitutional authority as powerful weapons to fight back, stop or eradicate the enemy — “the woke mob” as he calls it; the farleft, DC progressives and establishment; and against perhaps his most despised enemy, the media. Given his 1 million-vote margin in his reelection, Florida voters decisively approved his boldness. It’s as if his voters were saying: It’s about time someone stood up to the education indoctrinators and stood up for the parents and students. It’s about time someone told the BLM rioters they wouldn’t be tolerated here. It’s about time a governor stood up to the university CRT crowd. It’s about time someone said transgender men cannot and will not compete in Florida’s women’s athletics. It’s about time someone purged the school libraries of pornographic books that elementary school children should not be reading. It’s about time a governor stood up against progressive corporations that meddle in state politics. DeSantis did all that with the law — and with compliant Republican majorities in the House and Senate that will have passed by the end of the current legislative session the

THE PROPER FUNCTION OF THE LAW

It is not true that the function of law is to regulate our consciences, our ideas, our wills, our education, our opinions, our work, our trade, our talents or our pleasures.

The function of law is to protect the free exercise of these rights, and to prevent any person from interfering with the free exercise of these same rights by any other person …

But, unfortunately, law by no means confines itself to its proper functions … The law has gone further than this: It has acted in direct opposition to its own purpose. The law has been used to

The really painful surprise is that so many people based their hopes on his words, rather than on the record of his deeds.

What that means is that, even if we somehow manage to survive this man’s reckless economic policies at home and his potentially fatal foreign policy actions and inactions, the gullibility and fecklessness of those voters who put him in the White House will still be there to be exploited by the next master of glib demagoguery and emotional images, who can lead us into another vortex of dangers, from which there is no guarantee that we will emerge as a free people or even as a viable society.

Our concern is not with one man but with a country, though history has shown repeatedly that one man in a key position at a crucial time can bring down a whole country in ruins.

But history is just one of the things whose neglect has contributed toward the confluence of forces that can produced a perfect storm.

When we look back at the decades-long erosions and distortions of our educational system, our legal system and our political system, we must acknowledge the chilling fact that the kinds of dangers we face now were always inherent in these degenerating trends …

most far-reaching conservative agenda in the past two years in the United States.

The list of DeSantis BHAGs goes on: tort reform; school choice for all; constitutional carry of firearms; one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country; a prohibition of taxpayers’ funds invested in corporations following ESG governance policies, to name a few.

As one observer of Florida politics told us: “He is using Florida as an example for the country.”

THE MAN FOR THE TIME

Like him or not, give DeSantis credit for being bold, decisive and courageous; for operating according to his principles, not by the results of polls and the media narratives.

You can say he is a populist who fights for the people and every day takes on mano-a-mano the entrenched corporate and political elites (A Donald Trump of Florida?)

You can also say DeSantis certainly is not a traditional conservative. Late Austrian economist Friedrich Hayek described conservatives as having “widespread opposition to drastic change.” That is not DeSantis.

Likewise, Republican politicians have forever tried to portray themselves as proponents of limited and less government — a pledge up to which they have never lived. That is not DeSantis either.

DeSantis fully embraces the Alexander Hamilton quote that an active executive — a governor who uses the law to get his way — is the definition of good government.

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destroy its own objective: It has been applied to annihilating the justice that it was supposed to maintain; to limiting and destroying rights which its real purpose was to respect.

The law has placed the collective force at the disposal of the unscrupulous who wish, without risk, to exploit the person, liberty and property of others.

It has converted plunder into a right, in order to protect plunder. And it has converted lawful defense into a crime, in order to punish lawful defense.

— Frederic Bastiat, 1801-1850

He has used it as a cudgel against his enemies and as a sword to protect and expand Floridians’ liberties. Whether it’s good government depends on your perspective. But for sure, in the past 50 years, no Florida governor has exhibited monarchical power and authority like DeSantis.

Like all before him, he has adjusted to the times, and is the man for the times. So far, his activist warrior approach has worked. Our fear is the old saying about power: It corrupts. Like cancer, it can consume an ego.

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Thomas Sowell

Sarasota region among the nation’s hottest second-home markets

At more than 35% of all mortgages written for second residences, the North Port-SarasotaBradenton MSA ranks 17th nationally.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Rising interest rates and prices can make purchasing a second home something of a risk, but the North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton metropolitan statistical area is still showing signs of strength for buyers seeking investment and future retirement properties.

According to financial services website SmartAsset, for 2021, the local metropolitan statistical area ranked 17th among 404 metros across the U.S. as a hotspot for second-home purchases. The region trails three other MSAs in Florida, with Naples-Marco Island ranked third, retirement-heavy The Villages eighth, and Cape Coral-Fort Myers 11th.

SmartAsset analyzed data from 2021, weighing the total number of mortgages approved against those for secondary residences over the same time period. The data does not include homes purchased with cash only. Of the 26,367 mortgages approved for the year in the local MSA, 9,350 were for secondary residences, or 35.46%.

That was 2021, in the height of COVID-19, when Florida became one of a handful of destinations for people seeking relief from stricter lockdown states or taking advantage of remote work opportunities that allowed employees to work from just about anywhere.

The current mix of primary- versus secondary-home purchases has yet to be analyzed, but local real estate professionals say the secondhome market here shows a slight cooling but still continued signs of strength.

“We typically see the most activity from purchasers acquiring a secondary residence in the first two quarters of the year, and this has been no

exception for 2023,” said Evan Danzig, a luxury real estate agent with Sarasota-based Michael Saunders & Co. “In the past 30 days alone, we have seen this demand steadily increase from Q4, with continued activity coming from the Midwest the Northeast and now even California.”

The demand for single-family homes and waterfront condominiums appears equally balanced, Danzig said, with the price range of $750,000 to $1.5 million being the strongest. Those findings are similar to what Brian Tresidder, the 2023 president of the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee, has seen.

As sales manager at William Reavis Real Estate based in Siesta Key, Tresidder said country club communities and waterfront properties are equally popular.

“Most of the people we have walking into our office are who are looking at second homes are pretty much at $500,000 and up,” he said. “I would say for the most part, we’re seeing $700,000 to about a million is what a lot of buyers for the Siesta Key condos are looking for.” Marketwide, Tresidder said most second-home buyers seeking rental income are looking on or close to the barrier islands, where rental policies are less strict than in inland country club communities. They may be looking to eventually retire there or are holding them as income properties.

“For second homes, you will have people that purchase single family, but the majority of them end up in some type of condo, townhouse or duplex area closer to the beach where people are looking to vacation.”

As prices have stabilized and mortgage interest rates have risen sharply, sales in general have slipped to nearly 30% of the volume from the year before. Still considered a seller’s

market, Tresidder said prospective second-home buyers are shopping but trending more toward holding off on making purchases.

“We’ve seen people who are deciding to wait, whether it’s because they’re not finding the home they want even though our inventories have come up,” Tresidder said. “Prices shot up, interest rates shot up, insurance has gone up and so there’s not this rush for them to buy something that they may not necessarily like. A lot of them are

waiting until they find the property that they like more than just settling for what’s available and deciding on one of those.”

While midprice buyers may be pressing the pause button, the luxury condominium market remains strong, as units in downtown and bayfront Sarasota condo towers are selling quickly.

“For those really high-end properties — those who are buying a $2 million or $3 million  properties in Sarasota — we haven’t seen them waffle as much as buyers who are closer to the medium price point,” Tresidder said.

As for specifically the luxury market, Danzig said, “We are predicting another very busy year ahead.”

For its analysis, SmartAsset culled data from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Home Mortgage Disclosure Act Database and is specific to owner-occupied housing that doesn’t serve as a principal dwelling. Those include second homes, vacation homes and rental properties.

Courtesy photos

Brian Tresidder is 2023 president of the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee. Evan Danzig of Michael Saunders & Co.

“Most of the people we have walking into our office are who are looking at second homes are pretty much at $500,000 and up.”

Brian Tresidder

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LESLEY

Ina Schnell lived in the third home designed by renowned architect Guy Peterson. His mega-masterpiece, Ohana, wasn’t built until 2003. When Schnell and her husband, Eugene, hired him 10 years earlier, they were taking a chance on an unknown.

“But we liked him,” Schnell told the Observer in 2014. “He understood the way we wanted to live.”

Schnell had an eye for both talent and art. Several pieces from the Schnells’ personal art collection were donated to the Ringling Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Stanley Museum of Art at the University of Iowa.

Schnell, 93, died on March 29 in her room at Plymouth Harbor. Eugene died in 1999; they had one son together, Eric Schnell.

Just like her home, Schnell’s life made a statement and left a legacy. She supported numerous local organizations, including Florida Studio Theatre and the Library Foundation for Sarasota County. She also served on the board of directors at the Ringling.

“The amount of smart, phenomenal people that retire to Sarasota, Ina was one of those kinds of people,” said Jocelyn Udell, Sarasota Orchestra senior director of donor engagement for leadership giving. “She was passionately invested in the arts and in the community and giving her time, talent and treasure and just a joy to be with.” Udell used the words “classy,” “sophisticated” and “elegant” to

describe Schnell, but as she recalled their time together, Schnell’s kindness outshined her glamour.

Schnell always asked about Udell’s son, Andrew, by name, even in the later years as her memory started to fade. On Andrew’s first birthday, Schnell sent him a stack of books to build his library.

“She was a huge proponent of reading. Ina is one of two people who started the reading festival in Sarasota,” Udell said.

The women met 30 years ago when Udell was the annual giving manager at the Ringling. They’d later cross paths through the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and the Sarasota Orchestra.

“Back in 1993, Ina was one of the chairs of the Fan Fantasy Gala that we did where we sent 50 artists blank fans for them to create works of art that were then auctioned off,” Udell said. “That was all her idea. They were incredible.”

Schnell was a pioneer from the start. She called herself a “career girl,” the term for working women in the 1950s.

Born in New England as Ina Spelke, she earned a history degree from Skidmore College.

By 23, she was a buyer for Bonwit Teller, a top department store in New York City. She also worked as a designer but decided to follow other pursuits after 12 years with the store. Her boss and mentor was Walter Hoving, who went on to become the design director for Tiffany.

While married, Schnell traveled the world with Eugene. His family was one of the largest avocado growers in California in the 1970s. The

DWYER STAFF WRITER

Ina Schnell, who died at the age of 93, supported numerous nonprofits with her time and treasure.

couple shared a collection of preColumbian objects, most of which was donated to various museums.

Schnell also kept an impressive collection of modern art in her Plymouth Harbor apartment. She loved modern music, too.

“She was big on the music scene. Her claim to fame was that she thought we were all a bunch of squares because we liked the traditional classical music,” friend Molly Schechter said. “She loved contemporary classical music. It was a passion with her.”

But for all her sophistication and finer tastes, Schnell appreciated the simple things in life too.

“She really liked bicycles,” friend Elisabeth Waters said. “When she met Arthur, she was really very happy they could do physical things.”

Dr. Arthur Ancowitz was Schnell’s longtime partner. They enjoyed tennis and kayaking. Ancowitz died

“She was passionately invested in the arts and in the community and giving her time, talent and treasure and just a joy to be with.”

Jocelyn

for

Director

last year, but the couple each had an apartment at Plymouth Harbor in their later years. They ate dinner together every night.

A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. April 20 in the MacNeil Chapel at Plymouth Harbor.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Florida Studio Theatre Write a Play program or the Library Foundation for Sarasota County.

Leaf it OUT!

No plastic bags for yard waste.

Sarasota County is transitioning away from the use of plastic bags for yard waste materials.

Effective May 1, 2023, yard waste materials must be placed in paper bags, reusable containers or bundled properly. For more information and a list of FAQs, visit scgov.net/leafitout.

Courtesy photo

Arthur Ancowitz and partner Ina Schnell

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‘Kind’ ceremony welcomes 10 new SPD officers

Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche swears in the largest class of new recruits in recent memory.

ANDREW WARFIELD

STAFF WRITER

SWORN IN

The formal ceremony took on an informal tone as Police Chief Rex Troche invited families and other attendees to stand, cheer, take photos and otherwise celebrate the official pinning of the new recruits.

Sarasota

Police Department:

“We love applauding and clapping, so don’t feel like you have to wait to the end when everyone’s name is mentioned or when a person comes up here,” Troche said. “Just give it up and show some love.”

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Courtesy photo

New SPD Officer Thomas Wishart is pinned by his daughter, Olivia.

of resources in just one year,” Brown told officers and their families. “We just don’t hire warm bodies to fill vacancies. We hire individuals who understand what the role of a police officer is with the power and influence that you’re going to have and the respect that you’re going to have. But that goes both ways. The community has also got to respect you.”

The 10 new sworn positions bring the total at SPD to 190. Serving a fulltime population of approximately 56,000, that’s a ratio of 3.4 officers per 1,000 citizens. With a seasonal population of some 90,000 total, that ratio is reduced to 2.1 officers per 1,000. This compares to a 2021 Florida average ratio of 2.3 police officers per 1,000 residents.

Before and after comments delivered by elected city officials and City Manager Marlon Brown, each of the new officers was officially sworn in and individually their badges pinned to their chests by a designated family member, each followed by family photos.In his closing remarks directed at the new recruits, Troche emphasized the word “kind.”

“It’s a four-letter word, it’s short. It’s easy to remember, and it’s just very simple to remember when you’re going to these calls for service,” he said. “There’s a time and a place for us to be in our paranoid state of officer safety, and then there’s a time for us to deescalate and be kind to the people we serve.”

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County plans $170 million in penny-tax spending

From the new administration building to park improvements, Sarasota County commissioners hear proposed capital projects funded by the penny sales tax.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

During its initial budget workshop for fiscal year 2024, Sarasota County commissioners reviewed a list of proposed capital projects to be funded by $170 million in Surtax IV revenue. Surtax IV is a one-cent sales tax renewal approved countywide by referendum on Nov. 8, 2022. The current penny sales tax will expire on Dec. 31, 2024. The new penny sales tax will be effective on Jan. 1, 2025, and will continue through Dec. 31, 2039. The 1% sales surtax will fund investments in capital improvement projects for the county, school board and municipalities. It applies to the first $5,000 of any purchase that is subject to the state sales tax. Proceeds from the surtax may only be used to invest in public infrastructure projects such as public safety, the environment, water quality, libraries, parks, schools and roads. While currently in draft form, Deputy County Administrator and Chief Financial Management Officer

Steve Botelho told commissioners the plan is for two borrows against future tax revenue for nearly two dozen capital projects ranging from right-of-way acquisition for road construction to park improvements.

Commission Chairman Ron Cutsinger asked Botelho if the projects can be included in one borrow.

“We need the money, but at the same time, I don’t want it sitting in an account at zero interest while we’re waiting to do some projects,” Cutsinger said. “Some of these designs and projects take several years.”

County Administrator Jonathan Lewis said the finance staff is planning a Series A and Series B borrowing plan to address Cutsinger’s point of balancing the cost efficiency of

SURTAX IV INITIAL PROJECTS

A draft proposal of projects to be funded by borrows in fiscal years 2024 and 2025 for Sarasota County Capital projects. Borrow amounts are not necessarily project costs totals.

FY 2024: $107.3 MILLION

n Additional Pool at Selby Aquatic Center: $2.5M

n Advance right-of-way acquisition program: $1M

n Blackburn Point Road movable bridge replacement: $3.7M

n Bridge repair, rehabilitation and replacement program: $1.9M

n County History Center/Fruitville Library expansion and renovation: $21.36M

n Data Center replacement: $2.5M

n Emergency Services Fire/Rescue & County Fleet Support Center: $14M

n Fiber optic data transmission lines: $3.6M

n Fire/EMS Regional Training Academy phase II construction: $5M

n Fruitville Road widening from Debrecen Road to Lorraine Road construction: $10.9M

one borrow versus money sitting in an account collecting dust while awaiting spending.

“The current plan is for the two tranches because each tranche would have a three-year spend-down so we can make sure that we don’t have any issue with the spend-down,” Botelho said. “We’re still actively looking at it. If we do one, that’s great; less issuance costs.”

The two highest-priced projects under the proposed first $107.3 million borrow in fiscal year 2024 are $22.7 million toward construction of the new $75 million county administration building and $21.4 million for the County History Center/Fruitville Library expansion and renovation, both off Fruitville Road east of Interstate 75.

n Honore Avenue widening initial right of way (Fruitville Road to 17th Street): $2M

n New County Administration Center: $22.74M

Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources administration facility: $4.95M

n Replacement of Helicopter Air 2: $6.15M

n Solar Photovoltaic Program: $2M

n Sports complex and athletic facilities development and improvements (17th Street): $3M

FY 2025: $62.6 MILLION

n Alligator Creek Stream Restoration: $6.6M

n Cattlemen Road Phase 5, Fruitville to Packinghouse (design and right of way): $3M

n Lorraine Road Extension, Fruitville to Palmer (construction and right of way): $20M

n Pavement management program (FY25): $7M

n Sheriff’s Office Headquarters renovation: $25M

n Snook Haven Park improvements: $1M

Courtesy rendering

A portion of the cost of the new Sarasota County Administration Center is among the projects earmarked for funding by Surtax IV revenue.

SATURDAY, MARCH 25

CAUGHT GREEN-HANDED

7:15 p.m., 4100 block of South Tamiami Trail

Property Damage: While on a separate call for service, an officer was flagged down by a woman who advised that the backup camera on her vehicle had been spray painted green, causing her to be unable to see through it. The victim said she believed a juvenile who was asking people for money and food earlier that day was the perpetrator.

Meanwhile, another officer on a different call was flagged down by a woman who stated after leaving work that she entered her vehicle and attempted to back out of her parking spot but was unable to see out of her backup camera because it, too, had been sprayed with green paint. There were no witnesses or cameras in the area where the second vehicle was parked, but several of the vehicle owner’s co-workers were certain that a specific juvenile who was seen with paint on his hands was the perpetrator. An officer located the juvenile in question, who claimed the paint on his hands was from face-painting earlier in the evening. Both victims stated they did not wish to press charges.

SUNDAY, MARCH 26

WALKING ON BROKEN GLASS

9:38 a.m., 2800 block of Gillespie

Avenue Criminal Mischief: A woman told police her windshield had been damaged by a large piece of concrete that was intentionally thrown. She further told police she believes the father of her child was the perpetrator and said they are not currently in a relationship.

There is no video evidence of the damage, but the victim said she received many notifications from her video doorbell that showed a vehicle passing in front of her home several times, positively identifying the vehicle and its owner as a woman with whom her child’s father also has a child. When she looked at the live feed she saw a large piece of concrete next to the car and that her windshield was broken.

The victim said the doorbell camera records only short periods of time and that it did not capture the actual incident, although she did tell police the suspect had sent her text messages threatening to damage her property. The officer’s attempts to contact both the suspect and the owner of the suspect’s vehicle were unsuccessful.

RUNNING A FAN

5:44 p.m., 3400 block of South Osprey Avenue

Business Burglary: A call about a burglary in progress at a business

turned out to be an individual who had permission to be there.

Third-party witnesses say they observed a male suspect running in the parking lot of the business with items in his hands.

Officers contacted the subject in the parking who advised he was staying in a recreational vehicle behind the business and that he had permission to be there. He said he was carrying a fan and was running through the parking lot because he was barefoot. An employee of the business responded to the scene said he observed no property was damaged or missing.

MONDAY, MARCH 27

TINY BUBBLES

9:20 a.m., 2800 block of Fruitville Road

Property Damage: An owner of an automotive service business told police someone had been damaging tires on vehicles parked at the business by “stabbing” them with an object that makes tiny holes, such as a needle. The officer walked the property with the complainant and sprayed the tires with a soap solution resulting in small bubbles forming on the surface.

While not visible, the holes appeared to be made with something the size of a hypodermic needle. Tires were damaged on four vehicles at an estimated cost of $1,025. The investigation is ongoing.

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National development firm PMG has a long-standing history of impressing buyers with spectacular, eye-catching

residential design. To deliver its next masterful project with One Park, PMG partnered with Sarasotabased developer Kim Githler. Through her vast experience acquiring and developing real estate projects in Sarasota such as Beau Ciel, Githler plays a key role in ensuring One Park’s excellence and overall cohesiveness with its surrounding area.

To conceptualize both developers’ visions and bring the project to life, a team of renowned architects and designers was selected to execute One Park’s design. Sarasota-based firm Hoyt Architects, the architect of record for One Park, brings history of unique architectural spaces and, with their close ties to the city, will play a key role in marrying One Park’s surroundings with a fresh, first-rate blueprint all its own.

“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.”said Gary Hoyt, President & Chief Executive Officer at Hoyt Architects.

One Park will deliver a flawless combination of finishes and understated designs that emphasize the building’s natural beauty and functionality while remaining true to Sarasota’s existing aesthetic.

World-Class Experience in the Heart of Downtown Sarasota

As an extension of Downtown Sarasota’s arts and cultural scene, One Park will connect its residents and visitors alike through a series of activated and thoughtfully designed community spaces. On the ground level, it plans to deliver a 76-foot wide, 22-foot high breezeway above the Quay Commons. Featuring lush greenery and widened and well-lit sidewalks, the breezeway will offer safe access to The Quay and The Bay Park from the Boulevard of the Arts and facilitate the flow of pedestrian traffic throughout The Quay.

Along the space at the tower’s base, more than 13,000 square feet of retail, dining, and outdoor cafe seating will also engage those seeking either a relaxing escape from the elements or a fun daytime activity close to home. By providing easy access to the area and safe venues for people to explore, One Park’s ground floor space will function as an amenity for both its neighbors in The Quay and Downtown Sarasota as a whole.

New Developments By Comparison

One Park Sarasota will not be the largest building in downtown and 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, 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. Featuring significant global and locally inspired design and a seamless marriage between high luxury and bayside living, One Park is committed to delivering a best-in-class lifestyle to Downtown Sarasota.

To learn more about One Park Sarasota, visit OneParkSarasota.com or call 941-232-7035 to schedule an appointment at the Sales Gallery.

Future Resident of One Park Sarasota

ARTIST CONCEPTUAL RENDERING

ARTIST CONCEPTUAL RENDERING

Fast Break

Sarasota golfer Jolie Pastorick finished third in the girls 14-15 division of the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals, held April 2 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. Pastorick scored a 22, including a perfect score of 10, in the chipping category. Her overall score was two points off winner Martha Kuwahara of Northbrook, Illinois (24).

... Former Sarasota High baseball outfielder Vaun Brown will begin the 2023 season with the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the AA-level affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Brown is ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the Giants’ system.

... The Cardinal Mooney High beach volleyball team is 11-0 as of April 3, with four matches remaining. An undefeated regular season would be a first in program history, beach or indoor volleyball.

... Sarasota High named Radhika Miller its girls basketball coach March 31. Miller spent the last three seasons at Windermere Prep in Orlando and the previous nine seasons at Cumberland County High in Crossville, Tennessee. Windermere Prep went 37-27 under Miller.

... Former Sarasota Military Academy rifle shooter Mary Tucker finished 19th in the smallbore division of the 2023 International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup, held March 26 in Bhopal, India.

... Riverview High rising sophomore quarterback Anthony Miller was named the MVP of the Pylon Seven-on-Seven Training Camp Series event held in Orlando on April 1.

... The 2023 USA Swimming Open Water Nationals will hit Nathan Benderson Park April 21-23. It’s a chance to watch the best open-water national and junior national swimmers take on the park’s challenges, swimming various distances. For more information, visit USASwimming.org or NathanBendersonPark.org.

READY FOR MORE

Wagner said he was happy to see the Cougars having fun but also wished his team had been pushed a bit more in earning the trophy.

With the playoffs around the corner — district tournaments begin April 8 — teams are running out of chances to improve before things get real.

WHERE OTHER SARASOTAAREA TEAMS STAND

RYAN KOHN SPORTS EDITOR

Cardinal Mooney High boys lacrosse head coach Derek Wagner has shown a penchant for challenging his team whenever possible.

The team’s 2023 schedule took that challenge to a new level.

According to MaxPreps’ strength of schedule metric as of April 4, the Cougars have played the secondhardest schedule of any team in Florida, trailing only Ponte Vedra High. It’s why the team is ranked 19th in the state (and 12th in Class 1A) despite an 8-6 record. The Cougars took on this gauntlet with only one senior on their roster, attacker Sean Laureano, and made it to the other side with the experience necessary to get wins in the postseason, when things get even more intense.

At least, that is Wagner’s hope.

“You have to play these (strong) teams at some point, so you might as well play them in the regular season,” Wagner said. “Whether you win or lose, great. One way or another, you can learn something. And when you get the chance to play them again in the postseason, you can take advantage of that.”

Wagner believes his team is ready to use that advantage. On April 3, the Cougars won 15-1 at home over local rival Riverview High (5-9) in a game dubbed the “Lacrosse Town Rivalry,” complete with a golden trophy that the winner gets to keep until the game’s next iteration. The Mooney players held the trophy high and took pictures with it in celebration.

Wagner said his 2023 group’s biggest strides have come in its cohesion. Coming into the season, Wagner said, he could see some individual talent, but he never knows how it is going to gel together until the players battle beside one another.

“You get beat up; you get blown out in games; then you claw back and fight back and win,” Wagner said. “That’s what really binds teams, binds these kids.”

As seriously as the Cougars take winning, they also like to do it with flair. Mooney is not shy about celebrating each goal like it is a game’s first, and with the clock ticking down against Riverview, junior goalkeeper Jacob Brown trotted out from his own net to try to score a goal of

his own. The attempt didn’t work, though it did get the home crowd to roar — and gave Wagner a lot of stress, knowing Brown could take a big hit at any moment. But Wagner, who recalled the moment with a half-smile, is not going to stop his players from being themselves on the field. It’s part of what makes Mooney a good team, he said.

A Feb. 21 game against Plant High (11-5), a comeback 14-13 home win, was an early highlight; a 15-13 home loss to Tampa Jesuit High (11-3) on March 24 is one the team wishes it could have back, as Wagner said the team spotted the Tigers an early lead before running out of time to make up for it.

But the team took lessons from both games in equal measure. Laureano, one of the team’s captains, said the Cougars must be more consistent in their play. In the playoffs, one sleepy start to a game can end the team’s season. It has to be full energy all the time, Laureano said.

“If we do that, we’ll be in the state championship,” Laureano said.

n The Riverview High girls team holds the best record of any area program at 11-6. The Rams, led by junior Susan Lowther (94 goals; second most in the nation as of April 3), went 4-1 in their final five games and will enter the playoffs as the top seed in Class 2A District 11. Sarasota High (6-7) is fourth in the same district and led by sophomore Ava Kozicky (58 goals).

n After an 0-5 start, losing four of the five by a single goal, the Sarasota High boys team has sailed back into contention with an 8-7 overall record as of April 3. The Sailors sit fourth in Class 2A District 11. Senior Kendall Rector leads the team with 42 goals.

n The Riverview boys team’s loss to Cardinal Mooney was the team’s third in a row, but they sit third in Class 2A District 12. The Rams already have a firstround playoff opponent set in Palmetto Ridge High (4-9); that game will start at 7 p.m. April 11 at Riverview.

n The Cardinal Mooney High girls team is 5-6 as of April 3 and sits at sixth in Class 1A District 10. Junior Morgan Costallos leads the team with 28 goals.

“I think my energy is contagious. When it catches on, it can change a game. ”

— Cardinal Mooney’s Sean Laureano SEE PAGE 19A

Courtesy photo Jolie Pastorick said she practices golf in some form every day.

Plus, a look at other Sarasota-area teams before postseason play begins.

Cardinal Mooney junior Gio Zanoni gives a high-five to senior Sean Laureano (1) after a Laureano goal.

Photos by Ryan Kohn

Cardinal Mooney freshman Duke Bergstrom (30) fights for a ground ball.

Cardinal Mooney junior goalkeeper Jacob Brown held Riverview to one goal.

Cardinal Mooney sophomore Carson Joyce makes a pass upfield.

Spring athletes take their cuts

JAASIEL TORRES, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD

Spring always feels like the shortest season.

Not only because of the heat — there’s no real difference between early April and midJune here, it seems — but because there’s so much going on. Fans (and reporters) barely have a chance to settle in before things hit the twomonth mark, as many sports have. How have NCAA softball teams managed to play 35 games already?

I’ll never know.

What I do know is that it’s time for a midseason check-in on how our NCAA athletes are doing. I’m glad this recurring column has resonated with many of you — I appreciate the emails — and I’m happy to be your hub for this information. As is always the case, it was difficult to include having strong seasons here. I guess the Sarasota area’s athletes, as the kids say these days, are just “built different.”

All stats below are as of April 4.

ANGELA SZABO, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-BERKELEY

WOMEN’S ROWING

Szabo, a junior who rowed with Sarasota Crew, has started the 2023 season in the No. 8 seat on Cal’s varsity 8+ boat after a few seasons in the second varsity 8+ boat. Szabo and Cal — which is ranked No. 7 in the country as a team — started the season with a sixth-place finish in the varsity 8+ (6:43.51) at the competitive San Diego Crew Classic on April 2.

Torres, a former two-time state high jump champion at Sarasota High, is a senior with the Ospreys. He’s still got the juice: Torres finished third in the high jump (6 feet, 8 inches) at the 2023 Pepsi Florida Relays, held March 31-April 1 at the University of Florida in Gainesville. The jump was not quite equal to his personal outdoor record of 6 feet, 9.75 inches, but he could get there by the end of the season. With track and field having one of the last NCAA championships (June 7-10 in Austin, Texas), Torres has approximately two months to be at his best.

DEVYN FLAHERTY, FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY SOFTBALL

Flaherty, a model of consistency, just keeps on producing. The preseason All-Atlantic Coast Conference junior infielder is hitting .310 with six doubles, one triple and 12 RBIs through 35 games. There’s likely something of a power surge coming, too: Flaherty averages 4.7 home runs per season but has zero so far in 2023. That is bad news for any teams she faces in the second half of the season.

CONNER WHITTAKER AND DAVID BARRETT, FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY BASEBALL

I’m grouping these former Sarasota High pitchers together since they have had similar seasons. Barrett, a junior, has made 13 appearances for the ’Noles, while Whittaker, a sophomore, has made 10 (one start). Whittaker holds the innings edge 34.2 to 13.2 while Barrett’s ERA of 4.61 is just under Whittaker’s of 4.67. Those numbers are actually on the better end of the Seminoles staff; Florida State holds a 5.55 team

ERA, one reason for their 12-15 record. If I had to guess, I’d say the former Sailors are too talented to hold those so-so numbers for long; look for a turnaround to begin before the season’s end on May 20.

MJ MCMAHON, UNIVERSITY OF UTAH MEN’S LACROSSE

The former Cardinal Mooney star has started all nine of Utah’s games in 2023. McMahon, a junior, has five goals and 13 total points, tied for sixth on the Utes. An even bigger breakout could be on the way: After posting a .408 shooting percentage in 2022, McMahon is shooting just .238 in 2023 — an uncharacteristically low percentage. The law of averages suggests that should turn around in short order, and more goals will come with it. The Utes, however, have been doing just fine with McMahon playing how he is. They knocked off No. 10 Jacksonville 18-15 on March 31.

WYATT PLATTNER, UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI MEN’S GOLF Plattner, a freshman out of Cardinal Mooney High, has picked up where he left the Bearcats’ fall season. Plattner holds an average round of 72.65 through eight events. His best event was the Dorado Beach Collegiate, held Feb. 26-28 at the TPC Dorado Beach Resort and Club Sugarcane Course in Dorado, Puerto Rico. Plattner shot a 209 at the event and tied for 16th overall. The Bearcats won the event.

SHELLI DIPUMA, UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA SOFTBALL

DiPuma, a freshman, has seen action in 10 games for the Knights despite her inexperience. She has mostly been used as a pinch hitter, and she’s done well in that regard. In seven plate appearances, DiPuma has walked three times and got her first career hit on an RBI single March 22 against Arizona State. The hit came in UCF pitcher Grace Jewell’s first career no-hitter, so DiPuma has already been part of UCF history. Using her this much shows a lot of trust, so big things are likely in store for the former Riverview High Ram.

BEN McCABE, UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA BASEBALL

Like Flaherty, McCabe, a Knights senior, has been remarkably consistent during his time at the NCAA level. But it appears that he’s saved his best for last. McCabe, a catcher, is hitting .394 through 28 games, with 11 home runs, eight doubles and 23 RBIs (good for a 1.263 OPS). He also holds a .986 fielding percentage with 26 defensive assists — now just one shy of 100 for his career. If he keeps that up, I won’t be surprised to see him taken in the MLB Draft come July.

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

FLORIDA HOME TRENDS for a Leisurely Lifestyle

Today’s Homes Are Sophisticated, Yet Casual Entertaining Spaces

Remember the days of the beautifully decorated “formal” living rooms, used only when company came to visit? Those days are long gone.

Today we live differently. The world is more fast-paced. At home we’re looking for a relaxed sanctuary, while still retaining sophisticated style and design.

“What we’ve seen, especially here in Florida, is the gravitating toward a more casual, open great room style,” says Brian Phipps of Phipps Home Design.

This trend involves a large kitchen, where everyone gathers, facing the living areas, as well as the pool or lanai.

Phipps says that a result of the kitchen being an entertaining space is the need for an enlarged, hidden pantry to serve as the actual working kitchen. Pantries today house a secondary refrigerator and other appliances so that the exposed kitchen can remain pristine.

We’re also taking advantage of year round great weather. Backyards have become additional living rooms and kitchens have bars, grills and barbecue pits. Pools now rival resorts, equipped with slides, fountains and sun shelves. “They’re an aqua playground,” Phipps says.

With people coming in from the pool area, flooring preferences have shifted away from the traditional hardwood. Now wood-look porcelain tiles are a common choice, and so is luxury vinyl flooring. “It’s come such a long way, and it comes in different colors and patterns,” says Phipps. Wood is still present in homes, but you’ll find it in more unexpected places, like the ceiling, where tongue-and-groove pecky cypress or bamboo accents bring in a warm, natural feeling.

Bedroom walls also feature wainscoting and designs made of wood in place of a headboard. “It’s the entire wall,” explains Phipps. “It really becomes a piece of art.”

The exterior has evolved as well. Mediterranean architecture is giving way to West Indies and Cape Dutch looks, which are characterized by large verandas, symmetrical proportions, whitewashed facades and ornamental rooflines. Positioning is vital for curb appeal and livability. Phipps visits the home’s site before beginning the design process. Depending on where the best views are, he’ll twist the home accordingly to capture the water and avoid less sightly views, like power lines.

The existing landscaping impacts the way a house is situated on its lot. In particular, grand oaks and cypress trees are considered attractive assets. “Anytime you can preserve something natural, it helps anchor the house design,” Phipps says. “It is canopy, shade and character.”

Phipps Home Design can guide their clients through the entire process, from construction documents and permitting to selecting other professionals, such as interior designers and subcontractors.

PROSE AND KOHN RYAN KOHN

These players have started their seasons on fire at the NCAA level.

Courtesy photo

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

File photo

Wyatt Plattner, who attended Cardinal Mooney High, is now a freshman at the University of Cincinnati.

Sean Laureano

Sean Laureano is a senior on the Cardinal Mooney High boys lacrosse team. Laureano’s leadership helped the team to a 15-1 home win over Riverview High on April 3, in the process capturing the “Lacrosse Town Rivalry” trophy.

When did you start lacrosse?

I started in first grade. I have to credit my brother (Christian Laureano). He put me onto the sport, and I have played it ever since.

What is the appeal to you?

It started as a sport I loved to play. I tried soccer and baseball and other sports, but lacrosse stuck. Now, lacrosse is a part of me. It’s part of my identity. I love this team. There’s not a better group of guys who could be playing next to me.

What is your best skill? playing), and I scored

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.

six goals. That night was awesome. It meant a lot to both of us.

What is your favorite food?

It’s basic, but I love chicken. Any kind.

What is your favorite TV show?

It has to be “Breaking Bad.” It’s a classic.

What is your favorite subject?

Either science or English. Science, I like being hands-on. English, I like analyzing things and putting my own interpretation on them.

Which superpower would you pick?

I would want super speed. I’m not the fastest guy, so it would help me in a lot of ways.

SENIOR RESIDENTS KEEP MOVING

After Patty Chaplin moved to senior living community

The Glenridge on Palmer Ranch less than a year ago, she began having fun because of an event she described as coming “out of the clear blue sky.”

As she was sitting by herself in a community lecture, a woman she didn’t know tapped her on the shoulder.

“You’ve got to do Zumba,” said the woman, a resident named Jane Johnson.

Once Chaplin started attending the Zumba classes, a combination of cardio and Latin-inspired dance, she understood the enthusiasm. She describes instructor Yael Campbell as very “kind and patient.”

“She’s so kind,” said Marie Rust. “Anybody that comes into the class, that knows a little bit — she’ll go over and explain it to them, and say, ‘Now watch my feet.’”

The group comprises mostly 80to 90-year-olds, and Campbell refers to it as her “Zumba rock stars.” The group meets at the fitness center each week on Monday and Wednesday morning.

A year ago, the classes evolved into holiday performances for the Glenridge community, with the most recent being a dance held in the community’s Thistle Shop cocktail lounge on March 31 in honor of the Easter season.

“It was so much fun,” said Susan Barach. “She just makes everything fun. She really inspires us because she has so much energy and enthusiasm, and it definitely gets down to us.”

“Just having fun together and watching everyone react to us was great,” said Marsha Starsman. “The nicest thing was when I looked out at everyone around us. It was packed.”

“We think people like to see their friends dancing or doing whatever they do, so they come out and support them, which is really nice,” Barach said.

THE CLASS Class members attested to Zumba’s ability to enhance their physical health as well as their social lives.

“It’s life-changing because everyone in that class is healthier than they were before they started,” said Starsman. “We form such nice

ABOUT ZUMBA

Trademarked by Zumba Fitness LLC, Zumba classes mix Latininspired and world music with a dance and fitness routine.

Classes are designed to improve cardio, muscle conditioning, balance and flexibility. Varieties of Zumba exist for different age groups from kids to seniors. Some classes offer a different focus, such as muscle sculpting. Zumba Gold classes re-create the regular Zumba classes at a lower intensity. For more information and to find nearby classes, visit Zumba.com.

friendships.”

“It shows us we can do some things,” said Rust. “It shows others they can do it. It’s a sense of, OK, try it. There’s no failure here.”

Campbell, who is known for leading large Zumba groups at locations including Nathan Benderson Park, Siesta Key Beach and The Bay Park, has been teaching at The Glenridge for about six years and pursues Zumba instruction in addition to her role as a professor of graphic design at Ringling College of Art and Design.

For some seniors, she said, it can be intimidating to go to a gym and take a Zumba class that may not be designed for their age group, which is why classes specifically targeted at seniors are important.

She said ever since she became certified in Zumba, she also pursued a certification in Zumba Gold, a lower-intensity version of the activity designed to meet the physical and psychological needs of seniors.

Campbell began modifying her

music and choreography for that age group, and some moves absent from the class include jumping, crossing feet, bending over and balancing.

“She’s extremely creative,” Harriet Schaeffer said.

“I think it’s incredible what they do,” Campbell said of the participants at The Glenridge.

Campbell said throughout her time at The Glenridge, she has seen class members slowly progress, improving their balance, health and emotions. Some members she said, begin slowly, perhaps performing the foot movements but not the arm movements.

After three to four classes, most attendees are there to stay, she said.

“When you walk into my Zumba class, you immediately feel like part of a family,” she said. “You walk into a very welcoming group of people, a very happy group of people, and slowly you feel more confident about the moves. You recognize songs; you recognize steps.”

Although the class is mostly women, that hasn’t stopped Richard Kiegler from being welcomed into the group.

Kiegler, who is 93, began performing the arm movements from the

exercise bike he was using outside the doorway, Campbell said. She said he then began making his way into the classroom, performing some and eventually all of the dances.

Kiegler said the class has improved his physical abilities, including his walking, although he still has issues with shoulder movement.

“It’s something that I need to do,” he said. He said learning the steps of the dances during the class is helpful for issues with his short-term memory.

“I’m trying to find some way to increase what I can learn,” he said. “I get a little bit more dancing … I just have to keep walking and dancing.”

“Everyone cares for him in here,” said Starsman. “That’s what’s so special about him.”

“He comes home and tells me he and the ladies did this, that, and the other,” said his wife, Patty Kiegler. For seniors, challenges come with such an intense activity.

Rust said sometimes the participants slip occasionally, but it doesn’t prevent them from getting back up and continuing the dance.

“We all get up, and we continue all over,” she said.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

Zumba dancers at The Glendridge say it’s more than fitness that keeps them coming back — it’s the friendships.

Photos by Ian Swaby Richard Kiegler is surrounded by a group of “bunnies” during the March 31 performance.

Yael Campbell teaches Zumba at locations including Nathan Benderson Park, Siesta Key Beach and The Bay Park.

Class members practice at The Glenridge Fitness Center and Spa on March 29.

Crossing denominational boundaries

The Main Street Stations of the Cross is expected to draw 1,000 attendees from across the community and is led by area churches.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

Chaplain Tom Pfaff said the Stations of the Cross event on Main Street is significant for much more than the Church of the Redeemer and the Sarasota Ministerial Association, which host the event.

Pfaff is the president of the SMA and said the event is even larger than the 1,000 attendees expected, the 14 different denominations or 28 clergy involved.

The occasion, he said, includes believers throughout the community, perhaps even those who don’t know yet they will be taking part.

“I have seen construction workers stop their pounding and look down,” he said. “I’ve seen cyclists get off their bicycles and walk with us. I’ve seen people walking their dogs, people pushing their grandparents in wheelchairs, turn around and walk with us, people getting up from all these wonderful cafes on Main Street and joining us.”

The tradition, which grew out of the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, typically involves a series of 14 images depicting Jesus on the day of his crucifixion, with worshippers stopping at each station for related prayers and devotionals.

In Sarasota, the walk will begin at the Regal Hollywood Theater on the morning of April 7. The crowd will travel along Main Street and will stop at the front steps of Church of the Redeemer, led by the Rev. David Svihel of Church of the Redeemer, who carries a wooden cross.

“When I’m standing next to (David), it’s the same as being in Jerusalem. It’s the same feeling,” said Pastor Mark Sedacca, a minis-

terial association member who has walked the Via Dolorosa.

The event will also include appearances by city of Sarasota Mayor Kyle Battie and County Commissioner Joe Neunder.

CHURCHES JOIN TOGETHER

When the walk was opened to the wider community in 2001 after it began in 1996, only 50 people attended. Last year, Pfaff said, the turnout approached 900, with 1,000 expected this year.

Pfaff said among those in attendance each year are Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Seventh Day Adventists and Mennonites. This year, the community presence expands in a significant way, with the African American community of Newtown now represented among the event’s clergy.

While Pastor Wesley Tunstall Jr., has helped carry the cross on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Newtown each Good Friday, he said this year, as a new member of the board of the ministerial association, he is

excited to join his “other brothers” in Sarasota.

“Chaplain Tom, between him and God, opened a door for Newtown to have a voice now because I am on the board,” Tunstall said. “I’m honored, and I’m excited.”

Tunstall serves two churches in Newtown, Koinonia Missionary Baptist Church and True Worship Outreach Ministries, but it was his founding of Newtown Community Ministries United, for which he serves as CEO, that paved the way toward his board position.

A truck driver, Tunstall drives Monday to Friday, pursuing his church activities on a volunteer basis. Newtown Community United Ministry involves 14 churches of different denominations which offer each other financial assistance, with pastors speaking at one another’s churches.

Deacon Humberto Alvia of St. Jude Catholic Church, whom Pfaff said leads the area’s largest Hispanic congregation, has been attending the event for about 18 years since moving to the area from New York, calling it

an opportunity for the community to share what it means to be part of Sarasota.

“Everybody comes together just sharing love because that is what it is all about.”

He said ever since arriving in the area, Pfaff had “opened his arms tremendously.”

“He makes it inclusive, for me to say, we may be strangers in this world, but we are united by love. We are also a part of this community ... In the world we live in today, we cannot ignore what’s happening.”

In fact, the fourth station along the walk this year, the steps of the Truist building, is set to feature speakers offering the same words in Spanish and English.

Rev. David Svihel, priest associate for Christian formation and outreach at Church of the Redeemer, said when denominations unite, it provides an opportunity to take the church’s message public.

The wooden cross he carries, he said, is part of the meaning of the celebration.

“For me to do something that’s slightly uncomfortable for me, in a small way, I can remind myself that even my suffering is caught up in the suffering of Christ on the cross,” he said.

CITY RECOGNIZES THE EVENT

Pfaff said since the church began seeking permits for the walk in 2001, the city of Sarasota has increasingly supported the event.

Beginning in the past few years, pilgrims can now walk entirely on Main Street itself, without using sidewalks.  Traffic is controlled by off-duty police officers.

“Our Sarasota Police Department has been so responsive and collaborative, with smiles on their faces,” said Pfaff, who called safety “critical.”

The police form teams that rotate around city blocks, redirecting traffic. When walkers approach one team, that team will then move farther down, ahead of the next.

service will transport participants from the church to

For

contact

Ferguson, Church of the Redeemer’s director of communications, at GFerguson@ RedeemerSarasota.org or 941955-4263.

For information, visit Facebook.com/SarasotaMinisterialAssociation.

File photo

Deacon Humberto Alvia, Suzi Terres, the Rev. David Svihel, Pastor Mark Sedacca, Pastor Wesley Tunstall and Chaplain Tom Pfaff stand outside Church of the Redeemer.

A sizable turnout, for the turtles

It wasn’t just the sunshine and calm breeze that made runners and walkers grateful to be on Siesta Key beach Saturday morning, but compassion for the creatures that frequent it, as well

“Generations of sea turtles have lived here,” said Lorrie Muldowney, who said it was important for residents to protect a species that had lived in the area long before residents of Sarasota and Siesta Key. Individual turtles often return to lay eggs on the same beaches where they were born.

A press release by Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium said its 37th annual Run for the Turtles was one of the most successful runs in the history of the event, raising more than $55,000 for the Sea Turtle Conservation & Research program it benefits each year.

The event offered a one-mile fun run and a 5K run, which both sent crowds running or walking up and down the beaches. More than

1,000 participants were registered

“It’s a great turnout,” said Melissa Macksey, senior biologist and sea turtle conservation and research manager at the lab.

The funds raised help support the program’s daily activities, including surveys of 35 miles of beaches during turtle-nesting season and tags and satellite tracking on turtles.

— IAN SWABY

The one-mile fun run begins.

Photos by Ian Swaby

Leigh Daul, Kim Miller, Jacoyn Monnerjahn, Carol Binion, Anne Newcomb, Colleen Bellenghi and Lynn Garrison

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.

Showroom for the Extensive Collection Anywhere.

OWNER SARASOTA, FL  34232 THEPLUMBINGPLACE.COM

PLACE

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Temple Emanu-El provides education through community

liberation, was a chance for children to learn about the identity of the Jewish people.

“The Passover Seder, in my opinion, is the greatest educational model ever created,” he said. “It has not changed much in hundreds of hundreds of years and still has an incredible effect.”

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

During the All School Passover Celebration on Sunday at Temple Emanu-El, children turned through copies of the Haggadah, reading and learning about the steps of the ritual feast at the same time they enjoyed the traditional foods.

Rabbi Michael Shefrin said the meal itself, the rituals of which represent the narrative of the Israelites’

Community, he said, is one area where children’s education takes place, but he said community experiences are also important for the congregation of Temple Emanu-El and the larger Jewish community, especially because many Jews in Sarasota have family members who live far away.

The temple’s main Passover celebration is an upcoming Passover Seder at Michael’s on East on April 5, a public event for which tickets have

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.

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Road

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

SERVICE.

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.

Photos by Ian Swaby

Director of Education for Temple Emanu-El Religious School Snait Ben-Herut and Rabbi Brenner Glickman.

ABOUT THE YOUNG FAMILY SEDER

5:30-7:30 p.m. April 8. Temple Emanu-El, 151 McIntosh Road, Sarasota. Attendees will be offered a youth-oriented Passover experience officiated by Rabbi Michael Shefrin and Snait Ben-Herut, with items catered by Brooklyn Catering including brisket, chicken and vegetarian options with traditional sides and all symbolic Passover foods. Admission: Adults $30; children 5-13, $15; children younger than 5 are admitted free. For information visit SarasotaTemple.org.

sold out this year.

“Two-hundred-seventy-five people coming together as a single family, to celebrate together, it’s glorious. To hear that many people say ‘amen’ is powerful,” he said.

A public event on April 8, the Young Family Seder, Shefrin said would offer a more casual experience for young families to come together, have fun, see rabbis in costume and “learn and engage in the traditions in a more youth-centric, vibrant way.”

“It’s central to our people, especially in today’s world with so much anti-Semitism, and so much hatred and division, to come together across lines and be together — Jews, and

non-Jews who join us. It’s necessary, and it brings hope and appreciation.”

During the All School Passover Celebration, costumes, songs and a fun and casual presentation contributed to the learning. The meal included a retelling of the Passover story in poetic verse, with Shefrin and temple member Libbie Lurie donning, respectively, Moses and Pharaoh costumes.

Director of Education for Temple

Emanu-El Religious School Snait

Ben-Herut said the event was the culmination of two weeks of preparation, which also saw children playing educational games and creating pillows to relax and recline on to represent the idea of the Israelite’s freedom.

The children in attendance enjoyed many rituals of the meal.

“I really liked the hunt for the afikoman,” said 9-year-old Alexandra Marcus.

Part of the meal includes breaking off and hiding the afikoman, a piece of matzo bread.

“I had a lot of pieces of matzo because I really like it,” said 9-yearold Sasha Leopold.

Adrienne Cohen, a volunteer at the event, said she was grateful to the temple for allowing her to connect with Judaism, despite not being raised in the religion.

“I’m learning because of this temple, and you will never know how much this temple has already taught me,” she said. “Any way that I can help the children, I love to do that.”

Rabbi Michael Shefrin and Libbie Lurie reenacted the Passover story, dressed as Moses and Pharoah.

St. Michael The Archangel Holy Week Schedule

HOLY WEEK

Siesta Key home in Siestas Bayside sells for $4,562,500

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Ahome in Siestas

Bayside tops all transactions in this week’s real estate. Patrick and Wendeline Carlton, of Placida, sold their home at 624 Waterside Way to Jennifer and Christopher Riley, of Siesta Key, for $4,562,500. Built in 2008, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,986 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,925,000 in 2016.

SARASOTA HARBOR HOUSE WEST

Robyn Willow, of Wilmington, North Carolina, sold her Unit 63 condominium at 226 Golden Gate Point to Thomas Tam Anh Doan and Linda Camtule Doan, of Sarasota, for $1.25 million. Built in 1968, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 1,778 square feet of living area. It sold for $440,000 in 2012.

THE LANDINGS

Elisabeth Martini-Wiener, trustee, sold the home at 5173 Flicker Field Circle to Paxton and Lauren Craddock, of Sarasota, for $1 million. Built in 1985, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,587 square feet of living area. It sold for $565,000 in 2013.

BAY POINT

Ila Fiebig, trustee, of Jonesville, Michigan, sold the Unit 11 condominium at 350 Golden Gate Point to Sandra Hokansson, of Sarasota, for $835,000. Built in 1969, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,337 square feet of living area. It sold for $154,000 in 1989.

HUNTINGTON POINTE

Linda Anne Foote, trustee, of Mulberry, sold the home at 8827 Havenridge Drive to Jadling Guillen and Edita Rosa Barreto De Guillen, of Sarasota, for $640,000. Built in 1992, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,652 square feet of living area. It sold for $217,000 in 1996.

REGENCY HOUSE

Lois Bartis, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 202 condominium at 435 S. Gulfstream Ave. to Rosario Tallis, of Sarasota, for $640,000. Built in 1972, it has two bedrooms,

two baths and 1,304 square feet of living area. It sold for $392,000 in 2013.

FLORENCE

Charles Valentine, of Chaumont, New York, sold the home at 5911 Briarwood Ave. to Bernard Flynt Johnson III and Carrie Johnson, of Sarasota, for $619,000. Built in 1961, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,184 square feet of living area. It sold for $149,000 in 2008.

PHILLIPPI GARDENS

Christopher and Julie Helms, of Sarasota, sold their home at 2505 Britannia Road to Christian and Heather Tamborino, of Pittsburgh, for $599,000. Built in 1960, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,236 square feet of living area. It sold for $635,000 in 2022.

ESSEX HOUSE

Clay Hatten, trustee, of Tenafly, New Jersey, sold the Unit 207 condominium at 707 S. Gulfstream Ave. to Julie Pendergast and George Vega, of Sarasota, for $565,000. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,247 square feet of living area. It sold for $52,000 in 1977.

PELICAN COVE

Charles Rosenblum, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 102 condominium at 1525 Pelican Point Drive to Yair Egozy and Anna Egozy, trustees, of Brookline, Massachusetts, for $535,000. Built in 1979, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,216 square feet of living area. It sold for $460,000 in 2021.

TOP BUILDING PERMITS

amounts.

Other top sales by area

SARASOTA: $3,125,000

One Hundred Central William and Jane Knapp, of Sarasota, sold their Unit PH01 condominium at 100 Central Ave. to Ram and Aruna Gupta, of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, for $3,125,000. Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, four-anda-half baths and 3,764 square feet of living area. It sold for $3.2 million in 2018.

PALMER RANCH: $1,525,000

OSPREY: $1.9 MILLION

Oaks II

Steven and Beverly Johnson, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, sold their home at 449 E. Mac Ewen Drive to Prima Way LLC for $1.9 million. Built in 1997, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,192 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,295,000 in 2003.

NOKOMIS: $3.3 MILLION

Casey Key

Richard and Bernadette

BELLEVUE TERRACE Vernon and Lucinda Detweiler, of Cub Run, Kentucky, sold their home at 3144 Irving St. to Lloyd and Mary Jane Nolt, of Lititz, Pennsylvania, for $524,900. Built in 1956, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,658 square feet of living area. It sold for $115,000 in 2015.

VAMO Brandy Mayhew, of Ormond Beach, sold her home at 1737 Mova St. to Eduard Tsygipalo, of Vancouver, Washington, for $524,900. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,478 square feet of living area. It sold for $305,000 in 2018.

Silver Oak Amy Johnson and Cheryl Solomon, trustees, of Ticonderoga, New York, sold the home at 5273 Celedon Court to Dlorah Hayden, of Sarasota, for $1,525,000. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,176 square feet of living area. It sold for $755,000 in 2013.

ONLINE

Even, of Venice, sold their home at 1604 Casey Key Road to Casey Key LLC for $3.3 million. Built in 1950, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,940 square feet of living area. It sold for $2 million in 2020.

See more transactions at YourObserver.com

Courtesy photo

This home in Siestas Bayside at 624 Waterside Way sold for $4,562,500. Built in 2008, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,986 square feet of living area.

success

After she started volunteering at Suncoast Science Center’s Faulhaber Fab Lab, high school senior Natalie Carrión found the role wasn’t simply a one-way street.

“I think it really is a symbiotic relationship,” she said.

By creating the racetracks on which they race their own custom-designed remote-controlled cars, elementary and middle school students learn a lot about engineering, said Carrión. The volunteers learn a great deal about engineering as well.

On Sunday, the Suncoast Science Center/ Faulhaber Fab Lab 8th Annual Remote Control Custom Car Open was held at the science center’s facilities, placing the kids’ abilities on display through a series of visually striking cars. The event included 160 students representing about 60 teams from more than 21 area schools, and the competition spanned two “Under the Sea” themed tracks — a short challenge course and a longer obstacle course.

Thirteen-year-old Darshan Kolesar, part of the Concorde team, said knowledge of electronics aided in the design of his team’s car, modeled after an airplane as well as a flying fish. This included when he placed two LED lights on the car’s two wingtips, mimicking airplane lights.

— IAN SWABY

Eight-year-old Camryn Palazzolo of Purrfect Mercats navigates a tricky obstacle.

Ten-year-old Ezra Helton of Team Helton cheers after a victory.

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BYGW. PFYCCYUO NVCYUO, CENC’L CEW LYOU KG XNCFDYCR.”

XNDBKU ZDNUMK

“ALUUBVMT VY WVPS RUKBVMT XLU YLESCGVMT CGKC BLZ OLM’C AKMC CL GKRRSM.” ULFSUC OLAMSB IU.

“NVXGM ASIRHC ID THCCGWLX ISTIRX PHNGWCX NH JY DOH NVXGM ASIRHC

YJP XJSCGHPX UHYJPH DOHR LJ GWDJ UIDDSH.”

CRACKING OPEN A BOOK by Guilherme Gilioli, edited by Jeff Chen

By 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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SOFT-SIDED DOG crate. Brand new in box. 46”L x 22”W x 26”T.

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WHIRLPOOL WASHER, heavy duty, runs great. Samsung driver, front load, needs 80$ thermostat. $199. 941-740-1210

WHITE KITCHEN carts/s

This week’s Crossword answers

peekers’ place You’re

This week’s Celebrity Cipher answers

Puzzle One Solution:

“Acting is the expression of a neurotic impulse. It’s a bum’s life. Quitting acting, that’s the sign of maturity.” Marlon Brando

Puzzle Two Solution:

“Worrying is like praying for something that you don’t want to happen.” Robert Downey Jr.

Puzzle Three Solution:

“Music played at weddings always reminds me of the music played for soldiers before they go into battle.”

Heinrich Heine

This week’s Sudoku answers