Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer 4.20.23

SARASOTA/SIESTA KEY

Observer

Toys matter.

PAGE 1B

YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

FREE • THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

VOLUME 19, NO. 21

YOUR TOWN

One Park proposal in limbo An investigation has brought hearings to a halt on the downtown development. SEE PAGE 4A

The art of File photo

Carrying the torch

Continuing a tradition more than two decades old, the Sarasota Police Department will participate in the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics on Friday, April 21.

Officers and civilian runners will join more than 300 Florida law enforcement agencies in the statewide torch run to benefit the athletes of Special Olympics Florida. More than 5,000 officers annually participate in the 1,500-mile relay across the state.

The SPD will take the torch from members of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office in the parking lot of Paradise Plaza Publix, 3825 S. Osprey Ave., at approximately 8:30 a.m.

The first leg of the route through the city will take the torch north on Tamiami Trail past the split with North Washington Boulevard, and continue north with a right turn on Adams Lane, ending at SPD headquarters.

juggling A workshop and film premiere at the Ringling Museum celebrated the cultural impact of this iconic circus tradition.

SEE PAGE 10B

Ian Swaby

Filmmaker and juggler Paprika Leaverton with Ringling Circus Collections Curator Jennifer Lemmer Posey

Ian Swaby

Employee Lily Dreier shows off some Crumbl Cookies’ treats.

A place for cookies and community Bea Grimme and her husband, Thomas Grimme, both former engineers, were looking to get more in touch with the community.

Their journey led to the grand opening of their second Crumbl Cookies location in Sarasota, at Landings Plaza at 4910 S. Tamiami Trail, on April 7. They also own the location at University Town Center.

“We really liked the concept of Crumbl and thought it was just something fun that brings people together,” she said, noting she was glad to help reinvigorate the plaza.

Grimme said the couple chose the business for its simplicity, freshness and vibrance, although they have found that the complexity involved in coordinating the from-scratch cookie making each day brings their former engineering operations to mind.

Who is that guy?

The Siesta Photo Bomber is on a mission to bring more joy to your beach pics.

SEE PAGE 2B Ian Swaby

Larry Frankel strikes his jumping pose.

A+E

Arts in the Limelight.

INSIDE

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SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

WEEK OF APRIL 20, 2023

Literacy council seeks volunteer tutors

“The county doesn’t care about Siesta Key, and we have proof that they don’t care about the Siesta Key.”

The Literacy Council of Sarasota is offering tutor training workshops in May for volunteers to help fellow adults improve their basic English communication and literacy skills.

Workshops will meet at the Glasser/ Schoenbaum Human Services Center, Building J, 1750 17th St. in Sarasota.

No previous experience required.

Volunteers will receive approximately 18 hours of interactive ProLiteracy-certified instruction and support over the course of four weekday sessions. Sessions will focus on teaching adults to read, write, comprehend and/or improve their English language skills.

Training sessions will be held at the same time from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Monday, May 1, Wednesday, May 3, Friday, May 5, and Tuesday, May 9.

Space is limited and pre-registration is required by April 21 by calling LCS Program Associate Sandra Beltran at 941-955-0421 or email to SBeltran@SarasotaLiteracy.org.

Siesta Key hotel opponent Lourdes Ramirez. Read more on page 12A

BY THE NUMBERS 6

Alleys in downtown and the Rosemary District identified in the city’s alley beautification feasibility study.

PAGE 3A

32.16M

The amount, in dollars, of the city’s general fund balance at the close of fiscal year 2022 PAGE 10A

28,833

Toys Sarasota County Toys for Tots gave out in 2022.

Slow left lane drivers may soon be ticketed

PAGE 1B

2,100

People following the Siesta Photo Bomber on Instagram.

PAGE 2B

Courtesy photo

The listing at 1414 Point Crisp Road is surrounded by the waters of Little Sarasota Bay.

Siesta home hits the market at $16 million

CALENDAR n Sarasota County Commission regular meeting — 9 a.m., Tuesday, April 25, Commission Chambers, County Administration Center, 1660 Ringling Blvd. n Sarasota County Schools regional superintendent search employee town halls — 4-6 p.m., and 7-9 p.m., Tuesday April 25, Booker High School Cafeteria, 3201 N. Orange Ave.

A $15.95 million home on Siesta Key with water views from both the front and back has hit the market. Located at 1414 Point Crisp Road, the estate sits on a private peninsula surrounded by Little Sarasota Bay. The house was built as a spec home in 2001 by Laughlin Tanner and sold to its current owner.

Now 22 years later, the listing is offered by the Laughlin Tanner Group of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty.

The 7,000-square-foot home offers water views from every

room; even the elevator has a bay-view window. The floor plan features six en-suite bedrooms, 8 1/2 baths, balconies off almost every room, a wine room and a gourmet kitchen. Glass-covered front and rear elevations bring in natural light.

The resort-style owners’ suite has two private balconies, walk-in closets and spa-like bath. The custom reef aquarium with handcarved coral stone is a nautical centerpiece in the living space.

Gathering areas include a movie theater, fitness center and family

room opening to a covered patio and balcony, all complemented by 360-degree bay views.

Recent upgrades include top-of-the-line home systems, security, landscaping, riprap and limestone seawalls. The entire interior was also refreshed with new paint, marble touches, lighting and window treatments.

Outside are 546 feet of waterfront with a heated pool and spa, beach kayak launch, Tiki hut gazebo, in-ground fire pit and deep-water boat dock with additional recreational craft lift.

Slow left-hand lane drivers beware.

Now blocking the left lane of a highway with slow driving may become more than a nuisance to others. If a bill that cleared the Florida Senate Transportation Appropriations Committee last week makes it way into law, it will be a moving violation.

Senate Bill 464 would make illegal continuously traveling in the furthermost left-hand general purpose lane of streets and highways with two or more lanes and a posted speed limit of at least 65 miles per hour except when passing another vehicle, preparing to exit or when otherwise directed by an official traffic control device.

Drivers who are stopped for the violation would receive a ticket. If passed, the bill would take effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

The law would not apply to authorized emergency vehicles and vehicles engaged in highway maintenance or construction operations.

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SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

3A

Andrew Warfield

Burying overhead utility lines is a key component to beautifying and activating alleys in downtown Sarasota.

Commissioners back re-alley-cation study proposal City Commission backs Erik Arroyo’s request to clean up and activate downtown alleyways.

ANDREW WARFIELD | STAFF WRITER

S

arasota City Commissioner Erik Arroyo wants residents and visitors to find themselves in a downtown alley.

Just not a dark one.

Or a smelly one.

During Monday’s commission meeting, Arroyo proposed that the city embark on

similar initiatives in other cities where the transformation of alleys and artistic masterpieces have led to increased safety, community engagement and a sense of pride for the residents,” Arroyo said. “By investing in this program, we’re not only contributing to the aesthetic appeal of our city but also fostering a safer, cleaner and more connected environment for all.”

Arroyo isn’t suggesting a wholesale program just yet, but rather identifying one alley to start with and delving into further feasibility research and eventual implementation. The cited prospective projects range in estimated costs from $260,000 behind the 1400 Fifth Way block to $1.8 million behind the north side of 1500 block of Main Street.

TRASH TALK

an alley beautification program intended to activate the space between the backs of buildings along select streets with art, lighting, outdoor dining, pedestrian pathways and more.

The idea is to enhance the downtown environment and boost economic opportunity for businesses while remedying eyesores and assaults on other senses.

“In the ’90s, there was a large movement for an alley beautification here in Sarasota that was dormant, but still devoted, up until recently,” Arroyo said. “Today we stand before you with a vision that is vibrant, welcoming and full of life.”

Commissioners unanimously approved assigning staff to prepare proposals for the most feasible alley project to start with, to estimate maintenance costs and prepare an action plan for implementation.

For Arroyo’s presentation, staff prepared a feasibility study for six alleys — three in downtown and three in the Rosemary District. Some are more involved than others, ranging from some basic reconstruction and decor to undergrounding overhead utilities and commercial garbage receptacles.

“We have seen the success of

Commissioners were all on board with the concept, particularly Vice Mayor Liz Alpert who is a staunch advocate of undergrounding garbage disposal and collection systems.

Already deployed in two Florida cities, heavy steel bins are buried in concrete vaults topped by receptacles. A specialized truck with a mechanical arm pulls the dumpster up from underground, empties it into the truck and then replaces it.

All that shows above the ground is a curbside mailbox-sized depository.

“It’s long bothered me what the condition of our alleys are,” Alpert said. “I’ve been advocating for the underground garbage receptacles for a while, so I’m hoping that we can figure out a way to come up with some money to do these projects and start working on the alleyways.”

Money was the sticking point for Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch, who noted that nowhere in the presentation was there a plan to pay for the program.

“Where’s the money coming from? That’s my big concern,” Ahearn-Koch said. “The garbage idea, I’m all in for that. I don’t know what the cons are to that, but I know it’s funding. It’s a big cost, but alleys do have a function. They still have to function for deliveries. They still have to function for garbage and they do serve a really unsavory function sometimes, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do what we can do to try to

beautify them.”

Finding the funding as budget season approaches is up to the commission, Arroyo said, suggesting one source is drawing from the general fund balance, which at more than $32 million is well in excess of the city’s policy of maintaining a fund balance that is 25% of the annual city budget.

A logistical challenge in some of the alleys is available space to run specialized garbage trucks to serve the underground dumpsters. All alley services, such as refuse collection and deliveries, must end at 5 p.m., leaving the day for functionality and the nights for public use.

Particularly for the downtown alleys, centralizing refuse disposal in some fashion versus multiple dumpsters behind each business will be a prerequisite. Some applications of underground garbage dumpsters are in the street rather than in the alleys.

Whether that’s a palatable solution remains to be seen.

“The problem that we’re faced with is the right of way that we have to be able to work within,” said Public Works Director Doug Jeffcoat. “Where you’ve got dumpsters, you’re up against the property. And now we’re starting to put things more into the actual roadway to deal with.

“Can it be done? Yes, it can be done, but you also have to understand is we only control one part of this,” he continued. “We also have recycling containers. You have grease traps where there are restaurants and things of that nature, and all those things are going to have to be considered as we move forward with this.”

Jeffcoat had no estimates for the cost to retrofit or purchase a truck for underground garbage collection, and Commissioner Debbie Trice suggested that he may find the city needs a certain percentage of underground collection implemented to make the limited transition more cost effective.

“Everything’s going have a costbenefit ratio” Jeffcoat agreed. “But that’s what we’ll bring back with regard to saying here’s the menu and here is what it costs for us to be able to move forward with that.”

Courtesy photo

THE ALLEYS 1300 MAIN STREET NORTH ALLEY Basic Scope: Reconstruction, $601,000plus; easement for centralized trash collection required.

Alternate: Undergrounding utilities, $750,000 Total cost: $1,351,000plus 1400 MAIN STREET SOUTH ALLEY Basic Scope: Reconstruction cost, $393,000 Total cost: $393,000 1500 MAIN STREET NORTH ALLEY Basic scope: Reconstruction, $800,000 Alternate: Underground utilities cost, $1,012,000 Total cost: $1,812,000 1500 MAIN STREET SOUTH ALLEY Basic Scope: Reconstruction, $735,000plus; easement for centralized trash collection required.

Alternate: Undergrounding utilities, $990,000 Total cost: $1,725,000 1300 FIFTH WAY ALLEY Basic scope: $325,000 Alternate: Undergrounding utilities $425,000 Total cost: $750,000 1400 FIFTH WAY ALLEY Basic Scope: Reconstruction, $260,000 Total cost: $260,000 400-500 LEMON AVENUE EAST ALLEY Basic scope: Reconstruction, $603,000 Alternate: Undergrounding utilities: $412,000 Total cost: $1,105,000

UNDERGROUND REFUSE SYSTEMS

Trash is deposited into small above-ground waste bin-sized receptacles and falls into a large metal container below ground. The container rests in a concrete vault, keeping any liquid from bleeding into the ground. An optional sensor transmits when units are full.

BENEFITS n No banging sounds when emptying the unit n Reduces odors by containing and sealing trash underground, eliminating liquids leaking onto surrounding pavement n Provides more pedestrian space in tight areas

DISADVANTAGES n Specialized truck needed to empty units n Implementation in Kissimmee and Clearwater cost well above $1 million n Life cycle of system and maintenance requirements are unclear

Courtesy photo

Implementation of placing garbage underground in Kissimmee and Clearwater cost more than $1 million.

An example of a beautified and activated alley in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

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Some future buyers of Bayso (left) and owners of Ritz-Carlton Residences are opposing the One Park development plan at the north end of Quay Commons in The Quay.

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The cancellation of a legislative public hearing before the city Planning Board regarding the continuing One Park saga has left the proposal in limbo until an investigation into an alleged inducement to a board member is completed.

The hearing was scheduled to be continued at the April 12 regular meeting of the Planning Board but was canceled by City Manager Marlon Brown after he learned that a board member, Michael Halflants, an architect, was contacted by one of the partners in the One Park condominium tower project, who was interviewing architecture firms for preliminary work on another project.

The two did not come to terms, and Halflants remained involved in the hearing process and reported the

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The hearing was over a requested amendment to the general development plan that would allow One Park to be built over Quay Commons with a breezeway. The GDP agreement for The Quay was reached in 2016 between the city and GreenPointe Development of Jacksonville.

The investigation has since been referred by the Sarasota Police Department to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for “transparency and public confidence in the investigative process.”

Longtime Sarasota developer Jim Bridges, CEO of One Park investor Jebco Ventures, had included Halflants’ firm — Halflants + Pichette — among others he was interviewing for the unrelated project. Jebco Ventures put the lots in The Quay under contract, then turned the contract over to developer Property Markets Group of Miami.

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the estimated $500 million project.

Morgan Bentley, an attorney who represents residents of the RitzCarlton Residences who oppose One Park — collectively known as Block 6 — said Bridges is more than that.

“The idea that Jim Bridges was some kind of minor partner really flies in the face of reality when he was on their visionary page of the One Park website up until (several) days ago,” Bentley said. “He has been the face of the local development, so I don’t know why (Maloney) would try to portray him as a minor partner.

He may be a minority owner, but he’s the face of the organization.”

According to Levy Public Relations, which manages the One Park website, Bridges and Jebco Ventures were removed from the page on Feb. 21. Maloney said the intention was to remove any ambiguity over who was in charge of the project.

“There has never been a deal I’ve been involved where I haven’t been in charge,” he said. “Jim did the right thing because he needed an architect. Michael Halflants did the right thing. If you didn’t take (the job), don’t recuse yourself. I don’t care if he’s voting for me or not. It’s an advisory position. This will never rise to the occasion of a nothing sandwich.

And then, of course, I’ll be back in line again and they’ll try to put me back a period of time and screw up my project.”

Owners in the Ritz-Carlton Residences have been joined by future owners of a second The Quay condominium tower, Bayso, in opposing the One Park project. They have described the building as monolithic and charged the breezeway over Quay Commons violates the air rights ownership of the master association. The air rights dispute is scheduled to go before the 12th Judicial Circuit Court in June.

Should One Park receive comprehensive plan amendment approval that would allow it to span over two lots, the next step would be quasijudicial hearings for the site plan approval before the Planning Board and then the City Commission.

Maloney said he plans to close on the lots later this year regardless of the current delay. By right, he said, PMG could erect two structures of even higher density than One Park, but that’s not his preference.

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only have four members available for the Quay 1 and 9 (development agreement) on April 12th. Michael Halflants has entered into an agreement with one of the members of the development team and will not be able to vote. Mike said that (alternate) Doug Christy cannot vote, as his wife is in real estate and will be part of closing for several buyers in the proposed One Park building. If it comes down to a 2-2 vote, Mike said that the application will move forward to CC without a recommendation.”

That elicited an email response from Halflants that read, “There’s clearly been some miscommunication here. I have no intention nor do I have any reason to recuse myself from participating in the upcoming Planning Board meeting.”

Halflants and Christy were still recused, which would have left open the door to a possible tie vote and advancement of the amendment request to the City Commission without recommendation.

One Park developer Kevin Maloney, founder and CEO of Property Markets Group of Miami, said the criminal inquiry into an alleged bribe is only a delay tactic to keep the issue from going before the commission before the expiration of his agreement to purchase Blocks 1 and 9 in The Quay.

“It’s disgusting and inappropriate and salacious. It’s another delay tactic, but now it’s really getting dirty and the city attorney’s office is right in the middle of it.”

The city attorney’s office did not respond to requests to reply to Maloney’s charge. For his part, Halflants also did not offer comment.

“It’s a joke. It doesn’t meet the standard for garbage,” Maloney said.

“What they’re saying then is you’re not ever allowed to hire anyone who’s sitting on that planning board or city commission because ultimately your project should go through the process and they may recuse themselves and it might be misconstrued that there is some connection there. It’s just a ridiculous, disgusting claim.”

Bridges has had no direct involvement in the One Park project other than as a passive minor investor, Maloney said, calling him a “tangential” partner. His total investment is slightly more than $1 million in

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SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

Legislative vs. quasi-judicial hearings:

Why they are different How decisions are made at the local level depends on policy versus implementation.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

O

ften when it comes to matters of development before the Sarasota City Commission and Planning Commission, there are two types of hearings that follow very different procedures. Some are legislative in nature; others are quasi-judicial.

The differences between the two — and why — can lead to some confusion among the general public.

Although not strictly related to approving or denying developments, that process provides clear examples and distinctions between the two.

“When you’re deciding on a legislative matter you are formulating policy. You’re making a policy decision,” said Sarasota City Attorney Robert Fournier. “When you have a quasi-judicial matter, you’re applying policy that’s already been formulated.”

Beyond comprehensive plan amendments, matters of policy that affect the public at large, for example, can include whether to place parking meters downtown. In February, the City Commission was required to hold a legislative public hearing to amend the city code to adopt the new city seal.

In quasi-judicial proceedings that have a more localized impact than do legislative actions, the City Commission must follow stricter procedural requirements, similar to those in court proceedings. If the requirements are not followed, a court could invalidate the decision if challenged.

When it comes to the development approval process, a proposed project

may require both legislative and quasi-judicial proceedings. Two recent high-profile examples are projects proposed for the former Sarasota Kennel Club and in The Quay.

On its way to the approval of an apartment complex at the kennel club site, the City Commission first had to undergo the legislative process to amend the city’s comprehensive plan to allow rezoning consideration of the site. It then underwent a quasi-judicial hearing to rezone the property and approve the site plan.

Months of effort by staff, the Planning Board and City Commission were for naught, however, as lawsuits brought by Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport delayed the close on the property by the developer — quasi-judicial decisions can be challenged in Circuit Court — eventually prompting the owner to terminate the sale of the property and request the rezoning be reversed.

Meanwhile, a series of delays have afflicted the proposed One Park project in The Quay, which had been undergoing a legislative hearing before the Planning Board. That was over a petition to amend the general development agreement, which would eventually go before the City Commission. If that were to be approved, One Park would move to a quasi-judicial hearing process for approval or denial of the site plan.

“If it’s a legislative matter, there’s much broader latitude,” Fournier said. “The commissioners have to exercise their own legislative judgement representing the best interests of the citizens. They must ask themselves: ‘Is this in the best interest of

File photo

the city? Is this in the best interest of the public? Is this good for the community?’”

Unlike a legislative determination, a quasi-judicial decision can be challenged in court but only on whether the outcome met the standards outlined in the city code, which is written by legislative action. Whether commissioners like the project is not a valid argument.

“You’re sitting in a quasi-judicial capacity, so that’s why they have to act more like judges,” Fournier said.

“That’s part of the reason for the ex parte disclosures because the process includes the right of interested parties to know who the decision makers have communicated with, and if they want to pursue asking questions. And on appeal, the Circuit Court is restricted to looking at three things: Did they follow the correct law? Did they apply the right criteria? Was there substantial, competent evidence to support the decision, meaning evidence to support that criteria was either satisfied or not satisfied?”

Another difference is how the hearings are held. Legislative hearings provide time for staff and petitioners to make their separate proposals, followed by public input when speakers have five minutes

each to voice their opinions. That is followed by questioning the petitioners and staff by board members or commissioners, deliberation and final determination.

Quasi-judicial hearings are like mini trials, whereby a petitioner makes its proposal, a legally recognized opposing group may argue against, legally recognized affected parties have three minutes each to speak, cross-examination of witnesses is permitted and petitioners are given the opportunity for rebuttal before questioning by commissioners. All who speak are sworn in under oath.

During a Circuit Court challenge, the judge will make a determination based on the record of the hearing.

There is yet another challenge route, the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings, which may occur under limited circumstances.

“There’s a statute that states if you approve a development that includes a rezoning or a site plan that is not consistent with the comprehensive plan, you can take that to Circuit Court,” Fournier said. “But if it’s about the validity of the amendment to the comprehensive plan to begin with, that goes to (the Division of Administrative Hearings).”

Before becoming entangled in legal disputes, the former Sarasota Kennel Club site was approved for an apartment complex through both legislative proceedings to amend the city’s comprehensive plan and the quasi-judicial process for rezoning and site plan approval.

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SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

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The Next Evolution of Luxury Begins

Introducing 78 Grand New Residences on Sarasota’s Bayfront From the private entry to the panoramic views, the timeless spirit of The Ritz-Carlton is embraced in a fresh, modern attitude. Legendary service is complemented by an incomparable array of private, waterfront amenities and an exceptional location in the cultural heart of Florida’s West Coast.

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Broker Participation Welcomed and Encouraged. ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING REPRESENTATIONS OF THE SELLER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS, MAKE REFERENCE TO THIS BROCHURE AND TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO BE FURNISHED BY A SELLER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. This project has been filed in the state of Florida and no other state. This is not an offer to sell or solicitation of offers to buy the condominium units in states where such offer or solicitation cannot be made. Prices and availability are subject to change at any time without notice. Images are artist’s renderings and may not represent the final building. Furnishings and fixtures are for display purposes and are not included with the residence. Actual improvements, including, recreational facilities and amenities, may vary from those shown and views may not be available from all units.

PRESENTED BY

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The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Sarasota Bay are not owned, developed or sold by Marriott International, Inc. or its affiliates (“Ritz-Carlton”). KT Sarasota South, LLC uses The Ritz-Carlton marks under a license from Ritz-Carlton, which has not confirmed the accuracy of any of the statements or representations made herein.

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YourObserver.com

SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

OPINION / OUR VIEW

SARASOTA/SIESTA KEY

“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

Read print, digitally!

EMILY WALSH

R

ecently, I moved from Longboat Key, my home for the past 12 years, to mainland Sarasota. (Longboaters, we still have our eyes on you.

My parents and Observer Media Group founders Matt and Lisa Walsh are still residents on Longboat Key, and my son, Rhys Parry, and I will be marching in the annual Fourth of July Freedom Fest parade — one of my favorite events of the year.) When moving, you unearth a lot of stuff. All of you snowbirds and new transplants are surely familiar with this phenomenon.

While trying to pare down items, I took a trip down memory lane going through boxes of keepsakes from my childhood. In one of those boxes, I found my first-place plaque from the Pinellas County Science Fair.

In sixth grade, at Southside Fundamental Middle School in St. Petersburg, I won first place for my project that was based on whether oil-based or soy-based newspaper ink was better for the environment.

Conclusion: Soy-based ink was better because it was more soluble.

The methodology used to come to this conclusion included interviews with the pressmen at the then St. Petersburg Times (now Tampa Bay Times) and a series of experiments based on the ink left on your fingers after reading a newspaper.

At the time, the Tampa Tribune was still using oil-based ink, while the St. Petersburg Times had recently switched to soy-based ink.

My experiments thumbing through both newspapers and swiping fingers on cotton swabs concluded that the soy-based ink used by the St. Petersburg Times left less residue on your fingertips.

Those experiments also resulted in the first time I used a curse word in front of my mother, but that is a whopper of a story for another time.

Years later, ink-stained fingertips

switched from an experiment to more of a nuisance during my first official job at the Longboat Observer. I was one of the office janitors, earning my weekly allowance. Every week, there were black ink fingerprints all over the door knobs and walls. Still to this day, at our current headquarters on the east end of Main Street in downtown Sarasota, you can find me cleaning ink-fingerprints off our doors with a trusty bottle of Windex from time to time.

So, much to my delight, and never in that 12-year-old’s wildest dreams, I’m happy to introduce a way to read our printed papers each week without getting ink on your fingers.

Welcome to your new e-Newspaper app — Your Observer.

The Your Observer e-Newspaper app is available in both the Apple App store and Google Play, free to download. Now our hyperlocal news and information is available to you, at your fingertips, anywhere in the world in an easy-to-use digital format on your desktop, tablet or mobile phone.

Each week, the printed version of our papers will be available to you in a new way. Flip through the pages on your favorite device like you would the printed pages. Pinch and grab the pages to zoom in and out.

Tap on headlines to view a mobile-friendly reading experience and jump to pages with a tap of the finger. Tap a photo to scroll through an entire picture gallery or view a video.

While you’re driving your morning or evening commute from work, you can have an article read to you.

Share articles easily and have them translated into 25 different languages.

Interested in a service or product advertised by one of our partners?

Tap on the phone number and call directly from the app or be linked to their website. Download the digital edition and save articles to read offline. Print articles and crossword puzzles anytime.

People may say that print is dead or antiquated. Let us be clear: Print is not going away. The e-Newspaper app is a new way to read print, digitally. It’s also one of the ways we are staying true to our vision: innovate and elevate.

Ever since the rise of the internet in the late ’90s, the print media businesses have been constantly innovating with their online offerings and revolutionizing their business models. This new e-Newspaper app is the latest iteration.

To ensure our news and information is up-to-date and provided to you in every way you consume news, we utilize more than 30 different vendors and software providers, giving us the technology to print our papers and provide news online 24 hours, seven days a week.

In fact, our IT partner, Thrive, has told us that we are one of their most complicated clients with the number of different systems we utilize to get news and information out to you every day.

So while we may be complicated internally, we want to offer you the easiest way to access our news with our new e-Newspaper app.

Our app is free to download, and for the first month we’re offering access for only 99 cents. After that, you can subscribe to our app for $5 per month, or $50 per year.

Meantime, our printed editions will remain free via home and commercial delivery, and our content on YourObserver.com will remain free.

If you opt for the Your Observer e-Newspaper app, you should consider going one step further and becoming an Observer Newsie.

That’s our membership program, which has grown to nearly 500 members.

For an annual membership of $65, Newsies receive access to the Your Observer e-Newspaper app and invitations to members-only events. In fact, on Thursday, April 20, our Newsies will participate in a “Wine Walk” at The Bay with AG Lafley, former CEO of Procter & Gamble and outgoing CEO of The Bay Conservancy.

This has been a long journey — going from ink-stained fingers to creating our digital editions that will read our stories to you or translate them into multiple languages.

While I will always have ink in my blood, I am excited that with our new Your Observer e-Newspaper app, there won’t be as much of it on my fingers. I hope you download it and give it a try. I’d love to hear what you think.

SIGN UP TODAY! STEP 1 Visit YourObserver.com STEP 2 Click “Subscribe” in the top menu bar STEP 3 Select “Newsie Membership” or “e-Newspaper Access” STEP 4 Create account STEP 5 Click “Back to content” STEP 6 Download the Your Observer e-Newspaper app on Google Play or the Apple App Store STEP 7 Sign in using the same email and password you used to create the Your Observer account.

HAPPY READING!

Managing Editor / James Peter, JPeter@YourObserver.com Sports Editor / Ryan Kohn, RKohn@YourObserver.com Staff Writers / Ian Swaby, ISwaby@ YourObserver.com; Andrew Warfield, AWarfield@YourObserver.com Digital & Engagement Editor / Kaelyn Adix, KAdix@YourObserver.com Copy Editor / Gina Reynolds Haskins, GRHaskins@YourObserver.com Senior Editorial Designer / Melissa Leduc, MLeduc@YourObserver.com A+E Editor / Monica Roman Gagnier, MGagnier@YourObserver.com Black Tie Editor / Harry Sayer, HSayer@YourObserver.com Director of Advertising / Jill Raleigh, JRaleigh@YourObserver.com Sales Manager / Penny Nowicki, PNowicki@YourObserver.com Regional Digital Director / Kathleen O’Hara, KOHara@YourObserver.com Senior Advertising Executive / Laura Ritter, LRitter@YourObserver.com Advertising Executives / Richeal Bair, RBair@YourObserver.com; Beth Jacobson, BJacobson@YourObserver.com; Jennifer Kane, JKane@YourObserver.com; Honesty Mantkowski, HMantkowski@YourObserver. com; Toni Perren, TPerren@YourObserver. com; Brenda White, BWhite@ YourObserver.com Classified Advertising Sales Executive / Lexi Huelsman, LHuelsman@ YourObserver.com Sales Operations Manager / Susan Leedom, SLeedom@YourObserver.com Sales Coordinator / Account Manager Lori Downey, LDowney@ YourObserver.com Digital Fulfillment Specialist / Emma B. Jolly, EJolly@YourObserver.com Director of Marketing / Robin Lankton, RLankton@YourObserver.com Marketing Specialist / Melanie Melone, MMelone@YourObserver.com Director of Creative Services / Caleb Stanton, CStanton@YourObserver.com Creative Services Administrator / Marjorie Holloway, MHolloway@ YourObserver.com Advertising Graphic Designers / Luis Trujillo, Taylor Poe, Louise Martin, Shawna Polana Digital Developer / Jason Camillo, JCamillo@YourObserver.com Director of Information Technology / Adam Quinlin, AQuinlin@YourObserver.com Chief Financial Officer / Laura Strickland, LStrickland@YourObserver.com Controller / Rafael Labrin, RLabrin@ YourObserver.com Office and Accounting Coordinator / Donna Condon, DCondon @YourObserver.com

Emily Walsh is president of the Observer Media Group Inc. She can be reached at EWalsh@­ YourObserver.com.

ONLINE: TOAST THE BUD LIGHT DISTRIBUTORS Matt Walsh comments on the Bud Light marketing controversy.

Go to: YourObserver.com/Opinion-Bud-Light.

Observer Media Group Inc. is locally owned.

Publisher of the Longboat Observer, East County Observer, Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer, Palm Coast Observer, Ormond Beach Observer, West Orange Times & Observer, Southwest Orange Observer, Business Observer, Jacksonville Daily Record, LWR Life Magazine, Baldwin Park Living Magazine and Season Magazine

CEO / Matt Walsh President / Emily Walsh Vice President / Lisa Walsh Chairman Emeritus / David Beliles 1970 Main St. Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-3468

YourObserver.com © 2020 The Observer Media Group Inc. All Rights Reserved

YourObserver.com

SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

Support Our Schools supports the separation of church and state and questions the school board’s efforts to adopt Hillsdale dogma.

LISA SCHURR CO-FOUNDER AND CEO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS

Courtesy photo

founded by a young man, Jordan Adams, with no experience in teaching in public education.

Ms. Ziegler and the board sought no other bids. She apparently decided that Vermilion was qualified to do the job, even though Mr. Adams’ sole experience is five years teaching in Hillsdale charter schools and a private religious school.

He also has worked on developing the Hillsdale K-12 curriculum and was involved in the review of math books for the state of Florida (looking for the dreaded CRT) and the Hillsdale 1776 curriculum.

We are concerned that the board is entering into a contract at a cost of $28,000 with a company/individual who is woefully unqualified. We believe this is fiscally and legally irresponsible.

At a Florida Department of Education-sponsored training session on the recently revised Florida civics curriculum developed under Hillsdale College’s leadership, much of the material presented through slides was infused with Christian and conservative ideology. One slide

stated that America’s “founders expected religion to be promoted because they believed it to be essential to civic virtue,” while an accompanying slide stated that “without virtue” (i.e., religion) citizens would become “licentious” and “subject to tyranny.”

Another slide stated it was a misconception that the “founders desired strict separation of church and state.” A slide quoted New England colonist Jonathan Edwards saying, “Political prosperity requires the general practice of a strict morality … as by a belief of Christianity.”

In the new Florida civics curriculum and in the Hillsdale College K-12 1776 Curriculum, one side of an argument is often presented, and historical figures are frequently cherry-picked to support the Hillsdale College narrative. Its view teaches that Christianity is and should be the dominant religion in our national life and that it should have a more prominent role in public schools.

It is clear to us there is a coordinated strategy by Gov. DeSantis and the GOP-controlled Legislature to defund public school

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S

upport Our Schools was founded with the mission of educating the public about the risks facing our system of public education and providing a platform for advocacy to protect and strengthen public education for all children. Integral to this mission is: n Defending our teachers and administrators from ideological pressure and political attacks n Preserving a modern, scientific and fact-based standard for the educational curriculum n Maintaining programs and policies that promote understanding and cooperation as well as the health and well-being of all students.

Support Our Schools members are Christians, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists. Some of us practice no formal religion. Some of us are atheists. We decry attacks on any person because of the religion he or she practices or the choice not to practice a religion or belief system.

Support Our Schools strongly believes in the separation of church and state, a principle enshrined in the Constitution and embedded in the policies and practices of public schools and governmental institutions for hundreds of years. No religion should be elevated and promoted

within the classrooms of our public schools, and no religion should be discriminated against. Religion should not be in our public schools.

The last few years have seen the rise of a concerted and aggressive national effort by right-wing think tanks and other organizations to alter the direction of public schools. The blueprint for achieving this goal, created by Hillsdale College, is a comprehensive K-12 curriculum that emphasizes a narrower, much more conservative worldview usually found in private Christian and “classical” schools. Support Our Schools strongly believes that our public schools are not the place for a regime of religious-nationalist indoctrination.

There appear to be distinct efforts underway to undermine public schools across the country. Public schools, as opposed to private schools, are obligated to educate all children, regardless of socioeconomic background, religious affiliations or sexual orientation. Private schools may pick and choose which students they wish to educate with no governmental oversight or accountability.

These efforts appear intended to do more than reshape and eliminate certain course work and topics from academia. We are particularly concerned to see efforts by the Sarasota County School Board to bring changes to public school curricula that rely on the religious dogma espoused

by Hillsdale College.

Of particular concern is the current attempt by the chair of the Sarasota County School Board, Bridget Ziegler, to enter a contract with a months-old company, Vermilion Education, which was

districts by offering universal voucher programs that siphon money into private schools, some of which teach a noninclusive Christian nationalist worldview.

We are also concerned that the majority of our current Sarasota County School Board is taking direction directly from the governor rather than the stakeholders of our school district.

For the record, Support Our Schools believes that all parents should have the right to send their children to private Christian schools or “classical” academies if they wish. However, this should not be at the expense of the health and stability of our public education system.

If this plan succeeds, we believe it will hollow out our public schools to the detriment of the economy, our democracy and the overall well-being of the Sarasota community.

Any attempt by right-wing groups to label Support Our Schools as anti-Christian is completely unfounded. It is a cynical attempt to create divisions and stir up anger. Many Sarasota Christians standing with Support Our Schools have a strong faith in God. They strongly believe in Jesus Christ’s principle teachings of love thy neighbor, humility, charity, forgiveness, service to others and empathy. These principles are not the exclusive province of Christians. These qualities are needed now more than ever to push back against the surge in hate and intolerance directed toward some Sarasota educators, students and their families.

Support our Schools and many Sarasota parents prefer that divisive culture war issues stay out of the classroom. Most parents just want a positive, safe and supportive learning environment for their children.

We ask that politicians keep their personal religious views separate from educational policy decisions in our public schools.

MY VIEW

Hillsdale dogma should not dominate schools

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YourObserver.com

SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

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ity of Sarasota property owners shouldn’t expect a third straight millage reduction on their property taxes next year.

During the City Commission’s first budget workshop for fiscal year 2024 on April 10, City Manager Marlon Brown said he doesn’t anticipate recommending another rate cut as property value increases return to more normal pre-COVID levels.

Brown reminded commissioners the prior two reductions occurred amid the rapidly rising property values, which for the current fiscal year was a nearly 18% increase, according to the Sarasota County Property Assessor’s Office. In response, the City Commission reduced this year’s ad valorem rate from 3.1372 mils to 3.0 mils for 2023.

With the rate remaining flat, Brown said he has told department heads to hold the line on spending requests for fiscal 2024.

With that, the bulk of the discussion centered on the city’s general fund balance and the philosophy of both Brown and Director of Financial Administration Kelly Strickland to maintain a balance that exceeds the Governmental Finance Officers Association recommendation of a fund balance of 17% to 25% of the city’s overall budget.

For the fiscal year that ended Sept.

30, 2022, the city transferred $1.58 million from the general fund balance to balance the budget. Still, that left a $32.16 million general fund balance — 35.3% of the city’s budget. Of that, $27 million is unassigned and may be used for any purpose.

A minimum fund balance is recommended to provide two to three months of operations in the event of a disaster.

“I’ve always said we need 25% or more because we live right next to the beach,” Strickland said.

As commissioners consider next

Courtesy photo

year’s budget, Brown suggested they keep in mind the critical nature of the general fund balance; he advised against spending it down.

“One of the things that we have never really accounted for are things like hurricanes and red tide,” Brown said. “We’ve come to you on several occasions and asked for budget amendments when these things occur in order to pre-fund a lot of the recovery efforts. Some of these are reimbursable through FEMA or the state, but those dollars come in two, sometimes three years after we spend the money. And also we only get up to 70% to 80% of those dollars back, so that is something to keep in mind.”

Strickland told commissioners she expects a citywide property value increase of about 10% for the next fiscal year. If correct, based on an assumed collection rate of 96.5%, that represents an additional $3.37 million in revenue with the millage rate remaining at 3.0. The official estimate of assessed value is provided by Sarasota County on July 1, which determines the property tax revenue estimates for the next fiscal year.

Adoption of the fiscal 2024 budget is due by the end of September.

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YourObserver.com

SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

WILD FLORIDA

Miri Hardy

If you encounter American alligators on the move, give them plenty of space and allow them to proceed at their own pace.

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s a rain-fed river, the Wild and Scenic Myakka River has dramatically illustrated over recent months how its levels are affected by precipitation — or the lack thereof.

After historic flood levels associated with Hurricane Ian rainfall followed by little rain in recent months, water levels in Myakka River State Park have dropped significantly and are currently very low. Myakka’s wetlands, which absorb and slow floodwaters during periods of excessive rain, are drying up as well.

When water levels in Myakka’s floodplain marshes and wetlands are high, American alligators spread out and enjoy their expanded habitats. Considered almost extinct in the 1950s and ’60s because of habitat loss and hunting, these iconic, critical members of our region’s ecosystems depend on wetlands; our ecosystems depend on them.

As apex predators, alligators help control rodent populations and other animals that might otherwise overtax marsh vegetation. The “gator holes” that adult

a­ lligators create and expand stay full of water even after the rains stop. By providing vital water for themselves, as well as for many other species, American alligators help keep unique Florida ecosystems at Myakka and beyond healthy for years to come. This time of year, late in our dry season, the chance increases of encountering an alligator making its way from drying wetlands back to rivers or other wet locations. They’re also more likely to be visible, due to lower water levels, the onset of breeding season and warmer (but not oppressively hot) temperatures, all of which result in higher levels of activity for these cold-blooded reptiles.

For everyone’s safety, if you encounter an alligator on the move, give it plenty of space — at least 25 feet is recommended — and don’t try to hurry it along. Also, as is the law, never harass or feed alligators.

When alligators are fed, they lose their natural wariness of humans and start to associate people with food. Because dogs and cats are the same size as natural alligator prey, keep them well away from possible alligator habitats.

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Staying a safe distance from these vital members of wetland ecosystems will help keep all out of danger.

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YourObserver.com

SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

Siesta Key hotel plans face more legal scrutiny

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With a state ruling favoring opposition, two approved hotels have been challenged over their consistency with the Sarasota County comprehensive plan.

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Although Siesta Key residents opposed to two planned hotels on the barrier island recently scored an initial victory in their effort to keep them from being built, there remains a lengthy legal battle ahead.

On April 3, Administrative Law Judge Suzanne Van Wyk ruled in favor of plaintiff Lourdes Ramirez that Sarasota County’s 2021 approval of a 170-room hotel on a 0.97-acre site on Calle Miramar in Siesta Key Village violated the county’s comprehensive plan that, since 1981, had set density limits of residential developments at 26 units per acre.

The county and the developer have 30 days to respond.

At the time, hotels were categorized as residential as Siesta Key was experiencing rapid growth in both development and tourism.

In fall 2021, the Sarasota County Commission approved not only the new hotel in Siesta Key Village but also a second 120-room hotel on 1.17 acres on the south of the island at 1260 Old Stickney Point Road. In the process, hotels were reclassified from residential to commercial use, clearing the way for rezoning and approval of the projects. County staff at the time said removing the residential density cap did not violate the comprehensive plan because hotels were no longer residential and therefore not subject to the limits.

New hotels had been discussed since 2016, Ramirez said, but prior to 2021 density had not been among the details.

“And then we found out that there

Courtesy photo

Lourdes Ramirez is challenging a 170room hotel on Calle Miramar in Siesta Key Village.

was a proposed ordinance that eliminated the density for hotels, saying hotels are not a residential use and it should be based on square footage,” Ramirez said. “I found that problematic because since the 1980s on Siesta Key, we’ve had a maximum number of units that can be built.”

The Division of Administrative Hearings is a state-level process that is one of two parallel legal tracks affecting the hotels. The division ruling applies to the challenge over an alleged violation of a county’s comprehensive plan because the state does not intervene on developments, only on zoning ordinances.

In her ruling, Van Wyk found that the county’s 1981 Comprehensive Plan “specifically discusses the barrier islands as an area of special concern,” acknowledging the “problems associated with development on the barrier islands,” including “the detrimental effect of building along the active beach areas” and “difficulties of evacuating large numbers of people from the keys in time of emergency.”

Further, she wrote, “Barrier Islands are so designated because they help protect the mainland from storm damage in hurricanes and other storms,” and “The entirety of Siesta Key is designated Coastal High Hazard Area … and is within the

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SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

13A

Forbes’ 2022 Best-in-State Wealth Advisor

Gary S. Brochin Managing Director/Investments Portfolio Manager – Solutions Program

Courtesy rendering

The 12th Judicial Circuit Court will preside over a local case on whether the approval of the hotels themselves are in violation of the comprehensive plan.

“If you read the zoning ordinance, it does violate the comprehensive plan, so the zoning ordinance is kind of null and void,” Ramirez said. “But the county approved the hotels with that zoning ordinance in place. In that case, you’ve got to go to Circuit Court to say hotels on these plots of land are in violation of the comprehensive plan.”

As the Division of Administrative Hearings awaits a response to Van Wyk’s ruling, action continues at the 12th Judicial Circuit Court. The cases against both Siesta Key hotels were consolidated for trial purposes because of overlap between the two lawsuits.

While Ramirez’s lawsuit focused on the Calle Miramar hotel and the single issue of its inconsistency with the comprehensive plan, the suit against the Old Stickney Point Road project includes five causes of action, among with is the comprehensive plan issue. Judge Mark Walker ruled the two cases could be consolidated because expert testimony on both will be provided by the same witnesses.

Walker later recused himself from

A 2021 rendering of the proposed hotel on Calle Miramar in Siesta Key Village.

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CONSOLIDATED CASES

the case when he discovered he had a professional and personal relationship with the attorneys in the Old Stickney Point Road case, turning it over to Judge Hunter Carroll, who was scheduled to hold a case management hearing on Thursday regarding the consolidated cases trial scheduled for October.

Carroll has filed a notice of disclosure, revealing he had once represented Gary Kompethecras, who owns the property for the Stickney Point Road hotel, while he was a practicing lawyer, but had not, as of yet, recused himself from the case.

Meanwhile, the hotels are in limbo as they await rulings, which could be appealed by either party. The hotel controversy helped galvanize the movement to incorporate Siesta Key as its own town. Although Ramirez is not involved in that effort, she does support it.

Whether to permit a referendum in November 2024 for affected residents to vote on incorporation is currently working its way through the Florida House of Representatives.

“The county doesn’t care about Siesta Key, and we have proof that they don’t care about the Siesta Key,” Ramirez said. “They are willing to ignore their own laws to our detriment. I’m not into wanting to pay for more taxes, but what is going on here when the county blatantly ignores rules that have been existence for decades, I think we will be in better hands.”

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14A

YourObserver.com

SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

Changing the picture of mental heath for Latinos A panel discussion on mental health issues impacting the local community accompanied Karen Arango’s photography exhibition ‘Rearview Mirror’/ ‘El Retrovisor.’

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

A

t the same time evocative photographs lined gallery walls, a conversation became the centerpiece of Art Center Sarasota on April 12.

“It’s not something you normally see in the community — there’s an art center, and let’s talk about this,” said attendee Natalie Caukwell.

Held as a tie-in event with the ongoing exhibition “Rearview Mirror”/“El Retrovisor” by Karen Arango, the artist talk “Mental Health Care in the Latinx Community” brought together a four-member panel to discuss current issues in mental health impacting the Latino community.

The exhibition was sponsored by a $10,000 grant from the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, the second time the foundation and art center collaborated on a project intended to impact the community.

Arango, a Sarasota-based freelance photographer and videographer, said the photos of her exhibition were inspired by her own past struggles with mental health, a topic

IF YOU GO

‘REARVIEW MIRROR’ When: Through April 29 Where: Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail Info: Visit ArtSarasota.org

she said is generally highly stigmatized in Latino culture.

Arango has a bachelor’s degree in photography and imaging from Ringling College of Art and Design and a master’s in digital journalism from the University of South Florida.

Over a period of about four months, she photographed other Latinos in the community, documenting their stories. Some of the subjects she knew personally; others she sought out.

Gallery visitors can read the stories behind each photo by scanning QR codes accompanying the artwork.

The panel discussion was moderated by Stacie Herrera, owner of Herrera Psychology, a youth-based private practice in Osprey. Other panelists included Yesenia Reta, a clinical social worker who special-

Stacie Herrera, owner of Herrera Psychology, speaks with photographer Karen Arango.

Photos by Ian Swaby

Shannon Rohrer-Phillips explains the artwork to her son, Reece Phillips.

izes in treating adults with anxiety, depression, complex and acute trauma and relationship issues; Carolina Zuluaga, a graduate student in the clinical psychology doctorate program at National Louis University completing a dissertation about the impact of COVID-19 on the Black and Latino communities; and Arango herself.

Kinsey Robb, executive director of Art Center Sarasota, said the art center aimed to make the event as bilingual as possible by offering a projection screen displaying an AI real-time speech-to-text Spanish translation.

Herrera said research by the CDC said Latinos were disproportionately affected by mental health issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said among Latinos, the prevalence of depression was 40%, compared to 25% among non-Hispanic white individuals, while suicidal thoughts reached 23% among Latinos, compared to 5% among Blacks and 5% among Caucasians.

The discussion repeatedly involved the stigma surrounding mental health treatments. Reta said it usu-

ally begins in the family, with the belief that individuals should help themselves, seek help from family or talk to a faith or spiritual leader.

The panelists said other barriers exist.

“I think the language barrier is a huge thing,” said Zuluaga. She said the affordability of health care was a problem, with many not having access to health insurance, while transportation to services also needs to be addressed.

While Arango chose to focus her artwork on individuals seeking treatment, she noted another side of the story was captured through Jesus Hernandez, who chose to avoid treatment, fearing it could impact his immigration status.

“I once went to see a psychologist,” Arango said. “She didn’t speak Spanish, and we didn’t really connect.

And then I started seeing someone who spoke Spanish, and I said, ‘This is what I need.’”

As the panel emphasized, forming interpersonal connections in the community is key to maintaining mental health.

Robb said the discussion was

important for bringing the issue into the public eye.

“I love these types of discussions because sometimes it just opens the door to let people know a topic can be discussed in public, out in the open.”

She said artwork was an important outlet for expression regarding the topic.

“These are powerful images,” she said, adding she was proud of Arango, as well as the subjects who chose to reveal their stories to the public.

Arango said she was grateful to the community for coming together in support of the gallery and event.

“It’s inspiring and refreshing,” said Arango. “It’s just great to see this kind of work about a minority group of people being displayed here in Sarasota. It feels very inclusive. I feel very supported by the community; it’s a big collaboration between all of us, and it’s what makes the community a community.”

A portion of the proceeds from sales of the photos will go toward the Women’s Resource Center to support its mental health programs.

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SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

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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.

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SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

SFFBF.org

Ian Swaby

Climate awards showcase the impact of individuals The awards ceremony was the first held by Sarasota’s Climate Adaptation Center.

Celebrating 70 years of Corvette

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

F

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Scan for website

rom the wrath of Hurricane Ian to flooding in Fort Lauderdale on April 12, severe weather events induced and intensified by climate change are experienced by many Floridians, said Robert Bunting, CEO and chair of the Climate Adaptation Center.

Yet many individuals don’t know what they can do to address climate change, he said.

He hopes the center’s 2023 Climate Champions Award Ceremony will offer the public an example. The inaugural event was held April 18 at Michael’s On East.

The CAC itself started off with a simple idea, after Realtor Janet Walter introduced community activist and philanthropist Elizabeth Moore to Bunting.

The two sat down for wine at Art Ovation Hotel, where Bunting told her something he’d been thinking

about. Moore knew immediately she wanted to be involved with the organization for which she now serves as director. Moore says it is the only Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to the climate and its impact.

The organization’s continual growth, which Bunting said has resulted in 4,000 readers of its newsletter and its events always selling out, eventually led it to hold the ceremony recognizing the efforts of the wider community.

Honorees included Charles Reith of Sarasota Urban Reforesters (SURF); Bill Waddill, chief operating officer of Bay Park Conservancy; Ed Chiles, founding board member of All Clams on Deck; Jennifer and David Shafer of the Science and Environment Council; and Jon Thaxton, senior vice president for community leadership at Gulf Coast Community Foundation.

“The times are changing,” Thaxton said. “The question of climate change and sea level rise has been put to rest, and I think people are now acknowledging the need to take action.”

“We are all part of the climate system,” Moore said. “What we do

Elizabeth Moore, director of the Climate Adaptation Center

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YourObserver.com

SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

Ed Chiles – a founding board member of All Clams on Deck Bill Waddill – chief operating officer of the Bay Park Conservancy Charles Reith – Sarasota Urban Reforesters (SURF) Jennifer and David Shafer – executive directors of Science and Environment Council Jon Thaxton – senior vice president for community leadership at the Gulf Coast Community Foundation

impacts the climate, and the climate impacts all of us in its turn.”

Also in attendance were city of Sarasota commissioners Jen AhearnKoch and Erik Arroyo and Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton, Director of Support Services Carolyn Brown and Commissioner B.J. Bishop.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS SPANNING A RANGE OF ENVIRONMENTS

Bunting said programs like the awards are a crucial first step to recognizing good work in the community, educating and inspiring others in turn.

“I am flattered to be considered,” said Ed Chiles of All Clams on Deck, who is also known for his ownership of local restaurants including Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub in Longboat Key. “It’s great to be recognized. I’m inspired by the leadership in this room.”

The accomplishments of honorees involved a range of initiatives in the local area.

Charles Reith accepted the award of Sarasota Urban Reforesters, which is responsible for numerous microforests on small parcels of undeveloped land. Reith said these systems divert excess waters, prevent excess nutrients from reaching the bay, cool the surrounding area and restore habitats.

Jennifer Compton, secretary of the board at the Bay Park Conservancy, accepted an award on behalf of COO Bill Waddill.

Waddill, who has more than 36 years of experience as a planner and

landscape architect, said in a video statement that when teams designed The Bay Park, which opened in 2022, they created the roughly 10-foothigh surrounding pathway to separate lower areas to the west — which are equipped to deal with flooding due to features including the choice of plants — and the higher ground to the east.

“I think the ability to leverage the public and private sector and partner together to do something like this is really a model for the future,” he said in the video.

Chiles said he had become increasingly concerned about the environment and involved in environmental causes over his 45 years in the area, establishing All Clams on Deck after the 2021 crisis at Piney Point in Manatee County.

The organization helps restore seagrass and high-density clam sites to improve water quality and promote economic growth.

While Jennifer and David Shafer, executive directors of the Science and Environment Council, were said

by Moore to be unable to attend, the award was personally delivered by Moore and Bunting. The pair have been involved in leadership, education and strategic planning roles for various community organizations, and currently are working with the Tampa Bay Estuary Program on a climate adaptation plan.

Thaxton, who has participated in panel discussions and been a local advocate for resilience strategies, said among his roles was a project replacing 53 acres of hardened shoreline on Sarasota’s bayfront with a soft shoreline he said would allow habitats to migrate as sea levels rise, with the project also moving structures and adding filtering mechanisms for waters entering the bay.

Bunting said the event would guide the public in the actions that can be taken and “make us feel that we all, as individuals, have a say in the outcome, and to inspire people to become climate champions, maybe not in the big way that some of these people are, but in our everyday lives.”

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THURSDAY, APRIL 6

ASSAULT WITH A PLANK 12:01 p.m., 2200 block of 12th Street Battery: During a fight between two men, one was hit in the back of the head with a wooden plank. The victim told police the two have had altercations in the past, and during an argument he turned his head and was struck with a white plank of wood.

The accused told police the victim first “knocked into him” during the argument, and that he struck him with the plank in self defense. There was no video evidence of the altercation. He showed the officer the plank that was used, which had a small amount of blood on it.

Probable cause existed to charge the accused with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, but the victim declined to press charges. He was provided with a case number and was advised that he can change his mind and prosecute at a later time.

MONDAY, APRIL 10

the alleged incident was available.

An officer located a suspect nearby who did fit a description. The man provided police with his information and was released because there was no evidence of a burglary having taken place. Officers checked the area for any signs of vehicle burglaries or suspicious groups in the area, finding none.

TUESDAY, APRIL 11

LACK OF COMMITMENT 11:40 p.m., 5100 block of North Tamiami Trail Disturbance: Officers were dispatched to a dispute in the parking lot of a business, where two men were hanging out before the girlfriend of one of them arrived and began to argue with him. As they entered his friend’s vehicle to leave, the complainant told police the woman began to chase and throw rocks at the friend’s vehicle, although she missed.

The complainant told police he wanted his girlfriend to be evaluated under the Baker Act because she was behaving irrationally. She was evaluated by police, but it was determined she did not meet the criteria for involuntary detention at a medical facility.

NOT EVERYONE LOVES A PARADE 3:10 a.m., 2000 block of 29th Street Noise complaint: Officers met with a man who wanted to express his displeasure with the city allowing an Easter parade and the loud noise that it produces. The complainant explained that shootings have occurred during past Easter parades.

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NASTY NOTE 12:45 a.m., 2000 block of Hyde Park Street Dispute: A woman found what she described as a hostile note on her car. She told police she discovered the note on her passenger side window while taking trash outside. She advised that she has had previous verbal altercations with an acquaintance and suspected this incident to be related but did not know for certain. The complainant was educated on injunction procedures and no further action was taken.

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Jake Ilardi

S

arasota’s Jake Ilardi, a Tokyo Olympics skateboarding participant, is ranked 10th in The Boardr’s global overall rankings as of April 18 (ninth in street rankings, 74th in park rankings). ... The Sarasota High diamond sports continue to roll thanks to their pitching. The Sailors baseball team is 15-5 as of April 18 and holds a team ERA of 2.00. The softball team is even better, sitting at 16-3, and has found success by leaning on senior Ryleigh Bennett, who has a 1.33 ERA in 110.2 innings. The softball team also has five regulars hitting .370 or better. ... Sarasota Sharks swimmers Michaela Mattes (Cardinal Mooney High) and Gracie Weyant (Riverview High) spent the week of April 5 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, training with the U.S. Junior National team. ... Sarasota BMX celebrated its 49th anniversary on April 14, with commemorative medals going to every rider that participated in the evening’s races and commemorative plates going to the races’ winners. ... Sarasota High senior Caleb Bradley had a full day at the Sarasota County Track and Field Championships, held April 13 at Venice High. Bradley won the boys 200-meter dash (21.62 seconds), the 100-meter hurdles (15.47 seconds) and the 400-meter hurdles (57.95 seconds) at the championships. ...Booker High junior Terrietta Smith also had a big day at the Sarasota County championships, winning the girls 100-meter dash (12.29 seconds), the 200-meter dash (25.52 seconds), and the long jump (5.26 meters). ... Former Sailors baseball player Owen Ayers has started all 21 games for Marshall University in 2023 after transferring to the Thundering Herd from State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota. Ayers, a first baseman/catcher, is hitting .256 with nine doubles, two home runs and 17 RBIs and has a .983 fielding percentage.

COUGARS BEACH VOLLEYBALL PAGE 20A

HURRICANE SEASON

Miami special teams Coach Marwan Maalouf and Stone Springman form “The U” hand gesture on Springman’s visit to the school.

Courtesy photo

Stone Springman fought through a broken back to earn a spot with the Hurricanes.

RYAN KOHN SPORTS EDITOR

S

tone Springman visualized his greatest moment.

The Riverview High football team was facing a fourth and long from the Lehigh High 31-yard line. The teams were tied at 28 in the fourth quarter of their Sept. 16 contest; the Rams were up 21-0 before letting Lehigh back into the game via turnovers and other miscues. But all of that could be erased — or exacerbated — by the next play: either a fourth-down conversion attempt, which Riverview is not shy about trying, or a 48-yard field goal attempt from Springman.

It wasn’t an easy call. The game was being played in a light but steady rain, so the field was slick, and Springman, a senior, was returning from a broken vertebrate in his back, an injury he suffered in spring practice. It would be his first field goal attempt of the season.

Either way, the decision was a risk. But in his mind, Springman saw himself making the kick. Slick grass and back injuries were not a concern to him. He knew he would come through.

One look at his kicker, and Rams coach Josh Smithers knew it, too.

“Stone had that look in his eyes,” Smithers said after the game. “He was excited to be back. I don’t think there was anything that was going to stop him tonight.”

Springman nailed the kick, giving the Rams a 31-28 win. It was one of the bright spots in a challenging season for Springman, who would reinjure his back soon after and miss much of the year. But it was enough to prove to colleges what Springman could do in pressure situations and adverse conditions.

On April 13, Springman’s arduous year got a positive ending when he committed to the University of Miami. “(Hurricanes special teams coach Marwan) Maalouf has been amazing through this whole process,” Spring-

man said. “Miami always is right back in touch. That’s super rare with coaches. It’s usually hit or miss. They are all about you one week and forget about you the next week. But they (the Hurricanes) have believed in me since I went to their camp.”

Springman attended a Hurricanes camp, as well as other camps, in June 2022 — weeks after breaking his vertebrate in spring practice, though at the time, he didn’t know it was broken. He kicked through the pain he felt and did well enough at the Miami camp to hold the Hurricanes’ attention for the long term. But it was not easy.

“By the end of each camp session I did, I would be hunched over on the ground, just trying not to die,” Springman said with a laugh. “It was unbearable.”

Springman said once he officially found out his back was broken, he began telling colleges. Most wanted to wait and see how it healed before promising anything.

Not Miami.

“They said, ‘If that’s what you did with a broken back, then what can you do (healthy)?’” Springman said.

“They didn’t see it as a bad thing.

They believe that I can come back and be even better.”

After reinjuring his back during the season, Springman has been taking things easy, following his doctor’s orders and only restarting his training in February. He has slowly been building his kicking strength back since then, averaging 30-35 kicks per week; Springman said most healthy kickers do 70-80 per week, but after going through the year he did, he’s taking his time getting to that point.

The good news: His back feels 100%, he said.

Springman said he’s looking forward to proving himself again on the Hurricanes. It is something he’s had to do his whole football career.

Springman started his athletic career as a soccer player at Cherry Creek High in Greenwood Village, Colorado, before joining the school’s junior varsity football team as a kicker his

File photo

sophomore season. He had taken up field goal kicking out of boredom during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, and wanted to see if he could replicate his success during games.

He did, and began working with kicking specialist Matt Thompson to improve as much as he could. Springman said having a soccer background helped him pick up the technique right away; there’s more of a sweeping motion to football kicks, he said, but making that change felt natural.

When Springman transferred to Riverview High for his junior year, he immediately won the varsity kicking job. He also started attending Kornblue Kicking camps to go against the best competition he could. Entering his senior season, Springman was rated a 4.5-star kicker by the service.

As of April 18, he’s ranked the No. 26 kicker on the service’s “Fab 50” list of upperclassmen.

Now healthy and with a home for the 2023 season, Springman’s future appears bright — something that will not surprise witnesses to his 48-yard field goal against Lehigh.

Rams kicker Stone Springman committed to the University of Miami on April 13.

20A

YourObserver.com

SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

PROSE AND KOHN

RYAN KOHN

Cougars beach volleyball eyes repeat title The Cougars lost 3-2 to Bradenton Christian on April 13, but they are confident heading into the SSAC tournament.

T

he Cardinal Mooney High beach volleyball team’s hopes of an undefeated regular season fell a few points short, but the Cougars are keeping their heads up as the postseason approaches.

Before the team’s regular-season finale April 18, a match against Braden River High, the Cougars (14-1) jogged around their home courts with determined looks, ready to avenge a 3-2 loss to Bradenton Christian School (12-0) seven days before. Their preparation — and their mental strength to move on — showed in their play: The Cougars beat the Pirates 5-0.

While no team ever wants to lose, especially with a potential undefeated season in play, the BCS loss is an understandable one. As of April 18, Cardinal Mooney is No. 18 in MaxPreps’ national rankings and No. 10 in Florida; BCS is No. 4 nationally and No. 2 in Florida.

Cougars coach Chad Davis said the loss was tough because of how it happened. Two Cougars pairs won their matches 2-0, but the other three pairs lost in three sets — with two of the losses being 15-13 decisions. Davis said the loss came down to a mixture of bad bounces and errors at critical times.

“We were five minutes away from winning the match 3-0,” Davis said.

“Then things started turning on us.

But you have to give (BCS) credit; they played well. We just made mistakes at the highest pressure points of the matches.”

Davis said his message to the team, other than fixing the things that went wrong, was that the loss did nothing to compromise the

Ryan Kohn

The Cardinal Mooney beach volleyball team captured the Sunshine State Athletic Conference state title on April 30, 2022, in Taveras.

team’s dreams of a state title run (or two). And while not fun to experience, Davis said the loss didn’t dent the team’s confidence should the two squads meet again.

That could happen as soon as this weekend, when Mooney heads to Orlando’s Game Point Events Center April 21-22 to compete in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference state tournament. It is the same state tournament that the Cougars won a season ago, and they are hungry to not let the title slip into anyone else’s claws.

If the bracket breaks how Davis and the Cougars think it can, the Cougars may meet the Panthers in the finals, and they are eager for a chance at redemption. Davis called the potential rematch “a good

motivator,” and his team agreed.

“We know what to do now,” senior Madeline Carson said. “I think it was actually good that we experienced that. It was valuable.

We know how we can beat them (in the postseason).”

Davis said winning the tournament in 2022 should give his team a boost heading into this weekend.

There won’t be any change in the coaches’ messages now that the postseason is here. The Cougars are experienced; they know what needs to be done now that there are no do-overs.

One difference between the 2022 and 2023 SSAC events: while last year’s tournament was a traditional best-of-five event, the 2023 event is best of three. The shortening of

each match has allowed Mooney to field three different teams for the event, so it’s possible that multiple Cougars teams could make it deep into play.

But the SSAC event is only the beginning. Assuming both teams keep winning throughout district play, they could face each other in a Class 1A play-in game for the Florida High School Athletic Association state tournament as well.

While both events are state title events, the FHSAA event features more teams and thus more competition. The FHSAA play-in match will be on May 1 — and if it is indeed those two teams, Mooney would be on the road, not at its sparkling home facilities. It’s one of the consequences of dropping the regular-

season game, Davis said.

“I told the team, there are always ramifications of certain things,” Davis said. “But the good news is, home court is not quite as important in beach volleyball as it is during indoor volleyball. It’s different outdoors, but it still would have been nice to have it here.”

Time will tell if these rematches will happen, and who will win if they do. What I do know is this: A Sarasota-Manatee area rivalry like this is good for the sport of beach volleyball. Indoor volleyball gets a lot of respect around here, and rightfully so, but a competitive beach volleyball match can be just as compelling. The sport is growing at the college level — up nearly 1,000 athletes compared to a decade ago, according to NCAA data — and as more teams add it to their offerings in Florida, I would not be shocked to see its popularity explode in the coming years.

Rivalries like this one, between nationally ranked teams playing close-as-can-be matches, can be a spark. Throw in the backdrop of a state tournament and the rivalry becomes a rocket ship.

“When there’s a big reward, I think everyone’s intensity goes up,” Davis said. “Everyone knows what is at stake. You can feel the excitement building. Everyone’s talking about it.”

Even if the two teams don’t meet this weekend, Mooney has a chance to repeat as state champions, another notch on the belt of a historic season.

For results from Orlando, check YourObserver.com.

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

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When did you start participating in track and field?

When I was a sophomore. I was at Lakewood Ranch High then. I played football, and the coaches required us to do an additional sport. I decided to do throwing because it was an individual sport, which meant I didn’t have to worry about dragging other people down or them dragging me down. It was more internal. I just had to focus on myself. That is how I improved.

What is the appeal to you?

This is going to sound weird, but I like the spinning motions of throwing (discus and shot put). I like the synchronized rhythm. I like that you only have a split second to perfectly perform your technique. It gives me an adrenaline rush.

What is your favorite event?

It’s discus, since that is my best one, relative to the others. I have done a lot of musical theater and dance. I guess that has helped me with the turns and getting the rhythm of the throws down, and helped with my coordination in general.

What are your goals for the postseason?

I’m trying to break 15 meters in shot put. For javelin, I am feeling a big PR soon. I want to hit 50 meters by the end of the season. Same for discus.

I’d actually like to get past 52 meters.

What is your favorite food?

Cheeseburgers. You can consistently find good cheeseburgers anywhere you go. It’s a safe food for me.

What is your favorite TV show?

I like “Family Guy” and “South Park” if I’m going pure comedy. For dramas, I like “Breaking Bad” and “Stranger Things.”

21A

10TH ANNIVERSARY

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Superpower you would pick?

Either the power to stop time or to have a photographic memory.

SHOULD BE THE BEST PART OF THE YEAR.

What is your favorite subject?

I like math and literature out of the core subjects. But if I can pick an elective, then musical theater. I’m actually going to college for it (at Baldwin Wallace University in Ohio).

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What is your favorite track and field memory?

It’s a constant memory, but I love making fun of our runners. (Laughs.) We all heckle each other, but it’s in good fun. Everyone gets along, and at meets we all support each other.

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Marc Dalmau is a senior track and field athlete at Cardinal Mooney High. As of April 18, Dalmau is second in Class 2A in the boys discus (48.77 meters) according to Athletic. net data. He is also 15th in the class in the shot put (14.91 meters) and 18th in the javelin (45.02 meters).

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.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Marc Dalmau

SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

8/26/21 3:27 PM

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NEEDED: SPACE Courtesy photo

Bicycles await distribution in the warehouse.

Steven Rose, Jim Lamb and Liz Watson Ian Swaby

A humble beginning to countywide gift-giving Since 2006, Sarasota Toys for Tots has gone from giving an estimated 8,000 toys annually to more than 28,000.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

J

im Lamb, the coordinator at Sarasota County’s Toys for Tots, has a simple objective: to make sure every child has toys at Christmastime.

“I know what it is to go without Christmas,” Lamb said.

Turned away at age 12 from his home in Homestead, in Miami-Dade County, it was only through the help of others that Lamb came to be where he is today.

When Lamb stepped into the coordinator role at the organization in 2006, Toys for Tots provided about 8,000 toys annually. Now that number has reached about 28,000.

“One person can’t make it all happen,” he said. “What we started with and what we’ve ended up with is because of the county, the merchants in the county and the volunteers we have.”

As he nears the end of his 22-year career at the nonprofit, he isn’t worried for the organization’s future. He said that at 80 years old, he knows it’s time for him to move on.

“New blood always helps put

together different things, just like when I took over, I made a lot of changes,” Lamb said.

“He has put together a very good organization from the top down, because even though you don’t think of it this way, there’s many facets to this,” said volunteer Liz Watson, citing the different challenges including accounting, technology, warehouse management, ordering items and managing donation boxes.

20-PLUS YEARS OF GIVING BACK

Toys for Tots fills a need that is often neglected, Lamb said.

“There’s a lot of people out there working their butts off; they just don’t have the money to get toys. It’s either toys or food.”

Part of Lamb’s role involves coordinating more than 105 donation boxes placed across Sarasota County from October until December, which must be emptied often so that the toys can be transported to the warehouse space at Sarasota Square Mall.

The result is four to five toys, with smaller stocking stuffers, that can be provided to each child, in addition to bicycles, of which 235 were distributed last year. Despite the “tots” in

ABOUT TOYS FOR TOTS Toys distributed in 2022: 28,833 Children supported in 2022: 8,153 To apply for toys, donate a toy or donate online: Visit Sarasota-FL.ToysForTots.org.

the organization’s name, recipients can be up to 17 years old.

Lamb said his life experiences demonstrate the desperation others may have for these services.

“On the way, if there hadn’t been people helping me, I’d probably be in jail or dead by now,” he said.

After Lamb left his home, he slept in a tent, delivering newspapers by bicycle in the mornings, attending school afterwards and then stocking shelves at a local supermarket later in the day. He eventually found hope after a former circus performer and co-worker at the supermarket offered him a residence in a small, backyard circus trailer.

Lamb lived there until he was 17 years old — old enough to join the Air Force, where he performed three tours of duty, serving in Vietnam and retiring as a master sergeant in 1981.

“I miss the service in a lot of ways because there is a comradeship you don’t find very often in civilian life,” Lamb said.

He didn’t stray too far from the military by aligning himself with Toys for Tots. The organization is operated nationally by the U.S. Marine Corps.

Moving to Ruskin after his service, he worked in various capacities, including for the country’s largest tomato packing house and as superintendent of the Islandside Golf Club in Longboat Key, but he eventually received word of distribution struggles at Toys for Tots.

At the time, the organization was based in Bradenton and had no branch to serve Sarasota specifically.

Lamb joined in a support capacity, but after a few years worked his way up to coordinator.

He attributes the nonprofit’s growth to “amazing” volunteers and several other organizations in the community that have provided assistance. Among the organizations that have pitched in to help are the Sarasota Branches of Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Elks Club, American Legion and Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. Help comes from outside the city’s borders, too. St. Jude Catholic Church in Venice, The American Legion in North Port, and the Elks Club in Venice have helped with distribution south of the city.

For about 20 years, Lamb has worked alongside Watson, who once held a managerial position but has stepped back to focus on bicycle distribution.

“It’s amazing how easily he can suck you in,” she said.

A former Marine, Steven Rose, joined two years ago. Watson said he has been instrumental in securing additional bikes, as well as donations of items that can be raffled off.

Rose works with Walmart on Cattlemen Road to acquire donations of bikes with minor defects. Then he

Despite the growing support, one concern remains for staff of Toys for Tots.

Previously a warehouse facility had been provided

by Gary Kompothecras, a wealthy Sarasota chiropractor, but about two years ago the situation changed, Watson said.

Although the organization currently utilizes two unused store spaces at Sarasota Square Mall, Watson said there is the looming possibility that the mall could choose to use them once again, in which case Toys for Tots would have nine months to vacate the spaces.

“We’re in limbo,” she said.

Toys for Tots is searching the community for another available site.

repairs them himself, based on what he learned growing up in Willliamsburg, Kentucky.

“The only bike I ever had when I was a kid was a garbage bike,” he said.

“You’d go walk around the neighborhood when you were a kid and find parts out of the garbage and make you a bike.”

Rose said sometimes when parents receive bikes they will kneel on the ground and cry.

Watson said Lamb has also been responsible for helping toys get to many recipients, including to blind children, children in hospice care, victims of Hurricane Ian in the south, and, during a time of surplus, children in the emergency room.

After retirement, Lamb said he’ll spend more time with his wife, Margaret. He said doing so is currently difficult due to the 50 to 70 phone calls he answers each day, along with the same number of emails.

“She says, ‘I can’t get in two words because you’re on the phone or on the computer,’” he said.

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SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

Courtesy photos

Larry Frankel participates in group shots.

Ian Swaby

Larry Frankel strikes his classic pose.

Photobomber poses to create smiles Larry Frankel is celebrating one full year as the Siesta Photo Bomber.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

L

arry Frankel starts his daily routine by downing two cups of coffee then doing about 300 pushups and 250 arm curls.

After that, he may go to work, traveling the country to acquire art and collectibles to sell.

But it’s the sunsets on Siesta Key Beach that lately, he really can’t wait for.

At sunset, he enjoys a different type of exercise — the kind where he makes many stops — and that

involves meeting people from Canada, South America, Europe and more, all along Siesta Key Beach. “(Sunset) is when I slip into the Siesta Photo Bomber,” he said.

It was a year ago that Frankel began surprising beachgoers by dashing into their photos. He decided to try it one evening as he was emerging from an eight-year hiatus from running caused by a hip issue.

Frankel said the great majority of beachgoers “get” why he does it. It’s not about bothering anyone, but in fact, it’s the opposite, he said.

“It’s refreshing. I like it because I’m passing on good vibes. I just want to see people happy.”

He said those vibes seem to emanate from Siesta Key Beach itself.

“This is a special place,” said Frankel, who has lived in the area for more

than two years and enjoys spending time outdoors.

He said his sense of fun is catching on with the public, as many of the 15-20 stops he makes during his beach runs are now the result of beachgoers recognizing him and calling him over for a photo.

Since launching his Instagram account on May 1, 2022, he has acquired more than 1,600 photos and 2,100 followers. He also said he has over 150,000 views on his Instagram video reels — not to mention a collection of 75 different Siesta Photo Bomber T-shirts he designed himself.

He also has a book he continually updates with positive comments he receives.

This is not to say that rejection is never an issue, but he said as a former

member of the U.S. Marine Corps, he’s willing to try anything, and his skin is thick enough that he can manage rejection when it does occur.

There are times, he said, when beachgoers are less than enthralled.

In those cases, he’ll simply move on.

“In the beginning, I had a woman who didn’t actually do it, but motioned to kick me in the butt, and honestly, in a year, that’s the worst that’s happened to me.”

Someone else, he said, once threw a football.

Frankel does not consider himself the source of anger for those individuals.

“They’re just kind of angry in general,” he said. “They can’t possibly be angry with me because they don’t know me.”

One of his favorite parts of being the Siesta Photo Bomber, he said, is meeting the people who travel from all over the world to visit Siesta Key Beach. At one point, he encoun-

tered a vacationing group from Iceland, where he had been stationed for more than a year as a Marine.

“I was blowing their minds with some of the towns, and some of the bands, and some of the places to hang out we both knew up there.

They actually gave me their number and said, ‘If you’re ever back up in Iceland, stop in.’ That’s pretty cool.”

Yet Frankel wants to rake in more than smiles and views — he hopes at some point to encourage donations to charities.

The two organizations he hopes to support are Toys for Tots, for it is run by the Marine Corps, and the American Lung Association, which he said represents a cause “near and dear to my heart.”

“I’m just a common Joe who likes to run and have fun, and it’s staggering to me that I’m getting close to 2,000 pictures of people on the beach. That’s pretty neat.”

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SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

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JEFF RHINELANDER 941-685-3590 | jef f@jef frhinelander.com

COURTNEY TARANTINO 941-893-7203 | cour tney.tarantino@floridamoves.com

BIRD KEY 410 MEADOW LARK | $3,795,000 | PENDING

BIRD KEY 526 BIRD KEY DRIVE $2,295,000 | ACTIVE LISTING

LAKEWOOD RANCH 5527 PALMER CIRCLE UNIT 206 $515,000 | ACTIVE LISTING

FOX TRACE 2547 FIREFLAG LANE $550,000 | PENDING

SAN REMO 3740 TANGIER TERRACE $8,350,000 | SOLD BUYER REPRESENTED

BIRD KEY 465 E. ROYAL FLAMINGO DR. $5,600,000 | SOLD BUYER REPRESENTED

BIRD KEY 314 BIRD KEY DRIVE $4,600,000 | SOLD

398051-1

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SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

YOUR CALENDAR

4B

COMMUNITY SATURDAY, APRIL 22

EARTH DAY AT THE BAY The Bay Park, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. This Earth Day celebration at Sarasota’s newest signature park will include kid-friendly nature walks and family friendly yoga in partnership with Wholehearted Education, tandem kayaking opportunities provided by Ride & Paddle, seed planting activities by First 1,000 Days Suncoast, S.T.E.M. activities

by University of Florida’s Innovation Station, and more. This event is free.

For information and event times, visit TheBaySarasota.org.

MULTISENSORY EARTH DAY 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Selby Gardens Historic Spanish Point Campus, 401 North Tamiami Trail, Osprey. Participants can use all of their senses at this family friendly event featuring activities such as “guess the scent” and “match the sound,” a special color- changing experiment using butterfly pea flower plants, make-and-take arts and crafts, and a plant scavenger hunt.

Adult admission to Historic Spanish Point Campus $16; ages 5-17 $11; free for children 4 and younger, and members. Visit Selby.org.

OSCAR SCHERER STATE PARK ANNUAL EARTH DAY AND ­ANNUAL SCRUB JAY FEST 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Oscar Scherer State Park, 1843 S. Tamiami Trail.

Oschar Scherer State Park hosts both its Annual Earth Day and Annual Scrub Jay Fest. Events on offer include earth-friendly vendors, photo contests and exhibits, a scrub

jay presentation, and other offerings. For information, visit Facebook. com/FriendsofOscarSchererPark.

BEST BET SUNCOAST BOAT SHOW

SATURDAY, APRIL 22 TO SUNDAY, APRIL 23

FRIDAY, APRIL 21 TO SUNDAY, APRIL 23 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Marina Jack, 2 Marina Plaza. The Suncoast Boat Show marks 41 years of presenting a selection of sportfishing boats, powerboats, and motor yachts, in a show that takes place both in the water, and on land. Adults $18; military veterans and active duty service members, and children under 16 admitted free. For information, visit SuncoastBoatShow.com.

THE VENICE SHARKS TOOTH FESTIVAL 2023 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 23, at Centennial Park, 200 W. Venice Ave., Venice. This festival features live music, food trucks, fun family activities, and of course, vendors selling shark’s teeth, from fossil teeth to jewelry items. For information, visit VeniceSharksToothFestival.com.

SUNDAY, APRIL 23

SARASOTA SKI-A-REES WEEKLY SUNDAY WATER SKI SHOW 2-3 p.m. at Sarasota-Ski-A-Rees, 1602 Ken Thompson Parkway.

This free, amateur water ski show is hosted each week by the Ski-ARees, a nonprofit waterskiing group spanning several decades and generations. For information, visit SkiARees.com.

SUNDAY, APRIL 23 TO WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26

RHEA LANA’S SARASOTA CONSIGNMENT DAY Robarts Arena, 3000 Ringling Boulevard. Enjoy various consignment shopping events featuring clothing for ages form newborn to teens, and save on items. Events include freeto-the-public shopping on Sunday, April 23, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Monday, April 24, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more times and information, visit Sarasota.RheaLana.com.

File photo

TUESDAY, APRIL 25 TO WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26

SENIOR FRIENDSHIP CHALLENGE 12 p.m. April 25 to 12 p.m. April 26 at 1888 Brother Greenen Way, Sarasota and 2350 Scenic Drive, Venice.

This 24-hour giving event supports seniors in the community. Donations up to up to $50,000 will be eligible for matched funds as the Sarasota and Venice activity Centers offer programs, prizes, entertainment, and treats. This event is free. For information, visit FriendshipCenters. org.

LUNCH IN THE GARDENS 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Selby Gardens Downtown Sarasota Campus, 1534 Mound Street. Enjoy a delicious lunch in a lush bayfront setting, and a special presentation, The Ladies Behind Tiffany’s Lamps, by Lindsy Parrott, the Executive Director and Curator of The Neustadt Collection of Tiffany Glass in Long Island City, New York. Individual tickets $150.

For information, visit Selby.org.

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Home is Closer Than You Think FEATURED LISTINGS

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CURRENT PENDINGS 5737 Ithaca Way - LIST PRICE: $489,900 315 Jackson Drive - LIST PRICE: $2,000,000 415 L’Ambiance Unit C50 -LIST PRICE: $3,450,000 7007 9th Avenue NW -LIST PRICE: $735,000

RECENT SALES 2586 Prospect Street - SOLD PRICE: $1,721,000 1350 MAIN STREET, UNIT 803, SARASOTA -LIST PRICE: $950,000

3499 BYRON LANE, LONGBOAT KEY -LIST PRICE: $1,099,000

2576 Prospect Street -SOLD PRICE: $1,350,000

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Dianne Anderson is a licensed real estate agent affi liated with Compass, a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not refl ect actual property conditions.”

Dianne Anderson

The Anderson Group 941.350.3513 dianne.anderson@compass.com dianneanderson.com

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SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

PET PICS Have photos of your four-legged family members? We want to see them! Share them at YourObserver.com/contests/petpics to be published online and for a chance to see them in print!

Downtown Sarasota’s Premier Senior Rental Retirement Residence

FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 2023 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM You are invited to a special intimate performance put on by the Sarasota Jazz Project.

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We will be enjoying wine and cheese under the shade of our Oak Tree, while listening to Jazz selections from this talented group.

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SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

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On Coveted Lido Key REDEFINING THE SARASOTA LIFESTYLE.

R E SI DE NCE SL I DOK EY.COM

ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEVELOPER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS, MAKE REFERENCE TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO BE FURNISHED BY A DEVELOPER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. This project has been filed in the state of Florida and no other state. This is not an offer to sell or solicitation of offers to buy the condominium units in states where such offer or solicitation cannot be made. Equal Housing Opportunity. Rosewood Residences Lido Key is owned and being developed, offered and sold by WSR—Lido Beach, LLC (“Developer”). The project is not owned, developed or sold by Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, L.L.C. or any of its affiliates (“Rosewood”). Developer uses the Rosewood marks pursuant to a license agreement with Rosewood, which may be terminated under certain conditions. Rosewood does not assume any responsibility or liability in connection with the condominium. Copyright 2023 © All Rights Reserved.

402380-1

Now Accepting Contracts • From the $6 Millions • 941-888-3131

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SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

SARASOTA 4645 Ainsley Place 7 Beds 6 Baths 4,272 Sq. Ft. Kim Ogilvie 941-376-1717 A4561241 $14,750,000

SARASOTA The Ritz-Carlton Tower Residences 1002 4 Beds 4 Baths 3,751 Sq. Ft. Beth Afflebach & Joan Dickinson 941-914-0496 A4562409 $3,795,000

SARASOTA 2704 Bay Shore Road 3 Beds 3/1 Baths 3,900 Sq. Ft. Klaus Lang & Nora Johnson 941-320-1223 A4553534 $3,500,000

SARASOTA 3200 Signet Court 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 5,934 Sq. Ft. Sara Boudarga & Linda Driggs 941-321-6352 A4555298 $3,495,000

SARASOTA 111 S Pineapple Avenue 1206 3 Beds 3/1 Baths 2,507 Sq. Ft. Nora Johnson 941-809-1700 A4563430 $3,445,000

SARASOTA 1718 Bay View Drive 6 Beds 5/1 Baths 4,644 Sq. Ft. Mackenzie Longueuil & Pat Mudgett 941-961-4023 A4536016 $3,295,000

SARASOTA 1330 Main Street 3 3 Beds 3 Baths 3,954 Sq. Ft. Nora Johnson 941-809-1700 A4562498 $3,295,000

SARASOTA 1912 Wisteria Street 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 3,547 Sq. Ft. Rudy Dudon 941-234-3991 A4563784 $3,200,000

SARASOTA 555 S Gulfstream Avenue 501 3 Beds 3 Baths 3,281 Sq. Ft. Tina Ciaccio 941-685-8420 A4558748 $2,999,999

SARASOTA The Ritz-Carlton Tower Residences, 1104 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,985 Sq. Ft. Beth Afflebach & Joan Dickinson 941-914-0496 A4552969 $2,650,000

SARASOTA 1233 N Gulfstream Avenue 504 3 Beds 3/1 Baths 2,906 Sq. Ft. Melissa Gissinger 941-404-2722 A4549527 $2,590,000

SARASOTA 1233 N Gulfstream Avenue 301 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,906 Sq. Ft. Tina Biter 941-932-3367 A4558660 $2,300,000

SARASOTA 1514 S Lake Shore Drive 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,430 Sq. Ft. Michael Hays 941-376-1826 A4556408 $2,149,000

SARASOTA 1350 5th Street 301 3 Beds 3/1 Baths 1,928 Sq. Ft. Heidi Lusk 941-681-5227 A4562751 $1,990,000

SARASOTA 1525 Oak Street 15 3 Beds 2/1 Baths 2,013 Sq. Ft. Carol Aviles 941-356-6777 A4555381 $1,490,000

SARASOTA 1111 N Gulfstream Avenue 7D 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,736 Sq. Ft. Bernadette Caswell 941-320-8265 A4559236 $1,475,000

SARASOTA 1111 N Gulfstream Avenue 6F 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,577 Sq. Ft. Derek Johnson 941-600-9133 A4566143 $1,300,000

SARASOTA 100 Central Avenue K817 2 Beds 2/1 Baths 1,707 Sq. Ft. Bibi-Ann Allard PA 941-685-0422 A4553747 $1,225,000

SARASOTA 1350 Main Street 1001 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,364 Sq. Ft. Bibi-Ann Allard PA 941-685-0422 A4561989 $1,085,000

SARASOTA 523 S Palm Avenue 11 2 Beds 2/1 Baths 1,460 Sq. Ft. John August & Jeff Weller 941-320-9795 A4551346 $1,075,000

SARASOTA 7555 Links Court 3 Beds 2/1 Baths 2,981 Sq. Ft. John August 941-320-9795 A4566134 $990,000

SARASOTA 8632 Sundance Loop 3 Beds 2/1 Baths 2,266 Sq. Ft. Linda Driggs & Sara Boudarga 941-374-2920 A4564228 $989,000

SARASOTA 4404 Calle Serena 4 Beds 2/1 Baths 3,288 Sq. Ft. Maria Beck PA & Jalina Beck 646-531-4118 A4560320 $950,000

SARASOTA 5531 Cannes Circle 803 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,706 Sq. Ft. Drew Russell 941-993-3739 A4564904 $949,900

SARASOTA 1703 N Tamiami Trail B301 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,359 Sq. Ft. Lisa Sebastian & Debra Pitell-Hauge 941-544-5413 A4562269 $899,000

SARASOTA 4521 Bay Shore Road 4 Beds 4/1 Baths 3,801 Sq. Ft. Kim Ogilvie 941-376-1717 A4561288 $4,995,000

SARASOTA 1630 S Orange Avenue 4 Beds 4/2 Baths 4,692 Sq. Ft. Rudy Dudon 941-234-3991 A4564634 $4,995,000

SARASOTA 50 Central Avenue 17PHD 3 Beds 4 Baths 4,095 Sq. Ft. Ann Martin & Joanna Benante 941-356-7717 A4562203 $3,800,000

888.552.5228 | MICHAELSAUNDERS.COM

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SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

Bay Island home sells for $3.55 million

A

SARASOTA: $2,075,000

The Landings Carol Beth Cotner, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 5155 Kestral Park Lane to Mark Scott and Lois Bates, trustees, of Sarasota, for $2,075,000. Built in 1988, it has four bedrooms, three-and-two-half baths, a pool and 4,130 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.35 million in 2018.

PALMER RANCH: $1,275,000 Ian Swaby

This home at 3810 Flamingo Ave. sold for $3.55 million. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, three full baths, a pool and 3,960 square feet of living area.

GRANADA

SARASOTA

SAPPHIRE HEIGHTS Defco Homes LLC sold the home at 4932 Eastchester Drive to Brian McCarthy, trustee, of Sarasota, for $1,997,000. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,824 square feet of living area.

POINSETTIA PARK

Jeffrey Feig sold the home at 1844 Oleander St. to Scott and Elizabeth Smith, of Sarasota, for $1.94 million. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,574 square feet of living area. It sold for $645,000 in 2003.

RUSTIC LODGE

Sandra Van Langen, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 2586 Prospect St. to Francis Suits III, of Sarasota, for $1,721,000. Built in 2020, it has four bedrooms, four baths and 3,434 square feet of living area. It sold for $971,500 in 2021.

William and Deborah Davis, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the home at 2576 Prospect St. to David and Barbara Kay, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, for $1.35 million. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths and 2,863 square feet. It sold for $853,000 in 2021.

OSPREY AVENUE

Timothy Christensen, of Racine, Wisconsin, sold two properties at 301 and 305 S. Osprey Ave. to Mark and Amy Karch, of Newtown, Pennsylvania, for $1,217,000. The property at 301 was built in 1914 and has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,491 square feet of living area.

The property at 305 was built in 1975 and has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,416 square feet of living area. It sold for $875,000 in 2021.

APRIL 3-7

Other top sales by area

RESEARCH EDITOR

home in Bay Island tops all transactions in this week’s real estate. Lynne Marie Laube, of Decatur, Georgia, sold her home at 3810 Flamingo Ave. to Kevin Hanna, of Boston, for $3.55 million. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, three full bathrooms, two halfbathrooms, a pool and 3,960 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.4 million in 2020.

REAL ESTATE

ADAM HUGHES

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

9B

Matthew Thompson and Jane Cirksena, of Sarasota, sold their home at 1648 Bonita Lane to 1648 Bonita LLC for $1.14 million. Built in 1955, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,124 square feet of living area. It sold for $492,500 in 2011.

BAY PLAZA

Phyllis Bailey, of Cockeysville, Maryland, sold her Unit 208 condominium at 1255 N. Gulfstream Ave. to Donald Vercauteren, of Sarasota, for $1.1 million. Built in 1982, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 2,055 square feet of living area. It sold for $141,000 in 1998.

GROVE LAWN

Christi Madrid and Marco Madrid Zagazeta, of Sarasota, sold their home at 2060 Hibiscus St. to Malgorzata Borysiewicz, of Chicago, for $800,000. Built in 1954, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,820 square feet of living area. It sold for $178,000 in 2020.

her home at 2902 Mayflower St. to Clayton Omar Robinson and Staraya McKinstry, of Sarasota, for $749,000. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,579 square feet of living area. It sold for $293,000 in 2020.

NORTH VAMO

Yulia Morgun sold her home at 1870 Livingstone St. to Kimberly Freda Peterson and Thaddeus Louis Peterson, of Loretto, Kentucky, for $685,000. Built in 2009, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,569 square feet of living area.

ONLINE See more transactions at YourObserver.com

Esplanade on Palmer Ranch Peter and Carolyn Waanders, of Fairlawn, Ohio, sold their home at 5299 Cicerone St. to Gregory Alan Fortier and Donna Fortier, of York, Pennsylvania, for $1,275,000. Built in 2021, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,554 square feet of living area. It sold for $810,900 in 2021.

OSPREY: $725,000

Bishops Court at the Oaks Preserve Dean and Donna Lebaron, of Cohasset, Massachusetts, sold their home at 84 Bishops Court Road to Timothy Capadalis, of Sarasota, for $725,000. Built in 1989, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,573 square feet of living area. It sold for $600,000 in 2022.

NOKOMIS: $845,000

Mission Valley Estates Ronald and Doris Likens, of Venice, sold their home at 941 Pinto Circle to Michael Joseph Bishop and Felicia Bishop, of Nokomis, for $845,000. Built in 1978, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,475 square feet of living area. It sold for $430,000 in 2019.

332 COCOANUT

Janoquin Properties LLC sold the Unit 308 condominium at 1338 Fourth St. to Mark Michael Jindra and Tamara Jo Jindra, of Valparaiso, Indiana, for $767,000. Built in 2021, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,117 square feet of living area. It sold for $590,000 in 2021.

In with the new NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION

WESLO WILLOWS

Magdalena Marzec and Andrzej Zorychta, of Sarasota, sold their home at 2428 Whippoorwill Circle to Joseph Tennes, of Mount Carmel, Illinois, for $765,000. Built in 1973, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,921 square feet of living area. It sold for $410,000 in 2021.

COLONIAL TERRACE

Maria Maksimov, of Houston, sold

Downtown St. Petersburg

400 Central | 727.209.7848 | From the $1MM’s | Call for appointment. | Residences400central.com SOLD OUT

TOP BUILDING PERMITS These are the largest city of Sarasota and Sarasota County building permits issued for the week of April 3-7, in order of dollar amounts.

CITY OF SARASOTA Address

Permit

Applicant

540 N. Tamiami Trail #1601

Alterations

Jeffrey Glazer

505 S. Orange Ave. #802

Renovations

Martin Cawley, trustee $343,073

50 Central Ave. #17PHC

Alterations

Kathy Sanzo

1830 Loma Linda St.

Re-roof

Thomas Jackson

$87,933

394 S. Shore Drive

Pool/Spa

David Barcomb

$77,500

2596 Bay St.

Pool/Deck/Cage

Jay Pastore, trustee

$75,442

489 Acacia Drive

Re-roof

Richard Thomas, trustee $58,598

2544 Hyde Park St.

Solar System

Cindy Owens

350 Golden Gate Point #62

Windows

Margaret Villela, trustee $37,800

2931 Pershing Ave.

Solar System

Christian McClellan

Longboat Key

Amount $400,000 $100,000

The Residences at the St. Regis | 941.213.3300 | From $2.4MM to $10.9MM | Call for appointment | SRResidencesLongboatKey.com 1 FINAL OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE

$43,125 $27,338

Downtown Sarasota

SARASOTA COUNTY Permit

Applicant

Amount

8945 Fishermen’s Bay Drive Renovations

Christopher Little

$300,000

3423 Bimini St.

Guest House

Clifford Litwiller

$135,000

207 Four Knot Lane

Re-roof

Alfred Carosi Jr.

$113,000

5827 Riegels Harbor Road

Windows/Doors

Rajiv Thomas

$109,000

1212 Mallard Marsh Drive

Re-roof

Michael Fisher

$81,959

2449 Riverbluff

Renovations

Melinda Ruecking

$80,000

5118 Chateau Court

Re-roof

Remodel

$79,615

1768 Mova St.

Pool/Deck

Dwayne Johnson

$77,000

7531 Ridge Road

Re-roof

Theresa Elwell

$71,600

2630 Hibiscus St.

Pool/Spa/Deck

Marcelo Olascoaga

$62,299

Parkway #V-210

Source: Sarasota County, city of Sarasota

The Collection | 941.232.2868 | thecollection1335.com

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

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

mscdeveloperservices.com | 844.591.4333 | Sarasota, Florida Prices as of December 2022

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SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

Ringling attendees discover joy in juggling Filmmaker and juggler Paprika Leaverton hosted a juggling workshop at Ringling Museum alongside the premiere of her film ‘The Queen’s Influence – The Vanishing Culture of Hiko in Tonga.’

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

A

t first, 7-year-old Adrienne Miller threw her oranges to the ground in frustration.

Yet, as she walked to lunch inside the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art with other members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County, suddenly she was tossing fruit through the air.

She was juggling.

Held in honor of World Circus Day, the public juggling workshop at the museum’s Bayfront Gardens on April 15 was part of a celebration of the global reach of circus arts, said Jennifer Lemmer Posey, curator of circus collections at the museum.

“I love that the museum is holding this special celebration on a day when we know colleagues and artists around the world are also recognizing the special nature of the circus, so it feels like it unites us in this one specific moment,” Posey said.

The workshop, hosted by Colorado juggler and filmmaker Paprika Leaverton, was followed by a free film screening which marked the East Coast premiere of Leaverton’s 2022 documentary “The Queen’s Influence — The Vanishing Culture of Hiko in Tonga,” that afternoon at the Historic Asolo Theater.

Leaverton journeyed extensively in the Polynesian country of Tonga to create the film, which explores a culture known as “hiko” in which girls and women juggle tui tui nuts for entertainment and as a pastime.

The film deals with the influence of Sālote Tupou III, who was Queen of Tonga from 1918 to her death in 1965, on hiko, as well as a decline Leaverton said is taking place in the amount of women practicing hiko.

Leaverton said juggling worldwide

WHERE TO WATCH THE FILM “The Queen’s Influence — The Vanishing Culture of Hiko in Tonga” is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video and Tubi.

involves about 20% women, but in Tonga, that’s not the case.

“There’s that 1% of the men that might try to juggle, but it’s all women’s work. About 100% of the women juggle in Tonga, or at least have tried it,” she said. “It’s such a beautiful, amazing culture.”

Posey said the film and workshop were both tied to the concept of the celebrations.

“Paprika’s recognition of this tradition in Tonga helped us show that when you look around, you can see the circus arts in many unexpected places, and then, the fact that she did this workshop is the icing on top,” Posey said.

The two events were accompanied by family art-making sessions held in the museum’s classrooms as well as a screening of archival footage of the The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, with free admission to the Circus Museum.

The museum has participated in the celebration each year since its founding by the Fédération Mondiale du Cirque in Monaco in 2010.

HANDS-ON WITH JUGGLING

Leaverton said the workshop and the film screening were intended for anyone in the community.

“Juggling is such an uplifting thing for people of all ages,” said Leaverton, who has taught the art extensively,

including at schools, at events and internationally. “My goal is to uplift spirits and get people happy, not worrying, and just be in the moment with me and have some fun.”

She said juggling provides physical exercise, helps build grey matter and connect neurons in the brain, helps with ADD and dementia and uses both sides of the body and therefore both sides of the brain.

Leaverton was joined by Sarasota juggler Gena Shvartsman Cristiani, who was featured in the film and closed out the workshop with an exclusive performance.

A fifth-generation circus performer from Russia, Cristiani was a star attraction at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus at the age of 13 and has been a recipient of awards including the gold medal at the World Juggling Federation Championships in Las Vegas.

Cristiani said when she first came to the U.S. from Russia, the circus world seemed small, until she began attending circus festivals.

“Once I did, it was really outstanding because there are hundreds and hundreds, actually thousands of people in America that love juggling, and I found my community there instantly.”

Attendee Linda Gottlieb said the workshop was fun for kids, as it kept them physically engaged.

“The kids really liked it. My grandkid went crazy over it,” she said. “It’s nice to be involved rather than listening. Juggling with fruit is a lot of fun, and you can eat it.”

Robert Rogers, volunteer and community relations manager with Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee, said the opportunity was impactful for the kids in the clubs, many of whom have experienced a certain lack of resources. The Ringling has invited

Seven-year-old Jahmir Brydson of Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee practices juggling an orange.

She said when she found out she would be headed to the Ringling to juggle, she was “actually excited.”

A TONGAN TRADITION GAINS WIDER VISIBILITY

Photos by Ian Swaby

Sarasota juggler Gena Schvartsman Cristiani juggles with four clubs.

the organization to multiple events, he said.

Thirteen-year-old X’zyria Martin, a Boys & Girls Clubs member, said it was helpful to have someone walk her through the steps of juggling.

“When I was little, I kept messing up and I kept messing up, and I just got frustrated and I stopped,” she said.

Leaverton said the hiko culture is slowly vanishing in Tonga. It is largely this subject on which the film is focused.

An increase in technology, such as phones and computers, is leading some children to not pursue hiko, she said, while many Tongans have not carried over the tradition after moving outside the country. She said funding for hiko competitions is beginning to disappear.

Meanwhile, she said little documentation had taken place of hiko, until now.

Leaverton said many older Tongan women to whom she had shown the film were extremely receptive to the subject matter and that she hopes to screen it for Tongans Tonga, New Zealand and Australia.

She hopes that screenings of the film will raise money in support of hiko, although the film has also taken on the purpose of funding water purity in Tongan villages following the 2022 volcanic eruption and tsunami.

EROW N AR IN W

IN S R EA 5Y

!

Live Beautifully 2017

Thank you Sarasota for voting Lakehouse West Reader’s Choice Best Retirement Community & Best Assisted Living 5 Years in a Row!!!

We invite you to become part of our Lakehouse West family and enjoy an independent and carefree lifestyle. Our goal is to make the rest of your life the best of your life.

From wellness, fine dining, and social initiatives to scheduled transportation, housekeeping and full home maintenance, we strive to meet your needs to maintain a vibrant and active lifestyle.

NOW THROUGH JUNE 25

(941) 923-7525 | 3435 Fox Run Road | Sarasota, FL 34231 | www.lakehousewest.com SELBY.ORG

401898-1

396507-1

Lic.#AL5850

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SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

11B

Grand Opening of Wild Blue at Waterside

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.

VISIT OUR SALES CENTER TODAY! 8307 Lake Club Blvd., Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202 l 941.313.3852

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Proudly presented by

400801-1

BROKER PARTICIPATION WELCOMED. ORAL REPRESENTATIONS CANNOT BE RELIED UPON AS CORRECTLY STATING THE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEVELOPER. FOR CORRECT REPRESENTATIONS REFERENCE SHOULD BE MADE TO THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 718.503, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO BE FURNISHED BY A DEVELOPER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE. ALL RENDERINGS AND PLANS ARE PROPOSED CONCEPTS SHOWN ONLY FOR MARKETING PURPOSES AND ARE BASED ON THE DEVELOPER’S CURRENT PRELIMINARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN. DEVELOPER RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY, REVISE OR WITHDRAW THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT PLAN IN DEVELOPER’S SOLE DISCRETION WITHOUT NOTICE. NOTHING HEREIN OR IN ANY OTHER COMMUNICATION SHALL BE DEEMED TO OBLIGATE THE DEVELOPER, OR ANY AFFILIATE OF DEVELOPER, TO CONSTRUCT THE PROJECT OR OFFER ANY OF THE PROJECT FOR SALE, AND NOTHING HEREIN SHALL BE DEEMED A GUARANTY OF ANY KIND. THIS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SALE OR SOLICITATION OF OFFERS TO BUY. PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.

12B

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WEATHER

SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

FORECAST THURSDAY, APRIL 20

Submit your photos at YourObserver. com/contests.

All submissions will be entered for the 2023-24 Weather and Nature photo contest. In February 2024, you will vote for your favorite photo, and the submission with the most votes will win a $500 gift card.

SUNRISE / SUNSET Sunrise Sunset

High: 86 Low: 64 Chance of rain: 18%

FRIDAY, APRIL 21 High: 85 Low: 66 Chance of rain: 7%

Thursday, April 20

7:01a

7:57p

Friday, April 21

7:00a

7:58p

Saturday, April 22

6:59a

7:58p

Sunday, April 23

6:58a

7:59p

Monday, April 24

6:57a

7:59p

Tuesday, April 25

6:56a

8:00p

Wednesday, April 26

6:55a

8:00p

MOON PHASES

SATURDAY, APRIL 22 High: 83 Low: 69 Chance of rain: 11%

May 5 Full

May 12 Last

May 19 New

May 27 First

RAINFALL

SUNDAY, APRIL 23 High: 84 Low: 64 Chance of rain: 15%

Monday, April 10

0.53

Tuesday, April 11

0.01

Wednesday, April 12

0

Thursday, April 13

0

Friday, April 14

0

Saturday, April 15

0

Sunday, April 16

0

*Rainfall totals from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport

YEAR TO DATE: 2023 4.80 in.

2022 4.71 in.

Becky Edwards captured a vibrant bloom in Sarasota.

MONTH TO DATE: 2023 3.04 in.

2022 1.05 in.

We have all of your luxury flooring needs carpet | hardwood | tile | stone | pavers | and more Sarasota 941.355.8437 | Bradenton 941.748.4679 | Venice 941.493.7441 | manasotaonline.com

The grounded feeling everyone will enjoy

celebrity cipher

CAMPING MISHAPS by David Alfred Bywaters , edited by Jeff Chen

DOWN

som flavors) 57 Polite denial

1 “That’s ___!”

58 Mariner’s workplace

2 Oak origin

60 Hapless

3 Boatload

63 Giant brought down by an 4 Game also known as wapiti underdog 5 Enter unobtrusively 64 Fellow occupant 6 Cries often accompanying

65 Soldier’s greeting

head-slaps

68 Funnel-shaped fish traps

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

Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

“H RHYY ULYY ZJA RFGU H IGE’U GXHVL ... RJKLE IMHUHIHWHED JUFLM RJKLE GEV KJUFLMC IMHUHIHWHED JUFLM KJUFLMC.”

7 “Honest” POTUS

10 Cordelia’s regal father

75 Squandered

11 Bookie’s concern

76 “ ‘O frabjous day! Callooh!

12 “I see!”

Callay!’ He chortled in ___

13 Dimension often quoted

joy”

before width

78 Sighing sound

14 Annoying customer

79 Regale with stories

service message

81 Place

15 Charity

82 Cable car

16 Corp. heads

83 Org. that filed for bank-

17 Last of the House of

ruptcy in 2021

Stuart

84 Display type for many a

18 Gets sight of

watch (Abbr.)

20 Eyelid affliction

85 “Well, looky here!”

23 David and Alfred

86 Slangy denial

28 Make void

88 Pines 31 Ohio city sharing its name 93 Belonging to us with a Spanish city 94 Dry up

©2023 Universal Uclick

ACROSS 1 Corset tighteners 6 Company once known as “Fluor-S-Art Co.” 12 Llama cousins

30 “Gotta run!”

32 Network acronym formed 67 “Bye!”

21 Ancient Greek 22 Camper’s flatware mishap?

24 Flower originating from Adonis’ blood and Aphrodite’s tears, according to myth 25 Slang term for a rowing machine 26 Is worth it 27 Celestial bear 29 Fuels (up)

96 Camper’s sleeping bag mishap?

in 1928

69 Rock

99 Verizon rival

34 Negative particles?

71 Rower’s need

101 Serve as a model

36 Four quarters

73 Less upscale

102 To and ___

76 Get well

103 Logician’s productions

77 Conditional release

106 Olfactory emanations

44 Politician’s tool

80 “It’s a ___!”

110 Planted

47 Important descendant

81 Camper’s chewing gum

113 Action in a conga line

49 Letter-shaped fastener

mishap?

114 Constellation named for a

50 Saintly circles

84 Pines (for)

victim of Hercules

51 Secret agents

87 Sets of socks and shoes,

116 A, but not a

53 Mule’s sire

usually

118 Camper’s late-night

54 Painter Frida

89 Spectacle support

consolation?

55 Follows orders

90 First country in the

122 Spring stream source

19 Statement that might halt 37 Camper’s reading mishap? raises 20 Got serious (with “up”)

66 Used to be

56 Camper’s lettuce mishap? Western Hemisphere to per-

123 Julian and Joaquin

59 Grist grinder

manently abolish slavery

Castro

61 Recitative alternative

91 Utter disorder

124 Easily duped

62 Statement that may initi-

92 Prefix meaning “eight”

125 Makes a choice

ate wagering

93 Coming up

126 Brunch dish

63 Some goose lovers

95 Feat

127 Make some confetti

32 Near

97 Skeptic’s slangy riposte 33 Container for recyclables 98 Remarkable 35 Piece of furniture named 100 Board game counters for an empire

103 Inconveniences for olive

37 More dubious

eaters

38 Geographical suffix in

104 Talent

central Asia

105 Be a waiter

39 Like many broadcasts

106 Corrosive stuff

these days

107 Sprint or relay

40 Aesop allegory

108 Energy cartel (Abbr.)

41 Inn offering

109 Puccini’s Bohemian

42 Shyly flirtatious

heroine

43 Double curve

111 Norwegian capital

44 “Bosh!”

112 Fly-swatting exclamation

45 “Don Giovanni” and “Don

113 It’s fit to be tied

Carlos”

115 Approved

46 Make a connection

117 Sarge’s superiors

48 Pet that purrs

119 Up to, briefly

52 Bro’s sib, maybe

120 Like Bach’s French Suite

54 Kit ___ (candy offered in

No. 6

soy sauce and cherry blos-

121 “Well, lah-di-___!”

“BH PZY MCTYK KBNJYBPY YKAY DAYHYK DBJMYU RYBJH BFC, PC ECJFYP B ZCKCIBNHP AH PC XAKK PDAIY.” AJAH IZBMF

“AJ WDP’BR VDAKV XD MD FDCRXTAKV OBDKV, MD AX ZAV, ZRLNPFR XTR EPKAFTCRKX AF XTR FNCR RAXTRB ONW.” © 2023 NEA, Inc.

GNWKR CNKFJARSM

sudoku

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

402022-1

74 Encourage in misbehavior

Puzzle Two Clue: N equals U

9 Turkey’s kin

Puzzle One Clue: P equals F

69 Brief period, briefly 8 Second-person possessive 70 Grown fond of adjective, in some dialects 72 Spruced up

TLEEHPLM DGMELM

Puzzle Three Clue: L equals C

crossword

399842-1

at MANASOTA FLOORING INC

KITCHEN | CABINETRY OUTDOOR PAVERS

©2023 Andrews McMeel Syndicate

4-20-23

YourObserver.com

SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

13B

WAITING FOR THE

NEXT BIG BREAKTHROUGH IN HEARING AIDS?

P O ST !

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MONDAY, APRIL 17 - WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26

YourObserver.com

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ANNOUNCING THE WORLD’S MOST ADVANCED !

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14B

YourObserver.com

15B

SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

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16B

YourObserver.com

SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

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SOUTH CAROLINA LICENSE NUMBERS: HTP-1029, HTP-1024, HTP-1031, HTP-1023, HAS-0573, HAS-0642, HAS-0637, HAS- 0638, HAS-0633

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RED PAGES DEADLINES: Classifieds - Tuesday at Noon Service Directory - Friday at 3PM • PAYMENT: Cash, Check or Credit Card

CASH FOR YOUR CAR We come to you!

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Tel 941 977 1750

Announcements L'ETAGE LLC will transfer to a DBA "Melange" as of May 15th, 2023.

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real estate SEASONAL RATES Beachfront, Bayfront and In Between

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

Call Hawley Motors: 941-923-3421.

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Reservations 941-383-5577 Visa/MC 5360 Gulf of Mexico Dr., Suite 101 Longboat Key, FL 34228 Rental office 9a.m. - 5p.m.

Tranquility Home Watch takes pride in bringing peace of mind to the seasonal residents of Sarasota County. Lynn Hagen, the sole owner of the company, was trained and certified through the Home Watch Academy and is member of the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce and a founder/member of The Home Watch Network. If you are a seasonal resident in search of a Home Watch Professional you can trust, call Tranquility Home Watch today to set up a free consultation.

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GET RESULTS! PLACE YOUR AD ONLINE TODAY YourObserver.com/RedPages

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GREAT FINDS LOCATED HERE!

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BOSE WAVE music system IV, espresso black, $190.

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Vacation/ Seasonal Rentals

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TRANQUILITY HOME WATCH

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©2023 Universal Uclick

You’re only cheating yourself.

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

Ad runs 2 consecutive weeks in 1 Observer.

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

Autos Wanted

Adult Care Services

Home Services

peekers’ place

Items Under $200

auto

stuff

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

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

home services

INFORMATION & RATES: 941-955-4888

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Landscaping/ Lawn Services

This week’s Celebrity Cipher answers Puzzle One Solution: “I will tell you what I can’t abide ... women criticizing other women and mothers criticizing other mothers.”

Jennifer Garner Puzzle Two Solution: “As the Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel warned years ago, to forget a holocaust is to kill twice.”

Iris Chang Puzzle Three Solution: “If you’re going to do something wrong, do it big, because the punishment is the same either way.”

Jayne Mansfield

This week’s Sudoku answers

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YourObserver.com/RedPages

HOUSECLEANING EUROPEAN male+female cleaning crew accepting jobs in south Sarasota, Osprey, Nokomis and Venice. Free estimates.

References. Call Geza (941) 302-5137

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SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

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400678

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Computer

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Serving the Palmer Ranch Area Since 2007 Licensed & Insured

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402338

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400671

402336

Owner /Insured Operator Insured

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Window Repairs • Sliding Glass Door Repairs Sliding Glass Door Deadbolts

401361

249 235

* $ $235

Doors

364556 401366

Dustin Yoder

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400677

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Dustin Owner Yoder/ Operator

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400675

941-915-4588

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401360

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ZIPPYZ

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401935

THE CARE THAT YOU CAN TRUST

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

400676

FIL-AM PRIVATE DUTY HOME CARE LLC

Home Services

400684

Adult Care Services

401362

18B

Licensed & Insured

Find anything in the RED PAGES

941-955-4888

YourObserver.com

SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

Kitchen/Bath Remodeling

Personal Services

Solar

SHOWER & BATH MAKEOVERS

SWITCH TO SOLAR HIGH $0 LOWER ELECTRIC WITH FIXED PAYMENTS BILL?

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D OW N

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402054

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30% Federal Solar Tax Credit

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• We confirm your ride the day before • We contact you when on the way

Pet Services

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My Regular Driver

Pet Care by Melanie Gates

Movers

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

Wizard Moving SRQ

(941) 966-2960

(Located across the street from the Botanical Gardens) 401936

For $149 per hour you get:

941-806-9383 Clean, Safe, Reliable Transportation TRANSPORTATION

Plumbing

Licensed and insured #IMT708

General Plumbing Services Inc.

GROW YOUR BUSINESS

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Painting

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400690

401937

make your moving day a pleasure.

401559

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TRANSPORTATION

400688

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Roofing

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Specializing in Re-Roofing & Repairs

Call Mike

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401146

Major Credit Cards Accepted!

SARASOTA INTERIOR PAINTING, LLC

Joe Murray, Owner

State Licensed Contractor #CCC057066

401938

Building & Roofing Contractor

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

FULLY INSURED • OWNER OPERATED

25

150

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400673

Licensed & Insured CCC - 058059 CBC - 1253936

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401925

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401368

400683

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SARASOTA OBSERVER | THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

STANDING UNITED WITH UKRAINE THE ACKERMAN GROUP

941.387.1820 941.387.1820

TOP PRODUCING SMALL TEAM IN SARASOTA COUNTY

RYAN ACKERMAN ryan@ackermangroup.net

BARBARA ACKERMAN barbara@ackermangroup.net

www.ackermansrq.com

www.ackermansrq.com AVAILABLE PROPERTIES

RYAN ACKERMAN

ryan@ackermangroup.net

NEW LISTING NEW LISTING

BARBARA ACKERMAN

barbara@ackermangroup.net

NEW LISTING

DOWNTOWN SARASOTA | VISTA BAY POINT $3,900,000 128 GOLDEN GATE PT. #1002A | 3BR+DEN/3BA | 3,477 SF | PENTHOUSE WITH PRIVATE ROOF TOP TERRACE | WITH KITCHEN IDEAL FOR ENTERTAINING

CRYSTAL SANDS - SIESTA KEY

6300 MIDNIGHT PASS RD., #101, SARASOTA, FL • 2BR/2BA • 1,240 SF • $1,395,000 Turnkey furnished walkout residence with split plan, porcelain wood floors & new hurricane impact sliders. A great investment opportunity!

WATER CLUB I

$3,495,000 THE SEA BREEZE

NEW PRICE 3BR/4BA • 3,045 SF

$3,199,000

9008 MIDNIGHT PASS RD., #5 SARASOTA, FL

1241 GULF OF MEXICO DR., #704, LONGBOAT KEY, FL

3BR/3.5 BA • 3,700 SF • Private 2-Car Garage

Breathtaking sunset views over the Gulf of Mexico from this 7th floor residence with two terraces.

Rare 2-story Penthouse with a private roof-top terrace on Siesta Key with private elevator access, deeded boat slip, hurricane rated windows and sliders, and oversized private 2-car garage.

LONGBOAT KEY | FAIRWAY BAY BELLASARA - |DOWNTOWN 1930 HARBOURSIDE DR. #141 | 2BR/2BA | 1,442 SFLA | RARELY AVAILABLE LARGEST CORNER UNIT

$939,000

$3,995,000

464 GOLDEN GATE PT., #503, SARASOTA, FL 3BR/4.5 BA • 3,490 SF • 2-Car Garage Rarely available 5th floor residence offering expansive bay and city views, outdoor grill, an open floor plan, and full concierge services in a gated, pet-friendly community.

LA BELLASARA

$4,289,000

SIESTA COVE

$4,250,000

464 GOLDEN GATE PT., #503 , SARASOTA, FL

5212 SIESTA COVE DRIVE, SARASOTA

full concierge services in a gated, pet-friendly community.

a3BR/4BA 120’ boat dock & 10,000 • 3,045 SF lb. lift. Exceptional open water views.

3BR/4.5SIESTA BA • 3,490 • 2-Car Garage 5BR/6 BA +CLUB 2 Half Baths • 5,133 SF • Situated KEY SF | SARA SANDS $2,295,000 WATER I - LONGBOAT KEY on 1.5 lots $3,495,000 Rarely available 5th floor residence bay and city views, an open |floor plan Spacious, beautifully landscaped 2-story waterfront point property on a clu-de-sace, with 5182offering SANDYexpansive BEACH AVE. | 3BR+STUDY/4.5BA 3,398 SF&| 116’ OF WATERFRONT | WATERCRAFT STORAGE W/ UPLAND CUT 1241 GULF OF MEXICO DR., #704, LONGBOAT KEY, FL Breathtaking sunset views over the Gulf of Mexico from this 7th floor residence with two terraces.

NOW PENDING

NOW PENDING

NEW PRICE

NOW PENDING

NOW PENDING

THE SEA BREEZE - SIESTA KEY LIDO NEW MOTIVATED $2,900,000 COREY’S LANDING $1,899,000 LA BELLASARA $3.395,000 AQUARIUS CLUB $1,260,000 REGENCY PRICE $3,699,000 $549,000 DOWNTOWN SARASOTA | LA BELLASARA | LEASE-PURCHASE OPPORTUNITY 9008GOLDEN MIDNIGHT PASS #5,SARASOTA SARASOTA, FL 3414 FAIR OAKS LANE, LONGBOAT KEY 464 GATE PT.,RD., #202, 1701 GULF OF MEXICO DR. #207, LONGBOAT KEY 1700 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN DR.#5F, SARASOTA 464 GOLDEN GATE PT., #503 | 3BR/4.5 BA | 3,490 SF | 2-CAR GARAGE | AMAZING BAY,• MARINA VIEWS | LARGE TERRACE WITH GAS GRILL 3BR/3.5 BA 3,700 SF& CITY • Private 2-Car Garage 2BR/2BA • 1,551 SF • St. Regis Membership

4BR/4BA • 3,729 SF • Bay, Golf Course views

981full SF floor • Baypenthouse and city views 3BR+DEN/3.5BA SFsunsets • 2-Car 360 degree views •& 3,153 glorious ongarage the Gulf of 1BR/1.5BA Mexico from• this with a private roof-top terrace, deeded boat slip, and hurricane impact windows and sliders.

CONFUSED ABOUT NEW CONSTRUCTION OPTIONS?

DEMYSTIFY THE EXPERIENCE — CALL THE ACKERMAN GROUP! 941-387-1820

PRE-CONSTRUCTION SIESTA COVE- SIESTA KEY

5212 SIESTA COVE DRIVE, SARASOTA

$3,987,000

SIESTA KEY | THE SEA BREEZE $2,900,000 5BR/6 BA + 2 Half Baths • 5,133 SF • Situated on 1.5 waterfront lots landscaped 2-story waterfront property on a clu-de-sace, with 9008 MIDNIGHT PASS RD., #5 | 3BR/3.5 BA | 3,700 SF | PRIVATE 2-CAR GARAGE Spacious, | PRIVATEbeautifully ROOF TOP TERRACE | OPEN WATERpoint VIEWS | SPECTACULAR SUNSETS a 120’ boat dock & 10,000 lb. lift. Exceptional open water views.

THE EVOLUTION 111 Golden Gate Point Sarasota, FL 34236 Completion: Fall 2023

THE EDGE 290 Cocoanut Avenue Sarasota, FL 34236 Completion: Spring 2026

PENINSULA SARASOTA 223 Golden Gate Point Sarasota, FL 34236 Completion: Spring 2026

THE DEMARCAY 33 S. Palm Avenue Sarasota, FL 34236 Completion:: Fall 2023

SORRENTO SHORES - MAINLAND MAINLAND | SORRENTO SHORES

449 S. SHORE DRIVE, OSPREY

688 GOLDEN GATE PT 688 Golden Gate Point Sarasota, FL 34236 Completion: TBD

$949,000

3BR/3BA • 2,564 SF • Minutes to Siesta Key $925,000 Contemporary styled home with oversized lap pool, waterfall feature, spa, a large, covered 449 S. SHORE DRIVE, OSPREY | 3BR/3BA | 2,564 SF | MINUTES TO SIESTA KEY patio with gas grill and private backyard with firepit.

THE COLLECTION EN POINTE ZAHRADA 2 ROSEWOOD RESIDENCES VILLA BALLADA ONE PARK SARASOTA 1355 2nd Street 509 Golden Gate Point 1546 4th Street 430 Kumquat Court 1100 Blvd. of the Arts 1100 Blvd. of the Arts Sarasota, FL 34236 FL 34236 FL 34236 Sarasota, 34236 595Sarasota, BAY ISLESFLRD., SUITE 250 |Sarasota, LONGBOAT KEY, FL 34228 Sarasota, • 443 JOHN RINGLING BLVD., STE., FFL|34236 SARASOTA, FLSarasota, 34236 FL 34236 Completion: Winter 2023 Completion: Fall 2026 Completion: Winter 2024 Completion: Fall 2025 Completion:: Fall 2025 Completion: Fall 2026

401021-1

SOTA 1703 Main Street Sarasota, FL 34236 Completion: Summer 2025