Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer 4.27.23

YOU YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

YOUR TOWN

The final pitches

College dreams made possible

College dreams became reality for 102 graduating high school seniors in Sarasota County on April 20.

Take Stock in Children of Sarasota County held its annual event, the Celebration of Hope, at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota and awarded more than $1 million in college scholarships to the largest class of students in the nonprofit’s 28-year history.

First-generation collegebound students and their families came together with volunteer mentors, scholarship donors and community leaders to celebrate the young scholars’ commitment to academics.

In addition to assisting students with financial aid with a public-private community partnership, Take Stock in Children supports students with volunteer mentors, college success coaches and college readiness workshops.

The celebration of a century

Steve Miller, president of the Kiwanis Club of Sarasota, said his interest in the club extends back to his childhood in North Carolina, when his father, Lawrence Miller, was part of the Rocky Mount Kiwanis Club.

Yet Miller isn’t the only member for whom the Kiwanis organization, which serves the needs of children in the community, has had a long-enduring significance. The Kiwanis Club of Sarasota celebrated its centennial anniversary on April 21, with Mayor Kyle Battie in attendance.

“It’s a milestone for not only the current club members and myself, but all the past people that have contributed over the years,” Miller said.

The club primarily targets the needs of children, working with other organizations, such as the Bringing Up Grades program, hosting community cleanups and more. During his four years with the club, Miller has seen its membership grow and projects increase.

Swaby

Courtesy photo Ian Swaby

WEEK OF APRIL 27, 2023

BY THE NUMBERS

“In music, everybody has dreams. You want to be at Madison Square Garden ... but it doesn’t always happen that way to people. I was very lucky that it happened for me, and I want to give back to the musicians I grew up with.”

Musician Neil Giraldo who was in Sarasota for a concert and product launch. Read more on Page 26

Downtown apartment tower sells for $81.5M

The DeSota apartment building in downtown Sarasota has sold to a California investment firm. According to Sarasota County property records, the complex was bought by an LLC with an address that matches that of JRK Property Holdings on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. The sale price was $81.5 million, which comes out to $452,777 a unit. The 10-story, 180-unit building at 1415 Second St. opened in 2017 on property that once housed the United Way. The DeSota has units ranging from 777-square-foot one-bedrooms to 2,744-squarefoot three bedrooms. The monthly rent for the smallest unit starts at $2,820 and tops out at $8,749 for the largest, according to complex’s website on April 21. JRK was founded in 1991, according to its website. It has owned and operated a portfolio of more than 80,000 multifamily and hotel units in 30 states totaling more than $15 billion.

BPC names three new board members

Three new board members have joined The Bay Park Conservancy, the non-profit organization responsible for designing, developing, managing and operating The Bay, the 53acre city park on Sarasota Bay. With the addition of the BPC’s first full-time CFO Steve Germaine, Tony Gamelin will transition from his prior role in that capacity to become a member of the board. Also joining the board are Jeff Jackson, president and CEO of PGT Innovations, a manufacturer of premium windows and doors; and Jennifer Jorgensen, city of Sarasota Governmental Relations Manager who

previously worked for the Walt Disney Co. as manager, vendor management and business affairs manager.

In addition, Ron Hamilton joins the BPC as senior human resources consultant. He is a former HR executive at a Fortune 500 financial services company and consultant for more than 20 years.

Gamelin is a finance and accounting executive with a broad base of experience in CFO-level services with nonprofit and private companies.

Jackson is a certified public accountant with prior management experience at The Hershey Co.,

Bayfront artwork wins People’s Choice Award

Coca-Cola, and KPMG, among others. He serves as board chairman of the Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority. Jorgensen’s background includes working as legal counsel and lobbyist for the Nebraska School Board Association and has held various leadership and fundraising positions in higher education and the non-profit sector.

Stephanie Crockatt, the BPC’s first full-time president and CEO, is expected to assume her new duties by the beginning of June.

Eric Appelquist’s artwork, “If We All Held Hands,” was voted “People’s Choice Award” by visitors to the 2023 Embracing Our Differences’ Exhibit at Sarasota’s Bayfront Park and North Port’s Butler Park.

The People’s Choice award was determined by a survey that was available to the 320,616 visitors who attended this year’s Bayfront Park and Butler Park exhibits, from Jan. 18 to April 19.

The Illinois-based artist received a $2,000 cash award.

“This work beautifully conveys a powerful sense of empathy and solidarity,” said Executive Director Sarah Wertheimer in a release.

LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING

LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING LIVING

LIVING

ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM ROOM SALE

Courtesy photo

From left, new Bay Park Conservancy board members Tony Gamelin, Jeff Jackson and Jennifer Jorgensen.

Courtesy photo

A vision for the city’s public art

ANDREW WARFIELD | STAFF WRITER

After 18 months of work, Sarasota Senior Planner Mary Davis Wallace will unveil her proposed Public Arts Plan for the city during an open house on Wednesday, May 3. Beginning her career in landscape design and personal gardening, she moved here in 2005, returning to her native North Carolina during the recession, where she lived in the Raleigh-Durham area.

“That’s where my career really took off in terms of public art because it’s absolutely prolific in other parts of the country, and in North Carolina, everywhere you go there is a public art program,” Wallace said.

Armed with a few years of experience running a nonprofit art organization in Cary, North Carolina, she returned to Sarasota in 2017, joining Sarasota County government as planner and project manager. When the position of senior planner and public art program lead opened in February 2021, she said it felt serendipitous and jumped at the opportunity.

Now ready to go public with the city’s Public Art Plan, which must be formally adopted by the City Commission later this year, she spoke with the Observer about why the guiding document was needed and how it came about.

What was the state of the public art program when you came to the city?

This program was only within the boundaries of the downtown. It was part of the original downtown Community Development Agency, which has since sunsetted. I saw an abundance of public art opportunity and abundance of space and places for people to gather and ponder and look at really great art, but I also saw a lot of static sculptures. So one of the things I thought would be great for this program, even before I knew I was going to hold this position, was we should really do more interactive experiences for people. My assessment was really positive, but I also saw where we have room for improvement.

What are some examples of interactive art?

It can be a poem on the ground because that means you’re stopping, you’re looking, you’re reading, you’re taking a breath, and maybe for a minute you’re forgetting what you’re doing because you’re involved with that piece. It can also be a kinetic sculpture that moves. It can be a mural that you stand in front of to take a photo. It

PUBLIC ART PLAN OPEN HOUSE

Citizens are invited to learn about the vision of public art in Sarasota during an open house 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, May 3, at City Hall, 1565 First St. A brief presentation will be given by city staff detailing the Public Art Plan process, which began in January 2022 and involved more than 50 meetings with stakeholders and engagement exercises with artists, business owners and the public. Possible initiatives, such as light as art, alley activation and temporary art, will be highlighted through display panels. An opportunity will also be available for input, comments and questions. Community outreach is planned with neighborhood groups and stakeholders prior to the plan being presented to the City Commission in late 2023.

would want to see my city’s public art program as a citizen, but also from a planning perspective. It was a lot of work, but I think it really created a special bond between the author and the people who are going to be experiencing it.

Why does something like this take 18 months to develop?

I’m big on public engagement, and it has been a real small group of people who have helped me with this. Now 18 months ago, we were still going through post-COVID so we were averse to having any inperson meetings, so I did have three Zoom community meetings in 2021. These meetings took a lot of time in terms of scheduling, promoting, getting people to show up and then really going through all of the feedback that I received. We also did a survey and we had almost 800 people respond. We needed to have time to cover all of the comments from the survey and from all the public engagement meetings, and then I took the pre-plan on the road and spoke to community groups and some neighborhood groups, and that takes a lot of time.

Plus, the whole time I was run-

ning the program and working with the Public Art Committee on the art in the roundabouts. This actually felt like a second job, but it was worth it.

What will the plan accomplish going forward?

The plan really provides a framework. A public art program can exist without a plan, and many programs do simply because it’s not something that they are able to afford or they don’t have the staff to be able to execute. You want the plan to be dynamic and you want the plan to be executed, so a plan is really a commitment by our city leaders, our administration, our elected officials and our citizens to elevate the program.

How is public art funded?

We’re exclusively funded through the developer fee, which is currently half of 1% of the cost of new development of at least $1 million. The development community support has been actually overwhelmingly positive. We do want to continue to work with the development community and we do want to continue that being our source of funding. However, the plan does propose other sources for more opportunities. One common source of funding in a lot of other municipalities is a percentage of the capital improvement program. However, for me it’s more about taking some small steps.

Is the current level of funding from new development adequate to support the plan?

We’re proposing to increase that in our program to 1%. We really want to be able to put our money where our mouth is and say if we want this to succeed, we’re really going to need the increased funding so that we can start executing some of these new programs.

Is there community support for taxpayer funding for public art?

I feel like there is. There will be support for us broadening our sources for funding so that we can start doing some bigger projects because good art isn’t cheap. We want to really keep the quality of our artwork high in our city and we want to be able to spend good money for good art.

can also be art that you walk into, or that you walk around.

Why have a public art plan?

The thinking behind the why happened before I got here with the Public Art Committee, the City Commission and a lot of people in the administration who were saying we could use a plan for the public art program. They were seeing other cities putting out public art plans, getting a lot of great ideas and building whole programs around a plan. There was a desire for the plan, but they weren’t quite sure how they were going to get this plan done.

What is the advantage of having a staff member write the plan as opposed to hiring a team of consultants?

What happens is those consultants come in, they assess the program at whatever value they can provide to you, then they usually leave. I think it was really fortunate that they could find somebody who was local to be able to do this and who also is a member of staff. What I’ve done is I’ve really thought about my city and the people who live in my city. Every step of the way, every page has been thought through as how I

Photos by Andrew Warfield Mary Davis Wallace, who is the lead for the Sarasota Public Art Plan, at Garden Sculpture on the lawn at City Hall.

Mary Davis Wallace, Sarasota’s public art lead and city planner, talks about the creation of the guiding document that will be unveiled in a workshop on May 3.

Jumping Fish is one of the installations in the city’s Art in the Roundabouts program, standing at Cocoanut and North Palm avenues.

An example of interactive art, which changes colors when viewed from different angles, stands outside the Art Ovation hotel in downtown Sarasota.

Artists make final pitch for Fruitville Road roundabout sculpture

The Public Art Committee will decide on which sculpture design to recommend for City Commission approval on May 3.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Three artists vying to get the nod for a $250,000 public art sculpture in the roundabout at U.S. 41 and Fruitville Road participated in one final concept development meeting with members of the Public Art Committee last week.

And for the first time in the monthslong process, they heard from the public as well.

In an online meeting, artists Shan Shan Feng, of San Francisco, and Sujin Lim and Mark Reigelman, both of New York, presented their refined concepts and heard feedback from some of the more than 40 citizens who logged on.

From here, the artists will have one more meeting with the PAC, which will make its recommendation to the City Commission for selection of the piece, a decision that has been more than a year in the making since commissioners rejected Dwell in April 2022.

Dwell, a multicolor concept depicting coral, was also submitted by Lim and recommended to commissioners, who declined it because it had no representation of Sarasota.

Surrounded by luxury condominium and hotel towers, the Fruitville Road roundabout is a focal point downtown, and the selected sculpture will be nestled amid a backdrop of mostly white architecture. The proposals by Sheng and Reigelman offer colorful glass and metallic contrasts against that canvas, while Lim’s concept blends in, taking advantage of internal lighting at night to stand out.

Only a handful of viewers had questions, some of them about the

sturdiness of the pieces against hurricane force winds, particularly Sheng’s piece, Dancing Clouds, made of colorful architectural glass mounted atop steel poles at a variety of heights; and Lim’s Sun Always Shines, two translucent clouds mounted by sunray-evoking supports, one with a tiny house mounted on top.

Reigelman’s Snowbirds is three dark-eyed junco birds balancing atop each other, paying homage to both the city’s circus legacy and its seasonal population migration. Although the concept shows the birds as pink, Reigelman said he is flexible on the color.

Former PAC member Leslie Butterfield addressed the severe weather concerns.

“Having listened to so many presentations and hearing the engineers talk and do the research, I don’t worry that we won’t have the technology behind this to ensure that whatever we select will work,” Butterfield said.

“I know people are concerned about that, but we have a lot of support in the city and with the engineers.”

Two other participants asked about the amount of area artist participation in the process, suggest-

ing at least one local should have been included among the three finalists.

“There were several local artists who submitted their work for consideration,” said Sarasota Senior Planner and public art lead Mary Davis Wallace. “We had close to 160 applicants for this particular (request for qualifications), so there were absolutely local artists who submitted their work. The selection process however, is determined by vote, and we try to be as fair as possible with that.”

IN THEIR WORDS

MARK REIGELMAN ON SNOWBIRDS

The dark-eyed junco is more commonly known as the snowbird. It’s one of the few birds that doesn’t move when weather changes. They stay put, and I thought it was kind of an interesting play on words. When you think about snowbirds, as relates to Ringling Brothers coming to Sarasota in the winter months, but also people that come to Florida as well. The giant birds form a precarious tower gazing west toward the setting sun, the sculpture nods to the iconic Ringling

NEXT STEPS

The next meeting of the Public Art Committee will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 3 at City Hall, 1565 Second St., when it will vote on its recommendation to the City Commission. That will most likely be brought to the commission late this summer.

Circus as three juncos mimic a feat of balance and boldness that the circus was known for.

Snowbirds invites viewers to contemplate the delicate balance of play and fragility in a constantly changing world while examining our own migratory impulses versus the desire to stay put.

SUJIN LIM ON SUN ALWAYS

SHINES

I was strongly inspired by sunbeams poking through clouds to the Earth. These images give such a hopeful and positive story in our life. My concept was to combine the image of clouds as a metaphor of nature. The sculpture will be composed of cloud-shaped sculpture pieces with a small house on

top and rays of sunshine poking out, which represents the human experience with nature by symbolically bringing the human habitat into the natural world.

The clouds and sunbeams shining down represent nature. The sun represents what people love so much about living in Florida. The small house on top of the cloud is really the cozy intimate sensation of a cottage in the dark with a warm golden glow.

SHAN SHAN SHENG ON DANCING CLOUDS

Each panel is multiple clouds and various shapes and sizes. Those are handmade architectural art glass, presenting unique light and color into active sculpture that symbolizes the diverse and vigorous spirit of the Sarasota people. At different times (of day), the color changes as the artwork is changing with the light. Every time you see the sculpture you will find something new.

The glass panels will have a clear finish that will protect them from UV rays. The color will be fired onto glass at a temperature of about 600 to 800 degrees Fahrenheit for a permanent bond.

Mark Reigelman’s concept of his Snowbirds proposal.

Courtesy renderings

Sujin Lim’s concept of her Sun Always Shines proposal.

Shan Shan Sheng’s concept of her Dancing Clouds proposal.

Complete street feat

infrastructure improvements typically include fiber connectivity, drainage upgrades, enhanced pedestrian crossings, stormwater resiliency and more.

On the surface, St. Armands

Key may appear to be an idyllic oasis of luxury seaside living surrounding a quaint but bustling retail village. Scratch that surface, though, and you’ll find an aging infrastructure and noncompliance with contemporary safety standards.

Residents, business owners and other interested parties learned about that and more at Wednesday’s “complete street” open house where Sarasota city staff presented them with three options on which to provide input:

n $45 million and 10 to 15 years for a complete infrastructure rebuild covering the length of the primary corridors

n $15 million and two to three years for streetscape improvements covering the business district

n Do nothing at all

The option of doing nothing will still be something, explained Chief Transportation Planner Alvimarie Corales, as both options 1 and 2 include Americans With Disabilities Act compliance projects the city will have to undertake regardless.

“The city is going through an ADA transition plan, and it will follow through the queue of what the ADA transition plan is,” she said. “It will be addressed as they’ve been prioritized. That has to happen.”

Those ADA compliance issues on St. Armands include sidewalk access ramps and undersized handicap parking spaces with no direct access to sidewalks at all.

The complete street concept is focused on creating safe multimodal and transit accommodations for vehicles and pedestrians. During construction, additional

The city embarked on the St. Armands complete street process in fall 2022 and by December had selected a consultant for the project. By February of this year, however, the project was paused.

“Once we began negotiations, we realized that the amount of funding that we had allocated for the project was less than what the project cost was going to be,” Corales said. “So then we paused the project to get community feedback.”

The complete street concept on St. Armands would be disruptive, staff members warned, with the upwards of 15-year timeframe causing “construction fatigue.”

Every effort will be made to minimize impact on their operations, City Engineer Nik Patel told business owners at the open house, but with the complexities of the work, some disruption is inevitable. Because St. Armands is an overlay district with a parking bond, though, parking capacity must remain intact.

“We did include as part of the scope of the project some kind of parking analysis that we can try to improve some of the parking aspects,” Corales said. “Other existing conditions you have are trip hazards and narrow sidewalks. There’s one that we pointed out here that is four feet wide, and now with the standards that are being updated at a minimum, they will have to be five feet. We have different sidewalk materials. There are different colors and different textures.”

Both options will be publicly funded with no special assessments to residents and businesses on St. Armands Key.

“St. Armands has been highlighted as one of the top resiliency projects as part of the Sarasota-Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization, so there are opportunities to get the project funded. It is also part of their multimodal emphasis corri-

Sarasota Memorial Presents

dor, and that is another pot of money that we could tap into. We just don’t know when it would happen.”

Among the aspects for the complete street project are connecting the multiuse recreational trail to St. Armands Key and ultimately extending it to Longboat Key; underground fiber connectivity; evaluating pedestrian crossings; installing variable message boards; trolley and multimodal transit accommodations; enhanced landscaping, hardscaping and lighting; undergrounding some of the power infrastructure; enhanced pedestrian crossings; and reconfiguring parking to be more pedestrian friendly all while still allowing traffic flow to neighboring jurisdictions.

“And very importantly here is addressing some of the underground concerns we have related to utilities,” said Capital Projects Manager Camden Mills. “There is some outdated water and sewer infrastructure as well as the drainage we are looking to upgrade. But with those improvements, it’s very costly. The city is looking to fund the planning and

ST. ARMANDS COMPLETE STREET

PROJECT LIMITS

n Pansy Bayou Bridge to the north

n Polk Drive to the west

n South Washington Drive to the south

n Cook Key Bridge to the east

INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS

n Multimodal and transit accommodations

design phases, and we would reach out to FDOT and federal agencies for some funding support through grant programs.”

Open house attendees and other interested citizens are invited to provide additional input for the project. An online survey is available on the city of Sarasota website at SarasotaFL.gov through May 5. A video recording of the open house presentation is on the city’s website.

No Problem Too Large:

Innovative Solutions in Modern Prostate Care

By age 60, half of all men will have an enlarged prostate. And out of every 100 men, about 13 will get prostate cancer in their lifetime. But with time also comes progress. During this free lecture series, hear directly from the urologic surgeons at Sarasota Memorial about how the latest treatments and the newest technologies are changing the outlook for patients everywhere. A brief Q&A will follow each presentation.

Thursday, May 4, 4:30-5:30pm

} Robert I. Carey, MD, FACS - Prostate Cancer: MRI, Biopsy, Genomics, and Treatment Options in the Modern Age

Tuesday, May 16, 4:30-5:30pm

} Ramsay L. Kuo, MD - Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP): A New Paradigm in the Treatment of Prostate Enlargement

Tuesday, May 23, 4:30-5:30pm

} Daniel Kaplon, MD, FACS - New Advances in the Management of Localized Prostate Cancer

This is a FREE LECTURE SERIES with FREE VALET PARKING at main hospital entrance. Light refreshments served. RSVP required. Reserve your space by phone at (941) 917-7777 or online at smh.com/lectures.

n Fiber connectivity

n Variable message signs

n Enhanced pedestrian crossings

n Parking reconfiguration

n Drainage

n Stormwater resiliency

Dr. Robert I. Carey

Dr. Ramsay L. Kuo

Dr. Daniel Kaplon

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

St. Armands project could cost up to $45 million and take more than a decade.

Courtesy photos

Handicap accessibility ramps at St. Armands Key are not in compliance with contemporary Americans With Disabilities Act standards.

Trip hazards are among the mobility issues at St. Armands Key.

South Siesta beach repair may slow traffic to a turtle’s pace

Turtle Beach repair work will bring upwards of 120 dump trucks to Siesta Key per day.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Beginning this week through the end of June, residents and visitors to South Siesta Key will notice 100 to 120 dump truck trips per day bringing sand from inland to repair Turtle Beach. In 2016, Hurricane Hermine narrowed and damaged the beach.

That damage occurred only three months after the most recent beach renourishment on that part of Siesta Key in May 2016. Prior to that, the beach there was renourished in 2006.

The contractor for the repair project plans to haul beach-compatible sand from Lake Wales in Polk County, using 60 to 70 dump trucks, most of them making two trips per day, traversing through the intersection of Stickney Point Road and Midnight Pass. That will add traffic to an already congested area.

Still, the project must be done, and it must be done now, according to Sarasota County Environmental Protection Division Manager Rachel Herman. Funding was set aside for the beach repair by FEMA and the Florida Department of Emergency Management. Between those agencies, the county is eligible for funding for 87.5% of the project cost.

The catch is that deal expires on June 30.

“We initially thought that what we would do is apply the funding that FEMA was going to give us for the damage to the next full renourishment, which is planned for 2026,” Herman said. “But around November of 2019, FEMA introduced the concept of an interim repair project, using sand transported via dump trucks from an upland sand source, and so at that point we transitioned to doing the repair project.”

The current cost of the project is

Earth-moving equipment is on-site at Turtle Beach. More than 92,000 cubic yards of sand will be delivered to make repairs to the storm-damaged

not to exceed $8.2 million, with a deadline for substantial completion by the end of June to qualify for the funding.

With upwards of 120 dump truck trips per day, times two for arriving and departing, traffic disruptions will occur through the duration of the project. Once completed, though, the work will widen the beach in the project area by some 25 to 35 feet.

“We appreciate everybody’s patience as we’re doing the work and understanding that it’s just for a short duration, but it will provide some much-needed protection for this storm season coming up,” Herman said. “That is the benefit of doing it now as compared to waiting until next fall.”

REPAIR VS. RENOURISHMENT

Turtle Beach will remain open throughout the project duration outside the work area, but other beaches may be more crowded while beachgoers look elsewhere for their day in the sun.

“Any time there’s anything happening at any of the beaches, whether it be red tide at one beach and not another, or if we’re working on the access point at Siesta Beach or another beach, you’ll see that shift,” said Media Relations Officer Brianne Lorenz. “Folks are clever here. They know their favorite beaches. If there’s a will, there’s a way. They’ll find a way to get to the beach they want to get to.”

A beach repair requires a lower volume of sand that can be brought onto the site less expensively than bringing offshore dredging equipment.

The Turtle Beach repair will take some 92,500 cubic yards of sand compared to the most recent South Siesta Key beach renourishment in 2016, in which 700,000 cubic yards of sand was placed.

“You really have to have a lot of volume to justify the need to bring one of those ocean-going dredges to your project mobilization,” said Sarasota County Environmental Protection Division Manager Rachel Herman. “The cost for just bringing the dredge to the area is in excess of several million dollars. You really want to make sure that you’re going to be using and placing enough sand on the project to make it worth bringing them to the area.”

Andrew Warfield

beach.

The six-week abortion ban

heretofore could never be passed. For another, the tide actually has turned in their favor — at least on one volatile issue: abortion. When the Supreme Court last summer overturned Roe v. Wade, turning the regulation of abortion back to the states, that gave pro-life conservatives and lawmakers the opportunity for which they have been fighting for 50 years.

It presented a James Baldwin moment. The late American writer and civil rights activist said: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

MATT WALSH

For three decades, a common refrain among many conservatives has been they wished their conservative political candidates would avoid the cultural issues and just focus on the core issues.

You know: low taxation; freemarket capitalism; limiting government spending and intrusion into our lives; less regulation; strong national defense; the right to bear arms; law and order; and the principles in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

But as it has turned out, while those issues are important, these days so much turns on contentious cultural issues — recreational marijuana, alleged climate crisis, alternative energy, LGBTQ, DEI and the tinder box: abortion.

If you’re a politician, especially at the state or federal levels, the cultural issues cannot be avoided. Here in Florida over the past two years, Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican Legislature indeed have pushed the core issues aside and confronted the cultural issues.

“Why would they do that?” we have heard many Republicans say. “Why would they pass and sign an abortion bill that bans abortions after only six weeks? Don’t they know that’s going to cost them elections?”

Why would they do that?

For one, because they can. Republicans have veto-proof majorities in the House and Senate. And with that, they think that gives them a mandate. And they certainly now have the power to adopt a conservative cultural agenda that

DeSantis and Republican legislators showed courage for the second consecutive year. Instead of taking the safe route of doing nothing so they can be re-elected, they faced the abortion issue. In 2022, they banned it after 15 weeks; this year, they banned it after six.

Now they will have a year and a half until the 2024 election to see if indeed the abortion tide has turned.

But here’s a dichotomy: While Florida and other red states’ legislatures are shifting to more pro-life, more restrictive abortion laws, American culture is going in the opposite, more secular, anti-family, anti-children direction.

In 2020, the national marriage rate fell to 5.1 per 1,000 people, its lowest level in 121 years. The U.S. birth rate hit its lowest levels since 1950 in 2018, 2019 and 2020 — 11.9 per 1,000 people.

And there is this: According to a recent poll by the National Opinion Research Center, the importance of religion among Americans has dropped to 39% from 62% in 1998.

This trend surely is contributing to the disintegration of America’s once strong moral, God-based, cultural moorings.

And there is this: If you attended or watched the almost four-hour Senate Health Committee meeting March 20 in Tallahassee on Senate Bill 300, the bill banning abortions after six weeks, you might easily conclude a majority of Florida women are not aligned with the governor or the Legislature.

You could say a majority of the more than 60 speakers represented the 62% of Floridians who oppose banning most abortions. That percentage surfaced in a 2022 University of North Florida poll of registered Florida voters.

And these speakers were passionate in calling for less-restrictive, legalized abortion. A sampling:

n “Remember, you’re not preventing abortion, you’re preventing access to safe abortion.”

n “It is extreme and out of touch with what Floridians want and need. This cruel bill will force of hundreds of thousands of pregnant women to have to travel out of state to seek the care they need. Others will be forced to remain pregnant against their will and endure labor and delivery and all the significant medical risks associated with pregnancy, birth or C sections.”

n “If this bill is passed, it will kill women and girls.”

n “Most people don’t even know they are pregnant after six weeks.”

n “When will this government overreach stop?”

Now stop for a moment. Reflect on what those speakers were saying. It was the perspective of wanting legalized, convenient access to abortion — to be able to eliminate an unborn child in the womb without recourse or interference from the State.

This is where this issue becomes complicated, especially, say, for a Libertarian, who believes in freedom for the individual and that government’s only roles are to protect us from foreign invaders; protect us from others harming or using force against us; and to serve as an umpire in disputes.

On the one hand, the Libertarian believes the pregnant woman should be free from government coercion and in charge of her life. On the other, a Libertarian also believes the State has a duty to protect everyone from harm.

In that instance, abortion is physical harm, violating the unborn child’s right to life, as guaranteed in the Declaration of Independence.

But philosopher Ayn Rand, an Objectivist and arguably a Libertarian, didn’t believe that. She argued “a piece of protoplasm” has no rights” and that “rights do not pertain to a potential, only to an actual being. A child cannot acquire rights until it is born. The living take precedence over the unborn.”

Piece of protoplasm?

During testimony in Tallahassee, an embryologist and Ph.D. in neuroscience argued on behalf of SB 300. “A unique individual is formed at conception,” she said. “At six weeks gestation, the embryo has a heartbeat that is rhythmically beating at around 110 beats per minute. This means by the end of the six weeks, that heart will have beat more than one million times.

“This heart is moving blood throughout the developing embryo. And that circulating blood is essential for the embryo’s continued growth. At six weeks, the embryo’s brain is growing in three main sec-

tions.

“I’d like to finish,” she said, “by saying the people of Florida are taking a heroic step by following the science and recognizing the humanity of pre-born children.”

Now add to that, this: When Sen. Erin Grall, R-Fort Pierce, explained SB 300 at the March 20 hearing, she said: “For 50 years, it was legal to kill an unborn child, resulting in … the loss of more than 63 million innocent lives … We should grieve for what we have done to our country.” And that brings us to the Bible. If you’re a believer in the “one, true” God, the Almighty was explicit in the beginning on the subject of killing human life:

n Commandment six: Thou shalt not kill.

And in the five books of the Jewish Torah (Old Testament):

n Genesis 9:6: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed …”

n Exodus 21:12: “Anyone who strikes a man and kills him shall surely be put to death … [I]f a man schemes and kills another man deliberately, take him away from my altar and put him to death.”

n Leviticus 24:17: “If anyone takes the life of a human being, he must be put to death.”

n Numbers 35:20: “If a man strikes someone with an iron object so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death.”

n Deuteronomy 19:11-13: “If a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him, assaults and kills him … the elders of his town … shall hand him over to the avenger of blood to die.”

Based on the above, it would seem any rational thinking, God-fearing person would conclude: Thou shalt not kill unborn children in the womb — at any time. It is murder.

To be sure, this issue will never be solved here on earth. The wars between the pro-life and pro-abortion believers will go on. And abortions will continue, legal or not.

We shall see in November 2024 in Florida on which of these sides are the majority of Florida voters. And that will tell us whether America’s social disintegration and anti-life secularism will continue or begin to be reversed.

In my case, I am pro-life and subscribe to the Bible. But I also believe every woman can and should make her own choice. In the end, we will all face our Maker.

mwalsh@yourobserver.com

Buy a Bud Light and toast the distributors

The following first appeared April 20 on YourObserver.com

If you talk to John Saputo, owner of Gold Coast Eagle Dis-tributing, the Sarasota-Manatee region’s distributor of AnheuserBusch beers, the past two weeks have been the worst in his 50 years in the business.

All because of a marketing vice president who did what so many other corporate hotshots do: follow the crowd, like a sheep jumping off a cliff with all the others.

By now, no doubt, you’re familiar with the uproar that oc-curred after Anheuser-Busch’s Bud Light brand sponsored during March Madness an Instagram post on the account of Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender media limelight seeker.

After Bud Light consumers who do not embrace transgenderism saw the post as it went viral, they literally trashed Bud Light, many of them vowing to boycott the brand and never drink another AnheuserBusch product again.

ABInBev’s stock lost $3.3 billion in market value in a day once the news spread, with its stock dropping from $65.11 a share to $63.43. And as of Friday, April 21, the stock had fallen to $59.67 — a loss of $9.2 billion in market value.

Two weeks in, the high-profile controversy continued.

Saputo said more than 400 Anheuser-Busch distributors were to meet last week with the CEO

Brendan Whitworth to talk about the company’s marketing and response to the controversy.

This was after Saputo spent the previous weeks incessantly fielding phone calls and emails from angry Anheuser-Busch loyalists berating the company and everyone associated with it. By Monday of last week, Saputo was exasperated, exhausted and frustrated — that the incident occurred; by the media coverage; and by the corporate response. That’s what happens when you have no control over the events; it drives you nuts.

In time, the smoke from this bomb will blow over, to be remembered in the future as an all-time, infamous marketing catas-trophe. It’s one of those “What were they thinking?” moments.

The marketing VP who directed the partnership was yet another woke, sheep-like millennial joining the other corporate sheep kowtowing to the latest cultural agitators and alleged victims who have garnered the sheep-media spotlight.

Alissa Heinerscheid, the Anheuser-Busch vice president of marketing apparently responsible for the uproar, told a podcast that her job was to transform Bud Light and make it more inclusive.

More inclusive? By jumping on the trans train?

But at what price and what consequences?

A UCLA study estimates 1.6 million Americans identify as trans-

gender, while there are about 240 million Americans 18 and older — old enough to drink beer.

So those figures beg the question: If trans people comprise 0.6% of the beer-age population, and if the first principle of ABInBev’s 10 principles is “We dream big. We are building a profitable, growth company,” why would any smart marketing executive think that trying to appeal to 0.6% of the population would move the needle toward being a “growth company”? And why run the obvious risk of offending the millions of Americans who, more than likely, are not on board with the trans movement?

Is this what they teach in the marketing classes at Harvard, Heinerscheid’s alma mater?

She obviously didn’t think through the possible repercus-sions, in particular how her decision might play in places like Sarasota and Bradenton and among the other 400 AB distributors around the U.S.

These are mostly family-owned businesses that have deep roots in their communities — sponsoring hundreds of All-American community and civic

events year after year with free beer, market-ing campaigns and other charitable contributions. Last weekend, for instance, Gold Coast provided beer at a dozen charitable events.

Fact is, these distributors don’t deserve to be punished for some colossal gaffe made in the marketing department bubble in New York City.

So if you’re one of the AnheuserBusch beer drinkers who was totally offended by the Mulvaney fiasco, apply some perspective: Yes, it was a stupid move. Yes, the AnheuserBusch CEO should have taken responsibility and admitted it was a stupid move that they didn’t think through.

And think of the whole thing as a “oneoff” incident. (We hope.)

A key characteristic of American values is we give people a second chance. Go buy a Bud Light, and make a toast to the 400 AB distributors who are great corporate citizens and American patriots.

—MW

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

Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

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

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

Managing Editor / James Peter, JPeter@YourObserver.com

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

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

Lawmakers are shifting to pro-life, but American culture is not. This issue won’t ever be solved.

We should encourage Hillsdale’s curriculum

I had to laugh at Lisa Schurr’s “My View” opinion in the April 20 Observer.

The title says it all: “Hillsdale dogma should not dominate schools.” An addendum to that should read: “But my dogma should dominate schools.” After all, that’s what she’s saying.

As a proud financial contributor to Hillsdale College and recipient of its monthly periodical, “Imprimis,”

I can attest that Schurr has no knowledge of Hillsdale’s philosophy of education, promoting America and freedom of the individual. I guess if you don’t proselytize CRT and the “1619 Project” as fact, then you aren’t teaching our school children the truth about America. Nonsense.

America was very much founded on Judeo-Christian beliefs as a governing way of life and was defended by our Founders with all of their properties, wealth and lives pledged before, during and after the American Revolution toward freedom from British oppression.

Power is never given: It is taken. And take we did.

Given the three precepts presented at the beginning of Schurr’s article, it’s obvious she doesn’t have a clue about protecting the children from unionized teachers and administrators gone astray. “Modern, scientific and fact-based standards for educational curriculum” means what exactly? Brainwashing young children to reject their bodies as born; pushing reading materials way beyond their young minds’ comprehension; rejecting America as the savior of the world during two world wars and countless incidences of aggression against us and our allies?

Let’s talk about teacher unions. By definition, unions are nothing but legalized price-fixing organizations, which if manifested by businesses colluding among each other in pricing, would be

subject to federal legal action and fines. But who cares? They exist for the benefit of the children! More nonsense.

The question looms large: Who is looking after the interests of the consumer, the children? It wasn’t until the massive shutdown of this great country by the Democrats during the pandemic and the consequential home schooling that parents were exposed to the self-serving, philosophically repugnant curriculum of current teaching doctrine. “Hey, let’s teach masturbation to kindergarteners; develop new sexes; invent new pronouns; reject all that is taught at the freedom loving and proud American institution of greater learning, Hillsdale College, which receives no government funding of any kind from any governments.

Parents rebelled and were consequently labeled as “domestic terrorists” by the Department of Justice for the act of protecting their children from teacher tyranny — a lesson learned from the Soviet Union about the destruction of the nuclear family.

Hillsdale College offers many online classes provided by worldclass instructors, such as Victor Davis Hanson of Stanford’s Hoover Institution and a great many others too numerous to mention. That is the direction our school children should be encouraged to follow: Freedom of the individual to explore, to learn, to question and to challenge.

May America never succumb to the death wished by Schurr and her misstated “health and well-being of all students” when the health and well-being are narrowly defined by her dogmas. Open discussion and inquiry rule but not in her world.

America the great. The proven savior of the free world. Live on!

MILAN V. ADRIAN LONGBOAT KEY

Support your local distributors

Thank you to Matt Walsh for his recent opinion piece in the Observer encouraging us all to “Buy a Bud Light and toast the distributors.”

While all Anheuser-Busch beers in the U.S. are sold through a network of some 600 independent wholesalers, we are most fortunate to be served in Sarasota and Manatee counties by the “best of the best,” Gold Coast Eagle Distributing.

The Saputo family and their 200plus employees are part of the fabric of our community. They are your neighbors and friends and they are visible seven days a week, 365 days of the year. They do so much more than deliver your favorite beers to your stores, restaurants and bars. Each year they support thousands of local promotions, special events and local charities.

So while many of us are feeling varying degrees of anger and annoyance over the recent Bud Light “marketing madness” coming out of St. Louis, I encourage you to resist the temptation to punish our local distributor and their employees. Rather, this would be a good time to buy a case of Anheuser-Busch beer to thank Gold Coast Eagle for all they do for our community every day.

BILL MCNULTY SARASOTA

SEND US YOUR LETTERS

Have something to tell us? Send your letters to James Peter at JPeter@ YourObserver.com.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office handled over 650,000 calls in 2022.

County implements new system for nonemergency calls

The Sarasota County Public Safety Communications Center has implemented a new automated attendant system for the Sarasota Sheriff’s Office nonemergency line.

According to a news release, the Sheriff’s Office handled 657,970 calls with 289,624 emergency calls for service in 2022.

“These recent changes were made following a rise in call volume versus last year,” the release said. “This added convenience will better direct nonemergency calls.”

Nonemergency calls will be directed to one of the following locations:

n County Correctional Facility

n Animal services

n Records

n Fingerprinting

n Sex offender registration

n Civil matters

n Fugitive apprehension

n 311 Connect

n Communications operator

If a caller has an emergency, the caller will be directed to press 1 to be transferred to a 911 call taker.

If at any time a caller presses 0, the call will be routed to a communications center operator for further assistance.

A Spanish option is also available with the same prompts under the new system.

“The county hopes the new system will help both the agency streamline communication and address issues more quickly,” the release said.

When in doubt on whether you are having an emergency, dial 911. The nonemergency line is 941-316-1201.

Quay Commons air rights trial continued until August

the master association.

While the fate of the proposed One Park condominium tower in The Quay remains in limbo over an investigation into an alleged inducement to a Planning Board member, the courtroom battle about the air rights above Quay Commons has been delayed until late summer.

This past Friday, a hearing over a continuance in the case was held by 12th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Hunter Carroll. After hearing from The Quay master developer Quay Ventures that it needed at least three weeks to research and produce required documents, Carroll postponed the June hearing until a threeweek period beginning Aug. 14. Also scheduled is a hearing on May 22 to resolve any further outstanding discovery issues between the parties.

Developer Property Markets Group of Miami proposes to build One Park above Quay Commons, the primary access street into The Quay, connecting blocks 1 and 9 over a breezeway it says will be activated with street-level amenities such as retail and restaurant space. Residents of Block 6 in The Quay — the Ritz Carlton Residences — have challenged that the air rights above Quay Commons cannot be conveyed to One Park and that they belong to

The city is not involved in the air rights legal matter, but it has been mired in repeated delays in the legislative hearing process before the Planning Board. At issue is a request by One Park to amend the 2016 general development agreement to allow blocks 1 and 9 to be combined into one building. That hearing has been indefinitely suspended pending the outcome of an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement over whether a contact by one of the investors in One Park with Planning Board member Michael Halflants — an architect — regarding an unrelated project was criminal in nature.

Once resumed, the Planning Board will make a recommendation to the City Commission to approve or deny the amendment to the general development plan. The commission will then schedule its own legislative hearing on the matter. If approved, a quasi-judicial hearing for site plan approval will first go before the Planning Board for recommendation, and then to the City Commission.

Should Carroll rule against One Park on the air rights challenge, however, it would render moot hearings over the project as currently designed. Carroll is expected to make his ruling before September.

Esq.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Courtesy rendering

The breezeway over Quay Commons in the proposed One Park development. A transfer of air rights to the developer is being challenged in 12th Judicial Circuit Court.

Teachers are the unsung heroes of our community, inspiring and uplifting future generations with their dedication and passion.

We are grateful for their tireless efforts and unwavering commitment to shaping young minds.

The community celebrates and appreciates teachers.

Appreciation Week | May 1-5

Bed Bath & Beyond shuttering both Sarasota locations, 41 Florida stores

BED BATH & BEYOND

ON THE GULF

LOUIS LLOVIO BUSINESS OBSERVER

Landlords across Florida woke up Monday morning to news that Bed Bath & Beyond, a major, sometimes even anchor, tenant at more than 40 shopping centers had filed for bankruptcy and would begin winding down and closing 41 stores statewide.

The bankruptcy and the planned closings, which affect 14 stores from Pasco County south to Collier County, may not have come as a total surprise given the retailer’s recent history. But the departure, on the surface at least, does present a challenge for property owners who will soon be left with vacant spaces and the possibility rent payments will be missed.

Yet for many of these owners, the closing of what was once a retail institution may not be all bad news. Sure, the process could be lengthy and possibly expensive, but in the long run the landlords may see the chain’s departure as an advantage given the company’s lackluster sales combined with low vacancy rates along the west coast of Florida and high demand for retail space.

“You know, the real estate’s attractive. Their sites will be alluring for new tenants,” said Jeffrey Dervech, president of the Tampa commercial real estate firm Dervech Real Estate, which specializes in shopping centers.

“Landlords will be able to get better tenants, higher drivers of traffic, higher rents… all of these are going to be looked at as opportunities and every single one will be different in its own right.”

New Jersey-based Bed Bath &

Beyond filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy April 23. In a statement issued by the company that Sunday night, the retailer said it had secured $240 million in debtor-in-possession financing from Sixth Street Specialty Lending. And it said it would begin an “orderly wind down of its businesses while conducting a limited marketing process to solicit interest in one or more sales of some or all of its assets.”

That wind down includes shutting down its remaining 370 Bed Bath & Beyond and 120 Buybuy Baby stores in the U.S. (The company has seven Buybuy Baby locations in Florida, including one in Brandon.)

In court papers filed Sunday evening as part of the initial Chapter 11 filing with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey, the company said the closings are a result of an “unsuccessful foray into private label merchandise development” and consumers moving away from brick-and-mortar stores.

It also said in the filing that there is the possibility a buyer could step in and, in the meantime, it expects the store liquidation process to generate about $718 million in sales.

“Given the expenses associated with a substantial brick-and-mortar presence, and the issues affecting the retail industry as a whole, a significant number of the (company’s) stores are operating at suboptimal performance levels,” the retailer said in the filing.

But the company’s well documented problems paint a different picture. Yes, sales have faltered at stores but one of Bed Bath & Beyond’s biggest issues was it failed to adjust fast enough to omnichannel retail

— the practice of reaching shoppers across several platforms.

Not that it didn’t try.

In January, company President and CEO Sue Grove said in a note to investors that a new turnaround plan “enables us to refocus merchandising and inventory, operate more efficiently and grow our digital and omni-capabilities.”

The problem was that it was too late because competitors like T.J. Maxx and Target had long adopted

an omnichannel strategy and over the years had been perfecting it.

When Grove made the announcement, Diginomica, a British firm of analysts focused on enterprise leaders, wrote that two years earlier it had written a headline referring to the company as “Bed, Bath & Beyond Hope” because the “retailer’s tortuous attempts at omnichannel transformation hit problem after problem.”

“It’s a bold attempt to create some kind of positive perception, but the reality is very different. It’s over. Done. Put a fork in it,” Stuart Lauchlan, Diginomica’s co-founder, wrote of the January plan.

“Bed Bath & Beyond will stand as a testament to how not to execute an omnichannel transformation in a new age of retail. It failed to recognize the digital revolution early enough, sticking to its paper coupon business model. As customers moved online, Bed Bath & Beyond opened more and more physical stores.”

The retailer’s problems were also dragging down shopping centers that rely on big box tenants to help

draw traffic and raise the profile of other merchants. With Bed Bath & Beyond leaving, these landlords can now focus on bringing in retailers like T.J. Maxx or HomeGoods, high-end gym chains or grocery stores that fit in the space and attract tenants.

Couple that with the fact that many of the stores had been open for years, with long-term leases at reduced rates, and this may be the rare case where losing an anchor tenant may not turn out to be a bad thing.

“Landlords sometimes benefit with space opening up that can now be leased (at) market rates and increase the value of the property,” said Nelson Taylor, vice president of market research for the Fort Myers commercial real estate firm LSI Cos. “Being a dying brand, opening a 30,000-square-foot floor plate to a new tenant (that) can draw foot traffic to a shopping center will be a benefit. I think most landlords were ready for them to exit and open the space up to more stable tenant brands.”

The chain closing stores might benefit shopping center landlords who may now be able to upgrade tenants.

Courtesy photo Bed Bath & Beyond is closing 41 stores in Florida, 14 of them on the Gulf Coast, after filing for bankruptcy April 23.

Local postal worker arrested for fraud and money laundering

At least 60 businesses were victims of stolen mailed checks amounting to more than $70,000.

ANDREW

WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Sarasota Police investigators are warning citizens and businesses they may be victims of fraud following the arrest of a U.S. Postal Service employee.

Anabel Ossombi, 27, of Bradenton, has been arrested and is facing several felony charges, including criminal use of personal identification, scheming to defraud more than $70,000 and money laundering.

Ossombi has been employed by the USPS since May 2022 as a mail sorter. She was taken into custody on April 19 at the post office on Beneva Road.

Sarasota Police detectives and the USPS Office of Inspector General began a check fraud investigation in January after two victims said two customer checks were not received.

The victims told detectives the businesses mailed checks as payment for

The

products purchased, but they were never received. They also reported the checks had been deposited into unknown accounts.

Detectives obtained and submitted certified subpoenas for bank records to begin their investigation, finding that 75 checks totaling $70,109.28 were fraudulently deposited, including approximately 60 victim complaints.

Detectives believe the crimes occurred between May 2022 and April 2023.

During the investigation, managers or accountants of 13 companies said checks were fraudulently deposited into Ossombi’s account.

All 13 said they mailed checks through USPS, which were either picked up by a carrier or dropped off at one of three locations in Sarasota. Detectives confirmed Ossombi worked at all three locations during her employment.

Detectives believe there may be more victims in this case. Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Jessica Sullivan at 941-263-6076 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 941-366-TIPS or online at SarasotaCrimeStoppers. com.

SATURDAY, APRIL 15

CALLER CAUSING TROUBLE

1:58 a.m., 700 block of South Osprey Avenue

Disturbance: An officer dispatched to a residence about a possible battery determined the case to be a domestic dispute with no crime committed.

An anonymous caller reported the incident, advising the man had been battered by his girlfriend at the location. The man stated he did have an argument with the girlfriend while on the phone with his ex-wife, but that the altercation was not physical in nature.

The officer observed the man had no evidence of injury, and when asked to speak in private maintained consistency in his claim no battery had occurred, adding his ex-wife calls frequently to cause problems. The officer reported he has been at the location multiple times after someone called to report something that had not happened. The officer said he would document the incident, and no further action was taken.

SUNDAY, APRIL 16

HE CAN’T LET HER GO

1:44 p.m., 2000 block of Adams Lane

Harassment: A woman arrived at SPD headquarters to report harassment of her daughter by her ex-boyfriend. The boyfriend had become very controlling, at which time her daughter ended the relationship, but ever since, he has been texting her and calling her vulgar names. The girl has blocked his number and has not responded to any of the messages, but he

continued texting her from random phones and threatened to have his friends fight her at school.

The officer advised the mother to contact the school resource officer and report the threat and also provided information about how to obtain an injunction against the boy. The mother said she would follow up with police if there were any further issues.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19

PHANTOM FUEL

9:04 p.m., 1500 block of 28th Street

Dispute: A woman said an argument with her ex-boyfriend over letting her 12-year-old son leave the house unaccompanied led to a threat by the man to burn her house down. When she left the home to look for her son, she said the man picked up an empty gas can and pretended to be pouring gas on the house. He then fled the scene on foot after the woman said she would call police.

The woman said this was not the first time the man has tried to “light her house on fire.” They are not in a dating relationship and do not share any children. The woman gave officers permission to clear the house, and they did not find the man inside. There was no evidence of gas poured on the house and the gas can was empty. The woman was advised to call law enforcement if the man returns.

Mote awarded $7 million for coral reef restoration

Efforts will be focused on 10 reef sites throughout the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

LAUREN TRONSTAD STAFF WRITER

Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium recently received nearly $7 million from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The grant will cover a four-year, multifaceted project focused on implementing a holistically transformative coral reef restoration initiative at 10 reef sites along Florida’s Coral Reef, just offshore of the Florida Keys Archipelago, according to a news release from Mote.

The initiative, which will be led by Mote’s Coral Reef Restoration Research Program Manager Jason Spadaro, is seeking to expand the laboratory’s capacity to continue making strides toward restoring coral reef habitats.

“Coral reef restoration is still essentially in its infancy, but we believe that this project and the ambitious objectives we have set represent a science-based and scalable pathway to transformative and, more importantly, lasting landscape scale function restora-

tion of the most biodiversity and socio-economically valuable habitat and natural resource in Florida,” Spadaro said in the release. Living coral cover, the proportion of the reef covered in living coral, on Florida’s Coral Reef is currently between 1% and 5%. The number is dramatically less than about 40 years ago, when coverage was more than 30%.

“Over the last decade, Mote has been a leader in changing the paradigm for coral restoration science in Florida and around the world,” Michael Crosby, Mote’s president and CEO said in the release. With the $7 million Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal

Resilience Award, Mote has committed to begin the coral reef restoration efforts immediately at 10 coral reef sites in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Mote scientists have set four major objectives that include:

n Commence or expand restoration efforts at all 10 reef sites.

n This effort’s plans include the production and outplanting of 242,000 coral fragments and 34,000 Caribbean king crabs over the four-year period.

n Scale Mote’s restoration efforts and effect by iteratively increasing cost efficiency in production and outplanting operations: This includes developing and using new science-based methods, materials and workflows to inform, guide and enhance efforts.

n Increase production and implementation of Caribbean king crabs to facilitate restoration success: The crabs are large native reef herbivores, but are currently not present in high enough numbers to keep algae in reefs under control.

n Apply science-based methods to ensure a genetically diverse and resilient restored coral reef community: Mote scientists will apply components of their workflow to guide production of corals that have demonstrated resilience to known stressors such as disease and climate change.

Courtesy photo Staghorn coral outplants at Eastern Dry Rocks reef in Florida’s Lower Keys.

Fast Break

The Baltimore Orioles have begun their extended spring training slate of games at Ed Smith Stadium. The games are typically for minor league players waiting for shortseason leagues to begin or, in certain cases, players coming back from injury. The games are open to the public and admission is free. The team’s next two home games will be at noon on April 28 against Pittsburgh and at noon May 1 against Tampa. For a full extended spring training schedule, visit MLB.com.

... The Cardinal Mooney High beach volleyball team captured its second-straight Sunshine State Athletic Conference state title April 22 in Orlando. The Cougars swept Bradenton Christian 3-0 in the tournament’s championship game.

... On April 19, four Cardinal Mooney High athletes officially signed with colleges: football players Jack MacKinnon (University of Michigan) and JR Rosenberg (Texas A&M University), runner Kate Ruona (Florida State University) and boys lacrosse player Sean Laureano (Rollins College).

... That same day, 12 players from Riverview High signed with colleges: girls basketball players Jaida Cunningham (University of Hartford), Krystal Montas (Oberlin College) and Sami Slusarek (Nyack College); boys track and field athlete Jaydon Tarohocker (Nebraska Wesleyan University); girls track and field athlete Haley Carlin (Beloit College); boys swimmer Bergen Leach (Gardner Webb University); girls tennis player Maggie Barnett (University of Northwest Ohio); football kicker Stone Springman (University of Miami); and football players Scoota Trotman Damarcus Abner Donta Abner and Deshaun Olave, who are all headed to Lake Erie College.

... Nathan Benderson Park will host its next Learn to Row event on May 14-15, starting at 9 a.m. each day. The eight-hour course (four hours each day) will provide you with the skill set to safely row a single scull. Registration is $200. For more information or to register, visit NathanBendersonPark. org.

A shot in the arm

It wasn’t. Instead, the first-inning line drive from a visiting batter, Port Charlotte High junior Landon Carter, struck Sarasota High’s Crump on his pitching arm.

thoughts of him exiting. Crump admitted that his arm will likely be sore for a few days, but the decision to stay on the mound paid off for the Sailors. Crump struck out the next Pirates batter to end the inning, then threw six more shutout innings for a complete game and a 1-0 win. Crump finished with four strikeouts, allowing four hits and one walk.

The game brought the Sailors’ record to 17-7 and lowered Crump’s season ERA to 0.87 over 56.1 innings. His emergence is a main reason for the team’s success. It was unexpected entering the season, at least to this extent. Crump pitched just 15 innings a season ago with a 2.33 ERA. Mulhollen said the leap Crump made in less than a year has been remarkable.

“It’s his mound presence, his confidence,” Mulhollen said. “He just wants the ball. He loves competing and he’s a great teammate. It’s unbelievable.”

RYAN KOHN SPORTS EDITOR

On April 24, pitcher Tanner Crump saw the white flash of a baseball rocketing toward him.

There was nothing he could do but turn and hope for the best.

“I thought it was coming for my face,” Crump said.

Crump’s first reaction was to shake out his arm. His second reaction, upon seeing the ball drop to the ground, was to try for the out at first base. There was no chance, and ultimately no throw, but the instinct to try was a sign of Crump’s desire to win before anything else.

After a mound visit from Sailors coach Greg Mulhollen and a few test pitches, Crump stayed in the game. Mulhollen said after the game that Crump immediately shut down any

Crump said generally putting in more work this season has helped his confidence. He’s also trusting his defense to make plays more than he has in the past, he said. That trust allows Crump to focus on throwing strikes, knowing that if a batter happens to get a good swing on a fastball or slider in the zone, his teammates will clean it up. It’s a formula plain to see in Crump’s stats: Crump has allowed just one more walk (eight) than he has earned runs (seven).

As of April 25, the Sailors have one regular season game left — an April 26 game against Riverview High — before the postseason begins. Mulhollen said there are still things he’d like to see improve, like being more aggressive at the plate, particularly with two strikes. But the team keeps winning regardless. Against Port Charlotte, an RBI single from Rocco Depastino in the fourth inning was all the run support Crump needed. Sarasota’s other pitchers have performed well, too. The Sailors have a team ERA of 1.85.

With district tournaments approaching, Mulhollen knows his team cannot afford a drop in play.

“It’s about getting hot at this time of year,” Mulhollen said. “Our district is tough. There are a lot of good teams. We’ll see what seed we’re at, but (regardless) it’s still about pitching, hitting and playing good defense.”

District tournament play begins May 1. For full postseason schedules, check the FHSAA playoff brackets on MaxPreps.com.

n The other three area baseball programs — Riverview High (8-15), Cardinal Mooney High (6-16) and Booker High (5-13) — have struggled to find consistency in 2023, but a hot streak at district tournament time is all it takes to turn around a season. As of April 25, Mooney has won three games in a row and held opponents to 2.6 runs per game during that stretch. The emergence of sophomore Aidan McDonald has helped. McDonald is hitting .338 at the plate and holds a 4.07 ERA as a pitcher, but has allowed just one run over his last three appearances.

n On the softball diamond, it is again Sarasota High leading the way. The Sailors sit with a 17-4 record and beat two-time defending state champion Lakewood Ranch High 5-4 in nine innings April 20. Like their baseball counterparts, the Sailors have received great pitching; senior Ryleigh Bennett holds a 1.38 ERA over 121.2 innings. At the plate, the Sailors have two regulars, sophomore Sommer Speers and freshman Gianna Williams, with batting averages over .450.

n Like in baseball, the rest of the softball teams have had a difficult 2023. Riverview (4-14), Cardinal Mooney (4-7) and Booker (1-13) will not be the favorites in their district tournaments, but anything can happen in the postseason. Cougars junior Madison Duncan will likely put on a show regardless; as of April 19, Duncan was hitting .700 on the season.

“When you’re down one run and you’re up and you get that winning hit. Boom! Everyone goes crazy and loves you. I love that stuff.”

— Sarasota High’s Rocco DePastino SEE PAGE 18

Courtesy photo

Baltimore Orioles pitcher

Kyle Gibson

‘Workhorse’ pitcher gives Sarasota baseball team a lift as playoffs approach.

A LOOK AT THE SARASOTA-AREA BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL LANDSCAPE

Tanner Crump threw a complete-game shutout against Port Charlotte High on April 24.

Sailors senior pitcher Tanner Crump holds a 0.87 ERA as of April 25.

Photos by Ryan Kohn Tanner Crump fields a bunt attempt against Port Charlotte High on April 24.

THE ROAD TO REVENGE

The Cougars’ potential next two opponents in the regional playoffs beat them in the regular season. They want to strike back.

The Cardinal Mooney boys lacrosse team is right where it wants to be as the sport’s playoffs rise in intensity: The team has the chance to right two regular-season mistakes.

The Cougars (12-6) have reached the Florida High School Athletic Association regional semifinals in Class 1A. It has been another strong year for Mooney under head coach Derek Wagner, as it usually is, despite playing one of the hardest schedules in the state, as the Cougars usually do. It’s why going purely by wins and losses is a poor way to judge the team’s performance, even though the club’s win-loss

record is strong.

The Cougars feel like they are a team to be feared, especially if they play their best. It’s why the games where they did not play their best — and paid the price for it — stick in the team’s teeth like movie theater popcorn.

One such game was March 21 against the Community School of Naples (15-3). The Cougars felt like they were the better team, but they didn’t play like it and let the Seahawks steal a 10-6 win at Mooney’s home field. On April 26, the Cougars will get a shot at revenge when they travel to CSN for the right to advance to the regional finals.

But that’s not where revenge road comes to an end. Should Mooney get past CSN, they’ll likely head to play No. 1 seed Tampa Jesuit (15-3) on April 29 for a spot in the state final four. Jesuit also beat the Cougars on Mooney’s home field this season, 15-13.

“This is the way we set it up,” Wagner said. “Now we have the potential to beat both of those teams at their place after they did it to us. Hopefully we can return the favor.”

The Cougars are confident it can be done — but there’s an emphasis on “can.” Mooney will have to go out and prove how much it has improved by playing its difficult schedule. Overconfidence is how losses happen, after all. With CSN in particular, there’s much Wagner knows it can improve on from the first go-round.

“Nothing went right,” Wagner said. “Offensively, defensively. There were a lot of unforced errors. We just couldn’t execute, couldn’t move the ball. It was just a general off day, and the guys know that.”

Players had various ideas on what they wanted to emphasize in the rematch. Junior Carter Westendorf said the team has to be more aggressive in transition. Junior defenseman RJ Salser said he and his defensemen teammates can play the Seahawks’ attackers tighter and force more mistakes. Sophomore midfielder Logan Alexander said the team has to hold its focus for the entire game.

“Honestly, I think we’re the better team,” Alexander said. “We just have to play for four quarters.”

They may be right. Not only do the Cougars have talent throughout their starting lineup, plus top-end scorers like senior Sean Laureano, who signed with Rollins College April 19, but Mooney will return a key defensive piece in sophomore Jason Morales, who missed the past three weeks with an injury.

As tempting as it is, it’s important for the Cougars to not look ahead too much. Tampa Jesuit is a perennial state title contender and reached the final four a season ago; getting another shot at the Tigers, after playing them so close in the regular season, is the stuff of dreams. But Wagner said part of his job this time of year is to limit those thoughts as much as he can. The most important game is the one next on the schedule, after all. Wagner said he does like that the

two potential rematches are so close together, as it makes carrying over the fire from one game to the next easier.

On April 25, the team was loose at practice. During stretches, the players joked around and made fun of each other for various things, as teammates often do. If I hadn’t known different, I would have thought it was the beginning of the season. Even though the playoffs are about to reach maximum intensity, the Cougars were acting like it was just another day. That’s a positive sign in terms of the team’s mindset. Salser said the team plays best when it is loose and likes to have some fun during games as well as practice. That was something showcased in the team’s 19-6 regional quarterfinal win over Saint Stephen’s Episcopal, when junior goaltender Jacob Brown raced down the field and scored a goal after bugging Wagner about getting the chance to net one all season.

The Cougars won’t change who they are now. Wagner won’t change his message to his team, either. He reminds them of what happens if they happen to lose a game, any game, from here on out: They’ll stand on the sideline in tears because it’s over. Just one team in each class gets to avoid that feeling.

Mooney wants it to be the Cougars, and it all begins with CSN.

“This is what we play for,” Wagner said. “This is what we practice for. I have full confidence in everything we have put in place, as well as they way these kids execute.

If we play our game, I have no doubt we’ll be able to take care of business.”

For results from Mooney boys lacrosse’s playoff games, visit YourObserver.com.

Tomatoes, Red Onion, Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Sour Cream Includes Salad Bar

PROSE AND KOHN RYAN KOHN

Junior RJ Salser, junior Carter Westendorf and sophomore Logan Alexander are key players for the Cougars.

Photos by Ryan Kohn

Cardinal Mooney senior Sean Laureano (1) looks for a teammate against Riverview.

Getting closer to planet Earth

For Tracie Troxler, the close connection between the recreational areas and bay waters at The Bay Park highlighted the importance of composting, which she was there to teach on Earth Day on April 22.

“What happens to the soil happens to the water,” said Troxler. “What happens to the water happens to the people. So it’s a good partnership, because people can really see that.”

The founder and executive director of Sunshine Community Compost, Troxler wasn’t the only one there to educate the public and celebrate the planet at Earth Day at The Bay.

The city of Sarasota decided to host its annual environmental fest at the park, marking the park’s first Earth Day celebration following its opening in October 2022.

The park also partnered with Remake Learning to offer educational activities, including scavenger hunts, a science station and free kayak sessions through Ride & Paddle.

EARTH DAY CELEBRATION

TABLING EVENT

Frances Bermudez, an activation and program manager with The Bay Park Conservancy, said the park — a place designed to preserve the natural mangrove environment — was the perfect location to host an event for Earth Day.

“Everything that The Bay is doing is really about honoring the Earth and restoring it back to what the Earth should be, and would be, if we hadn’t interfered,” she said.

Jeff Vredenburg, sustainability coordinator with the city of Sarasota, said this was the same reason the city was hosting the event at the park; previously it had been held at other locations, including most recently at Selby Five Points Park.

He also said scheduling the occasion on a Saturday rather than a Friday was intended to draw a wider crowd.

The event brought together several organizations focused on various aspects of the environment.

Sustainable food samples were shared by Transition Sarasota, information and activities related to vertical oyster gardens from Sarasota Bay Estuary Program were offered along with a University of Florida Innovation Station craft workshop

ABOUT SUNCOAST REMAKE LEARNING DAYS

designed to promote an interest in engineering.

The partnerships did not end at the city level; the park also announced that during International Compost ing Awareness Week from May 7-15, it would begin hosting a public com posting station by Sunshine Com munity Compost.

SUNCOAST REMAKE LEARNING DAYS

To help provide activities, the park partnered with Remake Learning Days, which facilitated stations and activities staffed by different community organizations and companies.

Offerings included distri bution of seed planting kits by First 1,000 Days, a scavenger hunt by Run SRQ, free kayak rides by Ride & Paddle, and a table by Sidewalk Sci ence Center.

Alex Martin of Sidewalk Science Center said the activities helped kids connect with the nature they

Spanning Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties, Suncoast Remake Learning Days is a festival of free events for children and families, held at multiple sites from April 21-30 and funded by The Patterson Foundation. Events are categorized by themes that include the arts, outdoor learning, science,

might observe in the park, including animals that can be seen there, and even the sunlight illuminating

The previous week, Martin said, the sun had released a large solar flare that impacted Earth, while a telescope he provided allowed viewers to see the sunspot that had produced the flare.

FREE EXPLORATION

Craig Clevenger, the lead kayak guide for Ride & Paddle, said the free 30-minute tandem kayak rides would spark further interest in kayaking.

Some, he said, are not willing to pay for a rental, while others may not be able to find a space in the company’s free guided tours each Saturday, which are booked out far in advance.

He said due to the removal of mangroves to develop the coastline, places like The Bay are a rarity in the city.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

Family activities and tables at The Bay Park were designed to encourage appreciation of the environment.

Photos by Ian Swaby Board Treasurer Darryl McCullough, and Board President Diane Desenberg, of Transition Sarasota

Two-year-old Zakylee Elliott, 3-year-old Zynylah Elliott, 5-year-old Nikolas Cotirla, 8-year-old Ava Colindres, and 5-year-old Nikolas Cotirla learn about composting at the Sunshine Community Compost station.

Tracie Troxler of Sunshine Community Compost demonstrates the difference between the landfill and composting through the two containers she holds.

Christine Quigley, public outreach assistant for the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, holds a sample vertical oyster garden, which can offer a habitat for crabs, sponges and other species.

27 TO WEDNESDAY, MAY 3 VIVA LATINO! CELEBRATION AT THE BAY The Bay Park celebrates Latino culture through its regular events for one week, offering screenings of “In the Heights” and “Encanto,” a special edition of Bailando at The Bay! dancing, a performance by Local Honey at Sundays at The Bay, an extended Bailando at The Bay: Salsa! and more. All events are free. For dates, times, and information visit TheBaySarasota.org.

FRIDAY, APRIL 28

TO SUNDAY, APRIL 30

SARASOTA TATTOO EXPO

1 p.m.-10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday at Sarasota Municipal Auditorium, 801 N. Tamiami Trail. Join InkMasters for an event featuring live tattooing by over 100 award-winning tattoo artists from around the country. The event offers custom jewelry, temporary tattoos, food, and a free raffle. One-day tickets $20. $5 off for arrivals on Friday before 5 p.m. Three-day pass $35. For information visit SRQAuditorium.com.

SATURDAY, APRIL 29

SARASOTA COUNTY BIG TRUCK DAY

9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at CoolToday Park, 18800 W. Villages Parkway, Venice. Kids of all ages can experience more than 25 operational big trucks and heavy machines, receiving a close look at specialized locomotives in order to pull levers or honk horns from the driver’s seat. This event is free. For information visit CoolTodayPark.com.

VINTAGE DANCE NIGHT

7-7:45 p.m. (group lesson), 8 p.m. (dance performances), 8:15 p.m. (social dance night) at Art Avenue, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail. Participants will receive instruction in dance while also enjoying the night with snacks and wine. To purchase tickets visitEventBrite.com. Tickets $50. For information visit GalleryDance.com.

RHYTHM & RESONANCERHYTHMICSUBMERSION - A MEDITATIVE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

6:30-8 p.m. at Meditation, Sound, Mindfulness - A Wellness Com-

BEST BET

SUNDAY, APRIL 30

Courtesy photo

DEVERAUX KAISER CAR SHOW

9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Robarts Arena, 3000 Ringling Blvd. The 52nd annual Deveraux Kaiser Car Show will feature food trucks, vendors, a beer tent and a raffle. Hosted by the Sarasota Firefighters Benevolent Fund, which assists local firefighters and their families in times of crisis, it includes a variety of collector cars, all of them at least 25 years old. $5 donation requested. Kids under 10 are free. Free entry for show vehicles. Car Corral $25. For information visit DKCarShow.com.

munity, 7208 S. Tamiami Trail. Enjoy a unique, 90-minute intimate, live, improvised guided journey of meditation and deep restoration. Through drumming and rhythm, Erik provides a transformative, rhythmic atmosphere of deep relaxation, that invites you to seek guidance from your “higher self.” Tickets $65. For information visit Facebook.com/ PositiveRePercussions.

SUNDAY, APRIL 30

DRAG QUEEN BINGO

7:30-9 p.m. at Bahi Hut, 4675 N. Tamiami Trail. A fun and fabulous way to start the week with an evening of laughter, music and, of course, bingo. Tourists and locals alike come together for this local event each Sunday, where anything goes and everyone is welcome. With Georgia Moore at the helm, you can expect a night of hilarious banter, sassy remarks and some unexpected surprises. This event is free. For information visit EventVesta.com.

The courage to help

larger community, outside the scope of his military duties, was something that needed to be recognized.

ABOUT UNITED SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

On the afternoon of Aug. 18, 2022, Navy Seaman Ty Knight had little idea he was about to help save a life. Yet when the moment came, it felt like instinct for him to leap into action.

“I felt an adrenaline rush. I just pumped up,” Knight said.

A native of Old Miakka and a Navy petty officer third class pursuing a master’s degree in information systems from the University of Maryland, Knight was honored with the Sailor of the Year award at the United Service Organizations Service Member of the Year awards on March 23.

Hosted at The Anthem auditorium in Washington, D.C., the awards dinner was the 41st annual occurrence of the event, which hosts government and military leaders, members of Congress and community leaders.

“At first, I was kind of shocked by it,” Knight said. “At first, you don’t think you really earned it or deserved it because you just did what you were trained to do.”

Knight said he came to realize that using that training in service of the

The incident began as Knight was exiting an eye care store, with a new pair of glasses, just a few minutes away from Norfolk Naval Station, Virginia, where he is based. When he heard an unexpected sound, his first thought was of fireworks being set off.

As the bangs sounded across the parking lot, he began to realize what it actually was — gunfire — coming from an intersection about 200 feet away.

He quickly took cover inside his car. He looked through the back window and saw the shooter drive away. Then Knight exited the vehicle. At that moment, he saw a senior member of the Navy standing outside a Chipotle next to the eye care office.

“All of a sudden, he looked at me with — I call it military glare — like, you’re going to go help?” Knight said.

The two men ran to the scene, arriving there 40-60 seconds after the shooting.

“It wasn’t hard for me to go from watching to helping,” he said. “If somebody’s in need of help and I’m able to do something, why not do something? I’m not the person to just stand by and watch.”

When Knight reached the scene, he felt a moment of shock. There was a pileup of three cars in the intersection, as a wounded driver had lost control of a car. A scream coming from a young child in one of the cars jolted Knight back to clarity.

The senior service member checked the driver’s pulse while Knight looked for signs of breathing, but it was too late. The driver had died.

At that point, a third service member ran to the scene, informing them that a passenger from the car had fled to a bookstore. After Knight and that service member sprinted to the store, they found the victim lying on a couch inside the front door.

The 17-year-old had gunshot wounds in his lower left arm below the elbow and in his upper abdomen below the ribs. They applied a tour-

SIMPLY THE BEST

“Anne Friedland knows her business inside and out and has great follow through! Anne and her staff managed to do the impossible and calm my panic at the complexity of the purchasing and selling of properties! The amount of paperwork and foresight needed to process the properties through the system is incredible and these ladies were able to do this with panache!! Kudos for jobs well done!!”

niquet to the arm and pressure to the abdominal wound. They talked to the victim and asked him about the incident to prevent him from going into shock.

Knight remained at the scene until EMTs arrived. He later saw on the local TV news that the individual, whom he said was initially reported to be in critical condition, had survived.

On March 23, as Knight took the stage at The Anthem auditorium in Washington, D.C., he believed his fiancee, Kathryn Hill, could tell how nervous he felt on stage.

“My heart was pumping so hard,” he said. He was being introduced to the

United Service Organizations is a congressionally chartered nonprofit corporation and the nation’s leading organization serving members of the U.S. military and their families. Founded in 1941, it includes more than 250 centers, which span every continent, and supports service members through programs for them and their families, live entertainment and virtual programming.

Each year, honorees from different military branches are nominated by their command leadership for performing extraordinary acts of bravery deemed to exemplify the values of the Armed Forces and the USO.

For more information, visit USO.org.

crowd by Admiral Lisa Franchetti, vice chief of naval operations. The trip was transformative for him in that it showed him the true value of his training.

“I’ve learned that all of the training I go through every day means something,” he said. “When you learn something, you think you’re never going to use it sometimes. That’s how it feels. It’s definitely helpful for me, to see why it’s useful.”

Knight said he will take the experience with him as he moves forward. Currently responsible for cryptologic technician collections, after he obtains his master’s degree in information systems, he plans to apply for Officer Candidate School and then be stationed in Tampa one day. But wherever his career takes him, he will always have a new understanding he can offer.

“It’s very cool to me to be able to say, ‘Trust me, this is useful stuff. You may have to use this one day, whether it be at work, or out in public.’”

— Jo, Bradenton

Old Miakka native uses military training to aid gunshot victim.

Seaman Ty Knight, comedian Drew Carey and singer-songwriter Lee Greenwood

Courtesy photos

Seaman Ty Knight

75 years of community

Ray Garriott said he first attended Trinity United Methodist Church in 1955 with his aunt, Ruth Payne, after he left the Air Force and was staying in Sarasota.

At the time, the church was on a property along Bee Ridge Road instead of South Shade Avenue, where it is now located.

He said that meeting his wife Joanna Garriott, who died in 2022, during his second visit there, is part of its importance to him. He also praised the congregation itself.

“It’s always been very friendly,” he said, stating members were always sure to check up on others to make sure they were OK

On Sunday, April 23, the long history at Trinity United Methodist was highly visible, with a large

timeline stretching across its Heritage Hall as part of the church’s 75th anniversary celebration.

The occasion included a worship service with music by X-Claim!

Praise Band and also hosted the Rev. Deborah Allen, southwest district superintendent for the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, followed by lunch from Sonny’s BBQ and a bounce house for kids.

Linda Tice, senior pastor at the church, said what has made the church so enduring is a sense of its members as one large family She said that she is more excited about the future rather than looking back.

“We’re excited about the next 75 years,” said Tice.

— IAN SWABY

The Rev. Linda Tice, senior pastor at Trinity; the Rev. Deborah Allen, southwest district superintendent for the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church; the Rev. Beth Bostrom, regional team leader for the conference’s Disaster Recovery Ministry; and Lisa and the Rev. Jerry Milner, a former Trinity reverend

Photos by Ian Swaby

Becki Creighton and Ian Bland look over photos from the church’s past.

Janene Young, who now lives in Ocala but calls Trinity her “church home,” joined the church in 1987 and attended with her husband, Mitch Young, alongside whom she participated in the church’s choir and praise band before his death in 2010.

Alexandra Wolf and 4-year-old Daniela Sanchez-Wolf

Diane Freestone gives out food to Jerry Ralston, 2-year-old Abbey Haddow, Melissa Haddow and 4-year-old Maya Haddow.

Golden Gate Point home sells for $3.5 million

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Ahome in Golden Gate Point tops all transactions in this week’s real estate.

531 Golden Gate Point LLC sold the home at 531 Golden Gate Point to Richard Clark, of Alpharetta, Georgia, for $3.5 million.

Built in 1945, it has four bedrooms, four baths and 2,058 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.25 million in 2022.

SARASOTA HUDSON POINTE DRIVE

Carl and Liza Caruso, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the home at 1640 Hudson Pointe Drive to Rachel McAree, trustee, of Sarasota, for $3.49 million. Built in 2003, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,361 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.95 million in 2018.

DESOTA PARK

Betsy Jane Robb, trustee, of Lakeland, sold the home at 1938 Hibiscus St. to Chad Hoover and Beverly Hoover, trustees, of Sarasota, for $2.95 million. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, three-andtwo-half baths, a pool and 3,729 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,725,000 in 2019.

THE SAVOY ON PALM

Jane Baisley, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 401 condominium at 401 S. Palm Ave. to Lewis and Susan Winarsky, of Sarasota, for $2,449,900. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 3,172 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,113,300 in 2006.

SHORELINE TD Nova Builds LLC sold the home at 2456 Missara Lane to Adam Heeter, trustee, of Sarasota, for $2.17 million. Built in 2022, it has four bedrooms, four-and-two-half baths, a pool and 3,224 square feet of living area.

BAY PLAZA

Wayne Hughes and Linda Schroeder Hughes, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 708 condominium at 1255 N. Gulfstream Ave. to Jerome Apt III and Carolyn Hess Abraham, of Pittsburgh, for $2,075,000. Built in 1982, it has two bedrooms, two

baths and 2,055 square feet of living area. It sold for $950,000 in 2017.

GRANADA Florida Almeria Avenue LLC sold the home at 3538 Almeria Ave. to Jack Chi Lin and Sherri Lynn Eure, of Nokomis, for $2,067,500. Built in 2008, it has three bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,608 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.1 million in 2020.

BURNS COURT VILLAS

Rupert Lee Willis and Kathryn Anne Willis, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 3 condominium at 1532 Selby Lane to Margaret Eldred, trustee, of Swanton, Ohio, for $1,575,000. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,052 square feet of living area. It sold for $855,000 in 2018.

EMBASSY HOUSE

Geovanna Lim, trustee, of New York City, sold the Unit 1704 condominium at 770 S. Palm Ave. to 770 S. Palm Ave. Apt. 1201 LLC for $1.49 million. Built in 1975, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,408 square feet of living area. It sold for $735,000 in 2020.

PINE BAY

Richard Kemmler and Nicolas Carpluk, of Sarasota, sold their home at 1420 Pine Bay Drive to Andrew Siegal, of Sarasota, for $1,376,000. Built in 1971, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,270 square feet of living area. It sold for $599,000 in 2007.

HANSEN

Andrew Siegal, of Sarasota, sold the home at 1617 Quail Drive to Herbert Dickinson II and Linda Roe Dickinson, of Siesta Key, for $1.2 million. Built in 1973, it has three bedrooms,

TOP BUILDING PERMITS

dollar amounts.

Other top sales by area

SIESTA KEY: $1,599,000

Siesta Town House

James Troy Roberts and Nanci Anne Roberts, of Sarasota, sold their Units 207 and 208 condominiums at 4532 Ocean Blvd. to Lisaerod LLC for $1,599,000. Built in 1963, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,448 square feet of living area. It sold for $750,000 in 2016.

PALMER RANCH: $1.2 MILLION

Hammock Preserve

two baths and 2,237 square feet of living area. It sold for $103,000 in 1988.

RENAISSANCE

Sergio Ayo, of San Diego, sold his Unit 1501 condominium at 750 N. Tamiami Trail to Wendy Lynn Troeger, of Sarasota, for $900,000. Built in 2001, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,405 square feet of living area. It sold for $530,000 in 2015.

Bruce Laishley and Jane Mascola, of Sarasota, sold their home at 12403 Marsh Pointe Drive to Mark and Kristine Tikson, of Sarasota, for $1.2 million. Built in 2020, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,697 square feet of living area. It sold for $990,000 in 2022.

OSPREY: $1.05 MILLION

Sorrento Shores

Harry Robert Falk, of Osprey, sold his home at 222 Van Gogh Drive to Anthony DeLoach, of Osprey, for $1.05 million. Built in 1980, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,221 square feet of living area. It sold for $205,000 in 1989.

NOKOMIS: $549,000

Lakeview Drive

Karla Tracy, of Nokomis, sold her home at 118 Lakeview Drive to Izabel Dymora and Marck Kalinowski, of Palos Hills, Illinois, for $549,000. Built in 1996, it has three bedrooms and two baths. It sold for $227,000 in 2002.

Ian Swaby

This home at 531 Golden Gate Point tops all transactions in this week’s real estate at $3.5 million. Built in 1945, it has four bedrooms, four baths and 2,058 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.25 million in 2022.

WHERE TO FIND IT

Locations in Sarasota currently

serving Three Chord Bourbon:

n Cask & Ale 1548 Main St.

n Van Wezel Performing Arts

Hall 777 N. Tamiami Trail

n Azul Steak and Sushi

Lounge 1296 1st St.

n Element 1413 Main St.

For information visit ThreeChordBourbon.com.

everybody said, ‘Why can’t you just do a vodka? It’s real easy. Why can’t you just do a tequila? It’s real easy.’ I said, ‘Because I want one of the most difficult ones,’” explained Giraldo.

Giraldo hasn’t forgotten the sense of gratitude his father, Anthony Giraldo, taught him. When he was 13, Anthony Giraldo, a carpenter, brought home a used piano from a home he had been working on, making it possible for Neil Giraldo to learn to play the instrument.

Hitting the right chords

IAN

Musician Neil Giraldo said his desire to create a bourbon whiskey line didn’t come just from his Italian heritage and memories of his grandfather placing grappa in his coffee in the mornings and making whiskey in the evenings.

Giraldo said he was looking for a challenge even after a decadeslong music career that led to his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022 alongside his wife since 1982, Pat Benatar.

So Giraldo traveled the country and assembled a team, establishing

Three Chord Bourbon in 2016. He now serves as chair of the board for the New York-based company whose products are sold in 37 states and are now entering Sarasota’s market. The brand’s introduction to

Sarasota kicked off with a party at Cask & Ale on April 24, which took place the same day as a concert by Giraldo and Benatar at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

“My business management and

Giraldo said he now wants to give back to struggling musicians. Only half of the project is about the whiskey, Giraldo said. The other half is the contributions to charity, with a portion of sales benefiting charities that aid musicians, such as Sweet Relief Musicians Fund and Songbird Foundation. Donations are made to other charities such as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“In music, everybody has dreams,” Giraldo said. “You want to be at Madison Square Garden, you want to be at all these things, but it doesn’t always happen that way to people. I was very lucky that it happened for me, and I want to give back to the musicians I grew up with.”

Giraldo’s challenge to himself appears to be paying off, with the whiskey receiving awards including Best in Show Overall at the 2018 Craft Distillers Spirits Competition and the gold award from the 2019 International Review of Spirits by Tastings.com.

“I don’t ever feel like it’s a competition, because I don’t do that with music either. In music, you can have a competitive edge, but you do appreciate other people’s great songs, just like you would appreci-

ate other people’s bourbon. It’s OK, there’s room for everybody.”

THE CREATIVE ART

The process of creating a bourbon hit isn’t so far removed from that of songwriting, Giraldo said.

Since 1979, Giraldo has served as Benatar’s producer and lead guitarist while penning some of the singersongwriter’s hits such as “We Live for Love” and “Promises in the Dark.” “It’s exactly the same,” he said. “In music, you have an idea that comes into your head, somewhere, somehow, and you end up writing the song. Then, after you finish writing it, you’ve got to perform the song. After you finish performing the song, you’ve got to mix the song. After you mix it, you’ve got to master the song. After you master it, you’ve got to put all these other elements together.”

Even Giraldo’s whiskey branding acknowledges its musical connection, from the name “Three Chord” to the creation process branded as “perfectly tuned taste.”

The Three Chord team sources high-quality whiskeys from Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana and North Carolina. Whiskey-maker Ari Sussman works with Giraldo on the flavor profile, with input from a tasting panel. Once the blends are aged, they undergo a finishing process where they are toasted in American Oak barrels heated to a precise temperature to release flavor and aroma compounds.

In addition to his whiskey venture, Giraldo is currently working on two books, as well as a screenplay for a composite film that honors struggling musicians. And he’s still writing songs, which he said he loves “probably more than anything.”

“It’s a blessing and curse for me, because my mind never stops looking and creating,” he said. “Everything is another song hiding somewhere, and it haunts me sometimes, too.”

He said ideas for songs come to him most easily when he isn’t thinking.

“I don’t know where they come from — no one can really understand or explain that. But they come when you’re not trying, you’re not focusing.  You’re actually not in the conscious, you’re in the subconscious … It happens when you’re driving a car, it happens when you’re in the shower, and they just come all day long.”

SWABY STAFF WRITER

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer

Neil Giraldo introduces his bourbon line to Sarasota.

Photos by Ian Swaby

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member Neil Giraldo created Three Chord bourbon.

Three Chord bourbon is now available in Sarasota.

By Luis Campos

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

“K’MH PHHX UHGRHO PW BTIN LZ SKXOXHNN ZCLA NICBXEHCN. IUBI’N

DUW DH’CH UHCH, BZIHC BGG, IL UHGR LIUHCN.” TBCLG PFCXHII

“ZNSUL XMA X UXMH SZ NPZA’L EACK

XCJ P’TA CATAM DAAC X VPMN HS EPLL SKH SC XCR SZ HOA ISKMLAL.”

MSLXNPCJ MKLLANN

“R CNDZZ R YGZ ANZV HDGTV VX WD G ZDKIDVGIO YSX BXDZT’V VGPD ZSXIVSGTB. R’H G UXNZO VOFRZV, VXX.” WGIWGIG SGUD ©

STATION IDENTIFICATION by Wendy L. Brandes and Hoang-Kim Vu, edited by Jeff Chen

Mitchell caught this photo of a lightning strike over Lido Beach.

RED PAGES

INFORMATION & RATES: 941-955-4888

redpages@yourobserver.com •yourobserver.com/redpages

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.

Help Wanted

DIRECTOR OF COST

ENGINEERING: Work w/external engineers & external product design team to ensure accuracy & ef ciency throughout entire product development phase to nalized product. Work w/external costing team to ensure highest pro t margin for the company & minimizing production costs, including Forex analysis, China labor costs, market commodity pricing. Manage cost saving processes on existing carry forward items to offset cost increases, including labor & material & packaging & transportation costs. Attend quarterly meetings with senior management of approximately10 external factories to review process improvement, automation cost savings, & long-term planning on future allocation of new business. Provide costing guidance to US design/marketing team. Oversee costing team’s pricing status in China. Ensure timely & accurate month/quarterend closing & reporting based on forecasts & actual costing & margin analysis. Oversee process documentation for product costing, inventory procurement & manufacturing activities. Develop team objectives & goals that are aligned w/company’s strategy & annual goals for pro tability. Work w/molding vendors & prototype suppliers of dolls, (including hair & eye parts), to keep tooling & model costs down.

4 years of exp as Senior Cost Manager (Toy and Game Manufacturing)- M-F- 8-4:30PM

Job loc Sarasota Fl – Send resume to: Kid nity Inc – Attn: Darryl Wizenberg (Co-President)

GARAGE SALE

Scan below for a full list of Open Houses, property details, driving directions and more