Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer 8.24.23

YOUR TOWN

High-density hotels nixed

Frightful auditory experience

Settled inside the loft at Bookstore1Sarasota the night of Aug. 18, many attendees had their eyes closed and their minds open as they mentally traveled through dark passageways and forbidding landscapes.

The bookstore hosted “The Gothic Library Presents ‘Uncharted Territories,’” a performance of live radio theater featuring the stories “Lot No. 249” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell.

Ren Pearson, artistic director of the ongoing series, said the idea arose from his desire to share his love of Gothic literature and radio theater. He said once the show begins, the audience is encouraged to simply close their eyes and listen.

“Two speakers, two mics, and a bevy of really talented actors make it work,” he said.

The real world

Earlier this month, Sarasota High School sophomore Jacki Bricker (above, left) got to explore the world of construction thanks to the Girls Inc. Eureka program.

The program empowers high school girls with mentorships and real-world experiences in STEM-related fields.

For this mentorship experience, Girls Inc. partnered with local architecture and construction companies including Jon F. Swift Construction, Kimley-Horn, Snell Engineering, and Sweet Sparkman Architecture and Interiors, so Bricker could make site visits and learn about industry software.

The Music Compound SRQ put students on stage for its Back to School Bash.

SEE PAGE 19

Ian Swaby

Three-year-old Cameron Benfer tries out a guitar at The Music Compound during its Back to School Bash

WEEK OF AUG. 24, 2023

BY THE NUMBERS

Siesta Key hotel opponent Lourdes Ramirez Read more on Page 5

Affordable housing workshops scheduled

A series of open house events are scheduled to provide information and receive input for a zoning text amendment to create four new mixed-use districts to incentivize attainable housing development along commercial corridors and in commercial centers.

The sessions are scheduled for:

■ North Sarasota — 5:30-7 p.m.,

Thursday, Aug. 24, Selby Public Library, Jack J. Geldbart Auditorium, 1331 First St.

■ East Sarasota — 5:30-7 p.m.,

Wednesday, Sept. 20, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3233, 124 S. Tuttle Ave.

■ South Sarasota — 5:30-7 p.m.,

Wednesday, Sept. 27, Arlington Park Gymnasium, 2650 Waldemere St.

The text amendments must be approved by the City Commission, which on Aug. 7 approved on first reading such amendments applicable to downtown.

Rezonings of specific areas are not being proposed at this time.

SCS Superintendent goes on listening tour

Superintendent of Sarasota County Schools Terry Connor is requesting the community’s feedback as he moves through Phase 1 of his 100day transition plan.

Grocer builds new distribution center

International Airport. The company currently operates a distribution center at 6272 McIntosh Road in Sarasota. Whether that center is being replaced is unclear, as is how many employees work at the current facility. A spokesperson said those employees will be offered the opportunity to work in the new facility.

The school district has announced the following listening tours, which will provide opportunities for Connor to gather input from the public and district employees.

SRQ Logistics Center, just north of Sarasota near the Sarasota-Bradenton

“Distribution is our core business, so when we build a new distribution center, we want to incorporate as much automation and technology as possible to

improve our ability to service our customers while simultaneously lowering our costs to do so,” said Erin Horvath, the company’s COO, in a news release.

UNFI is a grocery wholesaler that distributes products to more than 30,000 locations throughout North America. The warehouse will incorporate new technology and automation, including a repacking solution provided by logistics automation company Knapp that’s expected to reduce the cost to fill orders while improving service levels.

The school district has said attendees should bring a smartphone, as feedback will be collected using interactive software. Several laptops will be available for those without a web-enabled device.

Meetings in Sarasota are:

■ Tuesday, Aug. 29, Cafeteria at Booker High School, 3201 N. Orange Ave. Employee meeting, 5-6 p.m.; community meeting, 6-7 p.m.

■ Thursday, Aug. 31, Performing Arts Center at Riverview High School, 1 Ram Way. Employee meeting, 5-6 p.m.; community Meeting: 6-7 p.m.

■ Friday, Sept. 1. Virtual (details to come), 5:30-6:30 p.m.

“My main focus has been this one policy that said you cannot increase density and intensity out here on the barrier islands, and especially Siesta Key.”

Courtesy photo

UNFI, a grocery wholesaler, broke ground on a new distribution center in Sarasota.

Time to dine?

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

As the Bay Park Conservancy begins planning for the first anniversary of the opening of Phase 1 of The Bay, design work on the second phase of the $200 million effort to convert the city-owned 53 acres into a multifaceted city park is underway.

Last week, the BPC held a public workshop to present an update of its plans for the $65 million second phase and to receive public input.

In an estimated three years, the finished portions of The Bay will bookend the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall parking lot to the north and south, bridged by what it calls the Cultural District along Tamiami Trail and the multiuse recreational trail along the bayfront.

The workshop follows meetings hosted by the BPC with boater and food and beverage groups and precedes several more as plans are further refined for improvements along the 10th Street boat ramp canal; repurposing and refreshing buildings and open space fronting Tamiami Trail, including Sarasota Municipal Auditorium; construction of the Sunset Pier at the western end of Phase 1; and fortifying the seawall on the bay.

What will likely be missing in Phase 2 are restaurants that were conceptualized, but following City Commission direction and further input from the public and working groups, they may move to Phase 3.

“We have been planning for over a year on funding for Phase 2, which is $65 million,” Bill Waddill, the BPC’s chief operating officer, told the Observer after the workshop. “About two-thirds of it is a $48 million bond with city and county tax dollars, and so that’s in the trust fund. The other one-third of the funding is through seven local state and federal grants.”

The capital cost of The Bay is evenly divided between city and county funding through a tax increment finance district on downtown property in the vicinity of the park and through philanthropy. Operations expenses will largely be the responsibility of the BPC, which is why revenue-generating aspects of the second and third phases are critical.

In addition to expanding the boat ramps on the north side of the canal, day docks are planned on the south side, providing boater access to what is envisioned as restaurant, retail and concession operations there as well as in Centennial Park, the 11 acres north of the canal.

THE BAY PHASE 2

Estimated project costs for the second phase of The Bay.

Dockside/South Canal District: $15 million

Cultural District: $20 million

Sunset Pier: $15 million

Western Shoreline: $15 million Total: $65 million

U.S. 41/Tamiami Trail

“We’ve had a series of meetings with a food and beverage working group that’s helping us think about food and beverage offerings in Centennial Park,” Waddill told workshop attendees. “It’s always been a part of the master plan. That’s an important destination not only for our community, but it’s also an important revenue generator. We’re going to take 6% to 7% of the gross revenue of two or three restaurants in the district, and that revenue will be part of the funding for sustainable operating and maintenance revenue.”

COMPLEMENTARY USES

To help streamline planning for Phase 2, the BPC won City Commission approval to consolidate several zoning districts within The Bay into one, called the Bay Park Zone. Next is a zoning text amendment, which includes vacating the 10th Street right of way west of the roundabout at U.S. 41 to accommodate future rerouting of what is effectively the Van Wezel parking lot driveway for Phase 4.

“At the same time, we’re going through a process to update the master plan for the northern 11 acres where the boat ramp and the canal are,” Waddill said. “We’re in the middle of hosting six or seven working groups and public workshops to

get input on that. Then we’ll update the master plan on that 11 acres and recommend it to the City Commission for approval. Once the master plan is updated, that enables us to execute what the City Commission directs with an approved master plan in the streamlined manner that we’re getting approved as part of the comprehensive plan.”

The strategy for streaming, Waddill said, is to accelerate park development in the face of rapid inflation. He said the BPC hopes to enter Phase 3 development while Phase 2 is underway, if funding allows, to help curb rising costs.

“At 6% to 8% inflation on $60 million per phase, that’s real money,” Waddill said. “We’re trying to accelerate the pace at which we execute the phased implementation of the master plan.”

During previous meetings with the City Commission and Bay Park Improvement Board, which comprises city and county commissioners, the BPC said Phase 2 may include some permanent structures on the south side of the canal to accommodate small shops and concessions. Also included would be an area for food trucks and other portable vendors that could be removed in the event of major storms.

Waddill said those features may be

rolled into Phase 3 instead.

“The City Commission passed a resolution directing us to go back out to the community and update that Centennial Park portion of the park and include recommendations for brick-and-mortar restaurants, boating and anything else in that district,” Waddill said. “There was a bit of healthy discussion about how many restaurants and where they should go, and so the right thing to do is go back to the community, discuss and make sure we understand what the community wants and come back to the City Commission with recommendations based on that.”

That input includes those meetings with boaters and food and beverage groups. The input from those and others has prompted the BPC to pause planning for permanent structures on the south side of the canal in Phase 2.

“Amazingly, for a waterfront community, there’s so little access to waterfront restaurants and/or a place you can bring your boat up and come to a public park, so there’s a lot of demand there,” Waddill said. “We always hear, No. 1, people want to be by the water; and No. 2 or 3 is always get a bite to eat or grab a beverage or a to-go box and go sit in the park. We’re working through some of the details of how to integrate that with the boaters so both can be complimentary and make the northern district a great waterfront experience for everybody.”

The restaurant discussions have been somewhat polarizing among the governing bodies, particularly regarding size and location and whether they would restrict access to any portion of the bayfront in an otherwise free park. As a result of that input, the BPC is planning to propose smaller-scale eateries.

“The concept we’re working on is that these restaurants would be relatively small, in the 4,000- to 5,000-square-foot range,” Waddill said during the workshop. “Think about a small restaurant in a park like Tavern On The Green in Central Park or something like that. These are park-scale restaurants. Whether we do 3,000- or 4,000-square-foot restaurants in this area, this is four to five football fields of land, so we’ve got a lot of land to nestle in a few restaurants and then lots of public pathways and seating areas.”

Public workshop attendees learn that Phase 2 plans for the park may forego restaurants and that they will likely be smaller in size.

A rendering of the Canal District shows some structures in Phase 2 that are being reconsidered for Phase 3 as plans evolve.

File photo

As part of Phase 2 of The Bay, the boat ramps at Centennial Park will be expanded.

Courtesy renderings

The $20 million Cultural District in The Bay will retain iconic buildings along U.S. 41 and create green spaces.

Developers’ contributions to public art fund will double

As Sarasota continues to grow, so will its collection of public art.

By unanimous vote, the Sarasota City Commission on Monday approved in principal the Public Art Plan 2030 developed and proposed by senior planner and Public Art Manager Mary Davis Wallace, doubling the contribution to the fund by developers.

Currently, any new development in the city, including condominiums and apartment developments, costing $1 million or more requires a contribution of 0.5% of the construction cost. To sustain and grow the city’s public art collection, Wallace proposed doubling the fee to 1%.

In lieu of the fee, developers have the option of providing their own approved public art. The fee does not apply to developments that include affordable housing.

The city’s public art fund currently has a balance of approximately $150,000. As multiple projects are completed this year, that figure is expected to grow, a necessary investment if the city wants to continue to be a state cultural and arts leader, Wallace said.

“In the arts community, $150,000 doesn’t go very far anymore,” she said. “Just like the cost of construction has increased, $150,000 for a piece of art is not realistic. And it’s not necessarily sustainable.”

More than a dozen public speakers turned out in support of the sevenyear plan, which includes goals for growing the city’s collection and expanding it outside of downtown. In voicing her support, Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch noted the absence of opposition, particularly from those who will pay for it.

“A really good indication that it’s not that impactful on the developers is that there’s nobody here to speak against this, especially from the development community,” she said.

“I didn’t see one single email from any developer. I didn’t get anybody speaking against this, and it’s just my guess, but it’s probably because the development community sees the direct and established link between public art and driving economic growth.”

Keeping the developer contribution at 0.5%, said Planning Director Steven Cover, would turn the sevenyear plan into “a 20-year plan.”

“To increase it to a 1% contribution would really bring us back up to where other cities are right now,” Cover said. “Secondly, not one taxpayer dollar goes to public art. Public art is completely funded by private development.”

Cover reminded commissioners that Wallace, who brought a background in public art when she joined the city in 2021, volunteered to develop the plan rather than hiring an outside consultant.

“She said she could do a public art master plan in house and save the city $150,000 or more,” Cover said. “That’s in 2021 dollars, so it’s probably more than that now.”

Monday’s presentation was primarily intended to win commission approval of the increased funding for the program. City Manager Marlon Brown said some aspects of the plan still require additional commission consideration.

File photo

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

Court rules Siesta Key hotels violate density caps

The 1989 Comprehensive Plan trumps the 2021 approval of two hotel projects, according to Judge Hunter Carroll.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Siesta Key resident and former Sarasota County Commission candidate Lourdes Ramirez has scored another key legal victory in her effort to prevent two high-density hotels from being built on the barrier island.

In fall 2021, the Sarasota County Commission approved a new 170room hotel, the Calle Miramar, in Siesta Key Village on a 0.96-acre beachfront site and a second 120room hotel on 1.17 acres on the south end of the island at 1260 Old Stickney Point Road.

At the same time, the county changed the definition of hotels from a residential use to a nonresidential use, paving the way for approval. County staff advised the residential density cap of 26 residential units per acre no longer applied.

The proposed density of Calle Miramar is 177 units per acre. The Stickney Point hotel would be 102 units per acre.

On Monday, 12th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Hunter Carroll released his summary judgment, siding with Ramirez in a key ruling that, pending appeal, will prevent the hotels from being developed.

Ramirez’s case was specifically in opposition to the planned Calle Miramar in Siesta Village, but Carroll’s ruling applies to both. He wrote that the density and intensity of the projects violated the Sarasota County’s 1989 Comprehensive Plan, and amendments, definitions and future land use designations applied since are invalid.

First ruling that Ramirez had legal standing to request summary judgment, Carroll wrote, “The Court grants plaintiffs motion for summa-

ry judgment with respect to Future Land Use Policy 2.9.1. Plaintiff is entitled to a declaration that the development order is inconsistent with FLU Policy 2.9.1 of the county’s Comprehensive Plan. The county and intervenors’ summary judgment motions on this basis are denied.”

Subsequent motions for summary judgment by Ramirez were also denied, which include challenges to housing policy compatibility, public expenditures in high hazard areas, evacuation clearance time, protection of coastal resources, and environmental and transportation policies. Carroll ruled they “cannot be resolved on summary judgment due to the existence of disputed issues of fact.”

The county and the intervenors — the hotel developers — have the option of pursuing those matters, but Ramirez said the ruling applicable to the Comprehensive Plan density limits, providing it is upheld if appealed, will prevent the hotels from being built.

“My main focus has been this one policy that said you cannot increase density and intensity out here on the barrier islands, and especially Siesta Key,” Ramirez said. “That one is the grand prize. Everything else would be icing on the cake.”

“In coming to this conclusion, the Court rejects the county’s and intervenors’ position that the Comprehensive Plan placed no density limits at all for the development of hotels on Siesta Key,” Carroll wrote. “All textual and contextual clues of the applicable ordinances in effect as of March 13, 1989, reject that argument. The development order is inconsistent with FLU Policy 2.9.1 as to both density and intensity.”

Carroll denied Ramirez’s motion that the development violates Coastal Policy 1.2.3 or Future Land Use Policy 1.2.6 because those policies contain permissive terms such as “encourage” and “discourage” rather than mandatory terminology.

“The Court cannot address the other challenges due to the existence of disputed questions of fact,” he wrote.

Carroll wrote that the opposing parties must have a dialogue to determine whether they want the court to enter a final judgment invalidating the development order

relative to density and intensity or if they wish to adjudicate Ramirez’s remaining challenges. All parties have 30 days to respond to the court in writing.

Ramirez said she has yet to confer with her attorney on that matter.

“The important thing is to send the message to the county that Siesta Key has the highest residential density in all of Sarasota County, except for downtown Sarasota, and I really want to send a strong message that we don’t have the capacity out here,” she said. “We don’t have enough infrastructure to handle all these people, and that will hopefully preclude them from constantly going after trying to increase density out here.

“There are a lot of reasons why we shouldn’t have mega hotels. We can have hotels out here, but keep it reasonable. That would be the one reason why I would pursue it.”

The county attorney’s office declined to comment about the ongoing litigation.

Carroll’s ruling is the second legal victory this year for Ramirez. Administrative Law Judge Suzanne Van Wyck in April ruled that the county’s Comprehensive Plan “specifically discusses the barrier islands as an area of special concern,” acknowledging the “problems associated with development on the barrier islands,” including “the detrimental effect of building along the active beach areas” and ‘“difficulties of evacuating large numbers of people from the keys in time of emergency.”

An administrative hearing is a state-level process whose ruling applies only to the challenge over a violation of a Comprehensive Plan as the state does not intervene on developments, only on zoning ordinances.

That ruling has been appealed separately by the county and the developers. Ramirez has made a request to the appellate court that those appeals be consolidated, but no ruling on that request has been issued.

to buy and sell real estate.

Courtesy rendering

The proposed Calle Miramar hotel violates Sarasota County’s Comprehensive Plan, according to a ruling by 12th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Hunter Carroll.

Courtesy photo

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

Attainable housing planned for North Tamiami

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Anew attainable housing development on North Tamiami Trail made its first appearance before the Sarasota Development Review Committee on Tuesday. Blue Sky Communities of St. Petersburg is proposing a 96-unit project on Sarasota County-owned property at 4644 N. Tamiami Trail.

The county selected Blue Sky to build a four-story, 90-unit residential building and an accompanying three-story, mixed-use building with 3,040 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor and six apartments above.

The development will occupy just less than 3.5 acres of the 6.3-acre site fronting Tamiami Trail. The project site has a future land use designation of urban mixed-use and will be developed under North Trail Overlay District standards. The eastern 2.8 acres is designated as Single FamilyLow Density Residential. The county currently has no plans for that portion of its property.

“The majority of the rents are going to be below 80% (area median income),” said project consultant Joel Freedman.

The L-shaped main building will partially front Tamiami Trail, separated from the mixed use building by a driveway. Consistent with the North Trail Overlay District, the parking will be located internally to the project. A retention pond will separate the north-facing frontage from adjacent single-family residential.

Planned is a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom rental apartments, all developed as attainable units per the city’s definitions at 80% AMI, which includes rent and utilities.

Although the project is required to have a minimum of 57 parking spaces, there will be 106 spaces, in addition to bicycle racks. A single vehicle access is proposed directly from Tamiami Trail.

MORE DOWNTOWN CONDOS

On the opposite end of the multifamily spectrum, the DRC discussed a new submittal for a 10-story,

16-unit condominium development at the southwest corner of Cocoanut Avenue and Fourth Street.

Also representing developer 4th Street LLC, Freedman told the DRC the project will seek Planning Board approval for adjustments once it receives staff sign-off. The 0.36acre site comprises two vacant lots and one single-family dwelling. Zoned Downtown Core, the site has

a maximum density of 18 units, two more than planned.

As a result of input from community workshops, the project will seek Planning Board approval for vehicle access from Fourth Street rather than via a 20-foot alley on the south side.

“We have requested a Planning Board adjustment to do that,” Freedman said. “That is being driven, quite frankly, by a lot of the neighbors’ comments from the couple of neighborhood workshops. We think it will lessen the impact on the alley.”

A second adjustment is to allow for a reduction to the habitable space requirement along both Fourth Street and Cocoanut Avenue, which is necessary for the parking access and required utility access along Cocoanut.

In addition, a third adjustment will be sought to permit parking to be located on the ground floor, which will allow for two additional parking spaces. Although the project exceeds required parking, the two additional spaces are needed to minimize onstreet parking, a concern raised by surrounding residents.

To address multiple comments raised by staff, the project will require resubmittal and at least one more appearance before the DRC.

All units will be priced at an attainable level for renters at 80% or below area median income.

Courtesy rendering

A 96-unit affordable housing development is proposed for county land at 4644 N. Tamiami Trail. All units will be priced attainable for those earning 80% or less of the area median income.

Disheartening demise

The St. Armands BID did a lot of good. But now that it’s gone, new leaders need to fill the void.

likely will send one of Sarasota’s leading tourist attractions and economic engines back to where it was before the BID — a shopping district that was scruffy, tired and in need of a major makeover.

THE BID’s ACCOMPLISHMENTS

We asked Diana Corrigan, former executive director of the St. Armands Circle Association and ex-officio board member of the St. Armands Business Improvement District, to recall the BID’s accomplishments during the period BID founder Marty Rappaport served as chair (2002-2016):

MATT WALSH

What a shame. Thirty years of passion, relationship building, consensus building, compromise and improvements to St. Armands Circle — all an incalculable contribution to making a rough diamond a jewel for the city of Sarasota — and now a big part of all that is crumbling to a disheartening demise.

We’re speaking of the dissolution two weeks ago of the St. Armands Business Improvement District and of the efforts of its founder, Marty Rappaport. For 30 years, from 1987 to 2016, Rappaport was a St. Armands Circle property owner, leading advocate and visionary.

Through his and the efforts of Diana Corrigan, former executive director of the St. Armands Circle Association, the two founded in 2001 the St. Armands Business Improvement District, the taxing district whose funds have been reinvested in Circle improvements and marketing. Rappaport served 14 years as chair of the BID, retiring in 2016 after a long list of accomplishments (see box).

When we saw Rappaport last week after news spread of the BID’s demise, you could see the disappointment in his eyes and hear it in his voice.

All that work. Poof!

It may be difficult for people not associated with St. Armands Circle to understand the gravity of this, but it is a big loss for the city. If the BID is not resurrected, its demise

Back then, the upkeep of the Circle — sidewalks, trash, streetscapes — fell to the city. And you know what that means. Try as government might, its efforts did not live up to the standards needed to keep St. Armands Circle a premier destination.

But when Rappaport and Corrigan persuaded Circle property owners to take on an additional two-mill tax levy, that provided a dedicated source of cash to be reinvested for continuous, highlevel upkeep and improvements.

With the BID’s demise, that cash and level of service will disappear.

From a distance, then, you have to ask: Why would the St. Armands Circle property owners dissolve the one mechanism that can be used in their own self-interest to keep the Circle moving forward?

It’s a complicated story that revolves around conflicting personalities and motivations among every group involved — BID board members, Circle property owners, St. Armands Circle Association board members, Circle business owners, board members of the Lido Key and St. Armands residents associations; St. Armands and Lido Key residents; and Sarasota city officials.

When you talk to people in these groups, they all have stories of where things went wrong; who did this; who didn’t do that. On top of that, you have 63 property owners, many of whom are withered with rising costs and skyrocketing insurance rates.

But in short, the story goes like this: When people and groups are not in alignment, success is all but impossible, failure inevitable.

Which brings us back to BID founder Marty Rappaport.

When Rappaport invested in property in 1987 on St. Armands Circle, he had just retired as a

Why Dems hate Trump

Editor’s note: Two weeks ago, we noted that since 2016, not one public figure among the Democratic Party or among the Never Trumpers has ever specifically stated why he/she has such a visceral hate for Donald Trump. So we asked Democrats and Never Trumpers to tell us specifically why they dislike (or hate) Trump.

Below are five responses. We received more, with their comments similar to these. But the writers declined to have their names in print. As one wrote: “You do NOT have my permission to publish my name for fear of the Trump crazies in the area!”

The theme here is clear: They can’t stand Trump’s personality and behavior. They say nothing of his policies.

HE IS UNHINGED

Gee, why do the MAJORITY of educated Americans hate Donald J. Trump? Let me count the ways, since you mistakenly believe this is political, like most delusional MAGA cult members.

Trump has never demonstrated ANY class or grace as a world leader; his constant mistreatment of women; the racial and anti-Semitic comments; and support from those pathetic groups of misfits; his repeated REFUSING to accept defeat; his LYING about losing an election; his obvious STEALING of classified documents; his IGNITING an insurrection.

Oh, he NEVER built a wall either. He belongs behind bars and is a clear threat to national security.

■ New lampposts, park benches, trash receptacles (partnership with the LMR)

■ Landscape uplighting in Circle Park

■ Installation of piped in music around the Circle

■ Median neck-outs and brick paver crosswalks

■ Hired consultant Bob Gibbs to do an analysis of the district and organized a dinner for merchants and landowners to hear Gibbs’ recommendations for Circle

improvements

■ Master plan for the Circle (Three public workshops were held with the landowners, merchants and residents)

■ Master Plan for the parking district

■ Median landscape improvement project

■ Removal of old newspaper boxes and installation of uniform newspaper receptacles

■ Partnership with the association for marketing & advertising programs from 2005-2009 and 2013-2020

self-made entrepreneur who had built a 500-employee dry-cleaning business in New Jersey. He was the type-cast entrepreneur: driven, visionary, quick to make his own decisions, do things his way. But as a St. Armands landowner, Rappaport learned and evolved. He learned that if St. Armands Circle was to move forward, it would need consensus and alignment of all stakeholders — landowners, merchants, residents and City Hall. He constantly built and nurtured relationships. He always looked for ways by which everyone could benefit. He learned to be patient. He did not put his interests first.

■ Partnership with the association for installation of the Christmas tree — 2007-2017

■ Grant to install and de-install the Christmas decorations from 2018-2021

■ Parking bond for the construction of the parking garage; bury power lines from Coon Key Bridge; enhanced entryway for the Circle and public restrooms in the garage

■ Parking Garage opened in early

2019

■ Partnership with the St. Armands Residents Association and Circle Association for installation of the new statues on the Circle.

■ Pressure washing sidewalks, picking up litter and debris, pulling weeds, etc.

■ Obtained approval from the city for installation of two public restroom facilities on two of the city medians on South Boulevard of the Presidents and John Ringling Boulevard

■ Donation of John Ringling Statue for St. Armands 75th Anniversary

■ Worked with MPO & FDOT for a storm water drainage project

■ FiIlmore Parking Lot – (PreBID) Landowners and merchants paid for the parking lot with an ad valorem tax assessment in the amount of $140,000 for 20 years.

He looked at each project: Will it benefit the community?

That’s missing and has been. No one stands out as a glue to hold the St. Armands stakeholders together. Invested leaders are needed who can build trusting relationships and alignment.

Be sure of this: St. Armands Circle will not move forward without a unified effort. This is one of those times when historical roots can provide a bridge. The St. Armands Circle Association can and should play that role.

A strong, vibrant, improving St. Armands Circle is crucial to the economic health of the region.

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

Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

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How much more evidence do you need to comprehend the truth?

He’s completely unhinged. That should clarify things — for even the lowest IQs out there. And sadly, more than ever before.

KEVIN COOPER BETHESDA, MD. OUT FOR HIMSELF

Donald Trump is only out for himself and really doesn’t care about ANYone else — extreme narcissism.

The constant flow out of his mouth with no filter is not a leadership quality.

Why would OUR leader make friends and admire dictators like Kim Jung Un and Vladimir Putin? Despicable.

He’s misogynistic to a fault — another disgusting trait.

His ideas are not clear, synthesized or thought through.

I hate bullies, and he’s a BIG BULLY.

He’s great for someone’s cocktail party, not the leader of the free world. Thanks for listening to others.

DAN BARZEL SARASOTA

FANS FIRES OF HATE

Trump has no regard or interest in learning about the constitution and laws of the country (other than tax law so he can skirt the laws). He has sowed doubt in every institution and system we hold dear, even our election system.

He has fanned the fires of hate and led people to hold the value that any hateful attitude or action is appropriate by modeling childish behaviors such as name calling, bullying, abuse of power, winning

at all cost and being a sore loser. Any charge against him is meant with making the same charge against the accuser. Somehow he thinks he never has to own his actions, and others have learned to do the same.

I never thought so many people in power would line up behind such a person of no character and no loyalty who holds himself and staying in power ahead of country.

For all of these reasons and many more, he is a disgrace, and those who are afraid to stand up to him will ultimately go down in history as contributors to the downfall of so much we previously held dear and certain about the U.S.

The riot of Jan. 6 should have showed the country just how dangerous this man and those who unconditionally support him are to our country.

LIZ BARZEL SARASOTA

SEND HIM TO PRISON

Trump University was sued for non-performance delivery.

Trump Foundation was put out of business for non-philanthropy.

Trump abuses women.

Trump instructed Pence to overturn a legitimate election.

His own family and Fox News exhorted him to stop the Jan. 6 riot. Trump was impeached twice, and faces multiple indictments. Hopefully, he is prison bound.

MARK GOODE DIEHARD DEMOCRAT

SARASOTA

RUDE, MEAN, UGLY

Since he became president, Donald Trump set an example of rude, arrogant, sexist and racist behavior that enabled white supremacists, Evangelical Christians and the entire right wing to feel it was

acceptable to say things out loud they’d never have said before.

Abusive, horrible, mean and ugly things. I know I can’t stop them from feeling the way they do, but I find it un-American that saying and doing the things they do have become socially acceptable. Polite society doesn’t exist anymore, because of Trump’s leadership.

2. He is a sexual predator, a crook, a narcissist, a selfish greedy man who is only concerned with what’s good for him and his cronies.

It’s beyond me how the middleand lower-classes can think he has their best interests at heart.

3. He gives a terrible impression of our country to those in other countries around the world. They can’t imagine how he ever got elected, and their estimation of the intelligence of the American people went down a lot of notches when it happened.

I know this, because every one of my international friends said to me, “What the heck?” — and I have a lot of friends in other countries.

4. His continued influence in our government would be the beginning of the end for our democracy — if it hasn’t already begun with the catering of the formerly respectable Republican Party to his whims.

These are just the reasons off the top of my head, but to me they are enough that the media and the Republican Party need to cut ties with Trump and his ilk.

Let’s get back to being a kind, polite, respectable society that truly has two political parties that work together in harmony to make our country better. The party of less government interference MUST return to that basic premise and stop trying to regulate morality.

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Young professionals make impact

SARASOTA YOUNG PROFESSIONALS GROUP

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

This year, there were two clear frontrunners for the Young Professional of the Year Awards.

“When we looked at all the submissions, these two individuals were just stellar,” said Heather Kasten, Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce president and CEO. “With what they had given to their company and their communities, it was evident they were the clear young professionals of the year for YPG.”

Tiona Settles of CenterPlace

Health and Evan Samson of DMSI International were both presented with the award at the annual Young Professionals Summit of the The Sarasota Young Professionals Group, a program of the Sarasota Chamber. Held at the Carlisle Inn on Aug. 18, the event was presented by Kerkering, Barberio & Co.

TIONA SETTLES, CENTERPLACE

HEALTH

Growing up in foster care in Bradenton, Tiona Settles was homeless when she aged out of the system at 18.

“I always told myself I wanted to be somebody; I always wanted to help,” she said.

A year ago she became a community health worker with CenterPlace Health, a nonprofit that specializes in quality and affordable primary care. Immediately, she found that she fit right in with its goals.

“It was a very easy choice, because I loved what they stood for, and then just the things that they are doing in the community. They are small, but they are mighty.”

Her role is focused on outreach and engagement, as well as meeting the needs of the community and con-

necting it to resources. She works with community partners to ensure that the nonprofit is addressing health equity and social determinants of health, as well as to create awareness of the organization.

A typical day is multifaceted, Settles said.

Some days she will serve on hospital duty, which involves ensuring that women who are CenterPlace Health patients have postpartum follow-up appointments scheduled for them and their babies.

This responsibility is important, she said, as often the underserved population has other needs to manage, may be struggling to make ends meet or may lack transportation. The organization will help with needs like food and transportation, she said.

“That’s where we come in. We meet them where they are.”

At other times, she will attend meetings to determine the major issues in the community, along with solutions.

One current issue, she said, is a lack of food resources in the Newtown community.

CenterPlace Health is working with organizations like the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation and All Faiths Food Bank to bring a mobile grocery store to the community, she said.

Settles said she couldn’t have found her way to her position on her own. Once she aged out of foster care, there were those along the way who offered help, like her high school teacher Keenan Wooten, who made sure she filled out a college application, which put her on the path to graduation from Florida A&M University in Tallahassee in 2020.

She was also grateful to CenterPlace Health for a chance to prove her other skills, with her background

A program of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, the Sarasota Young Professionals Group serves professionals ages 21-40 in Sarasota County. For information, visit SarasotaChamber.com/Young-Professionals-Group.html or contact YPG@SarasotaChamber.com.

being in laboratory work. She said she felt easily accepted into the company.

“That CenterPlace Health gave me a chance to show that I had other skills and talents — they took that chance on me and allowed me to get into a position that I knew little about, and basically make it my own — helped me to grow in my professional career,” she said.

For a professional, looking after your own health is also important, she said. In her spare time, she makes sure to do what makes her happy, whether it is going to the riverwalk in Bradenton to watch the sunset, or riding her bike in Payne Park on Saturdays. She said the most impactful part of the experience has been “being a light to people, and knowing that you can provide a solution.”

EVAN SAMSON, DMSI INTERNATIONAL

When he was hired five years ago by DMSI International, a Nokomisbased manufacturer of fiber optics products, Evan Samson served as a production staff member.

After a month, the company promoted him to marketing communications director.

From there, he assisted the company with a major rebranding. He began updating logos, marketing materials and the company’s website — but he doesn’t take credit for the vision he realized.

“It’s already there in the company — you just have to pull it out,” he said.

For instance, he brought his background in graphic design to the website, which he said was originally outsourced, and created an interface he said is more user-friendly that now showcases different aspects of the company including its products, services and culture.

He also introduced new points of emphasis in the company’s marketing. One of those was its work culture, which he called extremely positive and supportive.

Another was its philanthropic initiatives. The company operates a program called DMSI Cares, which, among other activities, makes four trips a year to offer food and supplies

to children and families in the Philippines through its manufacturing facility in that country.  Samson went beyond leading a rebrand. He spearheaded altruistic efforts, bringing coworkers to volunteer alongside him for area nonprofits such as All Faiths Food Bank.

When it comes to promoting a less understood service such as fiber optics, one component of the work is explaining the product itself, he said. Although such cables are now used by major companies such as AT&T, he said not everyone is aware of their uses, which include long-distance and high-performance data networking and telecommunications.

As a result, Samson worked information on fiber optics into the company’s social media, which targets other entities in the local community — government facilities, military facilities, and telecommunications companies.

Samson said his various efforts have paid off, with a growing public awareness of DMSI International. He doesn’t take any credit and said it all comes down to the work environment, including supportive managers and coworkers.

“I’m just getting started. It’s just the beginning, so I’m happy that I already got the recognition,” he said. “But I’m just starting, so I have lots of learning to do.”

WINNER

Photos by Ian Swaby

Eric Troyer, of Kerkering, Barberio & Co., presents the award to Evan Samson.

Tiona Settles

Tiona Settles, of CenterPlace Health, and Evan Samson, of DMSI International, both received the Young Professional of the Year Award.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Since the appointment of its newest member in December 2022, things have been less than harmonious on the Downtown Improvement District Board of Directors.

But retail business owner Harmoni Krusing will remain on the board, otherwise made up of downtown commercial property owners, at least until Dec. 31, 2025.

The rub is that unlike the rest of the five-member board, Krusing is a tenant. She serves on the board as a representative of Bob Morris, who owns the building in which her store — Lotus Boutique — is located. Morris owns other downtown commercial properties.

Although her appointment is opposed by the rest of the board, City Attorney Robert Fournier said she was eligible based on a provision in the ordinance, quoting, “if the owner of nonresidential real property within the district is a corporation, partnership or any other nonnatural person, one individual with executive authority within said entity may become a member of the board of directors.”

Krusing has such executive authority from Morris, the definition of which was deemed murky at best.

Other board members told commissioners that a retailer serving on the board will not necessarily hold the same interests as the property owners who pay additional property taxes into the district for an enhanced level of services.

During public comments, Morris argued Krusing does in effect pay all property taxes via triple net lease — a lease in which the tenant agrees to pay real estate taxes, building insurance and maintenance costs.

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However, Morris admitted he and Krusing don’t always agree on DID policies.

The DID board first brought its objections to commissioners in March, when it asked for clarification of the eligibility criteria.

At that meeting, Fournier proposed an ordinance that eliminated the reference to the term “executive authority within said ownership entity.” Commissioners did not act on that but rather instructed him to prepare an ordinance to be considered at a later date.

Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch argued that permitting a tenant to be on the board of directors opens board involvement to property owners who live elsewhere.

Commissioner Debbie Trice joined Ahearn-Koch on the losing side of a 3-2 vote on Vice Mayor Liz Alpert’s motion, which struck a balance between exclusive owner board membership and maintaining the status quo, at least until the expiration of Krusing’s term.

The motion included that Krusing will not be eligible for reappointment, unlike property owners. That she was placed on the board under a previous provision, though, precludes her removal.

“I think that it should be the property owners and I also don’t think that you should make any legislation for one person, so I don’t think you put in there that (Krusing) can be reappointed,” Alpert said.

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Retail tenant will remain on Downtown Improvement District board for now, but the board will return to owners-only membership.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 9

TEXT TUSSLE 8:14 p.m., 3000 block of Bay Street

Dispute: A man engaged in a text message argument with the renter of a room in his home contacted an officer wishing to document a civil issue. He said he had sublet a room in a home he rents to a woman who wants to break the lease and vacate the room. The two were texting back and forth, each feeling they were being threatened by the other.

The officer determined that while the tone of the text battle was hostile, there were no direct threats made. The man was advised that if the woman decides to stay in the wake of the dispute, it will be up to the landlord to evict her.

THURSDAY, AUG. 10

SPECIAL DELIVERY

3300 block of Seventh Street

Domestic dispute: Two officers responded to a call from a woman asking them to meet her at her home and stand by while she gathered her belongings. She explained she and her husband have been in a dispute because he believes she has been unfaithful with a delivery company driver. The previous evening, she said the two argued over the phone, the complainant claiming he was drinking and a firearm was implied. Officers confirmed the couple does own a handgun, which she said he had recently removed from the medical practice office they own and brought home. She said she since had removed and hidden the gun’s magazine. The woman said she had not been threatened, and that the driver was a family friend. Neither she nor her husband , who arrived at the home while officers were present, would identify the driver. As officers spoke to the woman, her husband began to leave the home. Officers searched him to ensure he was not carrying the weapon. He said he was planning to go to the driver’s employer and file a complaint. Once he left, officers stood by while the woman gathered some belongings. No further action was taken.

SATURDAY, AUG. 12

SOFA, SO GOOD 10 p.m., 1600 block of Devonshire

SATURDAY, AUG. 12

MORE THAN A THREAT

12:12 a.m., 200 block of North Shade

Avenue

Criminal mischief: The complainant told police his uncle damaged his truck after threatening by text to do so. He said he was in his hotel room with his girlfriend when his uncle texted him and — employing colorful metaphors — threatened to damage the vehicle. This followed an argument over the uncle accusing him of “stealing weed from him,” according to the police report. The complainant said there was a witness who had claimed to have seen the incident occur, but officers were unable to contact that individual. They also canvassed the area for video surveillance, finding none. An officer advised the complainant to obtain an estimate to repair the damage and to contact him with the information.

Lane

Civil dispute: After a moving company refused to deliver a couch, which was apparently nice enough to have moved from more than 1,500 miles away, police were called to settle the dispute over the last 50 feet of the trip. The complainant said he hired a moving company to move a sofa to his residence. When the movers arrived, he attempted to pay the remaining balance via online app, but the transfer was not completed.

One of the movers told an officer that because the payment was not transferred, he would not release the piece of furniture. He advised that if the complainant could not pay for the delivery, it would be taken to a warehouse in Tampa to be delivered later once payment goes through, at an additional charge.

The complainant contacted his bank to cancel the transaction, then drove to the bank and withdrew cash to pay the movers. Once paid, delivery of the couch was completed, and no further action was needed.

$24.99

A+E INSIDE:

< GALLERY GONE: Art Uptown is closing after 43 years on Main Street. 15

EATING WITH EMMA: Bring your bibs and wipes for the best barbecue in town. 16>

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

Actress Katherine Michelle Tanner launches her own theater company.

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

So far, 2023 has been a good year for Katherine Michelle Tanner.

In March, KT Curran’s “Bridge to the Other Side,” featuring Tanner as a distraught mother of a mentally ill son, screened at the 25th Sarasota Film Festival, where it won the local audience award.

In May, Michelle Pascua’s “In Remembrance,” which Tanner directed, won the best play award at Theatre Odyssey’s Ten Minute Play Festival.

When they handed out awards for the festival, Tanner couldn’t be there. She was on stage at the Sarasota Opera House performing in the ballet “Cinderella.” The ballet was presented by The Diane Partington Studio of Classical Ballet, formerly the Russian School of Ballet.

In June, Tanner’s play, “Shakespeare’s Lovers,”  appeared at the first Squeaky Wheel Fringe Festival in Sarasota. The play, about a male poet and a female painter who meet in a river, incorporates 29 of Shakespeare’s sonnets and 19 of Tanner’s own.

At the Squeaky Wheel Fringe Festival, the revelation of the body of water on stage elicited a collective gasp from the audience, but it’s

SEE TANNER, PAGE 14

Multitalented performer Katherine Michelle Tanner chose Barbie pink for her professional headshot, but red is in her future.

Courtesy photos Katherine Michelle Tanner and Blake Lafita appear at the Lady Filmmakers Film Festival in Los Angeles to support KT Curran’s “Bridge to the Other Side.”

—

Katherine Michelle Tanner

impossible to steal the show from Tanner.

KMT, as those close to her often call Tanner, has been performing in Sarasota for about 20 years, give or take a few. (You know how sensitive actors are about their age.) But suddenly, she’s everywhere all at once, to borrow from this year’s Oscar-winning indie film, “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” or EEAAO, since we’re talking acronyms here.

The latest place Tanner happens to be is at the head of her own theater company, Tree Fort Productions.

Tree Fort has existed in some form for about 10 years, but in April, Tanner completed the paperwork for a 501(c)(3). That made the theater company a nonprofit officially recognized by the IRS, easing the way for donations since they become taxdeductible, more or less.

Yes, Sarasota already some wellestablished theater companies (Asolo Repertory, The Players, Florida Studio Theatre, Urbanite, to name just a few). Regional theater in other parts of the country is struggling post-pandemic due to smaller audiences and rising overhead, but Tanner isn’t discouraged.

“Call me the salmon of Sarasota,” she quips, as she is wont to do. “I’m swimming upstream.”

As Tanner hypnotically details the upcoming season for Tree Fort Productions, which is housed right now in the The Crossings at Siesta Key, and the reasons why she’s launching her own company, one is apt to fall under her spell.

Told her powers of persuasion are so great that she could easily be marketing multimillion-dollar condos if she weren’t artistically inclined, Tanner laughs and says, “I have a friend in real estate who says the same thing.”

But back to the business at hand: Tree Fort Productions. To make sure she gets her message across, Tanner says not once, not twice, but three times during a brief interview: “The best way to support a theater com-

pany is to buy a subscription.”

Duly noted. The price of a Tree Fort 2023-24 season subscription is a modest $140 for four shows, or $20 less than if tickets for each show were purchased separately.

Tree Fort’s season opens Oct. 13, with “Red,” John Logan’s play about the artist Mark Rothko, which made its debut in London in 2009. The play takes place in Rothko’s New York studio in the late 1950s as he wrestles with the ethics of fulfilling a brashly commercial commission — murals for the elite Four Seasons restaurant. His misgivings are fueled by his assistant.

At Tree Fort, Lee Gundersheimer will star as Rothko, a role that garnered Alfred Molina a 2010 Tony nomination for best actor when he performed it on Broadway. Alex Teicheira will play Rothko’s skeptical assistant. The play runs through Oct. 29.

The play “Red” holds a spot close to Tanner’s heart because her father was an artist. In some households, parents might ask children what they did at school that day. When Tanner was growing up, her dad would ask her, “What are you working on?”

Tanner’s father had a day job, but he was a painter, sculptor and jewelry maker. “There was always a project in the corner,” she recalls. “We were told, ‘Don’t touch Dad’s things.’”

Since Tanner’s father was a bit of a juggler, it’s not surprising to see she had a triple major (theater/dance/ education) at St. Olaf’s College in Minnesota. She earned an MFA from Asolo Theatre Conservatory-Florida State University and has been applying her talents in dance, theater, film and music at lightning speed ever since.

Asked where she gets her energy from, Tanner replies without hesitation: “Starbucks.”

The color red would appear to be the perfect theme for a black-tie event. Instead of telling guests to dress in black-and-white, as author and social butterfly Truman Capote did for his party of the century in 1966, KMT’s event could be scarletthemed.

Not a bad idea, Tanner says, but she’s keeping her fundraising finesse

under wraps for now.

Besides the challenges of raising money and building an audience, Tree Fort also faces uncertainty about its home, The Crossings mall, which is in transition.

Some arts-oriented tenants in the mall have been forced to vacate because of higher rents. For now, Tree Fort’s theater is walking distance from CMX CinéBistro, a small, but popular destination for moviegoers.

Tanner isn’t anchored to a space for her new venture. She recalls doing readings for “Shakespeare’s Lovers” at Home Resource, Kathy and Michael Bush’s upscale modern furniture store. In Tanner’s book, the play’s the thing, not the stage.

“No space is long term,” she says. “If we did move, it would be our fifth move. No one really knows what’s going to happen.”

What is certain is the lineup for Tree Fort’s 2023-24 season. In addition to “Red,” the lineup includes a reprise of “Shakespeare’s Lovers” starring Tanner from Dec. 1-17.

Also on the bill is Jessica Dickey’s “The Amish Project,” in which Tan-

ner performs all roles in the play about the 2006 shootings at the West Nickel Mines School for Amish girls in Pennsylvania. The massacre, which included a hostage situation, left six dead, including the gunman, and five injured.

Heavy stuff to be sure, but “The Amish Project” won favor with audiences off Broadway and on tour in its previous incarnations. It will run in Sarasota from Jan. 12-Feb. 11.

Tanner will also appear in “Lark Eden,” a one-night reading on Nov. 10, along with Roxanne Fey and Lauren Wood.

Wherever it ends, Tree Fort’s season will conclude on an upbeat note, with a cabaret devoted to the women of Broadway, not the performers, but the often overlooked female composers of the Great White Way. That show runs March 8-14.

Other events are in the works.

Tanner isn’t waiting for Broadway or Hollywood to call, especially during a writers’ and actors’ strike. She’s making things happen right here in Sarasota, one latte at a time.

Courtesy photo

Katherine Michelle Tanner performed her sonnet-filled play, “Shakespeare’s Lovers,” at Sarasota’s first Squeaky Wheel Fringe Festival in June. She will reprise it for Tree Fort Productions’ 2023-24 season.

THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

JOHN PIRMAN: ‘DIVING INTO NATURE’

10 a.m. at Selby Gardens, 1534 Mound St.

$26

Visit Selby.org.

The retrospective presents the works of Sarasota-based designer and illustrator John Pirman both inside Selby Gardens’ Museum of Botany & the Arts and outside throughout the bayfront gardens. Runs through Sept. 17.

OPENING NIGHT CELEBRATION

FOR ‘AN ABSTRACT VIEW’

6-8 p.m. at Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail Free

Visit ArtCenterSarasota.org.

See the work of artists Lauren Mann, Iren Tete and Ry McCullough, plus Art Center Sarasota’s juried show, “An Abstract View.” Beer and wine will be available for purchase.

‘CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REMIXED!’

7:30 p.m. at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 N. Palm Ave.

$18 and up

Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

“The Jersey Tenors” and “The Surfer Boys” veteran Vaden Thurgood has

DON’T MISS

‘A COMEDY OF TENORS’

Set in 1930s Paris, “A Comedy of Tenors” is a madcap romp about a concert producer trying to keep an Italian superstar from falling prey to temptation.

IF YOU GO

When: Through Aug. 27

Where: FST’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St. Tickets: $18 and up Info: FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

OUR PICK OPEN HOUSE ON SARASOTA SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

In connection with a free exhibit in the City Hall lobby, a lecture on the Sarasota School of Architecture will be held featuring Sarasota County Division of Historical Resources Manager Joshua Goodman, Architecture Sarasota President Morris Hylton III and Sarasota County Libraries and Historical Resources Director Renee Di Pilato.

The exhibit is on display through June 2024.

IF YOU GO

When: Thursday, 5:30 p.m.

Where: City Hall, 1565 First St.

Tickets: Free Info: SarasotaFl.gov.

created his own musical revue for FST. The show, which features a rotating cast with three men (including Thurgood for at least a month) and a woman, follows the life of Creedence Clearwater Revival founder John Fogerty through hit songs such as “Proud Mary” and “Bad Moon Rising.” Runs through Oct. 15.

‘THE GRADUATE’

7:30 p.m. at The Players Centre, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail

$30 Visit ThePlayers.org.

Directed by Elliott Raines, “The Graduate” is a stage adaptation of the classic novel and film that explores the unlikely sexual affair between a recent college graduate, who is adrift in life, and a friend of his parents, who knows exactly what she wants. Runs through Aug. 27.

SATURDAY

‘WORKING CONDITIONS:

EXPLORING LABOR THROUGH THE RINGLING’S PHOTOGRAPHY

COLLECTION’

10 a.m. at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bayshore Road

$25 (includes museum admission) Visit Ringling.org.

The Ringling debuts a photography exhibit that explores myriad views of labor, from the celebration of industrial progress to the exploitation of society’s most vulnerable. Among the photographers whose works are on display are Lewis Hine, Dmitiri Baltermants, Endia Beal, Walker Evans, Arthur Rothstein, Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Margaret Bourke-White, Danny Lyon, Lewis Baltz, Sebastião Salgado and Bill Owens. Through March 3.

WEDNESDAY

DENNIS BLAIR

7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd. $19 and up Visit McCurdysComedy.com.

If you like your humor adult style, Dennis Blair is sure to deliver. Blair toured with iconic raunchy comedian George Carlin for 18 years, performed on “The Tonight Show” and has appeared at venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to the Kennedy Center. Through Sept. 3.

Art Uptown Gallery to close after 43 years in Sarasota

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Long live visual arts in Sarasota. Rising rent is forcing the Art Uptown Gallery to close after 43 years at 1367 Main St. Despite its name, Art Uptown is the second downtown gallery to close this year. At the same time, new visual arts destinations are expanding in more affordable parts of town.

Art Uptown, which houses local artists in studios upstairs, will close permanently at 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26.

“The building has been sold, and the gallery was unable to negotiate a lease price that would allow us to continue,” said Melanie Carlstein, gallery board president, in a statement.

Carlstein said the gallery has stocked up on the works of its artists to give patrons the opportunity to buy in the final days of operation.

In June, Dabbert Gallery closed after 18 years in business at 46 S. Palm Ave. Husband-and-wife owners David and Patricia Dabbert have maintained a sales presence online, selling fine painting and sculpture. The Dabberts were fixtures at the First Friday Gallery Walk downtown. In a Facebook post, the couple cited rising rent as well as new development downtown as reasons for their gallery’s demise.

“The Sarasota art scene is changing,” artist Virginia Hoffman wrote on Facebook. “High-end or highrent galleries are fading away, and more artists are finding alternative means to present their art. This is a good thing. My only concern is the market might price artists out of the alternative locations.”

While art galleries are getting pushed out of downtown, some are migrating to the nearby Limelight District, which runs along North Lime Avenue between 12th Street and Fruitville Road. The up-andcoming arts district is anchored by the popular shopping emporium, The Bazaar at Apricot and Lime, at 821 Apricot Ave.

Recent arrivals and expansions in the Limelight District include the March 30 opening of the Palmer Modern at 925 N. Lime Ave. and the addition in February of a second space by arts collective Creative Liberties at 927 N. Lime Ave. Its flagship is nearby, at 901B Apricot Ave.

Courtesy photo

Not far away from the recognized district, Marianne Chapel’s SPAACES gallery at 2051 Princeton St. is seeking to raise $20,000 in a capital campaign it has dubbed the Major Arts District Expansion. MADE, for short, will expand the gallery’s footprint from 4,500 to 7,000 square feet and will include street frontage exposure, which SPAACES currently lacks.

Founded in 2018, SPAACES became a not-for-profit in 2020. According to Chapel, the gallery’s vision is to “see Sarasota recognized as a cutting edge, visual arts town, a place where contemporary art and artists thrive.”

To raise awareness of the visual arts in Sarasota, a town where the performing arts need no help gaining attention, the Sarasota Studio Artists Association has organized Second Saturdays, where artists open their studios to the public and host other events.

Second Saturdays has been spearheaded by Jen Palmer, whose husband, Craig Palmer, owns Palmer Modern.

SSAA has published a map of local art galleries on its website, SRQArtists.com, to encourage buyers and browsers alike to come out for Second Saturdays. That’s a hard slog when temperatures are approaching 100 degrees, but foot traffic is expected to pick up during season.

One way to beat the heat is to hold evening events. In late July, Creative Liberties co-founders Barbara Gerdeman and Elizabeth Goodwill hosted a Magic & Mystery Night Faire.

The faire featured performances including stilt walking and illusions, foods including kebabs and candy apples, and sometimes spooky work by local artists. Instead of Christmas in July, the popular event hosted by Main Street retailers in Venice, think Halloween in July.

There’s no question that fine arts galleries are facing pressure from higher rents and encroaching development. But the arts are thriving in Sarasota in unexpected places — church art galleries, pop-up events at Art Ovation Hotel and even the Saturday Farmers Market, where it’s not unusual to see a plein air practitioner armed with paintbrush, palette and an easel.

Over at the Bayfront, Art Center Sarasota is making a push to get the word out that the artworks it displays are for sale. Admission is free to the center, a nonprofit that offers curated and juried exhibitions, workshops and classes.

Rising rents are pushing art galleries out of downtown, but new and sometimes unexpected spaces beckon.

File photo

Art Uptown Gallery artist Elisabeth Trostli displays digital paintings of powerful women of varying races and ethnicities in 2018.

Get smokin’ with the best barbecue in town

BY EMMA JOLLY CONTRIBUTOR

One of the first nights that my now husband came over to my parents’ condo on Longboat Key, my mom asked, “Do you know how to use the grill?” My husband nodded; grabbed the meat, tongs and cutting board and proceeded down to the Gulf-facing grill with my dad.

After everything was situated on the grill my dad looked at Patrick, laughed and said, “You should have never told my wife you know how to grill. This will be your job forever now.”

Patrick now mans the grill while Dad sits back, pours a Jack Daniel’s and reminds his son-in-law of his new forever role and the one lie he should have told my mom.

In honor of this story, I set my sights on finding the best barbecue joints in town.

Whether it be for Labor Day weekend or just a family grilling night like the many I’ve experienced, these spots are beyond bar-be-cute for any foodie with a hankering for that sweet (or tangy, or hot) sauce.

MOUTHHOLE BBQ

Locations vary; 941-544-1361, Facebook.com/InYourMouthhole

Our first stop on this mouthwatering expedition isn’t brick and mortar, but I will follow the nonwinding roads of Sarasota as long as they lead to this fantastic food truck. You can follow the barbecue smells to Calusa Brewing on most Tuesday evenings. Check out Mouthhole’s Facebook page for other dining destinations (and photos that will have you drooling over your keyboard).

Flippin’ Grate: The Calusa Meat Locker is what BBQ badasses like us beg for and Mouthhole definitely delivers. Righteously tasty ribs, beautiful brisket, perfectly pleasant pulled pork, yummy mac ’n’ cheese, sensational smoked beans, awesome slaw and can-I-fit-more-inmy-belly cornbread ($43).

All Fired Up Over: Mouthhole’s Hawaiian menu. These offerings have me feeling like I could like pineapple ever after. If you’re lucky enough to happen upon Hawaiian night at the truck, you can choose from the Shoyu chicken bowl ($14), Kalua pork plate ($15), Teriyaki tri tip bowl ($18) or the Hawaiian mixed plate ($20).

STOTTLEMYER’S SMOKEHOUSE 19 East Road, Sarasota; 941-3125969, StottlemyersSmokehouse.com

Steve and Terry Stottlemyer are pioneers when it comes to the Sarasota eat-and-drink history pages. Steve’s father developed the property where the smokehouse stands in 1955. In 1995, Steve and Terry served home-cooked breakfast and lunch at the adjoining Fruitville Texaco that they built, and in 2009, the Chickee Hut was formed. With Old Florida charm being hard to come by these days, it’s a sure bet that this pecan-wood smokery will always carry on tradition — and treat our tastebuds time and time again.

Flippin’ Grate: The BBQ sampler ($26.99). Ready for a list of lipsmacking, finger-licking deliciousness? Order long bone ribs or a half-rack of baby backs, 6 oz. brisket and half a smoked chicken. Or choose the BBQ pork combo ($28.99) with two long bone ribs or a half-rack of baby back ribs and the 6 oz. pulled pork.

All Fired Up Over: The smoke stuffed bacon-wrapped jalapenos ($8.99). Filled with savory seasoned cream cheese, wrapped in beloved bacon and as it says on the menu, “smoked to perfection.” I wish that these little bites of sweet heat were on every restaurant menu, but this Stottlemyer starter is special and should be devoured by all patrons.

SMOQUEHOUSE

1701 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach, 941-242-5340, SmoqueHouse.com

This is not your average smokehouse. Based on Anna Maria, the Kubes family has conceptualized their restaurant menu in a unique fashion — it depends on what the cook is inspired by that day. The fast, casual atmosphere is tran-

scended by the barbecue fusion food smells as you walk up to the front door. The menu, in addition to daily delectable specials, has seven craft sandwiches accompanied by a choice of seven craft sides that will make you wonder why it took you so long to get to the island.

Flippin’ Grate:  If any of the specials I’ve bitten into over the years are offered when you plop down to partake in BBQ, order them all. Leftovers are always a good decision. Grab a fork for the Piggy fries tossed in signature rub, Andy’s BBQ beans, house smoked pulled pork, smoked cheddar and BBQ drizzle. Fancy a sammy? The mushroom Swiss brisket burger is a culinary treasure. Each bite brings garlic sauteed crimini mushrooms, smoked Swiss, red onion and a gracious heap of garlic and thyme aioli.

All Fired Up Over: The Pimento burger. It blends the beyond

bonkers-tasting brisket patty, ooey-gooey cheddar cheese, crisp red onion, phenomenal fried banana peppers and house-made pimento into a perfect package for the senses.

MISSION BBQ

5231 University Parkway #109, Sarasota; 941-841-9279, MissionBBQ.com

In seventh grade, growing up outside of New York City, I witnessed the Twin Towers fall on Sept. 11, 2001. Two boys in my class lost their fathers that day. I tell this story because Mission BBQ opened exactly 10 years later when two patriotic friends wanted to run “a business with meaning and purpose.” They drove all over the nation from Texas to Kansas City and St. Louis to the Carolinas to give us foodies the best BBQ. I am here feeling patriotic (and stuffed to

the gills) for every offering they got. Flippin’ Grate: Keep it simple, keep it sweet. That’s what makes this pulled pork sandwich ($8.89) great. Slather the tender pork with sauce that will effortlessly drip down your fingers and more than likely onto your shirt. Be sure to ask for the Smokey Mountain sauce and make it an XL combo ($5.25) with a side and drink or an XXL combo ($7.25) for two sides and a drink. Sides include Maggie’s Mac N Cheese ($2.99-$13.39) and baked beans with brisket ($2.99-$13.19), to name a few.

All Fired Up Over: The ribs. You can order by the bone, by five bone or by 10 bone. Trust me, you might want to order more. Choose from BAY-b-Back ribs that fall off the bone, spare ribs St. Louis style and more. It makes for a finger-lickin’ good time.

These Sarasota and Manatee hot spots are un-grill-lievable.

Emma Jolly

Can I have some more of Mission BBQ’s pulled pork with Smokey Mountain sauce?

GROWTH MINDSET

THE MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES

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IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

Principal Fayth Jenkins is on an educational mission in her first full school year in the role — a mission involving multiple intelligences.

The Suncoast School for Innovative Studies is rooted in the Theory of Multiple Intelligences developed in the 1980s by psychologist Howard Gardener. That means the staff’s aim is to help students discover their unique talents and interests, while elevating their existing talents, Jenkins said.

“You don’t have to be great at reading; you don’t have to be great at math; you don’t have to be the best scientist; but your talents or your natural interests can actually help you in some of those other areas, and through having a growth mindset and having exposure, you actually can find that you have many intelligences, not just one,” she said.

To further this mission, the school has been seeking new resources and partnerships since Jenkins became principal in October 2022.

The school, located on School Avenue north of Sarasota High, has introduced a sports program during its new after care, as well as other partnerships related to subjects including music, science, dance and more.

MORE ON SSIS

Suncoast School For Innovative Studies. 845 S. School Ave. Visit SunCoastSchool.org.

do have interpersonal skills, or this makes me feel good, and I can communicate that,’” she said.

The school modifies its approach to meet students where they are, Jenkins said. This could mean that if a student is skilled at playing Pokemon — not realizing the game is based on math — Pokemon-related materials could be included in their learning.

“The main vision is that every single child can learn, but you’re not going to learn it like the next person, and that’s OK,” she said.

LEVEL PLAYING FIELD

Due in part to the school’s commitment to teaching across a range of areas, it was important for it to be innovative with the programs it offers, Jenkins said.

This year, the school will hold flag football competition as part of a series that will feature a different sport each quarter, moving onto basketball and then to a new sport, pickleball, that the school is now testing.

Gordon, a former Louisiana State University athlete with a background in football and baseball, said he thinks pickleball will be easier than tennis for the students, with its small paddle, teams, and a shorter court.

Gordon also hopes that by introducing kids to sports earlier, and preparing kids for what it takes to succeed in them, it will help students maintain the grades required to play sports when they reach high school.

Last year, the school played four games — two football and two basketball games — with the Bradenton public charter school Visible Men Academy. Jenkins hopes to expand the competition to other clubs.

NEW OPTIONS

After care programs and sports are not the only new offerings.

Modern Marimba will be attending the school once a month for music exploration, bringing drums and xylophones and teaching how to establish a rhythm and beat.

The school is working with FUNducation, a nonprofit focused on S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education for kids from underrepresented groups, which will teach topics like coding, robotics, drones, and motors, through an enrichment block and an after-school program. Jenkins said kids have expressed a great interest in this offering.

“Kids really wanted something else. They wanted to work with Legos and robotics and motors and coding.”

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After opening in 1999, SSIS was, until last year, the only Title I public charter school in Sarasota County, and served the highest percentage of students on free and reduced lunches, Jenkins said.

ADAPTABLE APPROACH

Jenkins said the school, with its multifaceted approach, has been successful at closing the learning gap, with most students making one to two years of gain.

Part of working with multiple intelligences is understanding the different fields intersect, she said. For instance, all teachers are trained in the Math & Movement program, which integrates counting and numbers sense into sports and is also used by P.E. coach and teacher Keron Gordon.

When it comes to art lessons, there’s more than meets the eye.

Instructor Wesley Tippett delves into history by introducing an artist through a book, then moves onto geometry, discussing angles and lines. Finally, he arrives at a music component as students create art.

“He’s an amazing resource to our school, and I’m really hoping to continue to expand his program to some after school offerings and some more community things too, because our kids enjoyed that immensely,” Jenkins said.

She said the school has benefited

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The community has seen a demand for after care, Jenkins said, while the program activities have resulted in students being more excited to attend school. The co-ed program is offered for kindergarten through fifth grade for $25 a week.

Another activity she said many kids are interested in is time outdoors (naturalistic intelligence is one of the intelligences), which is why the school will be visiting the site of the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, in Osprey, which has offered to develop a curriculum for the school.

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many kids struggling with interpersonal and intrapersonal skills.

“Through some of the other intelligences, like the linguistic or the music, they actually start to learn, ‘Oh, I’m a really likable person; I

Jenkins credits its vision to Gordon, who said as a child, he found that when the same students played against each other, certain students became dominant, which discouraged competition.

“If you play against somebody you don’t know, you’re always going to try to be your best,” he said.

The school is working with Sarasota Ballet so students can participate in Dance — The Next Generation, the ballet’s community engagement program. Students who remain in the program receive a college scholarship covering needs including tutoring, transportation and mentoring.

This year in May, the school took part in the Art Center Sarasota North County K-12 Spring Art Show. Tippett said it would help the kids take ownership of their work, and to help supplement that goal, he tasked them with creating an invitation for their friends and family.

For the first time, the school has two full sensory rooms, giving a space devoted to occupational therapists and speech therapists for those students with Individualized Education Program, 504 plans, functional behavior assessments and behavior plans.

The school sustains needs beyond academics. Since last year, it has worked with All Faiths Food Bank to offer a food pantry, allowing everyone in the community free access to offerings that range from steaks to full Publix meals.

With all the progress, Jenkins said she is looking forward to what the future brings.

The Suncoast School is growing opportunities in and out of the classroom so students can find their talents.

Autumn Latortue and Zarina Choibekova speak with coach Keron Gordon in fifth grade teacher Keanna Newman’s class.

Principal Fayth Jenkins

Photos by Ian Swaby

FRIDAY, AUG. 25

AUGUST KARAOKE AT HAMLET’S

EATERY

5-8 p.m. (karaoke begins at 6 p.m.) at The Courtyard at The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime, 821 Apricot Ave. Hamlet’s Eatery welcomes both seasoned and first-time performers for a karaoke event featuring songs for everyone. For information, visit HamletsEatery.com.

SARASOTA’S BIG GAY WEEKEND

KICK-OFF HAPPY HOUR

5:30-7:30 p.m. at Golden Host Resort Sarasota 4675 N. Tamiami

Trail. Free. This happy hour kicks off a weekend of Pride events, including the Pride Luau, which follows the kickoff and takes place at 8 p.m.; the Rainbow Pool Party and Red Light, Leather & Lace on Saturday, Aug. 26; and Pride T-Dance and Drag Queen Bingo at the Bahi Hut on Sunday, Aug. 27. Tickets for events range from $15 to $50. For more information on times and to purchase tickets, visit EventBrite.com.

SATURDAY, AUG. 26

BEAT THE HEAT — CHALLENGE

ACCEPTED

8 a.m. at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle. Kids $25; adults $69. Test your abilities in a race featuring rowing, rucksacks, sandbells and bodyweight challenges, held by Camp Gladiator. To register, visit RaceRoster.com.

UF/IFAS EXTENSION MASTER

GARDENER PLANT CLINIC

10 a.m. to noon at Fruitville Library, 100 Apex Road. Free. This informational session for adults helps attendees understand more about gardening, whether their topic of interest is Florida-friendly gardens, composting or citrus trees. Staff can identify a plant or insect or provide research-based help in lawn, landscape and pest management. For information, visit SCGov.LibraryMarket.com.

ODDITY TATTOO 20TH

ANNIVERSARY & ART SHOW

7 p.m. at Oddity Tattoo UTC, 6307 Center Ring Road. Free.

Oddity Tattoo celebrates its 20th anniversary with a mystical-themed art show filled with original artwork

BEST BET THURSDAY,

AUG. 31

SUPER MOON + BLUE MOON SOUND

BATH AT THE BAY

7-8 p.m. at Sarasota Garden Club, 1130 Boulevard of the Arts. Enjoy this rejuvenating and relaxing session on the date of the blue supermoon, a phenomena that will not occur again for almost a decade. The experience, intended to offer rejuvenation and relaxation, will include instruments such as a planetary tuned gong, crystal singing bowls, Tibetan bowls, and Buddhist Tingsha bells. For information and to register, visit TheBaySarasota.org.

Cheers to charity

As attendees raised their glasses during the first annual Toast Local event by the Rotary Club of Sarasota, held on Aug. 20 at Robarts Arena, their presence was not only benefiting local craft cocktail and beer brands, but local charities as well.

Nicholas Iannitti, fundraising chair for the Rotary Club of Sarasota, said he hoped the public would leave with an understanding of what the club, which has been in the area for 97 years, accomplishes through its charity arm, the Rotary Club of Sarasota Foundation.

by its own artists. There will be prize giveaways, special 20th anniversary merchandise available for purchase, and complimentary treats and refreshments by Mouthole BBQ and Calusa Brewing. For information, visit OddityTattoo.com.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 30

SUPER BLUE MOON ROOFTOP

YOGA

7 p.m. at The Westin Sarasota $15 per person. Experience the rare blue supermoon with this outdoor yoga class under the full moon taught by a certified yoga instructor. For information, visit Facebook.com.

THURSDAY, AUG. 31

RADD RUNNERS

6 p.m. at DreamLarge Office, 513 Central Ave. Held the last Thursday of each month, this community event allows attendees to discover the Rosemary Art & Design District and The Bay Park while connecting with Sarasota’s community. For information, visit RosemaryDistrict. org.

DENTAL IMPLANTS

by Dental Implant Specialists

“Everybody we’ve talked to is really enjoying themselves and having a good time, so that was really the biggest thing,” he said. “And I think we’ve actually been pretty successful in raising awareness of what Rotary is and what we do.”

He said the proceeds of the event will go toward almost a dozen local charities, benefiting causes such as the programs of All Faiths Food Bank and Mayors Feed The Hungry, as well as hurricane relief efforts, senior well-being and

more.

Meanwhile, the event helped to raise awareness of local brews. Toast Local drew some 20 vendors offering a variety of drinks.

“I like bitter beer, very dark beer, so it’s nice to taste something in between, something bitter, something milder,” attendee Shirley Aschenbrenner said. “It’s giving me ideas for where to buy beer.”

— IAN SWABY

Photos by Ian Swaby

Julie Martin pours SALT Tequila.

Ian Swaby

Tricia Bolds, of Gulf Coast Custom Designs, and her mother, Cindy Wilds, showcase Bolds’ kitchenware to Dawn Lansing.

Students take center stage

Instructor Iain Harris calls his job at Music Compound the best in the world.

Teaching children is no different from teaching adults, he said.

“When you walk in the door, we know who you guys are. We’re you, but just older,” he said.

The studio’s student talent was on display at its Back to School Bash, which took place at its Sarasota location, as well as its location in Bradenton.

Studio Manager Alyssa Martin said the event allows the community to learn more about the performance-based music school and its programs.

“They can see with their own eyes and hear with their ears, our student performers, and how amazing they are, and it’s just a fun way to get people in the com-

munity out and together and enjoying music on a Saturday morning, early afternoon,” she said.

Because students get the chance to perform on a monthly basis, they find a spark that keeps them improving and returning to the stage, said Martin.

Martin said she herself can attest to the excellence of the instruction. The 43-year-old had never had the patience to learn music when she first started as studio manager, but she finally found the opportunity when Harris insisted on teaching her. She made her guitar debut on Aug. 18.

Event attendee Katie McHugh said her four children love Music Compound because it offers the chance to try multiple instruments.

— IAN SWABY

Four-year-old Jude Musmar, Muhammad Musmar, 7-year-old Zane Musmar, Chada Musmar, and 9-yearold Maya Musmar all had an excellent time at the Back to School Bash.

Photos by Ian Swaby

Sophia Emmons, Jersey Baldini and Silvanna Escobar of Blazer Babes.

Harper Weyant, 13, offers a solo performance.

Shae Benfer, 5, and 3-year-old Cameron Benfer took front-row seats.

Kristen Emmons, Rick Emmons and Brittany Emmons applaud the student performers.

2-unit deal in downtown condo tops sales at $2.9M

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Atwo-unit sale in Royal St. Andrew tops all transactions in this week’s real estate. Alexis Ann Romano, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the units 501 and 502 condominiums at 555 S. Gulfstream Ave. to Mark Zarb and Rebecca Lynn Hing, of Sarasota, for $2.9 million. Built in 1969, the units have four bedrooms, four baths and 2,700 square feet of living area. They sold for $2,955,500 in 2022.

SARASOTA POINSETTIA PARK

Kevin Gordan Cooke and Julie Cooke, of Osprey, sold their home at 1850 Magnolia St. to Thomas Alan Jennings and Elizabeth Jane Jennings, of N. Little Rock, Arkansas, for $2,085,000. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,148 square feet of living area. It sold for $725,000 in 2018.

BAY PLAZA

Susanne Pluhm, trustee, and Michael Guenther Pluhm, of Clearwater, sold the Unit 804 condominium at 1255 N. Gulfstream Ave. to Robert Lachkar and Emilia Karsh Lachkar, of Sarasota, for $1.5 million. Built in 1982, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,822 square feet of living area. It sold for $247,000 in 1995.

THE LANDINGS

Arpad Miklos Polgar, of Budapest, Hungary, sold his home at 4809 Peregrine Point Circle W. to Raymond and Donna Polito, of Sarasota, for $1.5 million. Built in 1987, it has three bedrooms, three-andtwo-half baths, a pool and 4,127 square feet of living area. It sold for $771,500 in 2015.

OYSTER BAY ESTATES

Robin Greeson, trustee, sold the home at 4431 Camino Real to K & H SRQ Properties LLC for $1,275,000. Built in 1958, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,616 square feet of living area.

1350 MAIN RESIDENTIAL

Jaclyn Kim Brunckhorst, of Siesta

Key, sold her Unit 1408 condo-

minium at 1350 Main St. to Charles Vaughn Strimlan and Janet Strimlan, of Pittsburgh, for $1.2 million. Built in 2007, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,336 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.36 million in 2022.

BAY HAVEN Michael Edwards, trustee, of Dade City, sold the home at 2814 W. Tamiami Circle to Toni Cusumano, of Mount Vernon, Illinois, for $1.2 million. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 1,997 square feet of living area. It sold for $650,000 in 2018.

BENEVA OAKS

Christopher and Sharon Bonnet, of Sarasota, sold their home at 3775 Beneva Oaks Blvd. to Ivan and Caitlyn Ross, of Sarasota, for $1,149,000. Built in 1989, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,743 square feet of living area.

ORANGE PARK

Joanna Roberti, of Sarasota, sold her home at 2711 Blossom Drive to Ramona Gwynn, of Sarasota, for $1.05 million. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,282 square feet of living area.

It sold for $755,000 in 2019.

WASHINGTON PARK Peter Hafner, trustee, sold two properties at 543 Madison Court to Albert Hafner and Yvonne Hafner, trustees, and Karilea and Kevin Rhea, of Sarasota, for $940,000.

The first property was built in 1926 and has two bedrooms, one bath and 928 square feet of living area. The second property was built in

TOP BUILDING PERMITS

Other top sales by area

SIESTA KEY

Jamaica Royale

Thad Bradley Browning sold the Unit 202 condominium at 5830 Midnight Pass Road to Barnes Rental Property SRQ LLC for $1,375,000. Built in 1976, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,285 square feet of living area. It sold for $667,000 in 2020.

PALMER RANCH

Deer Creek

Kurt Hummel, of Ontario, Canada, sold the home at 8142 Shadow Pine Way to Anne Larson and Andrew Larson, trustees, of Sarasota, for $850,000. Built in 1993, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,884 square feet of living area. It sold for $450,000 in 2011.

OSPREY

The Villas at Osprey Harbor Village

1926 and has one bath and 342 square feet of living area.

SOUTH GATE

Rodolfo Sperandeo, of Bradenton, sold his home at 2400 River Ridge Drive to Ivana Angelieva Radeva and Boris Raev, of Sarasota, for $765,000. Built in 1971, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,554 square feet of living area. It sold for $280,000 in 2014.

ONLINE

See more transactions at YourObserver.com

Christopher Cumpton and Susan Cirocki, trustees, of Osprey, sold the Unit M3 condominium at 14041 Bellagio Way to Stephen Cable and Rebecca Roberts Cable, trustees, of Osprey, for $902,100. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,988 square feet of living area. It sold for $425,000 in 2017.

NOKOMIS

Mission Valley Estates

Craig Giodano and Nicole Elle Smith, of Punta Gorda, sold their home at 1255 Mustang St. to Charles Noland and Lori Kern, of Nokomis, for $650,000. Built in 1986, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,634 square feet of living area. It sold for $637,500 in 2022.

Courtesy photo

A condominium in Royal St. Andrew tops all transactions in this week’s real estate at $2.9 million. Built in 1969, it has four bedrooms, four baths and 2,700 square feet of living area.

Protecting the President on 9/11

The unknown backstory from the cockpit of Airforce One

The Commander and Pilot for Air Force One on 9/11, Col. Mark W. Tillman, will share his experiences on that day, and in the days that followed, in a riveting FREE program at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota.

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

The program begins at 10 a.m. and includes a special tribute to our military veterans and first responders. REGISTER TODAY!

TidewellFoundation.org

(941) 552-7569

KNOWLEDGE. SERVICE.

THE PLUMBING PLACE

Beautiful AND Durable Exterior Door Hardware

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

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

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

Challenge accepted

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

Alyssa Lopez and Alyssa Snider have more in common than first names. They are both former contestants on the reality TV series “Big Brother” and both hail from the same area — Lopez from Sarasota and Snider from Siesta Key.

And now, they represent their hometowns while playing on the same team on “The Challenge: USA.”

The CBS reality series brings together contestants from other reality shows on the channel for a competition designed to test participants physically and mentally.

The show resulted in Snider and Lopez meeting for the first time and forming a close friendship.

ALYSSA SNIDER

Snider said ever since she was a child, she felt she would one day appear on reality TV, but she was still intimidated joining “The Challenge.”

“I didn’t win a single competition on Big Brother, so I felt like I had something to prove,” she said.

Whenever she feels stressed, she tells everyone that she is in her “happy place,” watching the sunset in the park at Marina Jack. She recalls an answer she gave when participants on “Big Brother” were asked to discuss what they missed most from home.

“I’m like, ‘I miss Sarasota sunsets, because there is literally nothing better than a Sarasota sunset, and I will die on that hill,’” she said.

She describes herself as “a pretty anxious person,” but said she couldn’t ask for a better companion than Alyssa Lopez.

“Having somebody who understands me, and ‘Big Brother,’ and ‘The Challenge’ is something that’s irreplaceable,” she said, calling the two a team who always look out for each other and saying that Lopez’s strong and commanding voice inspires her as well.

Snider works out six days a week, but that didn’t stop her from feeling humbled by challenges like a capsizing, which saw her swimming through ice cold water as she nearly sank beneath the weight of a helmet and boots.

The best part of the experience, she said, was meeting personalities like longtime contestant Johnny Devenanzio, also known as Johnny Bananas.

In her personal life, Snider is a Pilates instructor. She also enjoys

“This is me, Danee in both pictures. I know my program works because I’ve done it myself. I lost 28 pounds, went from size 12 to size 6 AND kept it off for over 15 years! Let me help you. It’s easier than you think!”

WHERE TO WATCH

THE CHALLENGE: USA 10 p.m. Thursdays and 9 p.m. Sundays on CBS. For information visit CBS.com/Shows/ TheChallenge-USA.

writing poetry, which she said allows her to exercise her softness and sensitivity. She volunteers with Olive Branch Animal Rescue, because she loves animals “literally more than anything.”

ALYSSA LOPEZ

Lopez, who hails from Sarasota, describes herself as possessing a small frame and is far from an imposing figure physically.

Yet while her role pits her against contestants who have competed for many seasons, she decided to return to “The Challenge: USA” after appearing in Season 1 in 2022.

Lopez, who currently lives in Tampa, was born at Sarasota Memorial Hospital and spent her childhood between Sarasota and Bradenton.

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The friendship the two have formed made the trials of the experience easier.

“We already kind of had a connection,” Lopez said. “And almost like an alliance within itself, to look out for each other.”

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This program is presented by Tidewell Foundation in partnership with Tidewell Honors Veterans program, and with support from a $30,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County through the Walter Haskins Fund in memory of Stacey K. Haskins, and a gift from the Eluned and Edward Russell Charitable Foundation.

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Fast Break

HUNGRY for a challenge

RYAN KOHN SPORTS EDITOR

If college interest is a measure of a high school football team’s talent, it’s not a stretch to call Cardinal Mooney High’s roster the most talented the program has ever had. The talent is found on both sides of the ball, and it could allow the Cougars to reach a level they never have.

Former Booker High boys basketball head coach Markus Black was named an assistant coach at California State University-San Bernardino on Aug. 15. Black spent the previous two seasons as a graduate assistant at the University of Arkansas, where he was on staff with new CSUSB head coach Gus Argenal. Black led Booker to a Florida High School Athletic Association state Final Four appearance in 2017-2018.

The Pickleball Club has named Scott Brynski as its new general manager. Brynski brings more than 10 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, including five years at Bird Key Yacht Club in Sarasota. Brynski will formulate the club’s overall strategy and manage its team.

… The Riverview High boys golf team finished third overall (315) at the John Ryan Memorial Golf Tournament, held Aug. 21 at Capri Isles Golf Club in Venice. The Rams were led by junior Kyle Souchak, who finished tied for 11th as an individual (75). Four Rams finished in the top 30. Cardinal Mooney High finished seventh at the same event, though junior Nicolas Bencomo finished tied for sixth overall (73).

The high school football regular season kicks off this week. It’s a different type of week one in that no Sarasotaarea teams play rivals or state powerhouses. One game in particular to watch: Riverview High hosts Southeast High at 7:30 p.m. The Rams beat Hillsborough High 24-6 in a preseason game last week. Can the team’s new-look offense keep it going into the regular season?

But as Mooney learned in 2022, a paper roster only goes so far. On the field, teams still have to perform at a high level to come home with victories. Mooney struggled early in the season: After escaping with a 10-9 home win over Booker High in week one, the Cougars lost six straight games, four of which were by 20 points or more. Mooney managed to turn things around at the end of the year, closing the regular season with three straight wins — including a gut-check 14-7 road win over Riverview High — and did just enough to reach the Class 1S postseason, but lost 38-7 to John Carroll Catholic in the first round.

The Cougars believe 2023 will be different.

“We’re excited for the season,” head coach Jared Clark said Aug. 12 at a Suncoast Media Day press conference, held at The Mall at University Town Center. “We worked our tail off this summer. It was hotter than heck. (Strength coach) Jon Haskins does a great job with these guys, giving them a bunch of functional lifts and movements and comes up with ways to get these guys in shape.

I think we’re an incredibly talented group, no doubt about it.”

For Mooney, it starts on defense, particularly in the secondary. Senior cornerback Teddy Foster committed to the University of Florida on July 14. Foster, who is 6-foot-2, 170 pounds, is a three-star player and the 68th-ranked cornerback in the national Class of 2024 according to the 247Sports Composite. On the other side of the field will be 6-foot-1 junior Chris McCorkle, who is uncommitted but holds an offer from Florida, as well as Michigan State University, West Virginia University, Boston College and other NCAA DI schools.

The program is also excited about defensive back Macaiden Brown, a sophomore, who picked up his first NCAA offer from Georgia Tech University on July 27. Brown, who is 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, had a pick six in the Cougars’ 24-20 preseason win over Booker High on Aug. 18.

The team’s pass-defending abilities are enhanced by its defensive front seven. Senior linebacker George Leibold had 117 total tackles (eight tackles for loss) five interceptions and two sacks in 2022. He holds an offer from Stetson University. Senior linebacker Jacob Brown also returns after racking up 68 total tackles (three tackles for loss), a sack and two passes defended in 2022. On the line, sophomore Blake Roulund (34 tackles), junior Scott Silva (30 tackles) and senior Lorenzo Walls (17 tackles) should provide a steady base.

CARDINAL MOONEY HIGH FOOTBALL: AT A GLANCE

2022 record: 4-7 (lost 38-7 to John Carroll Catholic in the first round of the postseason) Head coach: Jared Clark, fourth season Key to the season: Getting the ball in the hands of offensive playmakers. New quarterback Michael Valentino will be charged with spreading the ball around to elite athletes like Teddy Foster, Chris McCorkle, Zy’marion Lang and Carson Beach, among others. If Valentino is able to command the offense like Mooney hopes, things could fall into place for a special season.

from West Virginia, the University of Tennessee and the University of South Florida, among other schools.

Getting all these weapons the ball will be senior quarterback Michael Valentino, a transfer from Charlotte High. He threw for 1,090 yards, nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2022. At Suncoast Media Day, Clark said Valentino won the job over the course of spring practice, beating out sophomore Devin Mignery — though Clark also said the team will find ways to get Mignery on the field this season, as Clark believes Mignery is varsity-ready right now and wants him to get game experience for the future.

cant addition on the sidelines, bringing in former Palmetto High head coach Dave Marino as the team’s offensive line coach.

Marino stepped down from head coaching duties following the 2022 season. Marino went 100-57 over 13 seasons at Palmetto.

Along with the Cougars’ talent explosion comes an increase in strength of schedule, something Clark said was intentional, as a challenge to his players and a chance to prove the doubters wrong.

“One of the knocks on Cardinal Mooney is that we’re a small school and we can’t compete with the big schools,” Clark said during his press conference. “We wanted to play all the area schools that we could. So we’re playing Booker and Lakewood Ranch and Sarasota and Riverview this year, and we’re going to see what happens.”

SCHEDULE

(All games at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted):

At Suncoast Media Day, Valentino credited seven-on-seven tournaments with developing chemistry between him and his wide receivers, which led to improved learning during spring practice. Valentino completed six of 17 passes for 64 yards in the team’s preseason win over Booker, but he also added 99 rushing yards.

The players in the front seven may not have the external hype the secondary carries, but they’re just as hungry for results.

“I just like playing football,” Leibold said at Suncoast Media Day. “I like it all. Blitzing and making plays.”

On offense, Foster and McCorkle will use their natural athleticism at wide receiver, and they won’t be alone. Zy’marion Lang, a transfer from Palmetto High, will be another dangerous option on the outside.

Lang, who is 6-foot-2, 170 pounds, is a three-star player and the No. 76 wide receiver in the national Class of

Aug. 25 vs. Avon Park High

Sept. 1 vs. Lakewood Ranch

High

Sept. 8 vs. Evangelical Christian

Sept. 14 vs. Riverview High

Sept. 22 at Space Coast High (7:30 p.m.)

Sept. 29 vs. Sarasota High

Oct. 13 vs. John Carroll Catholic

Oct. 20 at Bishop Verot High

Oct. 27 vs. SmartEn Sports Academy

Nov. 3 at Bayshore High

2024 on the 247Sports Composite. He committed to the University of South Carolina on July 30. He had 28 catches for 470 yards and five touchdowns at Palmetto in 2022. The team will also feature running back Carson Beach, a senior who earned the starting job as a freshman and has produced ever since. The 5-foot10 Beach had 952 yards and eight touchdowns in 2022 and holds offers

The Cougars also made a signifi-

The Cougars will also play district foe John Carroll Catholic again, plus rival Bishop Verot High, who went 10-3 and reached the Class 2S state semifinals. READY

File photo

Markus Black is now an assistant coach at California State UniversitySan Bernardino.

The Cardinal Mooney High Cougars have NCAA Division I talent on both sides of the ball.

Cardinal Mooney senior linebacker George Leibold had 117 total tackles in 2022.

Cardinal Mooney senior running back Carson Beach will try to eclipse the 1,000yard mark in 2023.

Booker built for postseason run

In year two under head coach Scottie Littles, the Tornadoes want to make a leap.

Year one under head coach Scottie Littles was about setting the foundation.

In 2021, the program finished 0-8. There was some individual talent around, but it never coalesced into anything on the field, and the program was struggling to find depth. Then Littles arrived and instantly changed the culture — plus almost everything else. More success on the field soon followed.

At a Suncoast Media Day press conference, held Aug. 12 at The Mall at University Town Center, Littles talked about some of the changes around the program since he took over in early 2022. The biggest change? Roster size. When Littles first arrived, there were 20 kids who wanted to play football, he said. Entering 2023 fall practice, that number had ballooned to 90. The increased roster size gives Littles more options and more depth, and it allows for a real junior varsity team to get experience for future development.

The overall talent level has increased, too. That was evident as soon as Littles’ team took the field in 2022. The Tornadoes finished

6-5, including a 34-31 loss to Frostproof High in the first round of the Class 2S postseason, but four of the five losses were by eight points or less. They were close to something special, Littles said. Their goal for the upcoming season is to get on the other side of close games.

“We’re trying to find a way to finish at the end (in 2023),” Littles said. “I’m looking forward to a big year from our

The Tornadoes will enter the season with a new quarterback under center. Junior signal caller Alex Diaz comes to Booker from Sarasota High, where he was the Sailors’ starter for much of the 2022 season. Diaz thew for 911 yards, 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions last year.

He’ll have plenty of talent around him. Senior running back Ahmad Hunter had a breakout 2022 season, running for 1,212 yards and 12

touchdowns thanks to his physical style of play, often busting through defenders’ tackle attempts. Hunter, who is 5-foot-8 and 190 pounds, according to MaxPreps, said that his goal is to run for 1,500 yards in 2023. Hunter had touchdown runs of 30 and 60 yards in the team’s 24-20 preseason loss to Cardinal Mooney High on Aug. 18.

“(Hunter) represents what Booker is about,” Littles said. “Doing what you’re supposed to do in the classroom. Becoming the best version of yourself. Putting the school and your teammates first. We’re excited to get him back for his senior year.”

On the outside, senior receiver Josiah Booker is a true deep ball threat. Booker, who is 5-foot-9 and 145 pounds, caught 58 passes for 957 yards (16.5 yards per catch) and nine touchdowns in 2022, and had a 45-yard touchdown from Diaz in the team’s preseason game against Cardinal Mooney High. Booker is a three-star player and the No. 165 wide receiver in the national Class of 2024, according to the 247Sports Composite. He holds offers from Duke University, Purdue University and Coastal Carolina University, among other schools.

The offense will also feature players who are talented but less proven at the varsity level. Junior wide receiver Rashawn Peterson didn’t compile many stats in 2022, but has shown enough promise at camps during the offseason that he received an offer from the University of Central Florida in May. Similarly, sophomore wide receiver/ safety Karaijus Hayes saw action in just one varsity game as a freshman, but earned a scholarship offer from the University of Miami in April. Both Peterson and Hayes should

have more opportunities to show off their skills in 2023.

On defense, the Tornadoes have a healthy mix of rock-solid veterans and impactful underclassmen. A massive season could be in the works for sophomore defensive lineman Kevontay Hugan, who had 38 total tackles (10.5 tackles for loss) and 2.5 sacks as a freshman. Hugan, who is 6-foot-2 and 236 pounds, holds offers from Miami, Penn State University and the University of

File photos

Booker High senior wideout Josiah Booker is a burner on the outside.

Booker senior running back Ahmad Hunter was the area’s leading rusher in 2022.

Maryland. He’ll team with senior defensive end Rah’shad Hill (49 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss) to cause disruption in opposing backfields. In the middle of the defense is junior linebacker Daijen Walton, who had 50 total tackles in 2022.

In the secondary, senior safety Jayson Evans provides speed — he’s a track star on the side — as well as strong hitting. Evans led the Tornadoes with 66 total tackles in 2022, with eight tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and an interception. Junior cornerback Anthony Brown III returns after a sophomore season with 17 total tackles, an interception and two passes defensed.

The Tornadoes also have a new face on the sidelines. Carlos Woods was brought in as the defensive coordinator. Woods is a former assistant linebackers coach with the Cincinnati Bengals and a former assistant defensive line coach with the Indianapolis Colts among other stops.

The team’s 2023 schedule will be a challenge, but one that a talented Booker team is capable of overcoming. The Tornadoes will play a mix of bigger area schools like Braden River High, Lakewood Ranch High and Sarasota High, and district matchups against Lemon Bay High, DeSoto County High and Bayshore High. If things go how Littles believes they can, matching and exceeding 2022’s 6-5 record should be achievable — which in turn should mean another trip to the postseason.

But as Littles and his team know, the Tornadoes have to finish.

“It was good for our kids to get that taste of success (last year),” Littles said. “Our district this year will be much improved, but I think we’re improved. It’s not going to be a cakewalk. We’re going to have to be disciplined and mature. We have to play hard and find ways to win close games at the end.”

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

BOOKER HIGH FOOTBALL: AT A GLANCE

2022 record: 6-5 (lost 34-31 to Frostproof High in the first round of the postseason) Head coach: Scottie Littles, second season Key to the season: Finishing. The Tornadoes were competitive almost every week in 2022, but lost a handful of games in which they held early leads. If Littles’ team wants to go deeper into the postseason, Booker has to learn to close out games.

SCHEDULE

(All games at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted):

Aug. 25 vs. Immokalee High

Sept. 1 at Southeast High (7 p.m.)

Sept. 8 at Sarasota High

Sept. 14 vs. Berkeley Prep (7 p.m.)

Sept. 22 vs. Braden River High

Sept. 29 vs. Bayshore High

Oct. 13 vs. DeSoto County High

Oct. 20 at Wiregrass Ranch High

Oct. 27 at Lemon Bay High

Nov. 3 vs. Lakewood Ranch High

Coach Scottie Littles is in his second year at Booker High.

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