Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer 5.16.24

YOUR TOWN

Macarons for mom

Audrey Saba was enjoying life in her native country of France, with her child and her husband, Didier Saba.

Her mother, Rosalie Guillem, wanted her three daughters together; she wanted Saba to move to Florida where she was living. Fortunately, when Audrey and Didier visited Sarasota, they fell in love with the city, but to immigrate there, they needed to invest in the community.

Audrey had a sweet idea.

“We thought about the macaron, because my mother loves macarons, and she couldn’t find them in the USA,” Audrey said. “And also, my husband loves to bake.”

In 2009, Audrey Saba and Rosalie Guillem founded Le Macaron, becoming co-owners.

Since then, the franchise has taken off in popularity, although the macarons are still made by Didier at the Bee Ridge Road location before they are shipped to over 60 franchises around the nation.

Millions served

Sarasota County’s Siesta Key trolley has now served 2 million passengers, hitting the milestone the first week of May.

To mark the milestone, the trolley is being rebranded as the Route 77 Siesta Islander. In addition to the new name, the trolley will receive cosmetic updates and improved app features, according to a media release.

The trolley service launched in 2017 as the Siesta Key Breeze. The county’s open-air trolleys have provided rides to residents and visitors traveling between Siesta Key Village, Siesta Beach and Turtle Beach.

Sarasota County commissioners in 2022 approved moving the county’s entire transit system under the “Breeze” brand. The Transit Department rolled out the Breeze Rider app for standard bus routes.

This technology is now available on the 77 Siesta Islander. Passengers can use the Breeze Rider app to view the 77 Siesta Islander’s arrival times and track the trolleys.

Travel on the 77 Siesta Islander continues to be free.

More walkability this way?

Ian Swaby

SiestaCon attendee Russell Kasper reunited Scooby Doo with his old nemesis, Frankenstein’s monster.

WEEK OF MAY 16, 2024

BY THE NUMBERS

323

Parking spaces currently located on Main Street that may be reduced in a future complete street plan.

PAGE 3

848

The maximum number of residential units planned for the redevelopment of Crossings at Siesta Key mall.

PAGE 5

1,000

The number of fans that club founder Marcus Walfridson hopes to draw to each game played by the preprofessional soccer team Sarasota Paradise.

PAGE 14

CALENDAR

n Sarasota City Commission regular meeting — 9 a.m., Monday, May 20, Commission Chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St.

n Sarasota County School Board regular meeting

— 3 p.m., Tuesday, May 21, Board Chambers, Landings Administration Complex, 1980 Landings Blvd. (black awning entrance).

“This is false and patently unfair to the airport and the board members who ... are asking how the airport can respond. Naturally, it is incumbent on my position to provide the response.”

SRQ Aiport CEO Rick Piccolo. Read more on Page 9

Drive-in restaurant closes after 67 years

Stools and tables were being unscrewed from the ground at the Hob Nob Drive In, where the landmark Sarasota restaurant closed Wednesday. It opened in 1957.

“I’ve had a great career,” said co-owner Cary Spicuzza, 67, who took over the Hob Nob when he was 34. He had been a waiter at Marina Jack in Sarasota while working on his master’s degree in business. He stopped taking classes after getting involved with the Hob Nob.

“It’s been a great run,” said Spicuzza.

He cited several reasons for the restaurant’s closure, including retirement and changes in business.

Another obstacle: The lease on the Hob Nob will be up June 30, and his lease ran in five-year increments. Spicuzza, who is 67, said he was working the grill five days a week and doesn’t want to work into his 70s.

The last time he renewed the lease, he said, his wife, Debora Spicuzza, was ready for him to move on. As a co-owner, she does the books for the restaurant. He credits her with finding out the Hob Nob was for sale in 1991.

With 33 years at the helm, Spicuzza said he did not want to be in business for another summer.

“After COVID, the landscape changed in the restaurant business,” he said. “Last summer was the first summer in 33 years I lost money.”

Recently, business has been slow, except Tuesday when people responded to a social media

post that Hob Nob was closing and packed the place, causing it to close early when it ran out of food and not open on Wednesday — which Spicuzza had planned on being the last day. The volume Tuesday was three times more than normal, Spicuzza said.

“We just aren’t as busy as we used to be,” he said. “We’d have a group of people for breakfast every day. People are on the run now. They don’t go to places for breakfast like this.”

Finding workers has also been a challenge. While the eatery has six or seven steady staff members, it is a constant struggle to fill other shifts.

The average check at the Hob Nob Drive In is $14, according to

Spicuzza. With servers getting paid $9 an hour, that leaves smaller margins than when they used to make $2 an hour and the average check was $8.60.

Land occupied by the Hob Nob Drive In is owned by Peter Karras, who lives in Maryland, according to Spicuzza.

“It’s not going to be a development,” said Spicuzza, who owns eight lots around the property, so he’d have to be involved in the decisions. Among the parcels he owns are ones containing a car wash and laundromat. He’ll continue to run them in retirement.

“We talked about a food truck,” Spicuzza said. “We’ll see how much gas is left in the tank.”

The Hotel Indigo is now voco Sarasota

The Hotel Indigo in Sarasota has a new name. The 95-room property at 1223 Boulevard of the Arts has been reflagged voco Sarasota after undergoing a renovation by IHG Hotel & Resort’s voco hotels brand.

The property is in the city’s Rosemary District and, along with the new name, comes with a restaurant and bar concept called Offshore Tapas and Wine Bar. According to a statement announcing the new name, the restaurant’s menu is “inspired by American cuisine (and) features the flavors of Sarasota.” According to IHG, as of March 31, there are 64 voco branded hotels worldwide with 16,107 rooms. Foundation awards $6M in grants

The Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation Board has recently awarded nearly $6 million in grants. Education grants include $1 million to Forty Carrots Family Center for expansion of its mental health and parenting education services, $900,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties, $478,020 Sarasota County Schools, $400,000 to Links to Success, $155,000 to Minorities in Shark Sciences, and $148,476 to Manatee Literacy Council.

Economic stability grants were $250,000 to One Stop Housing Cares, $250,000 to Family Promise of South Sarasota County, $228,790 to Harvest House, and $175,000 to Easterseals Southwest Florida. Health care access and quality grants are $444,869 to Resilient Retreat and $200,000 to The Academy at Glengary.

Social and community well-being grants are $450,671 to help former inmates avoid relapsing after leaving custody, $225,000 to Boxser Diversity Initiative, $150,000 to Manasota ASALH, and $125,000 to Upward Notes.

Neighborhood and environment grants are $80,000 to the Environmental Incubator Fund and $50,000 to Climate Adaptation Center. The Barancik Foundation has awarded more than $17 million in grants so far in 2024.

Elizabeth King

Cary Spicuzza has owned the Hob Nob Drive In since 1991.

A vision of less Main Street parking

City staffers tell DID ‘we have to be able to meet people halfway’ when it comes to eventual complete street design.

ANDREW WARFIELD

STAFF WRITER

With the city’s Main Street complete street visioning process well underway, soon comes the task of balancing the 10,000-foot-level imagination with street-level reality.

A reimagined Main Street must strike a balance between features such as outdoor dining and parking spaces, city staff members told the Downtown Improvement

Main Street, a parking analysis and more, but above all parking remained of chief concern among some board members.

Not so much the number of spaces available — the research showed city-owned parking on and adjacent to Main Street is underutilized — but rather the convenience to customers who eschew parking decks blocks away from their preferred merchants for spaces on the street near their destinations.

The visioning data indicates high enthusiasm for greater walkability and more outdoor dining over the number of angled parking spaces along Main Street. Some 66.3% of the more than 1,500 respondents to an online survey said they would like to see more outdoor dining and shopping on Main Street, by far the highest priority listed. Meanwhile, vehicle parking was named a topfive priority by 36.1%, placing seventh on the list.

Harmoni Krusing, a merchant who is the only member of the board who is not a property owner, said she regularly hears from customers that they will go elsewhere if on-street parking becomes more difficult.

KEEP UP

The city invites interested parties to visit the Main Street Complete Streets webpage for updates at SarasotaFL. gov.

ONLINE SURVEY

PROJECT OVERVIEW

“We’re talking about people’s livelihoods,” Krusing said. “It affects us and we’re already terrified with the construction, and then to remove parking because someone wants outdoor dining when maybe there’s only two restaurants on their block. I just want the thought process to be really thoughtful on the redesigning.”

“I just want to reassure that we are taking a look at everybody’s perspectives on this,” Corales replied. “The point of the visioning is to build that consensus, and we have to be able to meet people halfway. There are certain things that are bound to happen, but how do we build that consensus so the residents, the business owners and property owners can see a future on Main Street.”

Arriago bolstered the likely reduced parking scenario by pointing out average peak Saturday occupancy is 59% of the more than 2,000 city-owned paid and free parking spaces on and adjacent to Main Street between U.S. 41 and Lime Avenue. Krusing’s position is many of those spaces are too far-flung for downtown merchant customers.

“As someone who’s been there 20 years, it can be scary to lose all my parking,” Krusing said. “Do I have to leave downtown because I can’t service my clients? I love how you had this survey, but some people think that this sounds great but don’t have a company downtown. They don’t have the struggles that we have downtown. They just have

Select your top five priorities for the future of Main Steet

STUDY MATERIALS

Current city plans incorporated in the development of the visioning process include:

■ Sarasota in Motion Transportation Master Plan (2020).

■ Citywide Strategy for Parking Management (2016).

■ Downtown Master Plan (2001).

■ Downtown Bayfront Connectivity (2010).

■ Engineering Design Criteria Manual.

that vision, but they don’t know the aftermath of that.”

Of 2,047 municipal parking spaces counted, there are 323 on-street spaces along Main Street, 304 onstreet spaces on streets adjacent to Main Street, 48 spaces in surface lots and 1,372 in parking garages. For now, the visioning doesn’t specify how many spaces may be removed from Main Street, but it’s apparent there will be reductions there. All of those decisions will eventually land at the feet of the City Commission, possibly years from now.  There are currently no funding sources for the project.

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

DID board member Eileen Hampshire expressed confidence planners

can identify creative ways to overcome parking challenges — such as valet service — for customers who demand convenience. Walking several blocks from parking decks, she added, isn’t one of them for customers, women in particular.

“A lot of women will not park in the garage, and I don’t blame them,” said Hampshire. “They’re dirty and the elevator doesn’t work half the time. That’s another big issue if you’re in high heels and you’re going out for lunch. The parking meters are not easy to use and half the time they don’t work. They tell someone who’s coming downtown for fun they can use any (meter), but how the heck do I know which one works and I’m going to run around town trying to look for which parking meter works.

“It’s an issue. It’s just not well done, but it is solvable and I believe you can do it.”

Safety is another consideration.

With the variety of options for traversing Main Street — cars backing out of angled parking spaces, pedestrians crossing the streets, scooters and bicycles on the road — 2022 saw the second most crashes since 2017 involving all modes of transportation at 50. The highest number of crashes was 71 in 2018. The peak COVID year of 2020 saw only 28 crashes.

Public engagement included doorto-door canvassing of businesses in February, community events and neighborhood meetings in March and April, two open house sessions in April and May and visioning workshops. A stakeholder group was also composed of residents, business owners and property owners who live, work or own a business along or adjacent to Main Street.

“The length of any project is the primary concern,” Corales said of feedback in the open house meetings. “They did say no pedestrian mall, eliminate bikes on Main Street, no parallel parking. They also wanted to see more tree canopy. Others were talking about redesigning Main Street for pedestrians and hoped this will expand as a broader project throughout the downtown.”

The next steps in the project start with a report on the results of a three-month online survey that garnered 1,536 responses followed by the development of a vision palette, then a concept development with alternatives, all concluding in late summer 2024.

SARASOTA IN MOTION RANKING

Redesign Main Street is No. 8 on the city’s priority list. Concepts include:

■ Convert from angle to parallel parking ■ Widen sidewalks

■ Landscaping enhancements

■ Consider pedestrian mall at certain locations

■ Safety improvements

Andrew Warfield

Sarasota Bay

County ready for storm season

Researchers around the country predict active year for hurricanes.

Sarasota County is gearing up for the official start of the 2024 hurricane season, which begins June 1.

Preparations made this year could be crucial. Forecasters are predicting an active hurricane season, with one group of scientists issuing what’s being called its most aggressive forecast in 30 years.

Sandra Tapfumaneyi, the county’s emergency management chief, said Sarasota County is ready for whatever 2024 throws at it.

“There’s been a few storms that have come through and affected Sarasota the last couple of years, and we learned a lot from those,” she said. “Really, we have a good plan in place for this hurricane season.”

Tapfumaneyi said they also learned from studying what happened in Lee County, which took the hardest hit from Hurricane Ian.

The county will focus this year on making residents aware of the risks in deciding whether to stay or evacuate during a storm.

“During Ian, we heard from the residents there (Lee County) that they were not understanding the risks, when we were talking about 10 to 15 feet of storm surge,” she said.

ANALOG YEARS

In their annual report, scientists at the University of Pennsylvania said their data predict 33 named storms this year. The Penn researchers noted that would rank as the third-highest season on record; the fifth-highest number of total hurricanes; and the ninth-highest number of major hurricanes.

The Penn team also compared 2024 with five previous years that had similar early conditions — El Niño conditions the previous winter, followed by La Niña conditions during the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season (August-October). These five years, called analog years, also had above-average sea surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic early in the year.

The Climate Adaptation Center, a Sarasota-based nonprofit focused on challenges arising from climate change, predicts 24 named storms, 12 hurricanes and six major hurricanes in the 2024 Atlantic season.

Meanwhile, Colorado State University predicts 23 named storms and 11 hurricanes, including five major hurricanes.

“We need residents to really listen to the evacuation orders issued per each storm, and to treat them seriously so that they don’t get caught up into making decisions for their families and their property based off of what previous storms have done here.”

ALARM SOUNDED

While forecasters themselves admit it’s still too early to say with certainty what the 2024 hurricane season will look like, predictions so far are sobering.

The CSU prediction also sees much higher odds of a major hurricane hitting the U.S. than usual: 62%, compared to the long-term average of 43%.

Florida may again be in Mother Nature’s crosshairs. The CSU forecasters said there’s a 34% chance for a major hurricane to hit the East Coast or Florida Peninsula and a 42% chance that the Gulf Coast will see a storm make landfall.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s forecast is due out May 23.

Mall matters

Benderson’s mall redevelopment with 848 apartments inches forward.

ELIZABETH KING BUSINESS OBSERVER

Amall in Sarasota is on its way to becoming a walkable neighborhood with shops after developers received one of several required approvals to add residential development to the site.

The Sarasota Planning Board, at a May 8 meeting, OK’d residential development at the former Southgate Mall, now known as Crossings at Siesta Key, by voting 4-1 to approve a change in the city’s comprehensive plan.

“It sets the stage for revitalization,” said Philip DiMaria, representing SWFL Retail Associates LLC and Siesta Retail LLC, which own the Crossings at Siesta Key Mall. Both companies are subsidiaries of east Manatee County-based Benderson Development.

Benderson plans to build up to 848 apartments on the site, 10% of which will be attainable housing, plus a blend of retail and office space. The mix, with housing at the forefront of the comp plan changes, is something of a departure for Benderson, one of the largest retail landlords in the country, though it has done some residential projects.

Tampa’s Hyde Park Village and the Mercato in Naples are ideas of what “we’d like to see at this site in the future,” DiMaria said of the Crossings at Siesta Key Mall.

To permit residential development, the mall owners requested the city’s comprehensive plan be amended to include among the site’s uses “development consisting of retail, office, residential, mixeduse development and/or support facilities associated with mixed-use development,” documents filed with the Planning Board say. Benderson first made its request in summer

2023 but amended it in 2024 to scale back the number of residences and increase the availability of affordable housing.

For the comprehensive plan amendment to take effect, more steps are required: The Sarasota City Commission must allow for state review through a transmittal hearing. Then the state would have a 30-day review process. Finally, the commission must hold an adoption hearing after the state agencies submit their reviews.

‘CURATED NEIGHBORHOOD’

The mall once known as Southgate was built in 1956 as one of Sarasota’s first grocery-anchored shopping centers, according to DiMaria. It was enclosed and air-conditioned in 1988, he said.

Today major tenants at the mall include Cinebistro and Connors Steak & Seafood, both of which have done “well,” according to DiMaria, who said for the most part, the mall has “struggled with tenant mix.”

One tenant — Katherine Michelle Tanner of Tree Fort Productions — said at the hearing she was appreciative of all Benderson has done to bring the mall into the 21st century.

“We do love having you as a landlord,” she said. Going forward, she asked that the company work on “maintaining the businesses” and avoid supersaturation.

Commercial space will be a “significant” part of the mixed-use project at the 34-acre site on South Tamiami Trail between Bee Ridge Road and Siesta Drive, Todd Mathes, director of development for Benderson, told the Planning Board.

“We do envision it as a redevelopment of a mixed-use center that has a curated neighborhood, significant retail experiences, some amount of office [space] and certainly housing

as well,” Mathes said.

One Planning Board member said he traditionally thought of Benderson as a commercial developer.

“When I see Benderson, I see malls,” Planning Board member Daniel Clermont said. He asked whether the company planned to develop the residential piece then hand it over to someone else.

“We do intend to own and operate the entire property for the long term,” Mathes said. “We’re longterm owners and so we see it as a rental product. We have developed, owned and operated rental before. We do have a partner from the midAtlantic that is in this business, that has a similar outlook, to sort of guide us in developing a quality product and helping us with it because we are, at our core, bread and butter, shopping center redevelopers.”

Redeveloping the mall will span years and be done in phases, according to Mathes.

“We want to create something that feels very organic, of the neighborhood, and has real strength, and the way to do that is incrementally on a property of this scale,” Mathes said.

When asked about the timetable for the project, Mathes said six

months from now, Benderson would “probably start with some retail reorientation.”

Parts of the mall would also be removed during the construction project. Housing will be constructed in two phases or four smaller phases, Mathes said.

STICKING POINT

Benderson officials had to make some tweaks of their own to win approval for the comp plan changes.

In its initial proposal, Benderson proffered that its first 500 housing units rented or sold would include at least 50 attainable housing units, and its first 750 housing units would contain at least 84 attainable housing units.

Some Planning Board members were uneasy that if there were fewer than 500 housing units, attainable housing may not come to fruition at all. While Clermont was in favor of refreshing the mall site, he said the attainable housing portion was a “sticking point” for him. And he was not alone.

Board member Shane Lamay said he was worried “without any guarantee,” the attainable housing may be lost.

“I’d be much more comfortable with a guarantee,” board member Douglas Christy added.

As a result, the board came up with new benchmarks, authorizing a change in the comprehensive plan only if the developer includes at least 20 attainable housing units in its first 400 units constructed that are rented or sold; at least 50 attainable housing units in the first 450 housing units that are rented or sold; and at least 85 attainable housing units in the first 750 units that are rented or sold.

LOCAL PUSHBACK

Planning Board member Terrell Salem, the lone vote against amending the city’s comprehensive plan, advocated for more attainable housing units. He suggested developers use the Live Local Act, which would require 40% of the units to be attainable housing and permit 200 units per acre.

“We’re going to allow them to give us 10% [of units as attainable] housing — maybe,” Salem said. “We need housing, and we can’t just give this away.”

The city should not intervene and change its comprehensive plan when the Live Local Act would give the developers a way to build without requiring legislative action, contended Salem.

After discussions with the community and extensive planning, Benderson did not want to develop a project with more density on the property, Mathes said, so it would not be employing the Live Local Act. Salem was not the only one who voiced concern about the plan.

Richard Martin, who identified himself as having a place with his wife on Bahia Vista Street, told the board he felt the community was getting the “short end of the economic stick” since Benderson was drawing traffic from Sarasota and driving it to University Town Center and Manatee County instead. Martin said. “Eliminating [the Crossings at] Siesta Key Mall along with the now gone Sarasota Square Mall leaves the vast residential community of coastal and downtown Sarasota without a convenient community retail, shopping and restaurant destination of any sizable significance.”

Elizabeth King

Redevelopment may lie ahead for the Crossings at Siesta Key Mall, formerly known as Southgate.

SWAT TEAM

Fish, chickens and high-tech testing all play their parts in the county’s abatement battle with mosquitoes.

ELIZABETH KING BUSINESS OBSERVER

Four months after the groundbreaking for its new facility, Sarasota County Mosquito Management recently hosted its annual media day to showcase the operations that will be moving.

Those operations — and the investment, personnel and knowhow behind it — are a significant part of what local officials, starting at the top with Sarasota County Administrator Jonathan Lewis, said make the county a national leader in mosquito control.

The county “really has invested in the future of mosquito management,” Lewis said during the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce’s April 16 State of the County update. “We are one of the leaders in the country, not just in the state of Florida, when it comes to how we deal with it.”

Among the tools the department uses to combat mosquito-borne illness are lab testing, chickens and mosquitofish.

“We’re entering into peak mosquito season,” Wade Brennan, services manager of mosquito management services for Sarasota County, said during an April 30 media tour of the facility on Pinkney Avenue off Clark Road. The peak is May through November.

Each week, the mosquito management team tests mosquitoes and chickens for live viruses to be aware of what could be infecting people.

Sarasota County Mosquito Management is helping the entire nation with its testing capabilities.

“The test for the West Nile virus

was actually created in our lab,” Lewis said at the chamber event.

“The CDC actually uses that or a variation of that,” Lewis added, noting Sarasota County is among five labs able to conduct testing.

Sarasota County broke ground on the $12.8 million mosquito management facility off Laurel Road and Honore Avenue in Nokomis in January. The facility is scheduled to open in 2025.

The facility will include a live bog for filtering water, increased pesticide storage capacities and greater room for aquaculture as well as laboratories, among other components.

In the new space, the public will also be able to view PCR testing, which the county is currently conducting in a tucked-away lab room at its Pinkney Avenue facility.

“Having in-house (testing), you get same-day results, versus if you sent it to the state lab, it would take weeks, and we don’t want to wait that long,” Brennan said.

The county tests mosquitoes from 31 sites for things like West Nile virus as well as encephalitis.

“Last year was actually a very low year for encephalitis activity, but we did have an active year for malaria,” Brennan said.

Sarasota County saw seven cases of malaria in 2023.

In addition to testing mosquitoes themselves, Sarasota County tests chickens for mosquito-borne illness at 12 coops around the county. The

chickens are placed in a variety of areas, from private land to countyowned properties to areas with day care centers and elder care facilities, where populations may be more at risk of getting seriously ill, said Carly Dufficy, community outreach specialist for Sarasota County Mosquito Management. The county has 70 to 75 chickens for its surveillance program, she says. Their blood is tested weekly to see if they have any mosquito-borne illnesses.

Sarasota’s approach to disease surveillance is different from most other districts in the state, which usually just treat an area where a positive chicken or mosquito was found, said Brennan.

“With Sarasota County, we’ll treat

that immediate area, and then we’re going to do triangulation disease surveillance, setting up three different areas around that site to see if it is contained,” Brennan said.

Being thorough has paid off.

“In 2018 we had 18 (West Nile virus) positive mosquito pools in Venice” and not a single case of a person contracting the illness, Brennan said.

FISH FOOD

Sarasota County’s mosquito management program extends beyond testing and spraying.

“If you just spray, mosquitoes will develop resistance over time,” Brennan said. So the researchers take a multipronged approach. They treat larvae in the water, and they even breed fish to eat mosquitoes.

The fish, native to Florida, are produced in tanks at the mosquito control facility. Then they are put in wood lots, ponds and other areas, where the fish eat mosquito larvae. People can request mosquitofish from the facility to put in their local bodies of water, too.

The county produces about 100,000 mosquitofish a year. It has the second largest aquaculture program for mosquito fish in the nation, behind one location in California, Brennan says.

In its new facility, Sarasota County will be able to expand its aquaculture further to breed even more fish with the addition of three more tanks.

PREVENT MOSQUITO-BORNE ILLNESS

People can help prevent the spread of mosquito-borne illness by taking simple steps.

“If it’s holding water, chances are it’s going to be producing mosquitoes at some point,” Sarasota County Mosquito Management Manager Wade Brennan said. “They have to have standing water for their eggs to hatch.” The insects can go from larvae to adults in five to seven days.

That’s why it’s important to ensure there are no containers gathering water outside on people’s properties, he said.

Other tips to avoid mosquitorelated illnesses, include:

■ Avoid being outside during dawn and dusk, which are active times for mosquitoes.

■ Wear long sleeves and long pants if outside.

■ Use bug spray.

■ See a doctor if you have traveled overseas and feel sick when you return.

DRONE SPRAYS

“Another thing that’s new on the horizon is we’re hoping to be able to have drone application of (pesticides to) wood lots or other areas that are very densely vegetated where our staff have a hard time getting into,” Brennan said during the April 30 media event. “This will greatly improve our effectiveness.”

At the moment, Sarasota County is in the “analytical stage,” Brennan says, looking into the different capabilities of drone technology. Mosquito management services also has its own fabrication shop where it makes equipment for mosquito testing and control. For example, it created the sprayers that are affixed onto its spray trucks.

“We’re killing mosquitoes every single day of the year,” Brennan said. “If we didn’t have mosquito management, it would be an area where you would not have your tourists, you wouldn’t have your businesses, and no one would want to live here.”

Courtesy images

Wade Brennan is the manager of Sarasota County Mosquito Management.

This rendering shows the new Sarasota County Mosquito Management facility, which is under construction off Laurel Road.

Cuba 1958 is set to open in mid-June on Main Street in Sarasota.

Cuban restaurant to open on Main Street

Cuba 1958 will replace Flavio’s on Main and eyes an early summer opening date.

new Cuban-inspired restaurant is opening in downtown Sarasota, replacing Flavio’s on Main, at 1766 Main St.

Flavio’s owner, Flavio Cristofoli, said he opened the Main Street location several years ago and ran it, along with his longtime Siesta Key location, but had trouble finding qualified staff for the downtown operation.

“It was too much for me to handle two restaurants in season,” he said.

Meanwhile, Flavio’s Brick Oven and Bar on Siesta Key is not going anywhere — and is doing quite well.

“We do big numbers on Siesta Key,” Cristofoli said. “We’ve been here almost 33 years.”

Cristofoli continues to own the Main Street property and is leasing it to Cuba 1958, a spinoff of 1958 Cuban Cuisine, a restaurant in Westfield, New Jersey.

1958 Cuban Cuisine’s owner, Daniel Jimenez, said his family emigrated from Cuba in 1968 “with nothing but the clothes on our backs,” and started

the restaurant in New Jersey.

“We’re grateful that God gave us the opportunity,” he said.

The idea behind 1958 Cuba — the year before Fidel Castro came to power — is to “bring back the sexy, old-time Cuba.”

Jimenez said he moved to Bradenton two years ago after seeing Sarasota.

“What brought me here was Lido Key and St. Armands. We fell in love with the place.”

Jimenez said the new 1958 Cuba downtown will be similar to his New Jersey restaurant, with a few tropical twists.

“We want to bring a fine-dining Cuban experience. Downtown needs something like that.”

He promises true, high-end Cuban dining.

“It’s ‘Grandma’s’ cooking. Everything’s authentic,” he said.

Jimenez will serve as general manager. His chef of 25 years will also be on staff here.

“He’s from Cuba. Everyone involved in this is Cuban.”

He said work is still underway at the Main Street location. “We’re painting, decorating,” he said.

“God willing, we’ll be open sometime around the second week in June.”

For more information, visit Cuba1958.com.

Courtesy image

Zoning: Killer of creativity

Truth is, zoning has created a disaster in the U.S. — unaffordable housing and high-rise columbariums.

Look at the view on Tamiami Trail looking south in the photo. With few exceptions, that’s everything. The same standardized, gigantic concrete oversized columbariums — with external touches here and there. Architects try to design those features to create something consumers will buy, and, equally important, that the neighborhood NIMBYs and central planning commissars will approve.

This look is everywhere. And you know what? It’s contrary to what used to be the American way. Americans used to embrace creativity and, dare we use this disgustingly overused word — “diversity.”

Look at the variety and creativity in the way people dress — all kinds of kinds and styles. Look at the variety in automobile brands and styles. The variety in foods and restaurant cuisine. Look at the different designs of single-family homes, inside and out. On one block, you can have a midcentury Frank Lloyd Wright gem next to a Mediterranean Revival palace, each painted different colors.

But no matter what in Florida, when anyone proposes to construct a multistory building, the NIMBYs come out from under the rugs, and the planning commissioners pull out their 2,000-page zoning codes. “We can’t have that!” the chorus goes. “It will destroy the ambience of our beloved street (see photo.) Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But here is the truth: Zoning is anti-property rights. Zoning is discriminatory. Zoning has made housing unaffordable. Zoning has made so much of our landscape ugly. And, well, for the most part, zoning has created a disaster in America.

Zoning is why you see so many high-rise condos in Sarasota and Florida look like their designs all came from the same boring guy.

What’s more, here is the irony: For more than 100 years, Sarasota prided itself on being a haven for artists and the arts — the essence of creativity. Sarasota has one of the most amazing art museums in the world (the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art). And Sarasota is the birthplace of a world-famous style of architecture: the Sarasota School of Architecture.

And yet, time after time after time, NIMBYs, planning commissioners and bureaucrats exert great efforts to squelch anything that falls a centimeter outside of the lines of the code (e.g. Obsidian/1260 N. Palm Avenue Residences).

Rather than squish and snuff creativity, consider embracing it and entrepreneurial capitalism. Look at all the amazing, life-improving innovations that individuals have produced because of their creativity and ownership of private property.

The results have been far, far superior to what you’ll ever get out of that 2,000-page zoning code.

The following are excerpts from “The zoning theory of everything,” by Christian Britschgi, a reporter for Reason magazine:

■ Zoning regulations control what kinds of buildings can be constructed where, and then what activity can happen inside them. They effectively socialize private property while controlling even the most mundane features of our physical environment and daily routines. Zoning rules flip property rights on their head, curtailing the owners’ ability to do what they wish on their land. In exchange, they sometimes give people near–veto power over what happens on their neighbors’ property.

■ The immediate costs of zoning are straightforward: By limiting new housing construction, zoning drives home prices up in—and drives people out of—the most indemand neighborhoods. By micro-

managing commercial activity, zoning prevents entrepreneurs from trying new things, making everyone poorer in the process.

■ On a macroeconomic level, zoning slows economywide growth and dynamism by wrapping the most productive urban centers in red tape.

■ Zoning not only gives busybody politicians the ability to affect everything; it gives them power to stop everything, making it the goto tool for those trying to restrict everything from abortion to chain stores to goat yoga. It’s only a little bit of a stretch to say that American political debates always come back to zoning—and that zoning makes everything worse.

■ In “The Housing Theory of Everything,” a 2021 essay for Works in Progress, Sam Bowman, John Myers and Ben Southwood cobble

together the most recent research to estimate that zoning restrictions cost the average American somewhere between $8,800 and $16,000 a year in foregone income.

■ While zoning makes our economy more unstable and our politics more deranged, it keeps everything else much more boring. When people want to try new ideas on their property, whether it’s a startup business or just a fresh look, they are stopped by a litany of rules aimed at separating “incompatible uses” and eliminating “out-of-context” designs.

■ By constraining those property rights through restrictions on use, density, and more, zoning controls the physical substrata on which free markets are built. It is central planning brought down to an almost elemental level. It has made individuals and society poorer, less dynamic, more unstable, less interesting, less welcoming—and a little crazier too.

Red tide and you is a great place to START

If you are not familiar with the local nonprofit Solutions to Avoid Red Tide, you should be. It is doing yeoman’s work to reduce the scourge of red tide in our community.

I’ve seen its public presentations a couple times and spoken with its staff. It has a terrific presentation called Red Tide and You (hence my title for this column) that gives the average Gulf Coast resident a much more basic understanding of what is Red Tide; why it happens; and what our community and we as individuals can do about it.

If you belong to a local organization that needs speakers, you should reach out to get a speaker from START to give this presentation (www.Start1.org).

Red tide lives in the Gulf of Mexico. It doesn’t affect coastal sea life, coastal residents, tourists and our economy unless there is a “bloom.” A bloom is an explosive growth in red tide organisms that

kill ocean life and turn our beaches into horror shows and tear-gas coastal neighborhoods. They come from inordinately large sources of nutrients in the form of nitrogen and phosphorus.

To draw a straight line: Whenever we humans on land create large flows of nitrogen and phosphorus into our waters, which all flow into the ocean, we feed blooms of red tide, which in turn kill sea life, reduce our quality of life and drive away tourists to the detriment of the local economy. Obviously, it is good for the environment and in our own interest to reduce those flows of nutrients into the water wherever we can.

Sarasota Bay is particularly vulnerable to red tide blooms because of its salinity. And that is because it does not have a major fresh water river flowing into it, and there is a lot of movement of water between the Gulf and the bay that makes it easy for red tide blooms to enter.

WHAT START DOES Which is where START comes in. Consider a few examples of how it’s working to reduce the flows of nutrients into our waters: START works with the Legislature to deal with polluted Lake Okeechobee releases; fund major water quality infrastructure projects; and fund clam and oyster seeding projects on the Gulf Coast. START itself works with clam and oyster seeding programs in the Sarasota area. These shellfish

are amazing filters, each oyster, for example filters nine-20 gallons of water per day, pulling nitrogen and phosphorus out of the water and turning it into shells so the nutrients cannot go out and feed red tide. Particularly impressive is START’s project to improve the vast numbers of stormwater ponds in Sarasota County. Stormwater currently accounts for about 65% of the nitrogen that flows into Sarasota Bay.

A huge amount of that water flows through stormwater ponds — you know those scenic little lakes that dot every neighborhood and development in the region. Ninetyfive percent of stormwater ponds are on private property. They are a necessary byproduct of development in the area, providing a means to collect and control stormwater before it flows into creeks and ultimately into the Gulf of Mexico.

The problem is most of these ponds are impaired. As a result, they pass tons of nitrogen and other nutrients into Sarasota Bay.

To provide filtering of those nutrients and help prevent red tide blooms, these ponds need to have an unmowed strip about 3 feet wide around them and allow natural water plants to grow in them.

START points to one stormwater pond improvement project that reduced phosphorus 26% and nitrogen 23%.

WHAT YOU CAN DO Besides helping to arrange for

Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

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START to present all of its useful information to your group, there is a lot you can do. First, if your neighborhood or development has stormwater ponds, get START and your governing body together to figure out the simple steps to insure they are pulling as many nutrients as possible out of the stormwater flows into the Gulf. Use less fertilizer (which is loaded with nitrogen and phosphorus). Don’t use it in the rainy season; water less right after you apply fertilizer; and don’t fertilize within 10 feet of a pond or stream.

Clean up pet waste, tree leaves and grass clippings, all of which are also loaded with nutrients if they get into the water.

Arrange your rain gutters and downspouts so the water that flows out of them can flow onto a permeable surface and soak in, rather that washing nutrients into the ponds and streams.

Don’t pour greases and sauces down your sink or flush items other than waste and toilet paper down the toilet. All of that creates nutrients in the sewage system and must be filtered out and makes the system less efficient, increasing nutrient flows into the waters. Taken together, these actions can dramatically reduce red tide blooms, save our sea life and keep our beaches lovely and fun.

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MATT WALSH

Adrian Moore is vice president at Reason Foundation and lives in Sarasota.

ADRIAN MOORE

Photos by Matt Walsh

High-rise columbariums line Tamiami Trail. Below: Preserve this?

SRQ CEO rebuts FAA’s claims in New College land sale denial

Rick Piccolo sends FAA evidence that contradicts its basis for nixing deal.

ANDREW WARFIELD

In the weeks since the Federal Aviation Administration informed Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport it would not approve the sale of 31 acres of leased land to New College of Florida, airport President and CEO Rick Piccolo has received apologies from agency management over the way the petition was handled and the backlash that resulted.

This week, Piccolo sent a rebuttal to the agency regarding the findings made by the Orlando Airports District Office that led to the denial, one that contradicts many of the claims by that office.  Chief among them was that the FAA had no prior knowledge of the presence of New College dorms, classrooms and other facilities on the property leased to the college by the airport, and that those uses were not approved by the agency.

In the letter sent to Steven Hicks, director of the Office of Airports Southern Region in College Park, Georgia, Piccolo referenced multiple historical documents that show the FAA had approved the New College leases and subsequent prior land sales to the school dating to the 1960s.

Essentially, Piccolo said, the FAA didn’t do its homework.

“I’ve known Steve Hicks and ATO (Air Traffic Organization) manager now for a long time, and I talked to them on the phone, and frankly they were apologetic about how this came out,” Piccolo told the Observer. “But it doesn’t change the fact that the damage is done and that we’ve got to defend ourselves.”

Piccolo said the wording of the denial had tarnished his reputation and that of Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority Board members with local media reports calling the SMAA

“political cronies” and that the deal was driven by political motivations.

“This is false and patently unfair to the airport and the board members who now must not only endure these false allegations, but are asking how the airport can respond. Naturally, it is incumbent on my position to provide the response,” Piccolo wrote.

In his rebuttal, Piccolo attached an exhibit outlining multiple interactions between the airport, New College and the FAA that prove that not only was the agency aware of New College and its uses, but that it approved them.

He wrote, “Documents confirm not only was the FAA aware of the New College lease, but that Mr. David C. Kelly, who was the FAA District Airport Engineer in the Miami Area Office at that time, actually attended the SMAA Board meeting in Sarasota on Nov. 6, 1963, to advise the board on how to comply with FAA policy in regard to the proposed assignment of lease to New College covering the initial 20.436 acres, and on March 23, 1964, he wrote a letter expressing no

objection to the assignment.

“Furthermore, on April 27, 1966, Mr. Max H. Bard, Chief, Airport Branch of the Miami Area Office of FAA, wrote a letter to the airport manager suggesting specific provisions that should be included in the lease of the additional 13.5 acres of the college.”

The documents also showed that the agency had no objection to the use of the land for classrooms provided the usage complies with local zoning, that it meets the approval of the airport authority and that proceeds be used only for the operation, maintenance and improvement of the airport.

Piccolo wrote, “To state that the FAA had no knowledge of New College’s configuration and facilities, given the use and leases were approved by the Federal Aviation Agency in 1964 and 1966, direct license agreements between FAA and New College existed in the 1970s and 1980s, Master Plan and ALP (airport layout plan) documents were reviewed and approved

by the FAA since the 1980s and as recently as 2021, and the approval of a similar land sale to New College for expansion of the campus by the FAA Orlando ADO in 2007 make the assertion that FAA had no knowledge of the existence of New College quite incredible.”

Piccolo also disputed the agency’s characterization of the appraisals to determine the value of the land, which were shipped separately in two parts.

The FAA made its determination that the land was undervalued based on the appraisal of only eight of the 31 acres. The remaining appraisal details, Piccolo told the Observer, had likely been languishing on a retired manager’s desk. He said a courtesy call he never received would have clarified that matter.

“There were two separate appraisals of hundreds of pages of the 30 acres,” Piccolo said. “The first package I sent to the Orlando ATO manager, who retired a couple of days

after we sent it. My guess is it got lost in the transferring of records from one office to another office, and instead of calling and saying there’s only an appraisal here for eight acres, are we missing something, they were just like, ‘Oh well. You didn’t submit it.’ Those are the things that are disappointing.”

Piccolo doesn’t expect the miscommunications will change the minds of FAA management with regard to the sale, but the overlooked information that it had previously approved the very uses the agency claimed to prohibit on adjacent land, and an appraisal report on the entire acreage, will bolster the airport’s case.

“I think we provided a tremendous amount of detailed justification,” Piccolo told the Observer. “I’m sure that there will probably be a request to meet, which I’ve been requesting from the start because it was so much documentation to have to present.”

Andrew Warfield

Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport President and CEO Rick Piccolo is overseeing the largest expansion in the airport’s history.

Courtesy image

The FAA denied the request by Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport to sell 31 acres leased by New College. The 31-acre site is bounded by the dotted line.

THURSDAY, MAY 2 THE

10:34 a.m., 900 block of North East Avenue

Civil dispute: Having offered a recently released inmate a place to sleep in her apartment in exchange for $800 per month, a woman wanted the subject removed from the residence. The man advised he had been living in the apartment as a roommate of the lessee, and he sleeps on a couch in the living room. Upon arrival, officers observed the complainant screaming that she wanted him removed. It was not specified whether the two had previously been acquaintances. The woman denied having made the offer to the subject beyond spending a night or two. The man, though, produced a document that showed a written agreement to stay for $800 per month, adding that he had already paid for his room and board. He advised he also gave the complainant an additional $200 to pay the water bill.

The woman continued to scream at officers, at the man and even at the landlord, who had arrived at the scene. The woman first stated she offered to allow the man to stay for three days, then said he had been staying for a week, and continued to give conflicting statements.

Officers advised they could not remove the man, which was not well received by the woman, who continued to rant until the landlord offered to give the man $500 if he would leave and find other shelter. The man agreed, gathered his belongings, accepted the cash and vacated the residence.

MONDAY, MAY 6

JAILBIRD RELEASED

7:28 a.m., 100 block of South Orange Avenue

Animal problem: An officer wrote that he observed a small bird — which was later identified as an English sparrow, or “house sparrow” — in distress in a roundabout.

“I approached the bird, and it appeared bewildered,” the report reads.

“Such behavior is consistent with being struck by a vehicle or similar object. I gently grasped the bird in my right hand, and I took the bird to my patrol vehicle.”

Then the officer advised dispatch

SATURDAY, MAY 4

DINGHY

DING-DONG

7:23 p.m., 1900 block of Lincoln Drive

Prowler: A man who may or may not have been interested in purchasing a dinghy parked in a backyard rang a woman’s doorbell to inquire within. Indeed, the dinghy was not for sale, and the woman identified the man as a white male between 50 and 60 years of age with shaggy gray hair.

After the subject left, the woman suspected the encounter to be out of the ordinary since the dinghy was visible from neighboring properties and an adjacent parking lot with no indications that it was available for purchase.

An officer canvassed the area for the subject with no success.

that the bird would be in transit to Save Our Seabirds.

“The bird and I rode together in the confines of my patrol vehicle,” the officer wrote. “I made sure the sparrow’s face was forward, so he could see out the windshield.”

The officer was informed that the bird is an invasive species, and if the organization took in the bird it would have to be either euthanized or released into its natural environment which, according to the National Audubon Society, is “Cities, towns, farms. General surroundings vary, but in North America, they essentially always are found around manmade structures, never in unaltered natural habitats.”

In other words, its natural environment is primarily not in nature.

Save Our Seabirds personnel informed the officer it does not release invasive species.

“The staff member checked the drop-off cage where I placed the bird. He opened the cage, and the bird flew away,” reads the report.

“Due to the bird returning to its natural environment, my role in the grand theatre of law enforcement was no longer needed.”

A friend of the friendship centers

Robert Blancato, national coordinator of the Elder Justice Coalition, spoke at Senior Friendship Centers during Older Americans Month.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

As Robert “Bob” Blancato concluded his speech at Senior Friendship Centers on May 8, Erin McLeod, president and CEO of the nonprofit, was eager to lead the audience in advocacy for seniors.

“Anybody (who) wants to go visit a local elected official’s office, call me, I’ll go with you,” she told attendees. “It will make so much more impact.” McLeod was speaking to a room of mostly full seats, with many members of the community having turned out at the organization’s Sarasota campus to hear the speech by the Washington, D.C.-based advocate, a special guest during Older Americans Month.

Blancato is the national coordinator for the Elder Justice Coalition, a bipartisan 3,000-member group that serves as a resource for Congress, the president and administration, media and the public, so his words at Senior Friendship Centers carried weight.

“They’re a model senior program for the country,” Blancato said, noting some of his family members in Sarasota once benefited from the organization and complimenting its atmosphere and activities.

In addition to his role with the coalition, Blancato is also president of Matz, Blancato and Associates, a Washington, D.C., firm providing strategic consulting, government relations and advocacy services; executive director of the National Association of Nutrition and Aging

Services Programs; and national coordinator of the Defeat Malnutrition Today coalition.

He last spoke at Senior Friendship Centers in 2022 alongside U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Older Americans Act Nutrition Programs.

ON THE PULSE OF ISSUES

Blancato started by discussing the issue of ageism, something that he said unlike sexism and racism, can affect anyone.

“Ageism is even more prolific right now because everybody can be a victim of ageism as time goes on,” he said.

Blancato suggested two main causes to focus on, the Older Americans Act and the Credit for Caring Act.

The Older Americans Act, which was established in 1965 to provide comprehensive services for older adults, is currently up for renewal in a bipartisan effort, Blancato said, stating it funds services including meals and transportation at Senior Friendship Centers.

He said he was invited to testify before the eight senators working on the process.

“They asked good questions. There were no signs of trouble anywhere,” he said.

One goal of this reauthorization is to fund the Older Americans Nutrition Program, which funds individual programs throughout the country and provide incentives to return adults to programs they used prior to changing their behavior and eating meals at home during the pandemic.

Bob Blancato speaks at Senior Friendship Centers.

“We have been terribly deficient in this country, and in Florida alone, you’re second in the country for elder fraud.”

Bob Blancato

Another aim of the renewal, he said, is to provide senior centers with more recognition and funding support.

“If you want to talk about advocacy, and you want to do advocacy in one place, if this Senior Friendship Center means anything to you, you should talk about it,” he said. “You should tell Congressman Buchanan and your two senators that they should support a strong Older

Americans Act reauthorization this year, and tell them why it’s important to you.”

Blancato said the National Family Caregivers support group, a facet of the Older Americans Act, provides about $200 million in funding for the whole country, but also discussed the Credit for Caring Act, a bill in Congress that would provide a tax credit to the family caregiver.

There are 40 million families in the country with some responsibilities of caregivers, he said.

“If we can give our tax breaks to multibillion dollar companies, why don’t we help the family caregiver?” he said. “This is a bipartisan bill that has a chance of passing in this Congress.”

Blancato also highlighted other causes, such as elder abuse, including elder fraud. Across the country, he said, about $3.4 billion is lost by older adults due to scams.

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• Occupational, physical and speech therapists

“We have been terribly deficient in this country, and in Florida alone, you’re second in the country for elder fraud,” he said, highlighting a bill called the Elder Justice Act.

He said this bill would fund causes including adult protective services and investigations and reporting of complaints in nursing homes, as well as staffing in nursing homes, although it is currently stalled due to a lack of bipartisan support.

Blancato’s speech was followed by a speech by Ron Turner, Supervisor of Elections in Sarasota County who discussed the upcoming primary election in August and general election in November.

He described what to expect on the ballots, noting races such as the school and hospital boards will be featured on the ballot of the primary election, while offering details on the voting process.

“We’ve done some recent reprecincting in Sarasota County,” he said. “We’ve added four additional precincts and nine additional polling locations. We’ve added a 10th early voting site for the general election in November. We have replaced all of our voting equipment in the county. We’re going with brand new voting equipment, going into this presidential year. And the other thing that we did add that’s new is an independent automated audit system.”

Attendee Sherell Daniels said she enjoyed the program. She has cared for her mother, Altamese Daniels, since the death of her father six years ago.

“It’s great to get some information that I wasn’t aware of at this current time,” she said.

In addition to offering information, Blancato said he was also glad to be part of the recognition of seniors during May, which is Older Americans Month.

“From the Greatest Generation, to the boomers and on, it’s recognized now,” Blancato said. “The president issues a proclamation. It gets celebrated across the country. It is just that opportunity to pay tribute, but it isn’t about older adults in the past; it’s about ongoing activities of older adults. They’re still working, they’re still contributing, they’re still engaged.”

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Conditions we treat:

Your dedicated care team includes: • Brain injuries

Neurological disorders • Parkinson’s disease

Pharmacists

Case managers

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Stroke • And many more

You have a choice for your rehabilitative care. Choose to get back to what matters most.

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SPORTS

Fast Break

Sarasota High boys basketball senior Michael Drayton III was awarded a $2,000 scholarship through the Positive Coaching AllianceTampa Bay’s Triple-Impact Competitor Scholarship Program. The program recognizes athletes who “strive to make themselves, their teammates, and their sport better.” Drayton received his scholarship May 8 at Tropicana Field in Tampa.

… The Miss Florida Softball All-Stars Tournament will be held May 17-19 at the Miss Sarasota softball fields. The tournament will see 50 teams from across Florida compete for glory, with 600 players ages 6-16 participating. Admission to the event is free. For more information, visit MissSarasotaSoftball.org.

Former Sarasota Crew rower Clark Dean will represent the U.S. at the 2024 World Rowing Final Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta, held May 19-21 in Lucerne, Switzerland. Dean is in the U.S. men’s eight boat. The top two finishers will advance to the Paris Olympics this summer. Dean is seeking his second Olympic berth after rowing in the men’s four at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and finishing fifth.

Former Riverview High softball player Devyn Flaherty and the Florida State University softball team (43-14) will play the University of TennesseeChattanooga (42-14) in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Softball Championship tournament at 4:30 p.m. May 17. The game will air on the ACC Network. Flaherty, a senior, is hitting .317 with six extra-base hits and 13 RBIs.

Former Sarasota High baseball player Lance Trippel, a sophomore at Florida State University, hit a walk-off single in the 11th inning of the Seminoles’ 7-6 win over Jacksonville University on May 7. It was Trippel’s second hit of the season and his first RBI of the season.

NAME MAKER.

“I love all the connections, all the friends that I’ve made from it. I like being able to show off my athletic ability.”

— LANDON

SEE PAGE 16

SARASOTA PARADISE

2024 home schedule

■ June 1 vs. Swan City SC

■ June 12 vs. Tampa Bay United

■ June 16 vs. Miami AC

■ June 23 vs. Weston FC

■ June 29 vs. St. Petersburg FC ■ July 3 vs. Tampa Bay United

All games at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased at SarasotaParadise.us

ANOTHER SEASON OF PARADISE

The team’s goal: Make the postseason — and bring in more fans while doing it.

RYAN KOHN SPORTS EDITOR

If year one of the Sarasota Paradise was about establishment, year two aims to be about development.

Better play and bigger crowds are the goals, according to club founder Marcus Walfridson, and he believes both goals are realistic.

The Paradise, a pre-professional soccer club playing in the United Soccer League’s League 2, went 5-5-2 in 2023, finishing fourth in the Florida division and missing the playoffs. Reaching the postseason is a main goal for the 2024 season, Walfridson said at a May 14 practice session at the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex.

He is also hoping to average 1,000 fans per game at Sarasota High’s Charlie Cleland Stadium — a number he admits may be too high, given that the Paradise averaged 540 fans per game in 2023, but the club is shooting for it anyway. Walfridson knows that winning and fan excitement go hand in hand: Find success on the field, and word will spread, bringing in more fans.

The club’s journey to the postseason begins May 19 with an away game against Miami AC. Sarasota’s first home game is at 7:30 p.m. June 1 against Swan City SC. That game will be a youth soccer appreciation night. To find the success it wants, the club has created a roster mixed with returnees and new players, the combination of which Walfridson and coach Mirko Dakovic believe is just right.

“The boys’ energy level is high,” Dakovic said. “They are keen. They are excited. The compete level is

there. You can’t ask for more.”

If the team ever needs some energy, Ryan Sims can provide it. Sims, a rising junior at Thomas University who was born in Sarasota, earned the nickname “The Spark” after coming off the bench in the team’s final game of 2023 against Altitude Rush and scoring a goal to tie the game, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Sims said the 2023 Paradise season taught him about the state of preparation, mental and physical, needed to play in League 2. Sims is currently nursing an ankle injury but is expected back soon; he’s making sure he’s fully ready to play.

“You have to take care of your body,” Sims said.

Sims’ goal against Altitude Rush was one of the team’s offensive highlights in 2023, highlights that everyone seems to agree were too few and far between. The Paradise scored two goals or fewer in eight of its 12 games. Sims said the team’s coaches have been emphasizing the importance of goal-scoring in practice — and how the team’s mentality plays as big a part in that as its talent.

“We need to penetrate (the defense) whenever we are winning,” Sims said. “Don’t take our foot off the gas, keep going.”

The team also added firepower in attacker Seth Mahlmeister, who has shown a scoring touch at the University of Purdue-Fort Wayne and in League 2 with Texas United; he was fifth in the league with 11 goals last summer. Mahlmeister has already earned the nickname “goal master” from the Sweden-born Walfridson, both because of the way his name sounds in Swedish — mål can mean goal — and for his talent.

An increase in offense would be welcome news to Paradise goalkeeper Charlie Farrar, a rising senior at the University of North CarolinaAsheville who came to the U.S. from England to play the sport. Farrar stands out because of his two-tone, blond-and-brown hair, but also because of his play.

Farrar and the team’s defense, which features several returnees, should be a strength of the team in 2024. At Asheville, Farrar was named the Big South Conference Player of the Week in October for a 10-save performance against Winthrop University.

Farrar said he’s excited to be back

with the Paradise not only because of soccer, but because of the Sarasota area, which he called his “favorite place ever.”

“I go up to Tampa, and it’s a bit more manic up there,” Farrar said.

“It’s relaxed here. You’ve got Siesta Key. I went down the other day for the first time, and I was like, ‘Oh my word.’ The beaches are unbelievable.”

A successful season can mean just as much to individual players as it does to the club itself.

The point of a pre-professional soccer team, in addition to winning, is to get players ready for the next level of soccer, with the bestcase scenario being players reaching not just the USL’s upper league, but Major League Soccer. Though the Paradise is a 1-year-old organization, it can already boast a former player reaching that height.

Hosei Kijima, a defender on last year’s team, was selected by Saint Louis CITY SC in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft in February and subsequently signed a one-year contract with the club. Kijima, who plays midfield for Saint Louis, made his debut in the team’s opening match of the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup against the Houston Dynamo and came off the bench in the 86th minute to score the game-winning goal.

Will there be another Kijima on this year’s squad? Fans will have to watch to find out.

Courtesy image Sarasota High boys basketball senior Mike Drayton.

MARSTERS, junior, Riverview High football.

Photos by Ryan Kohn

Seth Mahlmeister (front) will bring offensive prowess to the Sarasota Paradise in 2024.

Goalkeeper Charlie Farrar, who attends the University of North CarolinaAsheville, is back for another year with the Sarasota Paradise.

Junior golfer irons out his future

Roman Solomon, the son of MLB star Bobby Bonilla, committed to the University of South Florida on May 8.

Roman Solomon’s 18th trip around the sun got started with a bang.

At a team golf event played with friends March 2 at Sarasota’s Suncoast Golf Center, Solomon got things underway. He used a 9-iron on the 130-yard hole, using a bit of a punch shot to keep the ball from sailing past the green. He watched as it landed, took a bounce, and found its way into the cup.

The whole thing was captured on camera. You can hear Solomon’s friends and family let out an “Oh” when the ball bounced, then a loud “aah” when the ball found the cup. Solomon sprinted down the fairway, his entourage in tow.

“The greens there, they are more like turf than grass,” Solomon said. “The ball will bounce anywhere. So when that happened, I mean, I’ll never do that again.”

Not a bad birthday present. The good times have kept rolling for Solomon, too. On May 2, Solomon, who attends IMG Academy, committed to the University of South Florida. Even though he talked to schools in Texas and Virginia, among other places, he wanted to stay home.

That decision was partly made to be close to family. Solomon is the son of Bobby Bonilla — yes, the former baseball star — and Christina Solomon-Bonilla, and is close with them. It was Solomon-Bonilla who filmed Solomon’s birthday hole-in-one and sprinted after the group of young golfers to capture their reactions as best she could. And it was Bonilla who inspired and encouraged Solomon’s tireless work ethic, though Solomon swings a club instead of a bat.  That leads to the other reason

Solomon chose to stay home with the Bulls. He’s familiar with the weather.

He knows that it’s possible to play golf year-round here, whereas athletes at schools farther north will likely have to take the winter off.

Solomon wants to be on the course every day.

In other words, he loves golf too much to live anywhere else.

“I just want to keep getting better,” Solomon said.

His time at IMG Academy plays into that. Solomon said he practices with his teammates from 9-11 a.m. each day. He throws in a lifting session three days a week at 7:30 a.m. to keep his strength up. And after an afternoon filled with classes, Solomon and his friends will sometimes partake in a chipping game, just for fun. There’s nothing else he would rather be doing, Solomon said.

He’s done a lot of improving in recent years. Solomon has become a staple on the Underrated Golf Tour, a tour founded by NBA superstar (and golf fan) Stephen Curry that has a “commitment to provide equity, access, and opportunity to student-athletes from every community.”

The tour has provided Solomon not only with a great golf challenge, going against some of the top young golfers in the country, but with a great mental challenge.

Golfers on the Underrated Tour get more attention than most junior golfers do; the Tour’s Instagram account has 31,700 followers, and its golfers are often featured in the content. Playing on it, Solomon said, has forced him to block out everything that isn’t golf while on the course, no matter how many cameras are on him.

That, in turn, helped in Solo-

mon’s recruitment, he said. While other golfers may worry about which college coaches were watching, Solomon played relaxed.

Well, as relaxed as a golfer can be.

“I’ve been playing golf since I was 6 years old,” Solomon said. “I’ve had six years of playing tournaments. The whole time, it has been an emotional roller coaster. Everyone feels it. So having a cool head throughout a tournament is an advantage. The guys on (the PGA) Tour, you can’t tell if they are upset. You can’t tell if they are 10 under or 10 over. It helps you.”

Another help: A killer mindset.

When asked which events he was looking forward to playing this year,

Solomon listed two: The Scott Robinson Memorial Tournament, which will be played May 17-19 at Roanoke Country Club in Roanoke, Virginia, and the Southern Junior Championship, held June 12-14 at Seminole Legacy Golf Club in Tallahassee. In both tournaments, Solomon missed the cut in 2023.

He’s out to prove something at them in 2024.

“I want to beat the crap out of those courses,” Solomon said. “I want to go compete. I want to get revenge.”

Solomon has ambitions of playing professional golf someday. In doing so, he’ll undoubtedly make a name for himself. Though Solomon

said he doesn’t mind when people refer to him as “Bobby Bonilla’s kid” or ask him about his famous father, Solomon is a talented enough golfer for people to recognize him on his own merits.

If he keeps fulfilling his potential, the golf community will know his name, sooner rather than later.

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

Courtesy image

Sarasota’s Roman Solomon committed to the University of South Florida for golf on May 2.

Landon Marsters

Landon Marsters is a junior linebacker at Riverview High. Marsters, who is 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, received collegiate offers from Dartmouth University and North Carolina A&T University on May 8, increasing his total number of offers to eight. Marsters had 108 total tackles (six tackles for loss), a sack and two interceptions in 2023. The Rams will play their spring game jamboree against Bishop Verot High and Christopher Columbus High at Bishop Verot at 6:30 p.m. May 24.

When did you start playing football?

I started at 5 years old, the youngest I could be. My dad (Matt Marsters) played football at the University of South Carolina. Growing up, our entire household revolved around football and sports. I loved it.

What is the appeal to you?

I love all the connections, all the friends that I’ve made from it. I like being able to show off my athletic ability. It brings me joy. It’s something I can do outside of school and take my mind off everything. I just go out and have fun.

What is your best skill?

Either my work ethic or my leadership. I’m not a vocal leader. I like to lead by example and help the younger guys. I work toward what I do 24/7 and put all my effort into it.

What have you been working to improve?

My speed and agility. It was OK last season. I worked hard on that and did a lot of extra training sessions to get a little bit better. I want better speed than my competition to help myself stand apart more.

If you would like to make a recommendation for the Sarasota Observer’s Athlete of the Week feature, send it to Ryan Kohn at RKohn@ YourObserver.com.

What is your favorite memory? My sophomore year, my first time playing on varsity was against Sarasota High. I was thrown into the fire: we had to make four goal-line stands in a row to help get the win (14-0). I made two of the tackles solo and two group tackles. That atmosphere and my teammates having my back was awesome.

What has the recruiting process been like?

It has been fun. It is nice to see the hard work I have put in being noticed. I’m trying to live in the moment and enjoy it because it only happens once. I want to go somewhere I can get a good education, because at some point, it (football) does end. And I want to find somewhere I enjoy the coaches and where my personality will fit best.

Finish this sentence: ‘Landon Marsters is …’

… Energetic, fun and blunt, but in a good way. I’m not going to hold anything back, but I’m not going to lie to you. I think I have good integrity.

Serenity in the water

Adults travel across the country to visit the Miracle Swimming School for Adults and gain confidence in the water.

People travel from all over the country to attend classes at Miracle Swimming School for Adults, a company headquartered in Sarasota.

Despite the wide interest, lessons aren’t typically a topic discussed openly.

In fact, said the school’s founder Melon Dash, some adults don’t even want to talk to their spouses about taking swimming lessons. They’ll simply tell them they’re leaving for a conference.

Despite the apprehensions of those adults regarding the topic, they are far from alone.

Dash said it is important to remember, especially during May, National Water Safety Month, that 80% of drownings are by adults, not children.

Most, she said, are because people are afraid to swim and haven’t had the chance to learn how.

Polls also repeatedly find that sizable numbers of adults are unable to swim. For instance, a Lloyd’s Register Foundation World Risk Poll found that 55% of people 15 and older worldwide said they cannot swim unassisted, including 24% of people within that age range in high-income economies.

According to Dash, the solution isn’t just to teach adults, but to bring a different ethos entirely — an approach that isn’t about constant movement, but about calm.

“When they are quiet inside, then they are all here,” she said. “Their presence of mind and their body are in the same place; they just start swimming spontaneously.”

MAKING A PILGRIMAGE

Dash’s method has yet to be adopted by any major organizations, such as the YMCA or the Red Cross, but something about it must be working.

Students don’t appear to be deterred by the long journey to the classes. Nor do they forget about Dash over the years, with some students returning after learning from her decades ago.

THE FIVE CIRCLES

The circle represents the self or one’s focus, attention or spirit. Instructors want students to be in the first circle all the time.

1st Circle: Comfortable 2nd Circle: Nervous 3rd Circle: Scared 4th Circle: Terrified 5th Circle: Panic For information, visit MiracleSwimming.com.

The courses, including the introductory ones, cost upwards of $1,000 each.

Selwyn DeSouza of Benicia, California, is one student who felt compelled to make the trip to Sarasota, having learned from Dash about 30 years ago when she was teaching in the San Francisco Bay Area.

“I felt that her methods of teaching were really going to work for me,” he said.

Although other obligations stopped him from continuing, just recently he decided to visit Sarasota.

“I thought, I’m going to go where she is,” he said.

Adults need to take the courses for different reasons, Dash said.

In her observations, about 90% of students fear the water because they had a parent who was afraid, while 60% have had a traumatic experience in the water.

However, students find a solution in her philosophy, known as The 5 Circles, which involves a series of circles that help students conceptualize states ranging from “comfortable” to “panic.”

Students must aim to remain within the first circle.

Dash, who grew up in upstate New York, was far from a struggling swimmer herself.

She has been swimming competitively since age 7.  She also has a bachelor’s of science in exercise science and nutrition from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a master’s of science in exercise physiology from the University of Michigan.

As a graduate student, she coached men’s and women’s swim teams at Keene State College in New Hamp-

shire and served as assistant coach of the women’s swim teams at Harvard University and the University of California, Berkeley.

Yet, during her time with Keene State College in 1978, she found that about 10 of the 20 students in each class struggled to follow her directions.

With the permission of the dean of the college, she started a new exclusive swimming class, with the school marketing the course while also compensating her for her efforts. Its success led to her decision to found Miracle Swimming School for Adults in 1983.

THE ESSENTIALS

The offerings of the school begin with two foundational courses.

The Essentials One course teaches

students skills, including placing their face in the water and learning to let the water support them.

This includes being tethered to the wall, from which beginner students tend to be unwilling to let go.

“When they can feel the water holding them up, then they don’t mind letting go, and that is a huge transformation,” she said.

The Essentials Two course involves learning to be at ease in deep water.

As Karen Dudley made her way through the courses, she experienced what she describes as “aha!” moments, like what a child might experience.

When she was young, she never had the opportunity to learn to swim; her mother, who was afraid of water, wrote a note to her school preventing her from taking lessons.

The first moment came from being still in the water and realizing she could be comfortable.

“That was the first experience I ever had, that water can actually lift you up, just by walking the pool,” she said.

The second was when she figured out her breathing.

“That was the first time I was ever in the middle of the pool and actually saw it instead of trying to get through it,” she said.

When another swimmer, who was moving back and forth across the pool, asked her how she could be comfortable simply standing in the deep water, she knew the method was working.

The answer wasn’t efficiency, but being at peace.

“It’s been wonderful,” Dudley said. “I can’t say enough about it.”

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

Photos by Ian Swaby

Karen Dudley navigates the pool.

Selwyn DeSouza talks with Melon Dash.

The story begins for SiestaCon

Sarasota already features plenty of opportunities to explore the world of pop culture, with events like SarasotaCon, Toracon and SRQCon.

But the founders of SiestaCon, which debuted May 11 at Robarts Arena, decided to aim for something. The new event started with a simple conversation between two friends.

Brian Polizzi of The Dark Side comics and games store in Sarasota, and his friend Darren Hutchinson, who owns Unknown Comics in Texas, were talking one day, when Hutchinson suggested holding a comic con event.

“We decided to just go for it and see what we could accomplish,” Polizzi said.

Judging by the feedback from attendees, it appears they found success.

“It’s the best one in Sarasota so far,” said attendee Andy Munsey,

complimenting the event for the spaciousness of the venue.

Polizzi said the event involved as many affiliated parties in the local area as possible, including Bat City Comics Professionals in Bradenton to help with programming.

Guests could browse numerous vendors and attend events including a cosplay contest, comic creation classes and trading card tournaments.

Also featured were special guests such as “Garfield” illustrator Gary Barker and Lenore Zann of the “X-Men” animated series, and custom vehicles, including the Batmobile and Batcycle from the original “Batman” TV series.

“It looks like they know what they’re doing, so I won’t be surprised if there’s a second year,” said guest artist Anna Zhuo.

— IAN SWABY

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Seneca Puleo came dressed as a Val’kyr from “World of Warcraft.”

Melany Torres, Landon Schoenberger, Adriane Munsey, Stephan Washington, Juan Maldonado, Andy Munsey, Tyler Poulin, Tatum Britt, Nick Poulin and Shasta Washington exemplify the Siesta spirit.

Chris and Jennifer Clemente have fun in the TARDIS from the TV show “Doctor Who.”

Hudson Garten, 9 and Ava Garten, 6, check out the items atop the Hulk Smash Hot Wheels car.

International studies

Suncoast School for Innovative Studies recently became a candidate for the International Baccalaureate (IB) program.

When Fayth Jenkins joined Suncoast School for Innovative Studies as principal in 2023, she had a vision of bringing expanded educational opportunities to the school. Rooted in the Theory of Multiple Intelligences developed in the 1980s by psychologist Howard Gardner, the K-5 public charter school is built on the concept of helping students discover and elevate unique talents and interests.

Jenkins said the school is continuing toward that goal with new developments that include its candidacy for the International Baccalaureate (IB) program.

Specifically, the school plans to

offer the Primary Years Programme for children ages 3-12, which Jenkins said will be the only other such program in the district besides the one at Philippi Shores Elementary.

A nonprofit foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in 1968, IB has over 8,000 programs being offered worldwide, across more than 5,700 schools and 160 countries.

Its stated goal is to develop “inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through education that builds intercultural understanding and respect.”

Jenkins believes the program provides a counterpoint to reliance on testing and data, and said that it will offer a way for all students, even those with individualized education plans, to showcase their talents.

“In the IB, it is, if you have a talent, if you have a skill, if you’re trying to solve a problem and find a solution,

SEE INNOVATIVE STUDIES, PAGE 20

Andrew L. Clark, Esq.

M. Michelle Robles, Esq.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

Ian Swaby

Sanaa Jackson speaks with Principal Fayth Jenkins.

however you do that, and however you get to that, is great.”

She said it will also have the benefit of creating more globally minded students and thinks it will be especially impactful for the school, which she finds to be tucked away in a less frequented area of the community.

She said the school has also felt segregated as a charter school which was, for a long time, the district’s only Title I charter school.

“I think exploring what else is out there in the world, who else is out there, what they look like, what they sound like, and that, ‘Oh, they’re learning the same thing I’m learning,’ is going to be extremely beneficial to our kiddos for sure,” she said.

The school plans to apply next month for the authorization phase, which will require a fee of $10,000 and will involve working with a consultant to ensure the program aligns with IB offerings.

Jenkins said when it comes to this program, the options are limited in Sarasota County, compared to Manatee County.

There is one other in the district, at Philippi Shores Elementary, while Brookside Middle School offers a Middle Years Programme, and Riverview High School and Venice High School offer the Diploma Programme.

She hopes that, in line with the school’s goal of adding a new grade each year, it will eventually offer the middle school program as well, allowing students who graduate to move into the IB program at Riverview.

“My goal is to make as big of an impact as I can, with IB as my army behind me to kind of help push through what it means to really be internationally minded,” Jenkins said.

NEW WAYS TO FOSTER TALENT

The school also continues to develop its range of offerings.

An art project exploring content creation, including creating TV shows and media, will offer what Jenkins said is a unique experience for elementary school students.

This program, which will feature a studio with a green screen, is expected to join students’ schedules next year.

In winter of 2023, a relationship among students of different ages and schools also developed.

Riverview High School students, who were interning with FUNducation, which offers STEM programming at the school, started a coding club with third, fourth and fifth graders for a service project.

“The partnership with them has been just phenomenal,” she said.

“They’re juniors, but at the same time, they completely understand the kids and the kids enjoy getting that connection with them.”

The school hopes to expand a 3D printing program by FUNducation currently used by fourth graders, to all students, has opened a new media center, and plans to return media specialists to its staff. Jenkins was proud this year to receive a Champion Charter School Leader award from the Florida consortium of public charter schools, something that was also received by the school’s board president Barry Preston, whom she nominated.

However, she said the offerings at the school are, in fact, a community effort.

“I can say, this is what we want to do, but it really does require a lot of support, and people who also want us to do these things and support it to help us build it,” Jenkins said.

Sarasota’s scholarship stars

Students received scholarships from Sarasota County Schools, Chorus of the Keys and the Military Officers Association of Sarasota.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

From students with singing skills to one who’s interested in too many careers to choose from, here are some of the exceptional students to recently earn scholarship awards in Sarasota.

SUPERINTENDENT

SCHOLARSHIP AWARD

Total value: $16,000

■ Riley Lukachyk, fifth grader at Fruitville Elementary

■ Aline Martin, a senior at Venice High School

When Riley Lukachyk, a fifth grader at Fruitville Elementary, was planning the essay she submitted for the Superintendent Scholarship Award, she found it challenging to narrow down possible careers to discuss.

To quote her essay, “You end up trying to mash all of your likes into one career, but it turns out there isn’t really a profession for a dirt bikepainting fisherman farmer ... It’s hard to pick just one thing to spend your whole life pursuing. I think that’s why a lot of kids end up saying ‘I don’t know’ to these questions.”

Of all careers, Lukachyk is most drawn to zoology. She lives on a farm and holds a love for animals.

She’s also drawn to the idea of being a painter.

“My brother rides a dirt bike, and it looks so bland, and I just want to paint it,” she said.

She is currently considering attending the University of Florida, based on its agricultural programs.

The Superintendent Scholarship Award is provided to students annually by Sarasota County Schools, through a partnership with Florida Prepaid.

CHORUS OF THE KEYS

Over $6,000 total value

■ Troy Ashby, senior at Sarasota High School

■ Caleb Blocker, senior at Riverview High School

Chorus of the Keys is a men’s acapella group keeping the barbershop music alive, said scholarship recipient Caleb Blocker, a senior at Riverview High School.

It’s also investing in the young people in the community, offering the scholarship each year to students in Sarasota and Manatee counties to facilitate the advanced study of vocal music, as well as other forms of music.

He plans to attend Belmont University, located in Nashville, Tennessee, which he calls the “Music

Capital of the World,” and hopes to become a solo artist if possible.

Last year, he was a contestant on “American Idol,” although the segment never aired.

“I just couldn’t believe what was happening because I just didn’t think it was possible,” he said. “I didn’t go into it expecting it to be, and that’s the only way I could do it and not be freaked out. That’s how I almost always do anything. Ever since the first time I performed, confidence is really just how well you can fake it.”

Troy Ashby, a senior at Sarasota High School, said he was grateful for the scholarship because it is now possible for him to focus more on practicing music, and less on work.

He plans to attend University of South Florida to major in music performance, focusing on percussion.

MILITARY OFFICER ASSOCIATION OF SARASOTA

$51,000 total value

(All scholarships were awarded to high school seniors)

■ Addy Domian, Venice High School

■ Alexander Lam, Venice High School JROTC

■ Allison Schapley, Venice High School

■ Amelia Tapia, Booker High School

■ Annabelle Truong, Booker High School

■ Ayla Edwards, Sarasota Military Academy

■ Danielle Vasso, Venice High School

■ Elizabeth Mopps, Venice High School

■ Ethan Hylwa, Sarasota Military Academy

■ Hayden Wilding, Sarasota High School JROTC

■ Logan Warren, Sarasota High School JROTC

■ Marco Vegh, Riverview High School

■ Margaret Toth, Pine View School

■ Mykayla Graham, Booker High School

■ Nishale Uthuppan, Pine View School

■ Renna Ramsaran, Sarasota High School JROTC

■ Sophia Teljelo, Venice High School

Although the Military Officers Association of Sarasota, an affiliate chapter of Military Officers Association of America, may serve military causes, it also provides scholarships to students of all kinds.

The criteria, including those for the five JROTC-based scholarships each year, are focused on the merit of each student, said Scholarship Chair Susan Warmington.

“I don’t know how many hours of the day they have left, but they are mentoring other students and younger people, older people,” she said. “They do just so many things out into the community, and they’re just really amazing kids.”

Aspects of the students’ busy schedules, Warmington said, also include community service, dual enrollment courses like Cambridge College courses and employment as well.

To receive their $3,000 checks, Nine of the 17 awardees came with their parents to a ceremony on May 8, which featured Mayor Liz Alpert.

The May 8 ceremony for the Military Officer Association of Sarasota scholarships included Mayor Liz Alpert, Addy Domian, Lizzy Mopps, Marco Vegh, Hayden Wilding, Nishalle Uthuppan, Ayla Edwards, Ethan Hylwa, Margaret Toth, Danielle Vassos and Scholarship Chair

Susan Warmington

Courtesy image

Southpointe Shores home tops sales at $5.1 million

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Ahome in Southpointe Shores tops all transactions in this week’s real estate. Alan Brockhurst, of Sarasota, sold his home at 7697 Cove Terrace to Nnanna Paschal Akabogu and Chioma Akabogu, of Sarasota, for $5.1 million. Built in 2001, it has four bedrooms, three-andtwo-half baths, a pool and 4,797 square feet of living area. It sold for $3,149,000 in 2018.

SARASOTA THE LANDINGS

Robert Goodman and Sondra Kay Goodman sold their home at 5169 Kestral Park Lane to Johnathan Fox and Lindsay Erin Prichard Fox, of Sarasota, for $2.4 million. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,981 square feet of living area. It sold for $700,000 in 2016.

FISHERMAN’S BAY

Mark Wilde, of Sarasota, sold his home at 8810 Fishermans Bay Drive to Kerry Daniel Moynihan and Carrie Ann Moynihan, of Sarasota, for $1.9 million. Built in 1994, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 4,348 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,165,000 in 2020.

OYSTER BAY ESTATES

Virgil and Lynn Grow sold their home at 1521 S. Lake Shore Drive to HB Land Holdings LLC for $1.8 million. Built in 1959, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,029 square feet of living area. It sold for $585,000 in 2009.

LAUREL ON THE WATER

Eric Michael Borg, of Sarasota, sold his Unit A condominium at 741 Rowe Place to Peter and Susan Wolf, of Sarasota, for $1.5 million. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,653 square feet of living area. It sold for $915,000 in 2021.

THE 101

Vincent and Lucia Payne, of Orlando, sold their Unit PH-K condominium at 101 S. Gulfstream Ave. to Upland Apartments LLC for $1,125,000. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,476 square feet of living area. It sold for $650,000 in 2021.

PAYNE PARK VILLAGE

Thomas and Elizabeth Berkman, of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, sold their home at 397 Gowdy Road to Catherine Lynn Jessup, of Sarasota, for $1.06 million. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths and 2,437 square feet of living area. It sold for $626,000 in 2020.

BAY PLAZA

LaVerne Gucker, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 705 condominium at 1255 N. Gulfstream Ave. to Ronald and Ann Samanowitz, of Plainview, New York, for $1 million. Built in 1982, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,656 square feet of living area. It sold for $500,000 in 2008.

Judith Silverman, trustee, sold the Unit 502 condominium at 1255 N. Gulfstream Ave. to Christina Lynn Kingsly and Peter Andrew Kingsly, trustees, of Sarasota, for $932,500. Built in 1982, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,042 square feet of living area. It sold for $650,000 in 2005.

SARASOTA BAY CLUB

Sarasota Bay Club LLC sold the Unit 404 condominium at 1301 Tamiami Trail to Francine Jacobs, of Sarasota, for $955,000. Built in 2000, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,424 square feet of living area. It sold for $603,000 in 2018.

SARASOTA-VENICE CO.

Susan Wright, Jodi Miller, Jacqueline Fisher and Jessica Brower, of Venice, sold two properties at 4644 Lockwood Ridge Road to Sean Frye and Kira Loray Frye, of Sarasota, for $950,000. The first property was built in 1987 and has three bedrooms, three baths and 1,875 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 1940 and has one bedroom, one bath and 1,035 square feet of living area. They sold for $179,000 in 1997.

Antonio Solvyov, of Venice, sold his home at 3030 Ashton Road to David Gladko, of Elverta, California, for $700,000. Built in 1960, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 1,839 square feet of living area. It sold for $386,000 in 2022.

EMBASSY HOUSE

Linda Bruemmer, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 503 condominium at 770 S. Palm Ave. to Sarah Hyde Hryniewicz, trustee, of Sarasota, for $940,000. Built in 1975, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,284 square feet of living area. It sold for $525,000 in 2017.

FOREST LAKES COUNTRY CLUB ESTATES

Mark Benton Weaver and Alicia Lee Weaver sold their home at 3255 Pine Valley Drive to Gitas Jameikis and Alisa Nalis, of Sarasota, for $842,100. Built in 1965, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,527 square feet of living area. It sold for $155,000 in 2007.

Other

SIESTA KEY: $3.4M

Bay Island

Stephen Kaufmann sold two properties at 604 Norsota Way to Debra Kaye Griffith, of Sarasota, for $3.4 million. The first property was built in 1926 and has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 3,469 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 1925 and has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,067 square feet of living area. They sold for $1.3 million in 2013.

PALMER RANCH: $1.41M

Cobblestone on Palmer Ranch

Bernard and Sandra Starchuk, of Ontario, Canada, sold their home at 8728 Mangilli Road to Mary Elizabeth Roald and Knut Roald, of Sarasota, for $1.41 million. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,984 square feet of living area. It sold for $789,400 in 2016.

OSPREY: $1,095,000

Oaks II

Joseph and Margaret Vaccaro, of Nokomis, sold their home at 202 Saint James Park to Jeff Eaton, trustee, of Danville, California, for $1,095,000. Built in 1994, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,541 square feet of living area. It sold for $430,000 in 2021.

NOKOMIS: $2.7M

Casey Cove

Karin Draddy-Lopp, of Nokomis, sold her home at 916 Casey Cove Drive to Timothy and Susan Gosline, of Westlake, Ohio, for $2.7 million. Built in 1998, it has three bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,277 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.5 million in 2002.

Courtesy of Realtor Robert Schwartz

This home in Southpointe Shores recently sold for $5.1 million. Built in 2001, it has four bedrooms, three-and-two-half baths, a pool and 4,797 square feet of living area.

YOUR CALENDAR

FRIDAY, MAY 17 TO

SATURDAY, MAY 18

BRIDGE TO BRIDGE BAY SLAM

6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at Phillippi Estate Park pavilion, 5500 S. Tamiami Trail (Pre-tournament meeting), 7 a.m. with results at 4 p.m. Saturday, from Coon Key Bridge and Ringling Causeway to Blackburn Pointe Bridge (Tournament) $45 per angler. Ages 9 and younger (Small fry division), Ages 10-17 (Junior division), Ages 18 and up (Open division). Sarasota County introduces a new catch-and-release fishing tournament for non-motorized vessels. Anglers should bring their own gear and kayak. Each angler must catch and release one red drum, spotted sea trout and snook. The largest overall length of all three species combined will be the winner. Visit SarasotaCountyParks.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 18

SARASOTA HONEY CO. GRAND OPENING AND WORLD BEE DAY CELEBRATION

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime, 821 Apricot Ave. Free. Formerly located on University Parkway, Sarasota Honey Co. celebrates its arrival at The Bazaar as well as World Bee Day on May 20 with honey tastings, live bees, bee talks, music, food and vendors. Visit SarasotaHoney.com.

FELID FEST

Noon-8 p.m. at Big Cat Habitat, 7101 Palmer Blvd. $50. Organized by the Feline Conservation Foundation, this event features a day of guest speakers, interactive activities and food and drinks. Learn about wildcats and how to make a difference in the conservation of these animals. Visit EventBrite.com.

SUNDAY, MAY 19

SUNDAYS AT THE BAY FEATURING

THE MATTHEW FROST BAND

6-7 p.m. at The Oval, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. In this session of the free concert series, experience the Matthew Frost Band, which brings together Alternative Blues, Soul, Rock, and Fusion. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.

TUESDAY, MAY 21

WORDS AND WIGGLES 11-11:30 a.m. at Selby Library, 1331

BEST BET

SATURDAY, MAY 18

FREE FILM SCREENING:

‘THE RIGHT TO READ’ 11 a.m. at Burns Court Cinema, 506 Burns Court. Free. Join Sea of Strengths Academy for a screening of “The Right to Read,” the recently released documentary by Jenny Mackenzie and executive producer LeVar Burton. The film shares the stories of an NAACP activist, a teacher, and two American families who fight to provide the youngest generation with the ability to read. Visit TheRighttoReadFilm.org.

First St. Free. In this event recommended for ages 3-5, kids experience stories, activities, socialization and sometimes even a puppet show. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket. com.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 22

GULF GATE KNITTERS

10:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Ave. Free. Join other local knitters to work on projects and discuss all things knitting. SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.

THURSDAY, MAY 23

CINEMA AT THE BAY: DUNKIRK

7 p.m. to 8:46 p.m. at The Oval, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Enjoy a free outdoor movie in honor of Memorial Day. “Dunkirk” (PG-13), is a 2017 historical war film by Christopher Nolan that depicts the Dunkirk evacuation during World War II from the perspectives of land, sea and air. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.

and

Smitty’s Architectural Hardware, located The Plumbing Place, displays many lines of door hardware in beautiful styles for your home that are well suited for our demanding environment, and will create the first impression your front door deserves.

accessories from leading designers. Masterpieces of

and style showcased in an astounding

www.theplumbingplace.com

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ABOVE WATER by Garrett Chalfin, edited by Jeff Chen

By Luis Campos

INFORMATION & RATES: 941-955-4888 redpages@yourobserver.com •yourobserver.com/redpages

DEADLINES: Classifieds - Tuesday at Noon

Service Directory - Friday at 3PM • PAYMENT: Cash, Check or Credit Card

The Sarasota and Siesta Key Observer reserves the right to classify and edit copy, or to reject or cancel an advertisement at any time. Corrections after first insertion only.

*All ads are subject to the approval of the Publisher.

*It is the responsibility of the party placing any ad for publication in the Sarasota and Siesta Key Observer to meet all applicable legal requirements in connection with the ad such as compliance with towncodes in first obtaining an occupational license for business, permitted home occupation, or residential rental property.

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

Help Wanted

THE BUSINESS OBSERVER

newspaper is seeking a fastpaced, detail-oriented Proofreader / Typist for a full-time position in Sarasota, Florida. Hours are 9am5pm, Mon-Fri. Candidates must be able to type at least 75 WPM with great accuracy and proofread typed material and make corrections. Attention to detail is a MUST. Proofreading entails nding errors in the typed print that varies from the original document, not actually editing the documents for errors.

The ideal candidate will have strong computer software and hardware skills. Familiarity with Adobe InDesign and Filemaker Pro is a plus. Florida notary certi cation is also a plus.

Please email your resume and WPM typing speed for immediate consideration to kboothroyd@businessobserver . com. Please also specify your available date to start.

*This position must be performed in the of ce. No remote work is available.

PERSONAL ASSISTANT Needed. Responsibilities include maintaining a personal and professional schedule, coordinating meetings and events. Must be reliable and arrive at appointments on time. The ideal candidate must have exceptional communication and interpersonal skills and must be incredibly organized with a strong work ethic. Send resume and cover letter to (Lsummers909@gmail.com ) for details.

FREE RENT and utilties for part time work. References required. 941-685-9941. Call from 9am - 8pm.

LUXURY REAL ESTATE DEFINED