Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer 5.23.24

Battie shooting suspect arrested

ASarasota man has been arrested in connection with the May 18 fatal shooting in the Tallywood Centre Plaza parking lot.

Darryl Bernard Brookins, 28, was arrested May 22 by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Task Force.

Brookins had been identified as the suspect in the shooting that occurred at about 3:30 a.m. May 18 in a parking lot on 17th Street.

Deputies responding to the incident found former Sarasota High School football player Tommie L. Battie IV dead at the scene.

Four other victims were transported to area hospitals in Manatee and Sarasota counties. Among them Sarasota alum and Tommie Battie’s brother, Brian Battie, who is on the Auburn University football team.

Brian Battie remains in critical condition, according to a May 20 post on X.com from Auburn Head Coach Hugh Freeze.

Brookins has been charged with murder, attempted murder, and as a felon in possession of a firearm. He is in custody at Sarasota County jail.

YOUR TOWN

Into new waters Morgan Sims remembers visiting the AquaDome at Riverview High School in elementary school.

As a high school graduate, she spent some of the year teaching younger students about a species that inhabits the facility — snook — while helping raise the fish.

When students of the Riverview High School aquascience program gathered on May 17, using nets and containers to transport the snook to nearby Philippi Creek, it was a milestone to coincide with graduation the next day.

“It’s a proud moment,” Sims said. “I remember at the very beginning of the year when they were little bitty, and now they’re big, and they’re going into the real world.”

Data on the fish are gathered through tagging, and an antennae array alongside the creek.

Booker High’s Principal Rachel Shelley greets Maximiliano Lopez Zapata.

The big moment arrives for Sarasota High’s seniors.

Photos by Ian Swaby

WEEK OF MAY 23, 2024

BY THE NUMBERS

55,000

The square footage of Sarasota County’s new Planning and Development Services one-stop shop. PAGE 9A

$36.9M

The maximum amount of the city-approved design agreement for a new Sarasota Performing Arts Center. PAGE 14A

150 Members in the Florida chapter of the Society of the Descendants of Washington’s Army at Valley Forge, which is led by Sarasota residents passionate about genealogy and American history. PAGE 6B

CALENDAR

■ Sarasota County School Board regular meeting

— 6 p.m., Tuesday, June 4, Board Chambers, Landings Administration Complex, 1980 Landings Blvd. (black awning entrance).

“If someone can’t pay the fine, then they should be careful not to violate the ordinance, so that’s my first recommendation.”

Sarasota City Attorney Robert Fournier. Read more on Page 6A

County tourism numbers rebound in March

Tourism rose in March in Sarasota County after months of a downward trend, according to Visit Sarasota County.

“After a few months of our tourism numbers being down, in March, we’re excited to share strong numbers,” Visit Sarasota County President and CEO Erin Duggan said in a statement. Compared with 2023, visitors to Sarasota County were up this March by 1,300. There were 159,400 visitors this year compared with 158,100 in March 2023, according to Duggan. In

Sarasota County hotels, room nights sold totaled 385,000 in March, compared with 379,600 last year, an increase of 5,400, or 1.42%.

Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport also saw a spike, setting a record for passengers with more than 553,000 in March.

For those staying in Sarasota County, rates for lodging went up year over year in March, tourism officials say. The average rate for lodging was $337.72 per room, compared with $312.37 in March

2023, marking a $25.35 increase. Lodging occupancy was slightly down, at 83.9% compared with 84.7% in March 2023, officials said. However, the March number was up from 67.8% in January and 81.9% in February.

The lag in tourism in early 2024 was not limited to Sarasota County. St. Petersburg also reported a slowdown in tourism in the first couple of months of the year, in part due to cooler weather, followed by a record amount of tourism taxes collected in March.

Sheriff warns of phone scam uptick

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office is warning the community about an increase in the frequency of warrant and juror scams.

Callers claim to be affiliated with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office and use ranks and names of current or past employees to impart credibility. They claim to be informing victims that they have an arrest warrant for not appearing in court, forgetting to pay a fine or failing to report for jury duty. They speak quickly and aggressively to pressure the victims to handle payment immediately via mobile bank transfer, cryptocurrency, gift cards or prepaid debit cards.

The SCSO advises that the agency does not demand payment or request personal financial information by phone. If a citizen receives a call from a suspected scammer regarding an alleged arrest warrant or demand for payment of civic fines, they should consider this a possible scam and report it immediately to local law enforcement.

Suspected scams may be reported to SCSO by calling 941-316-1201.

Chamber offers entrepreneur series

The Sarasota Chamber of Commerce is collaborating with State College of Florida’s 26 West Center for a series of workshops aimed at empowering entrepreneurs and fostering business growth.

The “Empowering Entrepreneurs: Unleashing Business Growth” workshop series is tailored to support businesses at all stages of development. Each workshop can be attended individually for $45, or bundled at $120. All workshops will be held 6-8 p.m. at the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce building at 1945 Fruitville Road.

The series includes:

■ Blueprint for Success: Crafting Your Business Plan, Tuesday, June 4. ■ Social Media Marketing for Small Business, Tuesday, July 9. ■ Boost Your Brand: AI Marketing for Small Business, Tuesday, Aug. 6. Registration is available at SarasotaChamber.com.

DEEP IMPACT

Study details how a Van Wezel replacement could mean $300M in new local tax revenues and $1.7B in construction.

Should a new Sarasota Performing Arts Center be built, it would inject more than $150 million into the local economy each year, not including $562 million in temporary spending and more than $300 million in new property tax and other tax revenues over 30 years.

Those are the numbers provided by HR&A Advisors, a New York Citybased economic development public policy and real estate consulting firm that specializes in public-private project financial analysis.

The recently prepared report is one of the tools being employed by the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation to garner public and philanthropic support for the project, currently estimated at approximately $275 million. Should it win eventual approval of both city and county governments, the investment will be equally divided between the public and private sectors.

Public funding would be in the form of tax increment financing district revenue on improved property value in the areas surrounding The Bay Park, state and federal grants, penny tax revenue and ticket surcharges. The remaining $138 million would be funded by philanthropy, per agreement between the city and foundation.

“From an economic perspective, the numbers are tremendous,” said SPAF CEO Tania Castroverde Moskalenko. “You need to make a case for support on the economic engine that a new performing arts center creates for a community. When a new performing arts center comes in that does fuel the economy. New restaurants, coffee shops and hotels are built.”

According to the HR&A report, the additional seating capacity and other features planned for the SPAC will bring an additional 30% more economic benefit than does the current Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, like the planned SPAC also a city asset that is likely to remain in some form as the city’s Purple Ribbon Committee explores potential repurposing of the building.

Although not under the auspices of The Bay Park Conservancy, the SPAC would serve as the anchor to The Bay, the 53-acre city park under development by the BPC but owned by the city. The Bay is also a publicprivate venture with a similar funding model between the BPC, the city and the county.

At Monday’s meeting, the City Commission voted to approve a contract with the Genoa, Italy-based

ECONOMIC BENEFITS

Financial impact of a new Sarasota Performing Arts Center on Sarasota and Sarasota County according to HR&A.

CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS

$562 million in temporary spending during construction including:

■ Nearly 3,200 temporary jobs

■ $162 million in temporary wages

■ Nearly $16 million in onetime tax revenue

ANNUAL SPAC ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

$562 million in temporary spending during construction including:

■ 358,000 annual visitors

■ $162 million in temporary wages

■ 1,200 permanent jobs

■ $52 million in annual wages

■ $163 million in taxes over 30 years

NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACTS

At least $1.7 billion in new development on nearby parcels catalyzed by the SPAC and surrounding The Bay Park yielding at least $150 million in new property tax revenues over 30 years.

architecture firm Renzo Piano Building Workshop of up to $44 million for all SPAC design work and related expenses. (See story on Page 14A.)

COUNTY FUNDING HESITANCY

Two county commissioners who serve on The Bay Park Improvement Board last month said they will not recommend approval of the county’s $11 million TIF revenue share for the Renzo Piano agreement. Mark Smith and Ron Cutsinger said they need more financial details on the actual cost of the project before they can suggest their colleagues release those funds.

The city’s representatives on the board, Mayor Liz Alpert and Commissioner Debbie Trice, countered that those details cannot be provided until a preliminary design is complete, and that can’t happen without the design agreement.

To ensure the project moves forward, the SPAF committed not only

$275M PROJECT COST would be funded by local government support of $109 million for Sarasota Performing Arts Center construction, out of total construction budget of $275

$300M+ FISCAL IMPACT

including at least $151 million in new

in other impacts. Operations, visitation and

impacts are 30%

than Van Wezel impacts would be if the Van Wezel maintained its current activity for another 30 years.

its half of the funding for the design agreement, but what would otherwise be the county’s portion.

“We were just wanting to be really thoughtful to express that we hear the concerns of the elected officials, and so we are going to advance the funds much like The Bay Park did in their Phase 1,” Castroverde Moskalenko said. “Then that gives us time to answer the questions that are being asked to because we don’t have the answers. Until we have that design concept, we’re not going to have the answers, so my board made a decision to advance the funds and it will count toward our 50% contribution.”

THE MULTIPLIER EFFECT

The HR&A report estimates direct economic impacts from on-site construction spending, operations and programming-related expenses plus off-site spending by SPAC visitors and cultural tourists. In addition, it factored indirect and induced impacts generated by the purchases made by suppliers of direct employers (indirect) and household spending of direct employees (induced). Those indirect and induced impacts are known as the multiplier effect. Economists suggest each new dollar spent in a local economy generates between $1 to $3.50 in new spending as that dollar circulates, depending on the type of project. On average, the multiplier effect is

about two to two-and-a-half times each dollar spent.

For the report, Indirect and induced impacts are estimated using the IMPLAN economic analysis software input-output model, a widely accepted model among public agencies to estimate the effects of new investments. IMPLAN industry data for Florida and Sarasota County as of 2020 were used to estimate impacts by industry. The resulting multiplier effect was added to direct expenditures to arrive at a project’s total impact.

Contributing to the impact are the creation of 3,200 temporary jobs, 1,200 permanent jobs and at least $1.7 billion in new development on surrounding parcels catalyzed by the SPAC and The Bay. The estimated $150 million in new annual economic activity is nearly twice the city’s general fund spending of $86 million in fiscal year 2023.

“That impact is due to more seating capacity, more spaces and also year-round programming, which is one of the things that we are planning on that we don’t have at this point,” Castroverde Moskalenko said.

The design agreement now codified, the SPAF and government officials will await the estimated cost of the project. Then the city and county commissions will weigh that against the economic and cultural benefits to determine whether to move forward.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Obsidian advances

Condo tower wins partial DRC sign-off but still faces staff scrutiny for street-level adjustments.

ith most technical comments addressed, the city’s Development Review Committee on May 15 granted partial sign-off for the controversial Obsidian condominium tower, also known as 1260 North Palm Residences.

The project has met with substantial resistance from neighboring downtown residences, particularly those in the adjacent Bay Plaza, over the height of the building proposed for the quarter-acre parcel. They’ve accused developer Matt Kihnke of manipulating interstitial space to raise the building to 342 feet, the height reduced by 15 feet after an appeal for adjustments was rejected by the Planning Board on Jan. 10.

The height wasn’t among the adjustments sought by appeal to the Planning Board after being denied by Director of Planning Services Lucia Panica. Those were regarding reductions of habitable space on the first and second floors and parallel façade coverage at the street level.

Rather than appealing to the Sarasota City Commission, Hoyt Architects went back to the drawing board to make some changes before bringing the project back before the DRC. In addition to reducing the height, Hoyt redesigned the lower levels to come close to code requirements but requested adjustments still include:

n Parallel façade coverage: A reduction of 26.53 feet, or 19.9%, along Palm Avenue to provide FPL transformer access, a driveway, and utility/backflow access.

n Habitable space: A reduction of 5.91 linear feet or 5.5%, to provide pedestrian access to the parking garage directly from a frontage line as required. Also, a reduction of 10.82 linear feet, or 7.4%, of habitable space on the second floor to provide a fire command center in a location approved by the fire marshal.

n Retail frontage. A reduction of 9.91 feet, or 9.3%, of retail, service or office frontage on the ground level to accommodate required stairs to the second level and required garage entrance. The existing retail space on the site is 6,350 square feet, according to the Sarasota County Property Appraiser. The plan will provide a total of 6,227 square feet of retail space, 97% of the existing retail space.

When announcing the partial sign-off, Development Review Planner Amy Bavin made clear to observers in the audience and those viewing online that it doesn’t mean the project is closer to approval.

“I just want to note that that is not approving the site plan,” Bavin said. “The zoning comments still need to be addressed and the other conditions that were discussed by the zoning comments, such as the adjustments, need to be approved. That will all need to be addressed prior to site plan approval.”

George Scarf of Hoyt Architects also took the opportunity to offer some clarity of his own.

“One thing I do want to clarify that’s been out in the public quite often is this project has not been renamed,” Scarf said. “The 2023 application was 1260 North Palm Residences, and it’s still 1260 North Palm Residences. For the record, we want to make sure everybody understands it has not been renamed.” Translated, that means the application name is the address of the development, but the project remains called Obsidian Residences.

MORE WORK TO DO

Three other projects did not receive partial sign-off and require resubmittals to the DRC: Sarasota Housing Authority’s Lofts on Lemon II, Property Market Group’s One Park West and GL Real Estate’s Artists Court.

Lofts on Lemon II will add 100 rental units, all priced at affordable/attainable levels at 80% of area median income or lower in an eightstory building, which includes three levels of parking. Combined with the first phase, the project will total 228 affordable housing units.

At the outset, Chris Gallagher of Hoyt Architects made a plea that because of the complexities of funding application deadlines for public housing he hoped for at least a partial sign-off on Wednesday. However, because Bavin was filling in for the project’s case planner, Noah Fossick, who was attending an out-oftown conference, she said she had no authority to grant his request.

“I did hear your plea, Mr. Gallagher, however, I’m not qualified to offer partial sign-off on this,” Bavin said. “I was directed to request that you return to the DRC. If you’d like an additional meeting set up to assure that you would be able to get partial sign-off at the next meeting I would encourage you to do that.”

Artists Court will be a 10-story, 242-unit market-rate rental development that includes 26 attainable housing units located at South Washington Boulevard and Adams Lane. The development is taking advantage of the downtown attainable housing bonus density program.

One Park West represents the final block of The Quay either not approved, under development or completed. Located on Block 9, it is across Quay Commons from its sister development, One Park, also being built by Property Markets Group. It is planned as an 18-story, 75-unit condominium tower that will offer entry into The Quay at a price range between $1.1 million and $3 million.

One Park is also still undergoing the administrative review process. All developments in The Quay must be approved by the Planning Board but do not go before the City Commission.

THE TRUSTED CHOICE

We know that choosing where to receive care after a life-changing illness or injury is an important decision.

When you choose our hospital for your rehabilitation, you receive compassionate care from an expert team that works together to help you meet your unique goals. Our clinicians combine innovative technologies and advanced therapies into a treatment plan that helps you achieve what’s important to you.

• Occupational, physical and speech therapists

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• Dietitians • Pharmacists • Case managers

Conditions we treat:

Your dedicated care team includes: • Brain injuries

Spinal cord injuries

Stroke

And many more

Parkinson’s disease

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

Please join us at an upcoming Community Education Program. Learn from healthcare experts on a variety of topics, hosted by Encompass Health. For more information on these programs and others, please scan the QR code or call 941.705.7070 Community Health Seminar “Get Your Life Back: Understanding Leg Pain and Venous Disease” Presented by Dr. Jeffrey B. Edwards of Sarasota Vascular

Andrew Warfield

Obsidian would be built on this site next to Bay Plaza. The single-story building with seven storefronts will be demolished.

Courtesy image

A rendering of One Park West (center) as viewed from Quay Commons looking north.

Lowering the boom

City Commission OKs noise ordinance revisions that reduce vehicle speaker volume.

uring the past 18 months or so, a lot of noise has been made at City Hall about noise, prompting the Sarasota City Commission to consider new action to ensure the ease of enjoyment of homeowners, particularly downtown residents living within earshot of entertainment venues.

In February the City Commission directed City Attorney Robert Fournier to revisit the city’s noise ordinance. The action was prompted by late-night loud music emanating from downtown dining and entertainment venues, specifically El Melvin on Main Street, disturbing residents of condos above the street.

Although the El Melvin matter appears to have been voluntarily mitigated by the restaurant, the city attorney’s office has been working to ensure the future peaceful coexistence of businesses and residents.

When cracking open an ordinance for review, though, everything is fair game, including perhaps the historical legal application of the word “normal.”

During his review of the city’s noise ordinance, Fournier plucked two pieces of low-hanging fruit for the commissioners to consider, saving the complex matter of decibel levels and the problematic enforcement thereof for a later date.

On Monday, the City Commission considered two housekeeping items related to the noise ordinance: enforcement of amplified sound emanating from motor vehicles and how noise citations are adjudicated.

First was setting the baseline for loud vehicle speakers, as commissioners unanimously approved rescinding the city’s standard of plainly audible from 50 feet away from the source to the state statute distance of 25 feet. The city went with its own local ordinance in 2012 after the Florida Supreme Court invalidated a state statute over a constitutional technicality — exempting such amplified sound for commercial and political reasons.

If it’s about safety and nuisance, the court reasoned, then the statute should apply equally.

“Two years ago, the Legislature finally corrected the deficiency in the statute, and so we can now return to enforcing the statute,” Fournier told commissioners. “We don’t need a local ordinance to address the subject matter that these provisions apply uniformly statewide.”

That means, once approved on second reading, the Sarasota Police Department can now cite windowrattling, music-blaring vehicles that may be heard from a distance of 25 feet.

The second unanimously approved ordinance shifts the adjudication of all noise citations from the county court to a special magistrate, whose decisions may be appealed to the

county court. The special magistrate, Fournier said, would allow for more convenient scheduling for both law enforcement and violators and save on court costs.

Beyond practicality, that discussion prompted a debate over the phrase “normal sensibilities.”

“I just have a question about the language,” said Vice Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch. “It says, ‘or endangers the comfort, repose, health or peace of a reasonable person of normal sensibilities.’ My concern is about the words ‘normal sensibilities.’”

Pledging to seek alternative terminology before the ordinance returns for a second reading, Fournier said “normal” is a long-accepted legal standard.

“You have to have a standard there that would it bother a person of normal sensibilities as opposed to a person who is hyper-sensitive, which wouldn’t be fair to the violators because you could get someone who just can’t take any noise at all,” Fournier said. “You have to have some standard there that’s reasonable that wouldn’t be offensive to a person of normal or reasonable sensibilities.”

With the agreement of Commissioner Debbie Trice, Ahearn-Koch said her point was to carefully select language that incorporates sensitivity toward those with disabilities.

“Generally, under the law, the reasonable man standard is usually how things are judged,” said Mayor Liz Alpert, an attorney by trade. “Would a reasonable man of general sensibilities be offended?”

Ahearn-Koch said “reasonable” would be preferable to “normal,” leaving Fournier to find an inoffensive word that would also hold up to legal scrutiny.

Trice asked Fournier about the next level of enforcement should a violator not be able to pay the resulting fine, citing the example of an individual blaring a boombox in a residential neighborhood.

“If someone can’t pay the fine then they should be careful not to violate the ordinance, so that’s my first recommendation,” Fournier said.

Steering the discussion back to the matter at hand, Alpert reminded commissioners that the bulk of the revised noise ordinance will be back before commissioners later this year.

“Essentially, this is not what this is about because we will be going into the sound ordinance later. This is basically about changing it to the special magistrate.”

The price for our liberty

At 3 p.m. Monday, pay your respects: At least observe a moment of silence or listen to ‘Taps.’

Come Monday, many Americans will simply enjoy a day off from work, perhaps barbecue, go the beach, get drunk or stoned. But some Americans, not many in proportion to 330 million of us, actually will honor the true meaning of Memorial Day. It is the national holiday we commemorate and remember every American who died in service to our country.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, that number now exceeds 1,226,330 — from the Revolutionary War through 2022. The largest number of military losses occurred in the Civil War (498,332) and World War II (405,399).

Those totals are incomprehensible. The deaths during the Civil War and World War II are the equivalent of wiping out the populations of Manatee and Sarasota counties. What’s more, think of the effects: the lost lives and their lost futures and the families — the millions and millions more who had to mourn the deaths of their loved ones.

For what?

The Revolutionary War was for liberty. World Wars I and II and the Korean and Vietnam wars were to stop the advancement of totalitarian dictators and the destruction

and enslavement of democratic societies. Typically, war occurs because megalomaniac rulers and dictators (not leaders) believe they are entitled to more land, more economic resources and more power — and have no compunction about sacrificing the lives of their people toward those ends. Today, think: Putin, Hamas, Iran, etc.

On Memorial Day, think of the banner that the students from Sarasota Military Academy carry in Sarasota’s Memorial Day parade: “Freedom is not Free.” And perhaps do what President Bill Clinton inaugurated for every Memorial Day. He declared it also a National Day of Remembrance — to pause at 3 p.m. for a moment of silence or to listen to a rendition of “Taps.” God bless America. God bless those who died for the cause of freedom.

— Matt Walsh

Rand: The ‘supreme value’ and virtue of our military

Editor’s note: In 1974, “Atlas Shrugged” author and philosopher Ayn Rand spoke to the West Point graduating class. The title of her remarks: “Philosophy: Who needs it.”

Toward the end of her speech, Rand spoke of her admiration for West Point graduates and the U.S. military. Although 40 years old, her remarks — much like her philosophy and two best-sellers, “Atlas Shrugged” and “The Fountainhead” — are still relevant today, particularly so as we commemorate Memorial Day:

… In this context I want to say I have always admired the posture of West Point graduates. I mean it.

A posture that projects man in proud disciplined control of his body.

Well, philosophical training gives men the proper intellectual posture. A proud disciplined control of his mind.

In your own profession, in military science, you know the importance of keeping track of the enemy’s weapons, strategy and tactics. And of being prepared to counter them.

The same is true in philosophy. You have to understand the enemy’s ideas and be prepared to refute them.

You have to know his basic arguments and be able to blast them.

In physical warfare, you would not send your men into a booby trap. You would make every effort to discover its location.

Well, (Immanuel) Kant’s system is the biggest and most intricate booby trap in the history of philosophy.

But it’s so full of holes that once you grasp its gimmick, you can defuse it without any trouble and walk forward over it in perfect safety.

And once it is defused, the lesser Kantians, the lower ranks of his army, the philosophical sergeants, buck privates and mercenaries of today will fall of their own weightlessness by chain reaction.

There is a special reason why you, the future leaders of the United States Army, need to be philosophically armed today.

You are the target of a special attack by the Kantian Hegelian collectivist establishment that

dominates our cultural institutions at present.

You are the army of the last semi-free country left on earth. Yet you are accused of being a tool of imperialism.

And imperialism is the name given to the foreign policy of this country, which has never engaged in military conquest and has never profited from the two world wars which it did not initiate but entered and won. It was, incidentally, a foolishly over-generous policy, a policy which made this country waste her wealth on helping both her allies and her former enemies.

Something called the military industrial complex, which is a myth or worse, is being blamed for all of this country’s troubles.

College hoodlums scream demands that ROTC units be banned from college campuses.

Our defense budget is being attacked, denounced and undercut by people who claim that financial priority should be given to ecological rose gardens and to classes in aesthetic self-expression for the residents of the slums. Some of you may be bewildered by this campaign and may be wondering in good faith what errors you committed to bring it about.

If so, it is urgently important for you to understand the nature of the enemy.

You are attacked not for any errors or flaws, but for your virtues. You are denounced not for any weaknesses but for your strengths and your competence.

You are penalized for being the protectors of the United States.

On a lower level of the same issue, a similar kind of campaign is conducted against the police force.

Those who seek to destroy this country seek to disarm it intellectually and physically.

But it is not a mere political issue.

Politics is not the cause but the last consequence of philosophical ideas.

It is not a communist conspiracy, though some communists may be involved as maggots cashing in on

a disaster they had no power to originate.

The motive of the destroyers is not love for communism but hatred for America. Why hatred?

Because America is the living refutation of a Kantian universe.

Today’s mawkish concern with and compassion for the people, the flawed, the suffering, the guilty, is a cover for the profoundly Kantian hatred of the innocent, the strong, the able, the successful, the virtuous, the confident, the happy.

A philosophy out to destroy man’s mind is necessarily a philosophy of hatred for man, for man’s life and for every human value.

Hatred of the good for being the good is the hallmark of the 20th century.

This is the enemy you are facing.

A battle of this kind requires special weapons.

It has to be fought with a full understanding of your cause, a full confidence in yourself and the fullest certainty of the moral rightness of both.

Only philosophy can provide you with these weapons.

The assignment I gave myself for tonight is not to sell you on my philosophy but on philosophy as such.

I have, however, been speaking implicitly of my philosophy in every sentence since none of us and no statement can escape from philosophical premises.

What is my selfish interest in the matter?

I am confident enough to think that if you accept the importance of philosophy and the task of examining it critically, it is my philosophy that you will come to accept.

Formally, I call it objectivism, but informally, I call it a philosophy for living on earth.

You will find an explicit presentation of it in my books, particularly in “Atlas Shrugged.”

In conclusion, allow me to speak in personal terms.

This evening means a great deal to me. I feel deeply honored by the opportunity to address you.

I can say not as a patriotic bromide, but with full knowledge of the necessary metaphysical, epistemological, ethical, political and aesthetic roots that the United States of America is the greatest, the noblest, and in its original founding principles, the only moral country in the history of the world.

There is a kind of quiet radiance associated in my mind with the name West Point because you have preserved the spirit of those original founding principles, and you are their symbol.

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MEMORIAL DAY AT NATIONAL CEMETERY

Each Memorial Day weekend, the National Cemetery in Sarasota is crowded with patriotic Americans paying their respects to the more than 34,000 veterans and their spouses who are buried there.

Memorial Day services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 25, at the cemetery pavilion. Flags also will be placed on the gravesites Saturday.

The cemetery is located at 9810 State Road 72. It is open each day from dawn to dusk.

There were contradictions and omissions in those principles, and they may be in yours, but I am speaking of the essentials.

There may be individuals in your history who did not live up to your highest standards, as there are in every institution, since no institution and no social system can guarantee the automatic perfection of all its members.

This depends on an individual’s free will.

I am speaking of your standards.

You have preserved three qualities of character, which were typical at the time of America’s birth, but are virtually nonexistent today.

Earnestness, dedication, a sense of honor.

Honor is self-esteem made visible in action.

You have chosen to risk your lives for the defense of this country.

I will not insult you by saying that you are dedicated to selfless service.

It is not a virtue in my morality.

In my morality, the defense of one’s country means that a man is personally unwilling to live as the conquered slave of any enemy, foreign or domestic.

This is an enormous virtue.

Some of you may not be consciously aware of it.

I want to help you to realize it.

The army of a free country has a great responsibility: The right to use force, but not as an instrument of compulsion and brute conquest, as the armies of other countries have done in their histories. Only as an instrument of a free nation’s self-defense, which means the defense of man’s individual rights.

The principle of using force only in retaliation against those who initiate its use is the principle of subordinating might to right.

The highest integrity and sense of honor are required for such a task.

No other army in the world has achieved it.

You have.

West Point has given America a long line of heroes, known and unknown.

You, this year’s graduates, have a glorious tradition to carry on, which I admire profoundly, not because it is a tradition, but because it is glorious.

Since I came from a country guilty of the worst tyranny on earth, I am particularly able to appreciate the meaning, the greatness and the supreme value of that which you are defending.

So in my own name and in the name of many people who think as I do, I want to say to all the men of West Point, past, present and future. … Thank you.

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Ayn Rand

File images

Students from Sarasota Military Academy each year remind attendees at the annual Memorial Day Parade on Main Street in Sarasota of the price of freedom.

One-stop campus

Sarasota County breaks ground on another facility in the Fruitville Commons area.

ANDREW WARFIELD

STAFF WRITER

he Fruitville Commons

Tarea of eastern Sarasota County is developing into a one-stop destination for much of the county’s services and facilities.

Apex Road between Fruitville Road and Palmer Boulevard just south of Fruitville Road is home to a branch of the Sarasota County Library and History Center, the Employee Health Center, the future Enterprise Information Technology facility and the underway construction of the new administration building. Forming the backdrop to it all is the 400-acre Celery Fields, a county park.

Last Friday, the county held a groundbreaking for its latest facil-

ity, a “one-stop shop” to house its Planning and Development Services operations at the northwest corner of Apex Road and Palmer Boulevard, that intersection scheduled to be rebuilt as a roundabout.

While the four-and-a-halfacre site has been cleared, ceremonial dirt was flung by shovelwielding county officials to mark the start of construction of the 55,600-square-foot building that will house the county’s property management, planning and zoning, environmental protection, building code enforcement, business administration, neighborhood services and development review personnel.

Spaces will include general office, customer service, conference rooms, training rooms and more.

“We take great pride in creating spaces and opportunities where everyone can flourish and we prioritize serving the community members of Sarasota County doing our best to provide more living options for our residents,” said Planning and Development Services Director Matt Osterhoudt.

The goal of the one-stop shop is to centralize all the planning services operations to improve efficiency and convenience to customers and residents. Planning for the facility began in summer 2022, the design process finished in winter 2023 and construction is estimated to be completed in fall 2025. The new administration building, under construction about a mile away, is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025.

The one-stop shop comes at a time of rapid development in unincorporated Sarasota County. According to Osterhoudt, over the past five years Planning Development Services has facilitated construction of more than 4,000 multifamily and more than 10,000 single-family residential units.

“The building development services department is a major component of the Sarasota County government,” said County Com -

mission Chairman Mike Moran.

“For the last five years combined, they’ve issued more than 220,000 permits.

“This building will better the permitting process for our staff and community members.”

The new building will house all divisions of the Planning and Development Services Department, including Property Management, Planning and Zoning, Environmental Protection, Building and Code Enforcement, Planning and Development Services’ business and administration staff, Neighborhood Services staff and the Development Review Coordination team.

It will also serve as the operations center for the damage assessment team during the recovery phase following hurricanes or other natural disaster events.

“The design of the one-stop shop is remarkable,” said Moran. “Its unique design and architectural features blend in with the surrounding area, exemplifying its variety of mixed land uses. We are excited to have another building so close to some of our other Sarasota County facilities to make it easier for our community to connect with its government.”

Zoning keeps greedy developers in check Mr. Walsh’s understanding of design and zoning (“Zoning: Killer of creativity,” May 16) is a perfect example of our current “Looking Glass” world where good is bad and day is night.

As first legislated in the United States in 1904, and upheld by the Supreme Court in 1926, zoning laws are a “nuisance-preventing device,” established to prevent greedy and unscrupulous developers from constructing buildings that would rob light and air from neighboring structures and prohibit unsavory or inappropriate uses adjacent to others (think bars next to schools and churches or industrial refining next to residential areas).

Zoning laws are why we have setbacks between houses, buffer zones between buildings and wetlands and commercial areas gathered together, creating walkable environments, such as Sarasota’s Main Street.

Zoning laws are not antiproperty rights, but instead ensure equal property rights for all. If they have been used for discriminatory purposes in the past, modern adjustments to the laws have made progress toward mandating fair and equitable planning for all communities.

I agree that the building in the view of Tamiami Trail that Mr. Walsh provided, while possibly adhering to the Sarasota 2020 Master Plan form-based zoning code, should never have been approved by our planning department due to its height, length and closeness to the road. We need our planners to use common sense in interpreting the zoning code, and who will not bend to greedy developers’ demands.

Zoning laws have not made our towns or cities ugly. The architects (of any sex) are beholden to their clients, clients who, unfortunately, put profit over good design values.

— ANDREW BLANDA SARASOTA

Andrew Warfield

Sarasota County staff and elected officials toss the ceremonial dirt to mark the groundbreaking of the new Planning and Development Services One Stop Shop.

Courtesy image

The new Sarasota County Planning and Development Services One Stop Shop will be located on Apex Road at Palmer Boulevard.

Recession resilience

Economist tells commissioners any near-term downturn should have little effect on county budgeting.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Should the U.S. economy go into a recession, which remains possible but appears less likely, Sarasota County is in a position to weather the economic storm better than most.

During the Sarasota County Commission’s May 15 budget workshop, Sean Snaith, director of the Institute for Economic Forecasting at the University of Central Florida, gave his annual remarks to commissioners, setting the tone for the budget season.

Although he predicted a recession in 2023 during last year’s forecast, he told commissioners that still could occur, but even if it does, Florida and the greater Sarasota metropolitan statistical area stretching from North Port to Bradenton, while not recession-proof, are well positioned, thanks largely to continued population influx that bolsters the housing market.

As for the business of government, that means property value stability combined with tourism, sales and other tax dollars funding county operations should be adequate to meet the needs of a growing population.

“There were a lot of indicators that were pointing toward the U.S. economy going into recession, and there was broad consensus among economists that recession was going to happen in 2023,” Snaith said. “It did not happen, and we ended the year with two very strong quarters of economic growth.” However, it’s not all good news.

“I might add that many of these indicators are still pointing in the direction of an economic slowdown.”

Snaith amended his prior year outlook to such a deceleration, but not necessarily a downturn, adding that post-COVID government fiscal policy has upended economic predictability.

“I think it’s sort of scrambled the wires a bit and the signals that are lighting up are not as reliable in this environment as they have been,” he said.

Mortgage interest rates recently topping out at 8%, for example, have adversely impacted residential real estate here but not significantly in the wake of the mid- to late-pandemic run-up in prices.

Single-family closings were down 8.2% year-over-year in March at 1,453, down from 1,582 in March 2023. Prices slipped slightly as well at 1.9%, the median sales price at $500,000 in March compared to $509,500 the year prior. It still remains a sellers’ market at a 4.7-month supply. Six months’ supply is considered a balanced market.

Snaith said the surge in housing prices from 2020-2023 is not reflective of that from 2004-2006 because:

n Mortgage lending standards tightened during the pandemic and were far from the easy lending that fueled the housing bubble of 20042006.

n The wave of foreclosures and short sales that caused housing prices to plunge after 2006 will not repeat itself in the wake of the 20202022 price surge.

n Recent values of the mortgage

WHAT’S NEXT?

credit availability index are a fraction of the levels in 2004-2006.

“You still have a shortage and very high median sales prices,” Snaith said. “I think the massive price gains

we’ve gotten to are at the end of that episode here. But I wouldn’t anticipate any of the price declines that we experienced in 2008 and 2009, which means that revenue based on property valuation should not take too much of a hit here going forward.

I think Florida is in the best position it’s been to handle a slowdown or recession at the national level in some time.”

If there is an area of concern, it is commercial real estate, not including the apartment market that Snaith said continues to thrive thanks to a continued housing shortage.

The post-COVID hybrid and remote work environments in particular are driving down real estate investment trusts in commercial space, particularly offices. The eventual resulting decline in assessed value of commercial real estate will adversely affect property tax revenues.

“I don’t know what the mix is. I

think it’s somewhere in between,” Snaith said of the in-office work percentage. “Once people had a taste of (remote work), that’s going to be part of the labor market going forward, so there will have to be some adjustment in the office space of commercial real estate because of that. To what extent I don’t know.”

Other aspects of commercial real estate are at risk as well.

“Commercial real estate is a derived demand for other goods and services,” Snaith said. “Slowing down that demand in other areas of the economy can trickle down certainly into commercial real estate.”

The remainder of the workshop included midyear financial reports as well as transit system updates and capital improvement project updates. The commission will enter the heart of budget season June 19-21 with fiscal year 2025 budget proposals and constitutional officer requests department presentations.

Sarasota’s single-family home market has stayed strong

$12,000,000

$2,750,000

MONDAY, MAY 13

DEADBOLT DISPLACEMENT

11:38 p.m., 1900 block of Cocoanut Avenue

Family dispute: After 13 years of marriage, a man’s wife changed the lock on the front door and refused to let him enter the house.

An officer made contact with the man upon arrival at the home, who advised of the situation at hand. The officer then spoke with the wife, who said the couple were going through a breakup and she did not want the man in the house.

The officer explained to her the legal eviction process and how to file for a divorce. It was determined no crime had been committed.

THURSDAY, MAY 9

MAN OF MYSTERY

12:53 a.m., 300 block of Crosby Court

Prowler: An officer responded to a call about a man approximately 40 years old standing in the complainant’s yard and staring at her house shortly after dispatch advised he had left in a silver sedan. The officer spotted the car nearby and “stealthily” approached it, observing a subject matching the description standing near the rear, who appeared to be adjusting some equipment that was protruding from the trunk.

When the officer identified himself, the man told him to perform an explicit physical act upon himself, ran toward the rear yard of a nearby property, jumped the fence and continued fleeing the scene. The officer gave chase before losing sight of the subject.

After the chase ended without success, the officer made contact with the complainant, who said she did not notice any missing items from the property. A neighbor said she is acquainted with the man who owns the vehicle, but only knows his first name. Visiting the address where the vehicle is registered, the officer reported not getting a response at the door. Without positive identification of the subject and lacking further information, the case was deactivated.

SATURDAY, MAY 11

DEBT COLLECTOR

3:02 p.m., 1700 block of Gore Court

Disturbance: A neighbor has been

trespassing in a complainant’s yard on a continuing basis, and the residents had finally had enough and called law enforcement. Officers met with the complainant who stated a man has been walking through their property and bothering them.

One officer met with the subject, who stated he gave the complainant’s father $20 two weeks ago and that he goes to the house to request repayment. Eventually, he told the officer he decided to no longer worry about asking for the money, but was issued a trespassing warning and was advised to cease and desist all contact with the family.

DAZED AND CONFUSED?

11:56 p.m., 300 block of North Tamiami Trail

Disturbance: Two males were spotted jumping a fence in a construction site in The Quay. A security guard told officers he saw the two leaving the site after climbing the enclosure and continuing southbound on U.S. 41, adding that he did not see them take anything. He advised he would be able to identify the subjects if found.

An officer located both subjects near the Gulfstream Avenue roundabout, read their Miranda rights and began questioning the men. One subject stated they were evicted from The Westin hotel and, having wandered away in an obviously disoriented fashion, became lost. They somehow “accidentally” entered the construction area through an opening in the fence and, rather than exiting the property the same way they entered,

instead determined that climbing the fence was a preferable option.

One subject said they were inside the construction site only briefly. The other subject refused to speak with officers.

The police report did not verify the veracity of their claimed ejection from the nearby hotel. Unable to make contact with a “key holder” of the construction site to determine whether to press charges, both subjects were released from the scene.

Grand Piano plans

City inks Performing Arts Center design contract with Renzo Piano Building Workshop.

WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Following months of negotiations with procurement staff, the Sarasota City Commission on Monday approved by a 4-1 vote an agreement with Renzo Piano Building Workshop to design the proposed Sarasota Performing Arts Center in The Bay Park.

Vice Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch cast the dissenting vote.

HOURLY BILLING RATES

Rates are effective through Dec. 31, and may be adjusted annually and/or with significant variations in the exchange rate of U.S. dollars to euros.

The Paisley Craze, a talented band playing all your favorite music from the 1960s, covering the incredibly wide range of styles of that historic decade.

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The $36.9 million contract includes multiple design and construction milestones — also characterized as off-ramps by Director of Government Affairs Jennifer Jorgensen, over a 60-month duration with a concept design as the first design-phase milestone. That design, accompanied by an estimate of the project cost, is expected to be delivered by Nov. 30.

A draft implementation agreement between the city and the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation is also due Nov. 30, which will be presented to the City Commission for consideration.

The SPAC is proposed as an equal share of funding between public

and private sectors in partnership between the city and the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation. The public funds will come almost entirely from revenues generated by a tax increment financing district with property taxes derived from increases in value on parcels immediately surrounding The Bay over and above the 2019 baseline. The Quay is an example of properties within the TIF district.

The SPAC was anticipated when the TIF district was formed and documented in the interlocal agreement among the city, Sarasota County and The Bay Park Conservancy; it’s eligible for TIF funding, pending approval of the city and county commissions.

The city and county fund the development of The Bay with equal shares from the TIF district rev-

ANDREW

A conceptional drawing of The Bay shows a new Sarasota Performing Arts Center located on the southwest corner of what is now the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall parking lot.

CASH FLOW PROJECTION

Phase Fee (millions) % allocation Duration

Concept design

Schematic design

Design development

$2.214 6 4 months

$5.166 14 6 months

$9.225 25 8 months

Construction documents $11.07 30 12 months

Procurement of $1.107 3 3 months

construction services

Construction administration

$8.118 22 27 months TOTAL $36.9M 100 60 MONTHS

enues, totaling half of the cost.

The other half comes from philanthropic sources.

With the county commission reticent to release TIF funds for the new center’s concept design work, the SPAF announced earlier this month it will fund its and the county’s share of the initial design phase as part of its 50% contribution to the project.

The total cost of the SPAC has been estimated at $275 million, but Piano’s work will sharpen that figure.

Initially estimated at $44 million, the value of the agreement tops out at $39.6 million. Out of that total, Renzo Piano is responsible for hiring and paying an architect of record and all subcontractors necessary to complete the design services from concept to construction.

The Sarasota architecture firm of Sweet Sparkman has been selected as the architect of record.

“This contract can span over a minimum of 60 months,” Jorgensen said. “There are multiple phases to this agreement. So this is not something that gets done in a year or two years so that cost of the services is spread out over the course of time and over the course of numerous phases.”

Jorgensen pointed out five milestones, at which time either party may terminate the agreement upon completion of that phase. The first comes up in six months. Per the contract, should the city shut down the project, it carries a 10% termination fee due to Renzo Piano, plus the cost of services rendered to that point.

“I’m especially interested in the completion of the implementation agreement,” Commissioner Debbie Trice said of the Nov. 30 deadline for that pact with the SPAF. “That would be through concept design, which is

a 6% allocation of $2.214 million. So in theory, we’d be spending $2 million plus 10% of the remaining $35 million if we then terminate.”

Trice and Mayor Liz Alpert, the city’s representatives to The Bay Park Improvement Board, encouraged their colleagues to support the design agreement.

“This is definitely something we need to move forward on. We can’t get answers to the questions if we don’t,” Alpert said. “This is a vision 11 years or more in the making, and we’re at a critical point now to bring this forward.”

Meanwhile, the Purple Ribbon Committee will continue to go about its work of recommending a repurposing of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on the opposite corner of the parking lot from the proposed SPAC site, which Commissioner Erik Arroyo said has outlived its usefulness as the city’s performance venue.

“Hearing what the Purple Ribbon Committee has been talking about, and touring it, I can tell you that (the Van Wezel) won’t be a viable structure for much longer.”

Pointing to at least the temporary loss of the Sarasota Players and the likelihood that the Sarasota Orchestra will eventually move to its own new building on Fruitville Road near I-75, Commissioner Kyle Battie warned a new performing arts center could be next.

“We’ve lost a few arts institutions in the city, and if we keep hemming and hawing about this situation, make no mistake about it, we’ll lose another one,” Battie said. “That will be the performing arts center, because somebody will come and say ‘Hey, if the city wants to keep messing around with you about this, we have the money. We’ll do it.’”

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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

SEND IN THE CLOWN

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Ayear ago, when actor Scott Ehrenpreis and writer/ director Jason Cannon staged the one-man play, “Clowns Like Me” at FSU Center for the Performing Arts’ Cook Theatre, New York was the last thing on their minds.

True, Scott’s father Joel Ehrenpreis, producer of the show, had a successful career in marketing, and is known for thinking big. But a year ago, Joel’s plans included a video production and possible outof-town engagements in places like Tampa for the scripted play about Scott’s struggle with mental illness.

What a difference a year makes.

An updated version of “Clowns Like Me” is headed back to the Cook Theatre from May 23-26. However, the run is being billed as a “sneak peek” of the show that will play June 21 to Aug. 18 at DR2, a 99-seat Off Broadway theater in New York near Union Square.

The New York production follows a film version of “Clowns Like Me,” made by Sarasota videographer Brad Bryan that unspooled in April at the 26th annual Sarasota Film Festival. The video of the play has been a calling card to help Lifeline Productions, the nonprofit behind the show, raise money and make connections.

One of those connections is Tom Kirdahy, the successful Broadway producer who has a house in Longboat Key. Kirdahy was recently in Sarasota for the run of “Hadestown” at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall from Jan. 30 to Feb. 4.

Kirdahy is the producer of the Broadway, West End (London) and touring productions of the smash hit “Hadestown,” among many other shows. Not a bad guy to know if you’re trying to open doors in the world of legit theater.

Joel Ehrenpreis doesn’t know Kirdahy, but one of his former neighbors does. Explains Ehrenpreis: “I used to live on Longboat Key. One of my former neighbors asked me if I knew Tom Kirdahy. I didn’t. He wrote to Tom, who put us in touch with Jonathan Demar.”

Scott Ehrenpreis’ oneman show, ‘Clowns Like Me,’ is heading to New York City in June.

After watching the video “Clowns Like Me,” Demar, who is part of the producing team for “Hadestown” and the revival of Stephen Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along,” came on board as executive producer and got the show booked in New York. (Note to self: You never know who you’re going to meet on Longboat Key.)

IF YOU GO

‘Clowns Like Me’ When: May 23-26

Where: at the Cook Theatre, FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail.

Tickets: $30

This is a tale of a Sarasota fatherand-son team who made good, but it’s also the story of a dedicated writer and director. To write the show,

Info: Visit LifelineProductionsInc.org.

Courtesy images

Scott Ehrenpreis stars in “Clowns Like Me,” a one-man show about the actor’s struggle with mental illness.

Florida Studio Theatre veteran Jason Cannon wrote and directs “Clowns Like Me,” a one-man show starring Scott Ehrenpreis.

Cannon moved into Scott Ehrenpreis’ condo and lived with him for nine months while he gathered material from and wrote several drafts of the script. Cannon and Scott Ehrenpreis will also be roommates during the New York run of “Clowns Like Me.”

Before the debut of the first “Clowns Like Me,” the two also attended a Comedy Boot Camp run by McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, at Cannon’s behest.

Ehrenpreis had stage credits under his belt such as a high-strung TV technician in “Network” and a hardboiled police reporter in “The Front Page,” but Cannon felt like he needed to learn how to do stand-up comedy and comfortably banter with audiences to convey his life story in a humorous fashion.

Scott Ehrenpreis can do a lot of things, but his dad doesn’t want him doing press, which is why he’s not quoted in this article. If we had the chance to interview him, we would have asked about his recent performance in FST’s production of “The Lehman Trilogy,” directed by Richard Hopkins.

Until recently, Joel Ehrenpreis was the exclusive publicist for “Clowns Like Me,” but he’s hired a professional to assist with the New York premiere.

To prepare for the New York run, Cannon says “we did a fine-toothed comb rewrite and made some changes to the set. We’ve updated the clinical language.” In the time since the show was first written, the term “Asperger’s Syndrome,” part of Scott’s diagnosis (along with OCD, bipolar disorder, social anxiety and depression) has been replaced with “Autistic Spectrum Disorder.”

For Cannon, going to New York with “Clowns Like Me” is a “lifelong dream come true for career theater people. It feels surreal. We went into this with zero expectations.”

But Cannon has been preparing for this moment for a long time. According to his official bio, he has more than 100 credits as an actor, more than 120 as a director and has had 10 plays produced that he’s written.

Some of those were at Florida Studio Theatre, where he spent about a decade. Cannon was the lead developer on the FST cabaret “A Place in the Sun: A Tribute to Stevie Wonder”

and created “Old Enough to Know Better,” a documentary theater piece based on 100 interviews with Sarasota residents between the ages of 55 and 101. He continued the project with “Last Rights,” a work that explored end-of-life issues.

Clearly, Cannon is no stranger to crafting stories about disabilities and heartache into something audiences want to see and are willing to pay for.

It may appear that “Clowns Like Me” is the product of three hardworking individuals with a vision. That’s not a lie. But the journey from the Cook Theatre to DR2 wouldn’t have been possible without local benefactors and champions of the production.

Joel Ehrenpreis credits his “amazing board,” including Rose Chapman,

former executive director of Jewish Family and Children’s Service, for helping Lifeline Productions take “Clowns Like Me” from an idea to a New York run in just two years. “We owe Rose so much,” he says. “She got Scott the right diagnosis.”

Another lifeline was Colleen Thayer, executive director of the National Alliance for Mental Illness of Sarasota and Manatee Counties.

“She was all in,” Ehrenpreis recalls. “I created a nonprofit, but we weren’t a 501(c)3 right away and couldn’t accept donations directly. NAMI accepted contributions on our behalf and channeled them to us. We wouldn’t be here without NAMI’s love and support.”

“Gulf Coast Community Foundation and Community Foundation of Sarasota have been kind to us,”

adds Ehrenpreis. Their support will enable Lifeline to do a college tour of “Clowns Like Me” once the dust settles after the New York run.

Other invaluable donors include Michael Saunders & Co. and Aviva Senior Living, to name just two, Ehrenpreis says.

Pressed for other names, Ehrenpreis demurs. “Some of the major benefactors don’t want notoriety.

One of my biggest donors lost her son to suicide more than 15 years ago.

When she came to the first of five readings and said, ‘You have given me closure,’ I knew we had something,” he says.

Scott Ehrenpreis and his father, Joel Ehrenpreis, who helped him mount his one-man show, “Clowns Like Me,” which is heading to New York City.

THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

TOM RHODES

7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd. $26 Visit McCurdysComedy.com.

International touring comedy star Tom Rhodes has an impressive list of credits that includes the NBC sitcom “Mr. Rhodes,” “The Joe Rogan Experience” and “The Artie Lange Show,” to name just a few. Runs through May 26.

‘THE FLIP SIDE’

7:30 p.m. at FST’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St.

$37-$42 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

With songs like “The Ballad of Sigmund Freud” and “Killed by a Coconut,” the latest cabaret creation of Richard and Rebecca Hopkins tips its musical hat to comic songwriters. The quirky show features arrangements by Jim Prosser. Runs through June 16.

‘12 ANGRY MEN:

A NEW MUSICAL’

7:30 p.m. at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail $35-$95 Visit AsoloRep.org.

OUR PICK

‘BEYOND COMFORT’ ART OPENING

Come celebrate the opening of Art Center Sarasota’s annual juried regional show, “Beyond Comfort.” The juror is Sarasota Art Museum Executive Director Virginia Shearer. In “Beyond Comfort,” artists express their idea of beauty or the grotesque in contemporary art and society. The exhibition runs through July 27.

IF YOU GO

When: 6 p.m. Thursday

Where: Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami

Trail Tickets: Free Info: Visit ArtSarasota.org.

DON’T MISS

‘UNITED WE STAND: A ME-

MORIAL DAY CONCERT’

Come see Choral Artists of Sarasota before they head off to France to participate in the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of D Day, when Allied troops invaded Normandy to liberate France from the Nazis. Choral Artists wraps its 45th season with “United We Stand,” a Memorial Day tribute to the military veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Performing with Choral Artists is the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble, conducted by Joe Martinez.

IF YOU GO When: 4 p.m. Sunday Where: Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. Tickets: $30-$60; students $5 Info: Visit ChoralArtistsSarasota.org.

Asolo Repertory Theatre Producing Artistic Director Peter Rothstein directs an innovative musical adaptation of the classic courtroom drama. Rothstein first directed “12 Angry Men: A New Musical” at Theatre Latté Da in Minneapolis, where it made its world premiere in 2022. Runs through June 9.

MATTHEW FROST BAND

8 p.m. at Fogartyville, 525 Kumquat Court $7.50-$12 Visit WSLR.org.

Sarasota quartet Matthew Frost Band plays alternative blues, soul rock and fusion with Frost on keyboards and vocals, Barry Williams on bass, Josh Nelms on guitar and Michael Finley on drums.

FRIDAY

FRIDAY FEST: HOT TONIC ORCHESTRA

5 p.m. on the lawn and terrace of Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail Free Visit VanWezel.org.

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall kicks off its free Friday Fest series of outdoor concerts with Hot Tonic Orchestra. Led by band leader Victoria Woods, Hot Tonic plays swing, Latin Jazz and its own interpretations of popular songs designed to get people up on their feet. Bring your dancing shoes as long as they don’t have heels, which are apt to get stuck in the Van Wezel’s lawn.

THE FUNKY BONES

8 p.m. at Joyland Live, 8341 Lockwood Ridge Road

$10.45-$26.13 Visit JoylandSarasota.com.

The Funky Bones make their debut at Joyland Live. The bank will play soulful melodies from artists such as Earth, Wind & Fire, Bruno Mars and Dua Lipa in a performance that promises to be a musical tour of the decades.

SUNDAY

JAZZ ON THE WATER

3 p.m. at The Marina Jack II, 2 Marina Plaza $35-$40 Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.

Set sail with Jazz Club of Sarasota, which presents Suzanne Lucas & The Hot Boyz. Boarding begins at 2:30 p.m.

MONDAY

SHINIQUE SMITH: ‘PARADE’

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Ringling Art Museum, 5401 Bayshore Road Free (Mondays only) Visit Ringling.org.

It’s Memorial Day, and there aren’t a lot of indoor places that you can go for free on a holiday. Why not take advantage of The Ringling Art Museum’s Monday free day and see Shinique Smith’s “Parade?” Smith’s large-scale sculptures are on display in galleries that house the museum’s permanent collection of European art. The juxtaposition of styles and themes and the interplay of color is breathtaking. Please note, admission is free on Monday only to the Museum of Art, Bayfront Gardens and Glass Pavilion, not to the Circus Museum or Ca’ d’Zan mansion. “Parade” runs through Jan. 5, 2025.

Image courtesy of Dot Editions Courtesy image

The jury meets jazz in Asolo Rep’s

‘Twelve

Angry Men: A New Musical’

Shouting matches give way to bursts of song.

FUGATE CONTRIBUTOR

The jury of Reginald Rose’s “Twelve Angry Men” has been in session since 1954. Counting various plays and movies, I’ve seen it at least five times.

But I’ve never seen anything like “Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical” — a 2020 musical adaptation. David Simpatico penned the script; Michael Holland wrote the music and lyrics. These two brilliant minds created a brilliant new musical.

In case you somehow missed the American classic it’s based on, here’s the story: A 16-year-old Puerto Rican boy is accused of murdering his abusive father. The case against him seems open-andshut. Twelve angry dudes accept the jury summons. After the trial, they gather in a stifling room to deliberate.

Most jurors have a verdict in mind. They first hold a straw vote; 11 jurors say the kid’s guilty. But Juror No. 8 (Curtis Bannister) has a reasonable doubt. For the rest of the story, he argues with the others.  Simpatico and Holland’s 2020 “new musical” sticks fairly close to Reginald Rose’s drama. That said, its new jury is a multicultural mix. The diversity adds nuance to the jurors’ arguments.

Asolo Rep Producing Artistic Director Peter Rothstein directed this musical’s premiere in Minneapolis. This is his second time around. But I figure it’s not a cakewalk. This show has a tricky scene structure — a constant counterpoint of gritty reality and trippy musical interludes.

The jurors will have a normal discussion (or shouting match) for a minute or two. Bang! Without warning, they’ll burst into song. These leaps from realism to musical fantasy could easily get confusing. But Rothstein keeps your eye on the ball.

This musical’s 12 angry men come to life thanks to 12 talented actors. They’re all in top form.

Benjamin Olsen’s mercurial set design serves this musical’s worldbuilding. Center stage: a huge turntable with a long conference table on top. Throughout the angry action, Rothstein uses the chairs for bits of business and constantly

IF YOU GO

‘Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical’

When: Through June 9

Where: at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: $35-$95 Info: Visit AsoloRep.org.

turns things around.

Holland’s jazzy music is whipcrack smart. It’s smartly realized by conductor and musical director Jenny Kim-Godfrey, and her band. As to Holland’s songs, this lyricist/ composer is skilled at both jobs. His lyrics serve the musical’s story; his music matches its mood.

Holland’s score combines a syncopated Be-Bop beat with subtle echoes of 1950s detective shows. (Like the dangerous themes from “Perry Mason” and “Peter Gunn.”) Holland’s tunes are like ticking bombs. They hint of blow-ups to come.

Mathew LeFebvre’s costumes capture the era’s wearable signifiers of class, race and status. Paul Whitaker’s lighting has an apt film noir feel. Jurors disappear into the shadows at times. At other times, the lighting gets as harsh as a police interrogation.

Having considered this evidence, here’s my verdict … “Twelve Angry Men: a New Musical” is a very moving musical. Is it a faithful adaptation of Rose’s American classic? Not so much.

Rose’s original drama was claustrophobic. Twelve angry jurors were locked together in one room. They’re trapped and fighting to breathe. The musical’s jazzy interludes let oxygen into the room. And that kills the pressure cooker vibe.

Rose’s story was also an outsidein character study. You heard the juror’s words, but didn’t enter their minds. In Holland and Simpatico’s musical adaptation, the jurors sing their feelings out loud — along with a few civics lessons.

Thanks to these radical revisions, “Twelve Angry Men: A New Musical” goes beyond mere adaptation — and enters the realm of reimagination. Sure, it remains fairly true in its spirit. But it’s not the claustrophobic crucible of the original play. This new musical is a very different animal.

Don’t miss it. Then just for fun … stream the 1957 Henry Fonda movie.

YOUR NEIGHBORS

Path finders

Graduates recalled past struggles, said heartfelt goodbyes and encouraged one another to chart their own courses in the future.

BY IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

GRADUATION 2024

SARASOTA HIGH

Sarasota High School students filled Cleland Stadium on May 18, but it wasn’t for a game. It was for the last moments of an era.

“It’s definitely a fresh start for all of us in the future,” said graduate Adam Imre. “I don’t think we know exactly what we will do — but we’ll figure it out. We’ll be all right.”

Imre wasn’t the only one with similar thoughts that night.

Followed by an introduction of distinguished guests by graduate Hayden Wilding, who spoke about meeting the challenges of the future, Nazareth Icabalzeta offered a commencement speech about finding one’s path.

“For those of you who are lucky enough to know me, I know exactly what you’re thinking: What is Naza-

reth doing up there? After all, I am not headed to an Ivy League school, and I still struggle to properly use a comma. I am just an ordinary student,” she said.

Icabalzeta encouraged students for the years ahead.

“We do not need to know all the answers right now, as long as we don’t let the fear of not knowing paralyze us from moving forward and becoming who we’re meant to be, who we want to be,” she said.

Principal Ryan Chase also offered remarks addressing the future.

“You’re a Sailor; you were meant to navigate any pathway put in front of you, including uncharted waters,” he said. “Remember the world needs your unique voices and your fresh ideas.”

GRADUATION

Commencement speaker Annabelle Truong had an optimistic appraisal of the moment to share during the graduation ceremony for Booker High School on May 18 at Robarts Arena.

“I may be a bit biased, but 2024 has a really nice ring to it,” she said. “It flows off the tongue really smoothly, it is an even number and it also is a leap year, lucky to those of you born on the 29th; 2020 may be a year we all want to forget, but four holds so much more promise.”

She wasn’t the only one with advice and inspiration to share as students

headed into a new phase of life.

Jaylen Benony spoke about how success is defined by those one surrounds themselves with.

Jackson Carney explained how a teacher helped restore his selfconfidence when she asked why he had stopped dressing elaborately for school.

“It took a second to grasp the idea that my presence could be something she would look forward to,” he said. “As I heard those words, I knew I was making a difference in daring to present myself against norms and barriers.”

Photos by Ian Swaby

Principal Ryan Chase hands Emma Sasville her diploma.

Students, including Emma Green and Cora Gertes (center), celebrate during the moment of graduation.

Ohm Patel greets Superintendent Terry Connor

Sophia Chursina and Scarlett Jane Whisnant applaud during the ceremony.

Principal Rachel Shelley greets Amelia Tapia Pulla.Noah White plays with the VPA jazz seniors.

Guadalupe Maldonado enters the stadium with eyes set on 2024.

Nazareth Soza Icabalzeta, the student speaker, receives her diploma.

RIVERVIEW HIGH

Students at Riverview High School left graduation on May 18 at Robarts Arena with a long journey ahead but with big shoulders to stand on.

Commencement speaker Shawn Cochran delivered a speech about the legacy of the American Dream, recounting how he was adopted by an American woman out of foster care in Puerto San José, Guatemala, at 18 months old.

“Whether your ancestors arrived in the U.S. centuries ago or just a few years ago, they bravely charted new paths to live in the home of the brave,” he said.

“Their sacrifice reminds us of the legacy that we create with a single dream, and today, as we stand on their shoulders, we are ready to continue the American story and preserve the freedoms our ancestors courageously fought for.”

Principal Erin Haughey recounted her journey to becoming a teacher, a goal she chose while serving in a camp counselor role that included an unexpected trip down the Little Miami River in Ohio.

“That trip down the river is always about my mind when I’m at a challenge that is outside my comfort zone,” she said. “In that discomfort is where we can find the magic that lies within us to discover passions within ourselves that we never knew existed.”

Graduate Andrew White’s own dream is to enter the film program at Florida State University — but his mother, Katy White, hopes he’ll stay around.

“It happened very fast. This year flew by in particular,” she said. “We’re going to miss him, so I hope he comes home a lot.”

Photos by Ian Swaby

Senior class Secretary Lea Hernandez-Bower delivers a speech.

Charlotte White, 15, Andrew and Katy White with Kay Chandler

Senior class Vice President Molly McWilliams hugs President Grace Flint as they trade places at the podium.

Brandon Day and his girlfriend, Lexi Donahoe

Sydney Lemz and Ellee Liang applaud during the ceremony.

Taste of success

Youth Art Show offers young artists the chance to make their first sales.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

Sage Taylor, 10, was happy about a certain red sticker. It was the one she pasted on her ink drawing of her rabbit’s baby, Coconut, to designate it as “sold.”

“I’m happy with how it turned out,” she said. “I never thought it would ever be bought.”

The Youth Art Show, held May 18 at Palm Avenue Fine Art and organized by the new nonprofit Creative Kids of SRQ, was designed to launch the nonprofit’s activities with just such an experience.

The nonprofit, which was incorporated in April and is dedicated to encouraging youth engagement with the arts, covered gallery walls with works from students at Lina Rincon Art Gallery & Studio, as well as Children’s Art Classes, resulting in 20 works of art sold.

“The power of art — when you put kids in that mix, you’re seeing it,” said gallery Manager Tom Murray, a board member of Creative Kids.

“You can feel these kids, when they have their little painting sold, or just when they walk in the door — they’re ecstatic just to have their art in a gallery.”

Stella Samulak, 10, was another young artist who had the chance to showcase her work — an ink drawing of Chewy, one of her family’s two Bernese mountain dogs.

“It’s pretty cool because I never really displayed anything before. I feel like I will make it into more galleries,” she said.

Sophie Norton, 13, said she has been practicing art the majority of her life, but her passion developed unconventionally. During art classes with Lina Rincon, she found some of her subjects going “off the rails.”

She now usually paints in the abstract and likes that art doesn’t have to be confined to a precise representation of a subject, although she said she takes her inspiration from landscapes.

“It’s very special,” she said of the chance to display something different in the gallery.

“If they just learn the techniques when I teach the class, they have the base, but I want to leave them open to express their feelings that way,” Rincon said. “And it’s very nice. They’re doing amazing things.”

Declan Herrold, 6, displayed a collage of his interests that included everything from Pokemon to Christmas items.

“We absolutely love it,” said his mother, Nikole Herrold. “Usually they do artwork, and then it goes home and ends up on a fridge. So it’s really cool that this is such a professional type of atmosphere for them to see their artwork come to life.”

Creative Kids of SRQ is currently planning more events next year, including a Youth Art Walk and a major Youth Art Festival next April on South Palm Avenue.

Ian Swaby Sage Taylor, 10, drew a bunny, Coconut.

YOUR CALENDAR

services, such as 24/7 access and same-day visits.

Call us to schedule your no-obligation meet & greet with Dr. Arne today.

Dr. Arne

BEST BET

MONDAY, MAY 27

MEMORIAL DAY PARADE

10 a.m. at Main Street and Osprey Avenue. Free. The annual Memorial Day Parade brings together numerous community organizations, concluding with a ceremony at J.D. Hamel Park at 11 a.m. Visit SCGov.net.

FRIDAY, MAY 24

FRIDAY FEST — HOT TONIC ORCHESTRA

5-9 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail. Free. The free, outdoor summertime concert series returns this year. Headlining this session is Hot Tonic Orchestra, whose performances blend swing, Latin jazz and popular music. Enjoy food and beverages from local vendors and bring blankets or lawn chairs. Visit VanWezel.org.

SATURDAY, MAY 25

FLAGS FOR FALLEN VETS

8 a.m. at Sarasota National Cemetery, 9810 State Road 72. Free. Place flags on the graves of veterans at Sarasota National Cemetery in honor of Memorial Day. Flag removal takes place June 1. Visit FlagsforFallenVets.com.

9TH ANNUAL SRQ VETS 5K MEMORIAL HIKE

8 a.m. starting at J.D. Hamel Park, 199 Bayfront Drive. Adults $35 (including tee shirt, food and drink); kids free. SRQ VETS hosts this hike in honor of fallen heroes. It works to unite the local veteran and civilian communities while raising funds to support SRQ VETS and their efforts on behalf of local veterans. Visit EventBrite.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 25 TO SUNDAY, MAY 26

ST. ARMANDS FINE ART FESTIVAL

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 434 St. Armands

Circle. Free. Browse works by artisans from throughout Florida and from across America, in media including sculpture, jewelry, painting, photography, glass, ceramics, mixed media, metalwork, fiber art, woodworking and more. Visit ParagonFestival.com.

SUNDAY, MAY 26

AQUAPALOOZA

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at New Pass Sandbar, directly offshore from MarineMax, 1601 Ken Thompson Parkway. Kick off the summer by hanging out on the water with fellow boaters, and enjoy live music and giveaways. Visit MarineMax.com.

SUNDAYS AT THE BAY FEATURING THE 301 TRAVELERS BAND

6-7 p.m. at The Oval, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Enjoy a free performance by the 301 Travelers Band in celebration of Memorial Day. The country rock band, based in Southwest Florida, brings a lineup of musicians from across the country who will offer a high-energy, patriotic performance. Visit TheBaySarasota. org.

THURSDAY, MAY 30

CINEMA AT THE BAY: ‘50 FIRST DATES’ 7-8:39 p.m. Free. Enjoy the comedy “50 First Dates” (PG-13) under the stars, voted “Best Date Night” movie on The Bay’s social media accounts. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.

Patriots bridge past and present

Sarasota residents lead Florida chapter of the Society of the Descendants of Washington’s Army at Valley Forge.

The winter of 1777 to 1778 pro-

duced a formative moment in U.S. history: the encampment of the Continental Army at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

Often called the birthplace of the American army, the plateau of Valley Forge was the site where General George Washington’s forces wintered during the Revolutionary War before emerging a more cohesive and better trained force.

Sarasota’s community has several members who have taken up the challenge of tracing their lineage and the lineage of others back to that historic event.

Few are more passionate about genealogy than Rebecca Morgan, who recently decided to found a brigade of The Society of the Descendants of Washington’s Army at Valley Forge for the state of Florida.

Established on May 2, the brigade places Florida among 15 states in the country with a chapter of the organization, whose members must prove descent from a patriot who spent the winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge with the Continental Army.

ARMED WITH KNOWLEDGE

Morgan admits to being so invested in genealogy, that her children will warn others not to ask her about it or she’ll never get off the subject.

She’s performed genealogical work for friends and family along with local public figures like Dick Vitale and Congressman Vern Buchanan. She even had the chance to ask her dentist, after she found they were distantly related from the 1700s, “Well, cuz, do I get the family discount?”

For Morgan and others who are invested in history, exploring it is

IF YOU GO

The Memorial Day Parade will be held 10 a.m. Monday, May 27, starting at Main Street and Osprey Avenue.

For more info on the Society of the Descendants of Washington’s Army at Valley Forge, visit ValleyForgeSociety.com.

more than a hobby. It’s a way to open the eyes of others to the people who fought to establish the United States.

Brigade Inspector Dan Kennedy is second in command to Morgan.

Another member of Sarasota’s community, he is the founder of Sarasota Military Academy and the marshal for the annual Memorial Day Parade.

“It’s a fairly serious endeavor, and it’s a patriotic endeavor, too, to honor your relatives who are part of the formation of our country,” he said.

Morgan is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, while Kennedy belongs to the Sons of the American Revolution.

The two organizations comprise members who are descendants, more broadly, of those who aided the cause of the American Revolutionary War.

It was while hearing the state registrar of Daughters of the American Revolution, Debbie Duay, speak on the subject of DVF, that Morgan decided to found the chapter.

“We’ve had a really good response,” Morgan said.

The chapter has gathered about 150 members statewide, with a high concentration in the local area, including 15 in Sarasota County, and 25 in areas including Bradenton, St. Petersburg and Tampa.

They join a group of some 3,000 members nationwide.

“This area is extremely patriotic,” Kennedy said. “There are so many people that support the military, and if they know they have some military in their background, they’re really likely to settle in this area,” he said.

“It’s an area that’s very interested in history, I think,” Morgan said, highlighting the John and Mable

Ringling Museum of Art and the area’s other historical aspects.

Genealogy work, Morgan and Kennedy said, is a mystery to solve, a process of one clue leading to another that involves everything from pension records, to birth certificates, to trips to locations with ties to the genealogical record.

“It’s a very precise process,” Kennedy said. “You can’t put something on that form, and say, this is my relative, and this is a genealogy unless every single fact is 100% verified.”

Kennedy joined the Sons of the American Revolution in the early 2000s. His ancestors at Valley Forge were Phineas Manning and William Manning, a father and son.

Both wintered with Washington, and both survived, receiving pensions after their service and establishing themselves as farmers in the region.

But it took him five years to identify them, and he almost gave up while searching for pension records and pictures of gravestones — until Sons of the American Revolution was able to help. At the time she was joining DAR over 20 years ago, Morgan had been invested in genealogy for several years, and finding her patriot took about two years.

Hers was Mathias Shultz, a scout for George Washington.

A Kentucky farmer, he served twice in the war, first in the place of his sister’s husband, to whom she had just been married at the time,

then again when he was later called to serve.

“The hardest thing is sometimes connecting the two generations,” she said. “You can do that sometimes with land records, sometimes with wills, especially before 1850, because before that, names were not mentioned on census records.”

She said local libraries tend to house plenty of information of local relevance not found elsewhere.

“Our library here in Sarasota has a wonderful genealogy area that has lots of books, so you can really find some information there,” she said.

In addition to its focus on genealogy, goals of the organization include preserving and teaching history, and it offers contests through which students can earn scholarships.

Brigades participate annually in the Wreaths Across America event at the site of Valley Forge, part of the nationwide initiative to lay wreaths on the graves of veterans at Christmastime.

In Sarasota, the brigade will step into the public eye during the Memorial Day Parade on May 27, where it will have the chance to be seen by the approximately 10,000 attendees the event usually draws.

“Hopefully, our presence will encourage more people to do the research necessary to find more about their families and the role of that family in the foundation of our country,” Kennedy said.

Ian Swaby

Brigade Inspector Dan Kennedy and Brigade Commander Rebecca Morgan

Oyster Bay Estates home sells

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Ahome in Oyster Bay Estates tops all transactions in this week’s real estate. Michael and Christine Hays sold their home at 1125 N. Lake Shore Drive to Kristine Voelker, trustee, of Sarasota, for $9.3 million. Built in 2015, it has five bedrooms, five baths, a pool and 5,857 square feet of living area.

SARASOTA

HARBOR VIEW ON GOLDEN GATE POINT

Stephen Vickar, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 502 condominium at 650 Golden Gate Point to Douglas Olson and Kerri Kitson, of Sarasota, for $2.65 million. Built in 1962, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,949 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.7 million in 2021.

OYSTER BAY ESTATES

Laurie Ginsburg sold her home at 1615 S. Lake Shore Drive to Michael and Christine Hays, of Sarasota, for $2,335,000. Built in 1997, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,329 square feet of living area.

GRANADA

Shirley Lange Gamerman, trustee, of Prospect, Kentucky, sold the home at 3860 Camino Real to Beverley and Dyer Wadsworth, of Sarasota, for $1.9 million. Built in 2013, it has four bedrooms, fourand-two-half baths and 3,381 square feet of living area.

AQUALANE ESTATES

Next One Homes LLC sold the home at 1723 Stanford Lane to Eric and Heather Avakemian, of Incline Village, Nevada, for $1.66 million. Built in 1972, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,487 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.25 million in 2023.

BAYSO SARASOTA

Terence Sanctis, of Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, sold his Unit 708 condominium at 301 Quay Commons to Spiro Bakiras and Laurel Davis, of Sarasota, for $1,435,000. Built in 2023, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,589 square feet of living area. It sold for $883,100 in 2023.

THE STRAND OF SARASOTA

Kane Management Group Ltd. sold the Unit A501 condominium at 1709 N. Tamiami Trail to Marlene Hayden, trustee, of Sarasota, for $1.15 million. Built in 2022, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,212 square feet of living area. It sold for $618,100 in 2022.

PAYNE PARK VILLAGE

James Collette and Linda DePasquale, of Odessa, sold their home at 325 Gowdy Road to David Thomas Leitzen, of Sarasota, for

$1.1 million. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,461 square feet of living area. It sold for $801,500 in 2022.

THE LANDINGS TREEHOUSE

Stephen Tucker and Anne Malloy sold their Unit 53 condominium at 1474 Landings Circle to David Michael Feinman and Jan Haflich Feinman, trustees, of Monterey, Massachusetts, for $980,000. Built in 1981, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,176 square feet of living area. It sold for $619,000 in 2019.

SOUTH GATE

Vicki Chelf Lambie and John Lambie, of Sarasota, sold their home at 2406 Siesta Drive to Pinktoad LLC for $899,000. Built in 1957, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,578 square feet of living area. It sold for $155,000 in 2011.

DESOTA PARK Kathleen Mettler, trustee, of Charlevoix, Michigan, sold the home at 1959 Wisteria St. to Mission Property Partners LLC for $875,000. Built in 1947, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,130 square feet of living area. It sold for $535,000 in 2005.

LOMA LINDA PARK

Susan and Duke Hale sold their home at 2374 Prospect St. to Jodi and Andrew Schutsky and Donna Schutsky, of Thornton, Pennsylvania, for $870,000. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,044 square feet of living area. It sold for $790,000 in 2021.

332 COCOANUT

332 Cocoanut LLC sold the Unit 309 condominium at 1338 Fourth St. to David and Regan Rancourt, of Sarasota, for $855,000. Built in 2021, it has one bedroom, one bath and 897 square feet of living area.

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS

Mercedes Lee Gyorgy, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 2107 Orchid St. to Waterway 2302 LLC for $675,000. Built in 1952, it has two bedrooms, one bath, a pool and 806 square feet of living area. It sold for $210,000 in 2018.

GULF GATE

Jonah and Melissa Wright, of Sarasota, sold their home at 3122

TOP BUILDING PERMITS

Regatta Circle to James Gilman and Deanna Boileau Gilman, of Bradenton, for $650,000. Built in 1965, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,642 square feet of living area. It sold for $405,000 in 2022.

CLARK LAKES

Johnathan and Melanie Van Houten, of Acworth, Georgia, sold their home at 3655 Carol Lane to William Duggan Jr. and Michelle McGuinness, of S. Easton, Massachusetts, for $620,000. Built in 1978, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,655 square feet of living area. It sold for $237,000 in 2011.

Other top sales by area

SIESTA KEY: $1.2 MILLION

The Palm Bay Club of Sarasota

North Central Capital LLC sold the Unit G-27 condominium at 5966 Midnight Pass Road to Mastroni Investors LLC for $1.2 million. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 968 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,025,000 in 2022.

PALMER RANCH: $2.3 MILLION

Legacy Estates on Palmer Ranch

Jerzy Suder, of Poland, sold his home at 5425 Greenbrook Drive to Jan Grzegorz Pacut and Malgorzata Anna Pacut, of Sarasota, for $2.3 million. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,662 square feet of living area.

OSPREY: $1.2 MILLION

Meridian at the Oaks Preserve

Stephen and Tamara Blowers, trustees, of Osprey, sold the Unit 501 condominium at 385 N. Point Road to Cynthia Key, trustee, of Park City, Utah, for $1.2 million. Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,594 square feet of living area. It sold for $625,000 in 2017.

NOKOMIS: $1.62 MILLION

Casey Key

Robert and Angela McHugh, of Sarasota, sold their home at 624 S. Casey Key Road to DEH 624 Casey Key LLC for $1.62 million. Built in 1993, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 3,284 square feet of living area. It sold for $935,000 in 2016.

Silence and solidarity

The annual Ride of Silence honors cyclists injured and killed on public roadways.

tephanie Garrison finds that bikers are apprehensive about riding on the roads. “They’ll say, ‘I would love to ride my bike again, but I’m afraid. Can you teach me how to ride on the road?’” she said of the customers who come to the store she owns, Playtri Sarasota Bike Shop & Triathlon Store, in University Town Center.

Garrison has a simple answer for them: Join the Village Idiots Cycling Club or the Sarasota Manatee Bicycle Club — the two clubs that host the annual Ride of Silence.

Held on May 15, the annual event honored those injured or killed while biking on public roads. It’s held in tandem with other rides around the world, but it’s a cause that holds a high degree of significance in Sarasota.

Sarasota ranks as the nation’s second-deadliest county for cyclists, with Florida counties dominating the list, according to a 2024 analysis of highway data by the Georgiabased firm Bader Scott Injury Lawyers. In the parking lot of Robarts Arena, the event began with speeches by club leaders. Dawn Zielinski, president of the VICC, read the Ride of Silence poem.

Riders then headed out for a seven-mile loop around downtown Sarasota, escorted by the Sarasota Police Department.

“Many here tonight and in our club are advocating for zero tolerance on life-ending and life-altering crashes,” McElvogue told attendees. “Your support of new initiatives will be critical for the ongoing efforts that these people are doing.”

Eugene Rider, vice president of Sarasota Manatee Bicycle Club, called the experience a “good ride,” with drivers pulling over for the group and waving as they traveled by.

WORK TOWARD SAFER ROADS

Rider spoke to attendees about the death of his neighbor, Michael Schalberg, who died at 33 years old in 2023, in a crash on a Manatee County drawbridge.

“He had just gotten a new job as a golf pro at a private golf club and was living his best life ... and so there’s

RIDE OF SILENCE POEM

By Mike Murgas

Tonight we number many but ride as one

In honor of those not with us, friends, mothers, fathers, sisters, sons

With helmets on tight and heads down low,

We ride in silence, cautious and slow

The wheels start spinning in the lead pack

But tonight we ride and no one attacks

The dark sunglasses cover our tears

Remembering those we held so dear

Tonight’s ride is to make others aware The road is there for all to share

To those not with us or by our side, May God be your partner on your final ride.

been a whole family and a whole community that’s been impacted by his death, and even though I’m very involved in bike safety, my neighbor was killed. And it still hurts.”

VICC saw the death of one of its members in November 2023 in a Sarasota roundabout.

Irresponsible behavior by drivers is a major factor in the dangers the cyclists of the two clubs say they face on the roads.

They say motorists can come close to cyclists, often intentionally, among other issues.

“Motor vehicle drivers are so distracted,” McElvogue said. “They’re so angry sometimes and impatient, and when you’re out there all on your own, it feels like you’re kind of a moving target, sometimes.”

The two clubs are active in the community, providing educational opportunities related to cycling and working with local governing bodies that oversee roadways.

“We are establishing a line of communication in order to be able to express our concerns, or our feedback, in order to be safe for us, and safe for the drivers as well,” said Hector Cora, a member of VICC.

Nonetheless, Zielinski said the county has yet to join in the Ride of Silence, now in its 22nd year.

“It would be great if the county engineers would come out and ride their bikes with us,” she said.

Garrison said when people have the chance to become aware of a cyclists’ experiences on the roadways, safer drivers is the result.

Ian Swaby

Cyclists head out on the Ride of Silence.

SPORTS

Fast Break

men’s eight to a win (5:35.97) at the 2024 World Rowing Final Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland, on May 21.

arasota rower Clark

SDean is going to the Paris Olympics this summer. Dean rowed in the U.S. men’s eight at the 2024 World Rowing Final Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland, and helped the boat take first place (5:35.97) by approximately 3.5 seconds over Italy on May 21. It will be Dean’s second Olympics appearance. Dean, who rowed for Sarasota Crew, helped the men’s four to a fifth-place finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Riverview High track and field senior Susan Lowther won the girls shot put (13.27 meters) and the girls discus (45.45 meters) at the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 4A state meet held May 18 at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. At the same meet, Riverview junior Adryan Shuetz finished second in the boys high jump (1.97 meters).

Cardinal Mooney High track and field senior Addison Dempsey won the girls 3,200-meter run (10:35.87) at the FHSAA Class 2A state meet, held May 16 at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. Dempsey also finished seventh in the girls 1,600-meter run (5:07.43). At the same meet, Booker High senior Terrietta Smith finished fifth in the 100-meter dash (12.22 seconds).

Former Riverview High softball star Devyn Flaherty and Florida State University have advanced to the Super Regional round of the NCAA Division I Softball Championship tournament. The Seminoles (45-14) will hit the road to play the University of Oklahoma (50-6) in a three-game series starting May 23. Game one will start at 7 p.m. and air on ESPN2. Flaherty is hitting .336 with 14 RBIs.

“I

like showing off my skills. You grind by yourself when no one’s watching; then you get to show it on the big stage.”

LATE BLOOMER

Kristi Dorman, 55, takes her pickleball show on the road — as pro player in the National Pickleball League.

RYAN KOHN SPORTS EDITOR

Sarasota’s Kristi Dorman never thought she would be a professional pickleball player.

Not when Dorman, 55, first heard of the burgeoning sport four years ago through a tennis friend. Not when she saw her skills improving through repeated play. Not even when she became a Professional Pickleball Registry-certified instructor in November; she could teach others the game, but she was still shy when it came to her own talent.

Even when Dorman, who is from Indianapolis, Indiana, and played tennis at Ball State University, had a conversation with National Pickleball League co-founder Rick Witsken about the league in 2023, she initially brushed it off. Witsken was an acquaintance from her tennis days and tried to persuade her to enter the league’s draft for its inaugural season. The NPL touts itself as the first professional pickleball league for players age 50 and older.

“I didn’t feel like I could be at that level or contribute in any way last year,” Dorman said. “But fast forward to this year, I had another conversation with Rick about the league. He encouraged me to throw my hat in the ring.”

Still, Dorman was a bit hesitant. She entered the league’s draft but did not attend either of the combine sessions, where the league’s coaches got to scout potential draft picks. If a team took a chance on her anyway based on her resume, she’d give it a shot.

A team did. Her hometown Indy Drivers, the defending league champions.

“I was surprised,” Dorman said. “I was thrilled. And thankful, and nervous. All of the emotions.”

Dorman’s first professional event was held May 18-19 in Chicago. The NPL holds an event each month at locations across the country, with teams playing four matches over two days. Each of those team matches involves 12 doubles matches, with the team that captures the majority of them winning the overall match.

In Chicago, Dorman went 2-4 in her doubles matches — winning two matches with partner Heather Iffert

“I haven’t thought of myself as an inspiration. But you never know how you are going to touch someone’s life. I love to teach the game because I get to see the excitement run through other people.”

— Kristi Dorman

WHAT IS THE NATIONAL PICKLEBALL LEAGUE?

The NPL is a professional pickleball league for athletes 50 and older. The league held its inaugural season in 2023 and began its 2024 season May 18-19 in Chicago, the first of five regular-season events held once a month. A championship event will be held in October at a to-be-determined location. The league has 12 teams this season and has attracted some big-name athletes, including former NFL and University of Florida Heisman Trophywinning quarterback Danny Wuerffel. More information can be found at NPLPickleball.com.

— and the Drivers went 1-3.

It is just one of five regular season events the NPL has scheduled before its championship weekend Oct. 17-20, at a to-be-announced location. The next stop is June 21-23 in Columbus, Ohio, and matches will be available to stream on the NPL YouTube page.

Before the Chicago event, Dorman said she viewed her biggest strength as a willingness to get aggressive.

“That can probably be good or bad,” Dorman said with a laugh. “But I’m confident in hand battles and aggressive play.”

Her biggest concern, like a lot of athletes, is consistency. Dorman said pickleball can often come down to which player makes the crucial error instead of which player hits the winner, a lesson she has learned as she has climbed the sport’s ranks and rallies against good competition last longer.

Dorman said she’s on the court in some form six days a week, either giving others instructions or practicing herself. Dorman said she finds herself improving more when she does drills as opposed to playing matches, as drills allow her to focus solely on what she wants to improve. Dorman said she will spend 45 min-

utes on dinks before moving on to another skill, for example.

Dorman said she finds it “humbling” to represent Sarasota, as well as Indianapolis.

Dorman never considered that she could become a professional athlete at 55, she said, or even compete at a high level. That the league allows people in her age group to get the competitive juices flowing is a great thing, she said.

Dorman is hardly the only person who feels this way, and pros from other sports are getting on board.

The league added former NFL and University of Florida Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel to its ranks this season. He plays for the Denver Iconics.

Dorman said she has not thought about how fans watching her NPL performance could get others her age to get back on the court, but she’s supportive of everyone staying active, no matter their age.

“I haven’t thought of myself as an inspiration,” Dorman said. “But you never know how you are going to touch someone’s life. I love to teach the game because I get to see the excitement run through other people. There are hundreds of tournaments throughout the country every weekend. The opportunity to compete is there.”

Courtesy image Clark Dean (right) has qualified for the Paris Olympics after helping the U.S.

— Bo O’Daniel, junior, Cardinal Mooney football. SEE PAGE 13B

Sarasota’s Kristi Dorman, 55, was drafted by the Indy Drivers of the National Pickleball League.

Kristi Dorman said she first started playing pickleball four years ago. Now, she’s a professional.

Photos by Ryan Kohn

Football star Brian Battie and brother victims of shooting

The brothers were shot at Tallywood Centre Plaza in the early hours of May 18. Their connections to the Sarasota community run deep.

In 2017, Tommie Battie IV and Brian Battie were starters on the Sarasota High football team.

The team went 5-5 that season, but the brothers were bright spots. Tommie Battie, a senior, played defensive back and took occasional snaps at quarterback. When he did, Brian Battie would be next to him. A sophomore at the time, Brian Battie would soon become the best running back in the Sarasota area. His ascent began that season.

The 2017 season was the only one the brothers played together, but they both played the game with enthusiasm, which earned them the respect of their teammates. In a 34-14 win over Booker High that year, the brothers combined for 285 yards.

The happy memories only make what happened May 18 more of a tragedy.

The Battie brothers were among a group of people shot around 3:30 a.m. May 18 at Tallywood Centre Plaza, in the 3400 block of 17th Street in Sarasota, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. Tommie Battie IV, 24, was pronounced dead at the scene. Brian Battie, 22, was taken to a local hospital in critical condition. Four other victims were taken to local hospitals.

As of May 22, the SCSO had not released the name of the suspect(s) nor a motive, but said it appeared to be an isolated incident. The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information related to this shooting is encouraged to contact the SCSO Criminal Investigations Section at 861-4900 or Sarasota Crimestoppers at 366-8477.

While Tommie Battie IV didn’t

continue his football career past his senior season in 2017, Brian Battie did.

An electric running back and returner, Brian Battie was a threat to score every time he touched the ball. He had options at the NCAA Division I level. He elected to join the University of South Florida, where he spent three seasons and accumulated 1,842 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, plus 1,427 kick return yards and three touchdowns. He was named an NCAA Consensus All-American for his 2021 performance on special teams. Battie transferred to Auburn University prior to the 2023 season and had 227 rushing yards and a touchdown, plus 645 kick return yards, for the Tigers.

During Brian Battie’s senior season at Sarasota High, Brody Wiseman was the offensive coordinator. It was Wiseman’s first year with the program. The Sailors had gone 13 straight seasons without a winning record, but that year, the team finished 6-4, breaking the streak and setting offensive records in the process. Wiseman, who would become the team’s head coach the next season, said it was all a credit to Battie.

“I don’t think any of the opportunities that I got in coaching (after that), I would have received without Brian playing for me,” Wiseman, now the offensive coordinator at Riverview High, said. “He was that impactful to our program and to the kids that were around it.”

At the time, his talent was evident, but his off-the-field impact was just as important. Battie was a humble player at Sarasota, Wiseman said, and one who treated

everybody on the team the same regardless of seniority or skill level. He was also tougher than a brick wall. During his senior season — and throughout much of his college career — Battie played with a toe injury that doctors had a hard time solving, Wiseman said. He was often limited in practice. But during games, no one could tell.

Battie didn’t have to do that, Wiseman said. He was already committed to USF, his future secured. No one would have blamed him for missing a few games. Instead, Battie played better than ever. In his final high school game, against rival Riverview, he ran for 148 yards and a touchdown as the Sailors were fighting for a playoff spot. The Sailors lost the game, but Wiseman has never forgotten the effort.

Since graduating, Battie has come back to the area frequently. Wiseman said Battie would often show up at Sailors’ practices to help mentor the team’s running backs. Wiseman said he still plays video games with Battie, things like

“Call of Duty” or “Fight Night,” a boxing game. It all paints a picture of someone who wanted to stay connected to the places, people and organizations that helped him reach his dreams.

“He is an older brother figure to a lot of people here,” Wiseman said.

“A lot of kids are hurting about this.”

Wiseman made sure to use the present tense when talking about Battie. He’s still fighting, Wiseman said.

Coaches, fans and friends of Battie are also sharing memories and words of support on social media via the #BattieStrong hashtag.

Daniel Da Prato, now the associate head coach at Texas State University, coached special teams at South Florida while Battie was there. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Da Prato called Battie “my guy” and posted a photo of the two of them together, with a broken heart emoji in the message.

On May 13, Battie and his father, Tommie Battie III, shared a post on Instagram. It was a video of Battie

CARRDINAL MOONEY Y Catholic High School

working out. Battie III, a local trainer, had been helping his son get ready for the 2024 season.

“Finally healthy and on the grind, manifesting my own destiny,” the video caption said.

Here’s praying he gets the chance, and that the entire Battie family can find peace after this tragedy.

A GoFundMe page has been started to help the Battie family with medical bills and funeral costs.

As of presstime Wednesday, more than $93,000 had been raised via the GoFundMe. In a message posted Monday on X (formerly Twitter), Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said Brian Battie had suffered a setback and was still on a ventilator.

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

Brian Battie and Tommie Battie IV played football together for Sarasota High in 2017. The brothers were shot in Sarasota on May 18.

Tommie Battie IV was pronounced dead at the scene, while Brian Battie was taken to a local hospital in critical condition. File image

Bo O’Daniel is a rising junior wide receiver on the Cardinal Mooney High football team. O’Daniel caught two touchdowns in the Cougars’ spring jamboree against St. Petersburg High and Port Charlotte High on May 16.

Why did you start playing football?

My dad (Chris O’Daniel) played in college at Georgetown University. We always had football on the TV in the house. He helped me get into it.

But I only played flag football at first.

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.

team. We

What are your goals for next season?

Bo O’Daniel ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

My first year of tackle football was my freshman year. I had never been hit before, so that was different.

What is the appeal of football to you?

I like showing off my skills. You grind by yourself when no one’s watching; then you get to show it on the big stage. When everyone is cheering for you, that makes me happy.

What is your best skill?

My knowledge and my route running. I know how the defensive back is going to react to everything. I can read his eyes. I know where I’m going, but he does not.

What have you been working to improve?

I’m focused on getting bigger, getting my strength up and working on my footwork. But also, all the stuff that comes with being a receiver. I want to perfect my craft.

What is your favorite memory?

It has to be winning the state championship (in December).

That was one of the most special moments of my life, especially celebrating with all my best friends. I’ll never forget it.

What is the team’s outlook after spring practice?

It’s good. We had a lot of seniors graduate, so we’re a bit of a younger team now, a newer

I don’t have any milestones I want to hit. I just hope we win a lot of games, go to the playoffs and try to repeat (as champions). I’d rather we win at all than score three touchdowns in a loss.

What is your favorite food?

I love Chipotle. I could eat that every day. I get a burrito with white rice, black beans, chicken, cheese, sour cream, tomatoes and guacamole.

What is your favorite movie or TV show?

My favorite movie is “Step Brothers,” and my favorite TV show is “AllAmerican.”

Finish this sentence: “Bo O’Daniel is … ” … Grateful. I’m grateful for my parents, my coaches, my friends, God, everything. I would be a lost human being without any of them.

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

RISING THROUGH THE RANKS by Daniel Hrynick, edited by Jeff Chen

By Luis Campos

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