Parrotheads flocked to The Bazaar on Apricot and Lime on Aug. 31 as the upbeat music of Jimmy Buffett filled the air.
One head even hosted a bird, although it wasn’t a parrot but a flamingo. Attendee Ronda Wilcox brought the hat topped with the plush animal.
“I think since I was in 18, I was a Parrothead,” said Wilcox’s wife, Nanette Cox. “Every Christmas, I got Jimmy Buffett tapes and stuff like that. This is great that they’re celebrating it here, and the turnout is awesome.”
The event brought together local music artists the Hawaiian Shirts, Capt. John and Bonfire Jam, with vendor booths, activities and, of course, “cheeseburgers in paradise” at Hamlet’s Eatery.
A morning stroll
Attendee MaryAnn Kiger, 56, had been taking care of her daughter who is recently disabled, and decided it was time to get back into running.
She thought walking would be a good place to start.
Kiger saw that 99 Bottles Taproom & Bottle Shop had just established the new group Downtown Sarasota Girls Who Walk and decided to come out for her first walk on Sept. 1.
She said the morning was the best time of day to enjoy the trip of just under two miles to the Bayfront and back.
99 Bottles owner Mark Tuchman said the taproom had long hosted a run event on Wednesdays and saw the walk as a fitting expansion.
Since the walks started Aug. 18, they have been averaging a turnout of about 15 women, he said.
Performing arts sneak peek
Ian Swaby
Curt Wheeler and Brynn DeJongh, of Sarasota Yacht Club, race in the Sarasota Youth Squadron’s
Ian Swaby Nanette Cox and Ronda Wilcox
Ian Swaby
Rena Elliott and Kristyne Kennedy of 99 Bottles lead the walk.
WEEK OF SEPT. 5, 2024
BY THE NUMBERS
“All we’re talking about is the second-floor restaurant. And the commission is the one who said we want a second-floor restaurant.”
Sarasota Mayor Liz Alpert. Read more on page 6A
Two men staying at a home on Lido Key killed each other during an argument Tuesday, the Sarasota Police Department says.
The two victims, ages 34 and 50, were discovered dead in the home in the 700 block of South Boulevard of the Presidents by people with access to the home about 9 a.m., Sarasota Police spokeswoman Cynthia McFarland said.
As the medical examiner was finishing his investigation at the scene Tuesday afternoon, McFarland said the two men were in
town for work and were staying at the residence.
From surveillance video, police were able to view from inside and outside the home. “They got into some sort of argument. It appears they did end up taking each others’ lives,” she said.
Exactly how they killed each other has not yet been determined, McFarland said. No guns were recovered but “we have recovered a knife from the scene,” she said. She added it was not being considered a murdersuicide. The cause of death will not be
officially determined until after autopsies are performed, McFarland said.
According to a message sent to residents from the Lido Key Residents Association, President Carl Shoffstall received a call from Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche Tuesday morning saying there was a double homicide on Boulevard of the Presidents. According to the message: “Two workers were staying at an Airbnb and got into an argument around 12:30 last night and killed each other.” — JIM DELA
Piccolo wins Airports Council honor
Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport President and CEO Rick Piccolo was recently awarded the 2024 Aviation Leadership Award by the Florida Airports Council. The award is presented to an airport professional who has demonstrated outstanding service and contributions to the Florida airport community.
The award emphasizes Piccolo’s assistance over the past two years with FAC leadership and state personnel on numerous legislative issues. He worked with the FAC Executive Board and all Florida airport CEOs to establish new leadership within the organization.
With more than 50 years of experience in the aviation industry, Piccolo began his career in 1970 at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. Upon moving to Florida, he worked at Tampa International Airport, followed by a tenure as assistant airport director at the St. PeteClearwater International Airport. He has been president and CEO of SRQ since 1995, overseeing its growth as the fastest growing airport in the U.S. among the 100 largest airports from 2018 to 2023. The Florida Airports Council is the official association of publicly owned and operated airports in the state. It is composed of members representing all 20 Florida commercial service airports and 75 of the state’s publicly owned general aviation airports.
Breeze offers college students free rides
Sarasota County’s Breeze Transit is making downtown Sarasota more accessible to college students along U.S. 41 by offering fare-free rides. Breeze Route 99 connects New College, Ringling College of Art and Design and University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee to downtown. On the south side of town, Suncoast Technical College students can ride free to downtown on Breeze Route 6. Riders must show their college identification to have their fare waived.
Breeze routes 99 and 6 run Monday through Saturday from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Photo by Jim DeLa
Losing ground to growth
Most recently updated in 2016, the city’s multimodal impact fees imposed on developers aren’t keeping up with the infrastructure needs brought by growth.
ANDREW WARFIELD| STAFF WRITER
Facing an anticipated decline in fuel tax revenue, continually rising construction costs and antiquated impact fees on development, the city of Sarasota is considering increasing its impact fee structure to keep pace with the needs of the city’s growing population.
Redevelopment of land uses into higher density residential and commercial projects will continue to strain the city’s transportation infrastructure, and at an Aug. 12 workshop, city commissioners received a plan to raise the multimodal impact fees, which in part address congestion mitigation on city streets.
The basic impact fee formula is the cost to add capacity minus a credit for nonimpact fee revenue from future development times demand generated by person-miles of travel.
It costs $5.8 million to add a onelane mile of vehicle travel. To get a “person-mile” of travel, that amount is divided by its capacity of 13,400 vehicles per day, which amounts to $433 (see below). That equals a total impact cost of $14,700 for a 2,000-square-foot single-family home, for example, which generates on average 34 person-miles of daily travel.
A person-mile is defined as the distance traveled by an individual regardless of the mode of transportation.
Spread across all forms of residential and commercial development, the industry standard formula calculates that one-time impact fee as $12,081, including credits, for a 2,000-square-foot single-family home, $8,654 per 1,300-square-foot low-rise multifamily unit, and per 1,000 square feet, fees are $5,287 for light industrial, $11,758 for office and $16,507 for retail.
Last updated in fiscal year 2017, Nilgun Kamp of Tampa-based traffic engineering consultant Benesch told commissioners the city’s impact fee structure isn’t nearly keeping pace with its population growth and correlating square footage expansion.
The city’s current fees are $7,340 for a 2,000-square-foot singlefamily home, $4,738 per 1,300 square feet of low-rise multifamily, and per 1,000 square feet, fees are $4,657 for light industrial, $10,338 for office
HOW ARE FUEL TAX REVENUES SPENT?
PERMITTED SEVEN-CENT LOCAL FUEL TAX EXPENDITURES PROJECTED FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025
■ Transfer to general fund for transportation: $905,506
■ Capital equipment replacement: $563,853
■ Land maintenance: $5,000
■ Sidewalk cleaning and replacement: $55,000
■ Supplies: $65,900
■ Streetlight/signal maintenance: $150,000
■ Street sweeping: $60,000
■ Streelights technician: $89,611
■ Engineering: $43,571
■ Project engineering: $43,571
■ Total: $1,963,440
PERMITTED FIVE-CENT LOCAL OPTION FUEL TAX
EXPENDITURES PROJECTED FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025
■ Street reconstruction: $450,000
■ Bridge replacement: $200,000
■ New curb and gutter: $50,000
■ Signalized intersections: $400,000
■ Total: $1,100,00
and $10,778 for retail.
Those deficits will be further exacerbated, Kamp said, by what is anticipated as a decline in the value of local fuel taxes versus inflation. In addition, overall collections are expected to fall as fuel consumption declines in the future.
“Even though transportation has a dedicated revenue source — fuel tax — as you know fuel taxes are charged on a per-gallon basis, and the state pennies are indexed, but local pennies are not allowed to be indexed,” Kamp said. “Over time, the value of the fuel tax is declining at the same time the costs are increasing, so we are seeing a bigger gap.”
Tax indexing is the adjusting of taxation rates in response to inflation.
All that is compounded by the anticipated decline in fuel tax revenues. The city’s proposed fiscal year 2025 budget warns that the historically slowly climbing local fuel tax revenue trend of the past decade — with the exception of 2021 in the height of the pandemic — is likely to backslide beyond next year.
“Gas tax revenue is going down due to several things. The impetus of electric vehicles is one, and fuel efficiencies,” Sarasota-Manatee Deputy
10-YEAR FUEL TAX REVENUE TREND
Director and Planning Manager Ryan Brown told the Observer. “We’re reliant on the fuel tax, and the federal fuel tax and state fuel tax have been held constant since 1993. Simple math shows you the revenues are going to be down. We’re approaching the cliff in terms of funding.”
That’s one reason a user-based tax on transportation is an idea being discussed at the state and federal levels. How that revenue would be distributed to the local level, if ever implemented, is unknown. If it ever were applied, “Even if you drive a Tesla, if you drive 10,000 miles a year, you’d be charged the flat rate,” Brown said.
Fuel taxes locally collected then distributed back to the city and county by the state have restricted uses, but the proposed fiscal year 2025 budget shows a transfer of $905,506 to the city’s general fund for transportation. As costs rise and revenue falls, the city will have to determine whether to cut funding for those other uses or trim that general fund transfer, a gap that could at least partially be filled by increasing the impact fees on development. Impact fee revenue may not be used to address existing maintenance issues — repaving, replacing curb and gutter, etc. — only for expanding capacity. Capacity can also come in the form of funding for pedestrian trails, bike lanes, public transit and more.
That doesn’t necessarily mean adding asphalt. As Mayor Liz Alpert pointed out during the workshop, there aren’t many city-controlled streets that can be widened.
Eligible for impact fee funding is “any improvement that makes the flow of the traffic better and reduces congestion,” Kamp said, adding that it could include projects that increase speed or improve intersections. Because it was a workshop, no action was taken on the matter, but an ordinance is expected to soon be brought before the City Commission for official consideration. The state requires a minimum of 90 days’ advance notice if the fees are to be increased.
“The tiered implementation of the revised fee schedule will be phased starting Jan. 1, 2025, allowing for gradual adjustment while meeting our infrastructure funding goals per state statutes,” said City Engineer Nik Patel. “This approach helps mitigate the impact on developers and community, promoting economic stability.”
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Architects to reveal first look at Sarasota’s new performing arts center Sept. 18
SPAC WORKSHOPS
TWO SESSIONS ON SEPT. 18
Architects from Renzo Piano Building Workshop will return to Sarasota from their home base in Genoa, Italy, on Sept. 18 to share their preliminary vision for the Sarasota Performing Arts Center.
Members of the RPBW team will pay their first visit here since holding two “Meet the Architects” sessions on July 16. They’ll return with their initial design concept, which will be unveiled at two community workshop sessions.
During the workshops, attendees will get a first look at the latest ideas for the spaces planned for the center, which will be built at the northeast corner of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall parking lot and serve as the centerpiece of The Bay park.
After a presentation, the design team, along with the project’s architect of record, Sarasota-based Sweet Sparkman, and designers from Arup Group, will break into smaller groups where attendees may engage directly with the design team, ask questions and provide input.
Arup Group is a leading multinational theater and venue design and advisory practice based in London.
“These gatherings will not only inform the community but also spark meaningful conversations and
RSVP at PerformingArtsHallFoundation. org.
SESSION 1: Noon-1:30 p.m., Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Grand Foyer, 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
SESSION 2: 6-7:30 p.m., Robert L. Taylor Community Complex, 1845 34th St., Sarasota
inspire everyone to dream with us about the future of the arts in Sarasota,” said Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation CEO Tania Castroverde in a statement.
The firm is on the fast track to provide a final design concept and estimated project cost by Nov. 30, when the city and the foundation are set to enter into an agreement for the public-private venture. The project is to be funded in equal parts between public dollars, almost all from the tax increment financing district surrounding the park and philanthropy.
In May, the city and Renzo Piano entered into a contract worth up to $36.9 million for the design work.
The final cost of the project has been estimated between $275 million and $300 million.
Dr. Arne
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
From left, Renzo Piano Building Workshop’s Kerry Joyce, Todd Sweet, RPBW’s Ronan Dunphy and Jerry Sparkman during the July 16 “Meet the Architects” workshop.
Purple Ribbon Committee awaits study to guide Van Wezel’s future
Karins Engineering has begun its deep dive into the building as the Purple Ribbon Committee awaits its evaluation for future use.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
Following a summer-long hiatus, the city’s Purple Ribbon Committee was back in session in August with a reminder from facilitator Jim Shirley that the panel seated to recommend repurposing of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall still has much work to do by next summer.
In addition to Shirley, committee members were greeted with another face familiar to the Van Wezel, David Karins of Sarasota-based Karins Engineering. The firm developed the Karins Report on the Van Wezel, commissioned by the city in 2021 to study on the condition of the 55-year-old building with estimated costs to waterproof and, if desired, expand the structure to add seating.
Karins has again been retained by the city, this time to take a deeper dive into the Van Wezel to arm the committee with detailed information for options it may consider as adaptive reuse of the facility in the event it is replaced as the city’s primary performance venue by the proposed Sarasota Performing Arts Center.
While the committee was away, the firm has already begun its work, Karins said. That work includes onboarding a team of consultants in a variety of areas.
“We have assembled a really great team to help us with some of the more fine arts-oriented things that us nerdy engineers aren’t the best at,” Karins said.
They include:
n Fisher Dachs Associates: theater consultants n Threshold Acoustics: acoustics and AV specialists n TVS Design Architects: architecture
n ECS Florida: geotechnical and environmental engineers
n Fourie Consultants: cost consulting
Now that much of the preliminary work is complete, the finer detail work of the consultants is getting underway.
“We have already commenced the process of putting the steel frame of the shell-shaped portion of the building into a modeling system so that we can evaluate what the current loading impacts are for wind,” Karins told the committee. “We’re looking at putting some flood and moving water loads for a 100-year and 500-year event on there.”
Karins was asked what the difference will be between the 2021 report and the new one. He explained the primary difference is in the level of detail and the addition of data from the specialists.
“The difference is that we’re not only looking at a general condition and a general opinion of how things are and how long they’ll last and what the issues are, we’re actually taking those and putting numbers on the structure,” Karins said.
Those include performance of the structure and upgrades required for operational longevity, flood prevention enhancements, utility systems, elevators, etc. — and, perhaps most importantly, a cost-benefit analysis.
In what capacity the Van Wezel continues to function will in part depend on whether the SPAC is actually built. That first significant step will come by the end of November when a conceptual design and cost estimate by architect Renzo Piano Building Workshop is due. It is the first of the exit ramps the city has to back out of at least the public funding aspect of the project, its share mostly paid for from the surrounding tax increment financing district.
If Renzo Piano’s initial work is well received, the implementation agreement between the city and the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation will be signed.
Meanwhile, the Purple Ribbon Committee’s task runs concurrently, with its mission to recommend to the
city whether the Van Wezel should continue as a companion performance venue in a modified form or serve another civic purpose.
The first real progress toward that goal is the completion of Karins Report, the sequel. Karins told the committee he will provide a progress report at its Sept. 10 meeting, when he will accept feedback to be incorporated into the final document.
“We’re scheduled to finish in October,” Karins said. “We’re getting into the field work portion of it, and one of the things that might impact that some is that our theater and acoustical consultants would like to be here while there’s a performance going on and talk with some of the players and the producers. Those aren’t really scheduled to happen until the end of September.”
That may delay for a few weeks that portion of the report, otherwise, “Our field work in earnest is going to be starting shortly, and you’ll see folks out there over the next 30 days or so,” he added. As committee members wrestled with setting their next few meet -
“The difference is that we’re not only looking at a general condition and a general opinion of how things are and how long they’ll last and what the issues are, we’re actually taking those and putting numbers on the structure.”
DAVID KARINS of Sarasota-based Karins Engineering
ings — there was some resistance to selecting a September date because of widespread scheduling conflicts — Shirley reminded them of their time constraints to complete their assignment.
“Looking at the work that we have to do, I strongly encourage you to find a September date that works,” he said. “We don’t want to get off track here, and we’ve got a lot of work to do in a short period of time. So I strongly encourage you to find a September date that can work, and then we can make adjustments as needed.”
Courtesy image
In what capacity the Van Wezel continues to function will, in part, depend on whether the SPAC is actually built.
Bobby Jones clubhouse plans land in the rough
With sudden unease about the scope and cost, city commissioners table site plan approval for $9 million facility at the city-owned golf course.
Bobby Jones Golf Course. With the exception of Vice Mayor Jen Ahern-Koch, commissioners had generally expressed support of expanding the original plan for a serviceable $2.5 million building into the larger structure that would incorporate storage for golf carts and a full-service restaurant offering a panoramic view of the golf course, practice facility and nature park.
With unanimous recommendation by the Planning Board already in the bag, site plan approval for the clubhouse seemed all but a foregone conclusion as Chris Cianfaglione, of Kimley-Horn & Associates, acting as agent for the city, teed it up for discussion at Tuesday’s meeting.
But rather than long and in the middle of the fairway, the drive toward approval landed short and in the rough, as commissioners took a more cautious swing at the finishing touch of the overall golf course restoration project originally budgeted at $20 million, including a clubhouse.
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The proposed Bobby Jones Golf Course clubhouse features Old Florida architecture reminiscent of the original Gillespie Clubhouse.
The original Gillespie Clubhouse at Bobby Jones Golf Course.
Courtesy images
golf shop
■ Cart storage area of approximately 3,226 square feet
■ Second-floor restaurant of approximately 3,485 square feet with associated bar and kitchen area
■ Wrap-around veranda with outdoor seating overlooking the property
■ A 490-square-foot community room
The architectural renderings of the clubhouse show a pair of twostory buildings connected by a breezeway at both levels, one with a ground-floor golf shop and offices above. That is adjacent to a cart barn beneath the restaurant and veranda, all with a nod toward the Old Florida design of the original clubhouse.
Commissioners first pondered an elevated clubhouse experience for golfers and the general public alike in May 2023, when all but AhearnKoch instructed contractor Jon F. Swift Construction to pursue a facility beyond the utilitarian function of a golf shop with casual lunch service and instead combine it with the cart storage facility and full-service restaurant that can serve golfers and also attract special events. The idea was to invest in a community asset that can generate additional revenue.
At every step along the way, that intent was reinforced.
Until Tuesday.
Erik Arroyo led off the commissioners’ discussion by asking if the footprint of the building could be reduced by eliminating the cart storage and combing the remainder of the functions into a two-story structure.
“I think the storage of the carts consumes almost the entire bottom of the facility, and we can still be within the intent of what this commission wanted by eliminating that storage part in the bottom … making less of a footprint.
“What are your thoughts on that,” he asked Cianfaglione, “and how that would impact price?”
Cianfaglione said the overall investment would be roughly the same. Whether at the clubhouse or some other location on the property, an indoor cart barn with battery charging capability is necessary for future operations as the course will switch from gas-powered carts to electric.
“If I understood your question correctly, you’re suggesting that the carts would not be stored within this building,” Cianfaglione said. “What that would do is take that square footage and we would duplicate it because now we have to store them somewhere.
“I don’t think it would change the
building footprint at all because we would just make that second wing one story instead of two. Or maybe you’re compressing it into two levels for a restaurant facility, which would be really inefficient from a restaurant kind of building design.”
City Manager Marlon Brown suggested commissioners were conflating the site plan approval stage with the construction contract and building approval, which would come at a later date. They could, however, consider both at the same time if they wish, a suggestion that was confirmed by Robert Fournier, city attorney, and supported by AhearnKoch in the form of a motion.
Fournier added commissioners could choose to reduce the scale of the clubhouse once it is formally presented and simultaneous with site plan approval.
By unanimous vote, the matter was continued to a date uncertain.
In the interim, Mayor Liz Alpert reminded commissioners the site plan and clubhouse concept presented came as a result of their direction to Swift Construction, Kimley-Horn and Fawley Bryant Architecture, and that any changes made now won’t likely result in significant cost savings and perhaps an even larger overall footprint.
“We would have an office for the golf course. We would need a pro shop. We need a cart barn,” Alpert said. “All we’re talking about is the second-floor restaurant, and the commission is the one that said we want a second-floor restaurant.
We’re going to have a second floor that size if we’re going to have a cart barn, or we’re going to have a metal building as a cart barn. Do we really want to do that?
“You still are going to have all the elements that you have to house somewhere on this golf course, and better that it be all together in one building, taking up less footprint than if we have multiple buildings for everything.”
BUDGET FIRST READING
Later on Tuesday, with no discussion either from the dais or from the public, commissioners approved the first reading of the fiscal year 2025 budget during a special meeting and public hearing.
The spending plan proposes no change in the city’s general operating millage property tax rate of 3.0 mills, a plan that adds 16 new net positions at a total net cost of $1,061,738.
Additional millage assessments are 0.1436 mill for citywide debt service, 0.6148 mill for the Golden Gate Special District and 2.0 mills for the Downtown Improvement District.
At 3.0 mills, the value of one mill citywide is $16.54 million.
A second public hearing and final budget approval will be held at special commission meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 16, in the commission chambers at City Hall.
Speak now, or forever …
MATT WALSH
Time is running out for taxpayers to let elected officials know what they think of the way they’re spending your money.
This is it, your last opportunity. September is adoption month — when Florida’s municipalities and county governments adopt their budgets and tax rates for the next fiscal year. By law, each government jurisdiction must hold two final public hearings. This is when you can try to make your final case either for or against what your elected officials are going to collect from you and/ or how they’re going to spend your money over the next 12 months.
Rare is the day when these hearings attract much of an audience. For one, and sadly, most taxpayers pay little to no attention to this process. What’s more, after months of talking about their budgets, elected officials would look at you with glazed eyes and pretty much tune out anything you had to say.
The fact is, taxpayers pretty much operate on blind faith and trust that the people they have elected locally are fiscally responsible — unlike the corrupt spendthrifts in Congress.
To be sure, the Observer can be a better watchdog. (A commitment: We will.) But with the amazing power of creative software and availability of data and information in the cyber world, there is a new tool to help taxpayers see with a couple clicks how their tax jurisdictions are taxing and spending and how they compare. The accompanying informational graphics are a sample.
The producer of this data is Statisnostics, an upstart company with roots on Longboat Key. One of its creators is lawyer Ed Tiesenga, a Chicago and longtime, part-time Longboat Key resident. He and his team have created software that can scrub through census data and information from every municipality’s online data to create remarkably useful information — especially for people contemplating a move.
You can compare cities’ taxes and spending; real estate values and sales; crime data; individual schools’ performance; demographics; weather risks; incomes and more.
As our graphics demonstrate, you can see that Longboat Key is in the red zone of spending, while Marco Island has a dangerous debt issue. If you were thinking of relocating to either place, the Statisnostics data might trigger a need for more research. Statisnostics.com, in fact, is faster and easier than, say, trying to wade through your city’s annual budget book.
We can attest to that.
You can go blind and insane trudging through each jurisdiction’s budget. Longboat Key, for instance, recently hailed its new online budget book. We’ll certainly give the town’s Finance Department and Finance Director Susan Smith credit. It’s the best presentation, best organized, most detailed and most explanatory budget book in the region. Smith and her team created an easier-to-follow and navigate book than all of her peers’ books. It is so detailed, it even lists the projected costs of a beach rake; updating a bathroom at Durante Park; a mowing trailer for the parks department; and virtually anything a department intends to purchase. While all that detail is the epitome of transparency, the budget book for Longboat Key is 781 pages! Sarasota County’s book is a tortu-
HOW OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS COMPARE
The Spending Pressure score measures the economic burden imposed on taxpayers because of government expenditures. The source of the scores and the debt and spending indexes below is Statisnostics.com. In addition to tracking
DEBT & SPENDING INDEX
SPENDING, DEBT BURDEN &
Ranked by highest to lowest spending per person.
the taxation and finances of every jurisdiction in the United States, Statisnostics compiles similar data on individual school performance; income; real estate values and sale prices; crime statistics; demographics and more.
ous 612 pages. And talk about nonuser-friendly: the Manatee County website is the winner, or more like it — the loser.
Surely, there is artificial intelligence that could standardize the most salient pieces of information that taxpayers want to know. Like this one: In the thousand-plus budget pages, it’s rare — or certainly not emphasized as it should be — to find a table or chart that shows the year-over-year percentage change in revenues, expenses or staff numbers. Such percentages are crucial for taxpayers. They are the quickest way to spot aberrations.
We’re convinced the finance directors are instructed to leave out percentage changes for that reason
BUDGET SNAPSHOTS
Source: Statisnostics.com
President and Publisher / Emily Walsh, EWalsh@YourObserver.com
Executive Editor and COO / Kat Wingert, KWingert@YourObserver.com
Sports Editor / Ryan Kohn, RKohn@YourObserver.com
Staff Writers / Ian Swaby, ISwaby@ YourObserver.com; Andrew Warfield, AWarfield@YourObserver.com
Digital & Engagement Editor / Kaelyn Adix, KAdix@YourObserver.com
Digital Content Producer / Jim DeLa, JDeLa@YourObserver.com
Advertising Graphic Designers / Luis Trujillo, Taylor Poe, Louise Martin, Shawna Polana
Digital Developer / Jason Camillo, JCamillo@YourObserver.com
Information Technology Manager / Homer Gallego, HGallego@YourObserver. com
Chief Financial Officer / Laura Strickland, LStrickland@YourObserver.com
Controller / Rafael Labrin, RLabrin@ YourObserver.com
Office and Accounting Coordinator / Donna Condon, DCondon @YourObserver.com
— to make it difficult for taxpayers to detect unusual spending or big jumps in tax revenue.
We’ve tried on this page to cull a sampling of that useful information. Our apologies if there are so many numbers that your eyes and mind glaze over.
But take a little solace. Here is what we’ve gleaned from the proposed budgets: Florida’s local governments and school districts are benefiting now
Source: Jurisdiction budget books
with gobs of new cash, thanks to rising real estate values and all of the housing construction accommodating Florida’s population growth. And, of course, these governments will spend that new money —much of it justified to update old and add new infrastructure.
That’s what governments and elected officials do. But if you don’t approve, you have two more opportunities to let them know.
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CEO / Matt Walsh
A more than 9,000-square-foot home with frontage on Little Sarasota Bay features Italian-inspired touches.
Home on Sarasota bayfront listed for $28.35 million
A more than 9,000-square-foot home with frontage on Little Sarasota Bay features Italian-inspired touches.
ASarasota County home is on the market for more than $28 million. Adjacent to the Field Club, the 1.26-acre bayfront property features Italian touches, such as frescoes and gold leaf accents inspired in part by the Versace mansion in Miami Beach, according to the listing.
“This extraordinary residence represents a rare opportunity to own a piece of European-inspired grandeur in the heart of Sarasota,” Steve Wexler of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, who exclusively is
handling the listing, says in a statement.
Under the guidance of a trained Italian architect, the villa in Oyster Bay Estates underwent a restoration and expansion in 2020. Highlights of the home include pecky cypress ceilings, Clive Christian-inspired kitchen, marble floors, terraces, outdoor kitchen and privacy wall.
Spanning 9,225 square feet, the house includes four bedrooms, four full baths and two half-baths. Airconditioned garages and hobby/ storage space account for an additional 4,185 square feet.
The property also includes 140 feet of frontage on the Little Sarasota Bay, plus a 20,000-pound lift and accompanying Jet Ski lifts.
Sarasota County property records show the owner is Gene E. Myers.
The house at 1310 S. Lake Shore Drive is listed for $28.35 million. It is the most expensive listing in Sarasota County, according to the Multiple Listing Service.
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ELIZABETH KING
Adjacent to the Field Club, the 1.26-acre bayfront property features Italian touches, such as frescoes and gold leaf accents inspired in part by the Versace mansion in Miami Beach, according to the listing.
Courtesy images by Detlev Von Kessel
Spanning 9,225 square feet, the house includes four bedrooms, four full baths and two half-baths.
A woman being harassed by a man she
been briefly involved with was apparently so enamored that he can’t come to grips with her termination of their brief summertime fling. The complainant advised the pair had been communicating from mid-July to mid-August, went on one date and became intimate on only one occasion. That was apparently enough to convince the smitten Romeo that the complainant was destined to be his Juliet.
She said that while at a pub to meet friends, the man was also present and approached her asking why she was ignoring his text messages. Apparently not wise to the ways of wooing a woman, the texts that night devolved into vulgar language and name calling.
The complainant showed the officer text messages from him associating her with colorful metaphors such as those that might be used to describe her as a female dog, aesthetically challenged, overweight, a gardening implement and one even more offensive to the point that it defies description.
And finally, one text that states, “I’ll come after your family,” a threat apparently intended to convince her to throw herself into his arms once again. Instead, the complainant was provided with information about how to obtain a restraining order.
TUESDAY, AUG. 17
DOG DAY AFTERNOON
1:07 p.m., 1500 block of Main Street
Disturbance: A customer at a downtown pub complained to an officer that another man had yelled at him and his dog while in an outdoor seating area. The subject countered that the complainant’s dog continually barks and lunges at people.
The complainant said his canine companion is a service dog but could not produce any documentation as evidence. The officer noted that the dog did not appear to be property trained, as it barked and lunged at another dog while on the scene. A records check
MONDAY, AUG. 19
TEMPER TANTRUM
1:11 p.m., 2100 block of Wood Street
Property damage: An unauthorized roommate in a modest condominium who was not approved as a co-renter by the HOA was notified he would have to move out, but he didn’t go peacefully. Before the background check on the roommate was completed, the man had already moved in with the permission of the primary lessee of the unit, also a male.
The renter of record had notified the owner of the condo that his wouldbe roomie was “destroying” the fully furnished property, sending text messages and videos as evidence. Meanwhile, the unauthorized corenter was sending the owner similar messages, blaming the other man for the damage.
The widespread destruction began at the front door with the frame split and ripped from the wall, the TV was smashed and couches and a mattress were covered in an unknown liquid. A bathroom vanity was ripped from the wall and there were numerous holes in walls.
As if that wasn’t enough, in a bedroom, the curtain rod was ripped down and the curtains soaked in an unknown liquid, paint was poured throughout the room, a closet door was broken and, inexplicably, pillows were cut open and placed on the ceiling fan.
As an exclamation point, the word referencing a female canine was spray painted on the hallway wall. According to the incident report, charges were forthcoming.
did show that the dog owner had been in an alcohol-fueled fight on Main Street and that his dog had been accused of biting someone. Still, the report reads, “There was no law enforcement action needed at this time.”
Janet and Curt Mattson Owners
copenhagen imports
Labor Day Sale
Somewhere between the family picnics and barbecues with friends, get to Copenhagen’s Labor Day Sale.
For a limited time, we are slashing prices throughout the store, including many of our top name brands. Plus, get 12 months free financing.*
School board approves legislative priorities, AI policy
The school board set its priorities for its lobbying efforts, and set guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence.
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
On Sept. 3, the school board convened, putting to vote items that notably included its 2025 legislative priorities and a new policy guiding the use of artificial intelligence by students and staff.
2025 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
The school board unanimously approved its legislative priorities for 2025 through a vote of 5-0.
These are the policies for which the school district will be lobbying through the firm Capital City Consulting, at the state and local level.
Chris Parenteau, supervisor of government affairs for the district, had presented the list of priorities during an Aug. 21 board workshop.
Among the six items is enhancements to the voluntary prekindergarten program.
The district intends to “optimize early learning programming by increasing provider reimbursements rates for high quality instruction,” and extending the VPK school year from 540 to 720 hours.
Parenteau said on Aug. 21, “Recently, the big push has been for that full-day VPK, and we know that at the legislative level, that has kind of been a non starter, so we’re taking small bites of the apple to eventually attain that goal, and this is one way we feel that we can be in a position to potentially have some success with this in the enhancements to the VPK program.”
Another priority of the board’s is to eliminate mandates from the state to help schools operate with more
2025 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
■ Enhancements to the VPK program
■ Promote deregulation for flexibility and efficiency in school operations
■ Increase funding for instructional and noninstructional salaries
■ Modernize funding for construction costs
■ Increase funding for school safety and mental health
■ Ensuring efficiency and accuracy in scholarship funding
flexibility and efficiency.
Examples include repealing or making optional the middle and high school start time mandate (currently no earlier than 8 a.m. for middle schools and 8:30 a.m. for high schools) and developing alternative certification pathways specific to ESE instructional personnel.
Other items included increasing funding for instructional and noninstructional salaries through the Florida Education Finance Program; modernizing the funding formula for construction costs to suit coastal areas like Sarasota with additional building restrictions, such as requirements for higher wind loads; and increasing funding for school safety and mental health.
Last was ensuring efficiency and accuracy in scholarship funding by establishing scholarships within the Florida Education Finance Program as a separate school “district.”
Superintendent of Schools Terry Connor said this would help to improve tracking of students who apply for the Family Empowerment Scholarship.
He said currently, when scholarship recipients register with a third-
party organization outside the school district, if the child is not accepted into that school, or the family changes their mind and returns to the school district, the funds remain with that organization.
It can take the school district up to 18 months to recover the funding for that student, he said.
He said at a time when 130 such cases happened in Sarasota County Schools two years ago, the district was behind in millions of dollars in funding.
“We just need more accountability and more process around that, so that there’s efficiency in that,” Connor said.
SCHOOL BOARD MOVES AI POLICY FORWARD
The school board approved for notice a new policy establishing guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence by both students and employees.
The policy was passed through a vote of 4-0 on the meeting’s consent agenda with school board Chair Karen Rose, who attended the meeting virtually, absent at that point.
“Since AI systems could lead to bias in how patterns are detected and unfairness in how decisions are automated, it is essential for the district to develop this policy in how AI
is used in education,” stated district documents.
Communications Director Craig Maniglia noted that the policy was written around new legislation from the state that allows schools to receive grants for the use of artificial intelligence.
The policy states that “AI is not a substitute for human creativity, judgment and creation.”
It says the use of AI requires the notification of supervisors, and that students may only use AI as a supplement to their work when authorized by a teacher.
It also says students must acknowledge the use of all AI-generated content to remain in compliance with rules of academic honesty, among other requirements.
“It’s always a challenge to stay ahead of technology, because technology is ever changing … ” Connor said. “But I think for us … it’s something that we don’t want to just put off to the side and ignore, because it is a reality, and whether we have a policy or not, students are going to use it, so we need to make sure that we’re providing guidance for our staff so that it is used appropriately in our classrooms.”
Ian Swaby
The Riverview High School Kiltie Band performs the Star Spangled Banner for the school board before its Sept. 3 meeting. Pictured (back row) are board members Bridget Ziegler and Tom Edwards, attorney Patrick Duggan and student representative Lauren Haggard.
County staff explain Debby flooding causes
The presentation led commissioners and residents to question whether the county’s stormwater regulations are stringent enough.
SCONTENT PRODUCER
arasota County commission-
ers heard their first report from staff Aug. 27 on the effects on Hurricane Debby.
Staffers told commissioners that despite the county making all possible preparations and the stormwater and wastewater systems mostly working as designed, there was simply too much rain — up to 18 inches in some areas of Sarasota County over a three-day period — for the infrastructure to handle. Staff said the systems are designed to handle 10 inches in a 24-hour period.
Large sections of the county were flooded for days after the storm, causing evacuations of entire communities and an estimated $49 million in damage to homes and property.
There were 17 sanitary sewer
overflows reported, with 1.2 million gallons reported spilled during the storm. Nine of the county’s 785 lift stations had sewer overflows; four lift stations were inoperable from high water levels. County trucks hauled nearly 1.5 million gallons of wastewater to treatment facilities.
After the storm, the county estimates as of Aug. 22, 964 tons of storm debris have been removed.
The coastal areas fared better,
although some roads were damaged and beach erosion was noted, specifically the loss of 8,600 cubic yards of beach at one section near Turtle Beach Park, and 14,868 cubic yards of sand lost at the Manasota Beach project. That’s the equivalent of 950 dump truck loads, staff said.
The county is expediting the permit process related to storm damage repairs and suspended certain building permit fees for storm-related repairs.
HOW MUCH WATER IS TOO MUCH?
Commissioners and citizens spent time at the meeting debating if the county’s stormwater regulations are stringent enough to prevent the severe flooding seen during Debby.
Currently, the county uses what is often referred to as a 100-yearstorm threshold of 10 inches of rain in a 24-hour period, to determine acceptable levels of flooding in certain areas. According to the county, no structure flooding is acceptable in a 100-year storm.
But the term does not mean such a storm is expected to only be seen once every 100 years.
The U.S. Geological Survey says
the phrase only refers to a flood that statistically has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. “In other words, over the course of 1 million years, these events would be expected to occur 10,000 times. But, just because it rained 10 inches in one day last year doesn’t mean it can’t rain 10 inches in one day again this year,” the USGS website says.
STANDARDS TOUGH ENOUGH?
The USGS also points out these estimates are only as good as the data used to make them.
Commissioner Mark Smith, who represents District 2, suggested during the meeting it may be time to update the local data and revise the county’s standards.
“I’m concerned,” Smith said. “I’ve noticed the storms are getting stronger. More rain is getting dumped on us.”
According to data from the National Weather Service, singleday rainfall totals of 10 inches or more in Sarasota County have happened three other times in the past 10 years: 11.23 inches recorded on April 25, 2020 in Sarasota; 10.08 inches on July 7, 2021 in North Port; and 19.02 inches on Sept. 28, 2022 at
Myakka State Park.
Smith suggested the county hold a workshop inviting climate experts and others to discuss the issue.
The county Public Works Department said it will review rainfall data used to set regulations. “Sarasota County is planning to review rainfall data related to its stormwater regulation levels of service,” a county spokeswoman said via email.
“This may include revisions or updated regulation of stormwater systems. We appreciate the community’s patience as staff works through the process. Updates will be provided as they become available.”
FINDING THE CAUSE
While staff and some commissioners said the severe flooding was simply caused by a catastrophic weather event, citizens who spoke blamed the county for not maintaining watersheds and allowing too much development.
Joe Gugino, an attorney representing residents of Saddle Creek, a community on Clark Road in southern Sarasota County, said flooding issues should not have come as a surprise.
“It’s a known flood zone. It’s never been adequately maintained,” he said. “I think the residents of these properties deserve better.”
Vicki Nighswander, a member of a citizens group called the Celery Fields Advisory Panel, presented commissioners with a petition signed by 1,300 people asking for a number of things, including a comprehensive hydrology study of the county. “We need answers, not just cleanup,” she said.
The petition also asks for a moratorium on land use changes in vulnerable watershed areas and a wastewater spillage analysis report and prevention plan.
“Ignoring the significance of what we have just experienced is irresponsible, particularly in your position as our county commissioners. Transparency will be of the essence as we navigate solutions for the health and safety of our community,” the petition read.
Kat Wingert
Just off the Legacy Trail north of Bahia Vista Street, the entire neighborhood was flooded from rain from Hurricane Debby.
Courtesy image
This chart, from the Sarasota County website, shows what the county considers acceptable levels of flooding during a “100-year-storm” event.
IT’S READ EVERYWHERE
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
Four Sarasota cultural groups strutted their stuff out of town in the off season.
Taking the show on the road
MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
When the temperatures rise in Sarasota, the snowbirds head home for the summer.
But this year, four local arts organizations also took wing and performed for out-oftown audiences in France, England, North Carolina and Massachusetts.
The summer road trips were a chance for Sarasota performers to strut their stuff and show the world just how lucky we are to have firstclass cultural institutions in our cozy beach town.
The four groups who took their shows on the road were:
n Sarasota Ballet, which performed in “Ashton Celebrated” at the Royal Opera House in London from June 4-9
n Choral Artists of Sarasota, which sang and marched in ceremonies honoring the 80th anniversary of D-Day in France on June 6-7
n Circus Arts Conservatory, which presented “Sommersaults in the Berkshires” from July 19-28 at the Duffin Theatre in Lenox, Massachusetts
n Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, which appeared at the International Black Theatre Festival for the sixth time, from July 29-Aug. 3 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
As anyone who has ever taken a big trip knows, lots of things can go wrong. Even with all the hightech tools at our disposal, plans can still go awry. The security detail of a president can unexpectedly close down a travel route, a hurricane can result in delayed airline flights and costumes can be damaged.
When you’re a touring arts organization, you have to make compromises about lighting, sets and personnel to keep costs manageable. You learn to travel light, bring your best people and rely on the expertise of locals who are familiar with the venue and audience preferences where you’ll be in the spotlight.
But Sarasota’s intrepid arts ambassadors were troupers (that’s what they call them in the theater) this summer. Some were even troopers, like the members of Choral Artists who marched alongside veterans and military personnel in honor of the U.S. invasion of Normandy to liberate France from the Nazis.
In addition to performers and staffers, Sarasota arts organizations brought along well-wishers and donors to accompany them on their summer adventures.
Those of us who had to hold down the fort at home can still take pride in their high-profile appearances. Read on to learn more about each cultural organization’s summer sojourn.
SARASOTA BALLET IS THE TOAST OF LONDON
The Bible tells the story of the prodigal son who is welcomed when he comes home to ask for forgiveness after squandering his inheritance.
Sarasota Ballet Director Iain Webb has multiplied his investment in the works of Sir Frederick Ashton, so his triumphant return to his native England doesn’t exactly fit the biblical story line.
What’s more, he returned to Covent Garden with his wife, Sarasota Ballet Assistant Director Margaret Barbieri, who also danced Ashton’s ballets during the couple’s days with the Royal Ballet.
What if Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden and returned to paradise with the fruits of their labors? That sounds more like it. And since we’re talking about Old Testament tales here, of course, judgment had to be handed down — and it was good.
With rare exceptions, the critics loved the Sarasota Ballet’s performances of such Ashton ballets as the ensemble-driven “Dante Sonata,” the showcase of choreographic satires “Facade,” the abstract “Sinfonietta,” the waltzing “Valses nobles et sentimentales” and Ashton’s selfparody “Varii Capricci.”
What’s more, these same critics sent Webb home with the British National Dance Award for Outstanding Achievement. Unfortunately, he didn’t have much time to celebrate because the June 3 ceremony was the night before Sarasota Ballet’s debut at the Royal Opera House.
In an interview following his return to Sarasota after the London residency, Webb confessed his fears that the critics who had just feted him would turn around and torch his efforts to preserve the legacy of Ashton.
“Even though it was a great honor, there was the fact that we’ve been known for doing Sir Fred’s ballets — it’s what put the company on the map. But you’re basically taking his
ballets, which are very special, back to his home theater,” Webb noted in an July 3 interview.
“There’s long been a perception that the Royal can’t dance Balanchine and the Americans can’t dance Ashton. We were going up against that by bringing in rarely seen works with new dancers,” he adds.
It’s not just the leadership of Webb and Barbieri that have put Sarasota Ballet on the map. With the spread of YouTube and other streaming services, the ballet’s performances are being watched by people around the world, noted principal dancer Jennifer Hackbarth in a post-mortem of the London trip.
If the London reviews and robust ticket sales are any indication, the Sarasota Ballet is acquiring devoted fans on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
With the London trip behind him, Webb has his eye on returning to the prestigious Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in the Massachusetts Berkshires. The company made its Jacob’s Pillow debut to great acclaim in
August 2015, with a program featuring the world premiere of Graziano’s “In a State of Weightlessness.”
Sarasota Ballet was scheduled to appear again in August 2020, but the pandemic terminated all those plans. But Webb is determined to return to the Berkshires in the years ahead.
CHORAL ARTISTS TAKES PART IN A MASS MUSICAL OPERATION
People who travel outside the United States for the first time are often surprised to discover that Americans don’t always receive a warm welcome, for a variety of reasons. That’s not the case in Sainte-MèreÉglise, the first town in France that U.S. troops liberated in 1944.
Members of Choral Artists of Sarasota and their entourage got to experience the love and gratitude the village has for Americans firsthand when they took part in ceremonies commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
“It was so incredible as people of all walks of life and ages ranging from the youngest child to the oldest person were cheering us as we marched,” says Joseph Holt, artistic director of Choral Artists. “They were so thankful for the Americans that freed them from the ravages of WWII and thankful for us as current Americans who made the trip back to this town to commemorate and celebrate the event.”
During their trip to Normandy, Choral Artists participated in a mass gathering of music ensembles at Brittany American Cemetery that also included several groups from Australia and New Zealand. As they performed a piece entitled “Blades of Grass and Pure White Stones,” members of the group could see hundreds of gravestones stretching into the distance as well as members of the audience.
Sarasota’s Choral Artists march in a parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day in France.
Before traveling to the International Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe presented a sold-out preview of “Soul Crooners: Solid Gold Edition” in Sarasota.
Courtesy images
Sarasota Ballet Director Iain Webb and his wife, Assistant Director Margaret Barbieri, pose on stage during the ballet’s June residency at the Royal Opera in London.
“Many were in tears as we performed as this piece is a poignant recognition of those that lost their lives in the fight against tyranny and domination by an evil empire,” Holt said.
One of the most moving parts of the trip for Holt was watching Ben Colvard visit the grave of his father, also named Ben Colvard, at the Normandy American Cemetery. Colvard had joined Choral Artists’ trip to France precisely for this opportunity. Colvard was born in October 1944, several months after his father died in July 1944 participating in the massive invasion of Normandy by Allied troops. Because the ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery was curtailed by a visit by President Joe Biden, it wasn’t clear whether Colvard would have the opportunity to find his father’s grave, Holt said. “A last-minute change in our schedule allowed us to visit the enormous cemetery — there are almost 10,000 buried there — and Ben was able to locate his father with help from cemetery staff,” he said.
“An aide took Colvard and his wife to the grave and gave him sand to rub over the gravestone so the name would stand out. When Colvard shared the story with Chorale Artists members later and showed them pictures and a video of the event, we all had tears in our eyes. This was likely the most memorable event of the entire trip,” Holt recalls.
The changing schedules of President Biden and French Presidential Emmanuel Macron created some challenges for Choral Artists’ travel plans. At the last minute, they had to cancel their participation in a largescale ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery. Instead, the tour company working with Choral Artists took them to Bayeux, where they were able to tour a museum dedicated to the invasion.
While they were at the museum, French soldiers and police stationed in the entrance openly speculated about the possibility of President Macron’s imminent arrival. “As it turned out, President Macron altered his plans and we were able to continue without interruption,” Holt said.
to take part in the ceremonies had already arrived at Normandy and were stranded on their buses for hours due to President Biden’s visit.
“We were the lucky ones,” said Holt.
He is no stranger to military operations and political maneuverings, having spent more than two decades as principal pianist with the United States Army Chorus in Washington, D.C., performing for presidents and generals from around the world.
HEAD OVER HEELS FOR ‘SOMMERSAULTS IN THE BERKSHIRES’
Yes, its performers use high wires and trapezes, but are the circus arts as “elevated” as the orchestra or the ballet? In the town that John Ringling made the winter home of his circus, few would disagree that the circus arts can hold their own against classical performing arts.
But what about in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts, home to Tanglewood, the summer residence of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, as well as Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and the live theater company Shakespeare & Company?
How would the circus arts be viewed there? This summer, Pedro Reis and Dolly Jacobs, founders of Sarasota’s Circus Arts Conservatory, found out for themselves. Thanks to the efforts of Robin Eldridge, a former producer at Shakespeare & Company, the CAC held its first-ever
summer residency in the Berkshires. From July 19-28, the group of international artists performed 18 shows at the Duffin Theater in Lenox, Massachusetts. “The Berkshires is a family destination,” said Reis in a telephone interview following his return to Sarasota. “We took an ensemble from last season, with the exception of one act, and the model of a one-hour show to Massachusetts.”
Reis says the CAC’s residency, called “Sommersaults in the Berkshires,” didn’t fill all 500 seats in the Duffin for its shows, but he still considers it a great success. “The audience went crazy for the show,” he says. “They loved it. At least 90% of the audience was three generations.”
He said the performers — master of ceremonies Heidi Herriott, clowns Dick Monday and Slappy, crystal balance act Serge Sergeev and Aurika Annaeva, speed juggler Tersit Asefa Dersu and Garrett Allen on aerial rope —stayed at the Whistler’s Inn bed and breakfast in Lenox. “It was great sharing breakfast and hanging out in the living room,” Reis says.
One of the high points of the trip for Reis was meeting Chris Noth (best known as Mr. Big in “Sex and the City”) and having the actor attend the circus with his family.
On July 11, Eldridge organized a panel discussion on how the performing arts shape our culture. Moderated by Williams College President
Performers in the Circus Arts Conservatory show “Sommersaults in the Berkshires” take their bows at the end of the performance.
Maud S. Mandel, the panel featured Reis and leaders from Shakespeare & Company, Tanglewood Music Center, Jacob’s Pillow, the art museum MASS MoCA and Berkshire Theatre Group.
“Some of the institutions represented on the panel haven’t recovered as well as others from the disruptions of Covid,” Reis says. “We’ve been fortunate in Sarasota.”
WBTT DOES A CHA-CHA WITH HURRICANE DEBBY
In his 11 years attending the International Black Theatre festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe founder and Artistic Director Nate Jacobs has gone from being a rising star to an elder statesmen.
Asked how WBTT’s peer organizations at the festival are faring postpandemic, Jacobs replied, “We’re one of a kind. We don’t have any peers. People at the festival call us the miracle theater.”
What’s the reason for the nickname? “Because I am based in a predominately white community that supports a Black theater. Folks ask me, ‘How are you doing that?’”
There are lots of reasons: Jacobs’ dedication and eye for talent, WBTT’s executive director, Julie Leach, and the generosity of Sarasota’s arts patrons. With their help, WBTT was able to attend what Jacobs calls “the pow-
wow of the Black theater world” for the sixth time (it’s a biannual festival) and present three shows out of the 50 that were showcased in Winston-Salem.
WBTT brought two of its own shows to the festival — the original musical “Soul Crooners: Solid Gold Edition” and the one-act play “Float Like a Butterfly” based on the life of “The Greatest of All Time” heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali. It also collaborated on a third, the one-act play, “From Birmingham to Broadway,” which was written by and starred Tarra Conner Jones. Presented in tandem with “Float,” a tribute to Broadway and TV performer Nell Carter, it was directed by Jacobs.
Jacobs said he would like to bring “Ruby,” WBTT’s first homegrown musical production that premiered in the 2023-24 season, to the Winston-Salem festival, but that it isn’t yet feasible because of economics.
The IBTT pays its presenting companies a flat fee for their shows and a large, elaborate production such as “Ruby” is too costly to take to the festival, he says.
In an telephone interview following the festival, Jacobs himself was still floating. “The whole city shuts down, just like the Olympics. You have buses taking people all over the city. We were one of the highlights of the show,” he said.
The tough part was getting home to Sarasota as Tropical Storm Debby approached and strengthened into a hurricane. Jacobs escaped unscathed because he was headed north to New York City for meetings.
The rest of the entourage made it from Winston-Salem to Atlanta before the storm. After their flights were repeatedly canceled, Leach made the decision to rent vans and have the WBTT team drive to Sarasota. By the time they got home, the worst of Hurricane Debby’s wrath had passed.
Remembering a scientist who nurtured Sarasota’s arts
Ernie Kretzmer died on Aug. 24, four months shy of his 100th birthday.
MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
If you’ve ever attended a performance of the orchestra, ballet, theater or a chamber music concert in Sarasota, no doubt you’ve heard the name Ernie Kretzmer.
The longtime Sarasota resident, who died Aug. 24 at the age of 99, was a generous donor to Sarasota’s arts organizations, both in his own
tra in 1998 was purchased by the retired scientist and inventor. At the time, the orchestra was known as the Florida West Coast Symphony.
Also on hand to pay her respects to Kretzmer’s son, Peter Kretzmer, was Marcy Miller, executive director of Artist Series Concerts, one of the many cultural organizations that Ernie Kretzmer supported.
Miller’s relationship with Kretzmer was relatively new, since she only joined Artist Series Concerts in 2019, after spending six years at the William King Museum of Art in Virginia.
Like others paying tribute to Kretzmer on Lido Key, Miller remembered the philanthropist as a man of great joy and generosity.
According to a eulogy by Peter
had a love of music. He also liked to take things like radios apart and tinker with them. This mechanical aptitude served him well in his education, first at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, where he attended college, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned his Ph.D.
CHARTING HIS OWN COURSE
In an interview, Peter Kretzmer said his father discovered Sarasota while on a business trip to Miami during his 35-year career at Bell Laboratories, the research arm of AT&T.
“Initially, my dad wasn’t big on Florida because he said everyone retired there. He wasn’t a follower,” he said. “But then he discovered Sarasota after seeing a reference in Time magazine to the town as a cultural pearl.”
Ernie Kretzmer was first a snowbird, buying a time-share property and later a condo on Benjamin Franklin Drive on Lido Key. In 1989, he moved to Sarasota full time after retiring. He built a home on Polk Drive with his second wife, Alisa, whom he married in 1983.
Kretzmer’s first wife, Suzanne, died in 1981 at age 54 after several bouts of cancer. Her family members perished in Hitler’s concentration camps and she was never able to recover from the trauma, her son said.
was enriched by his wife’s caretaker, Dorathea Sandland, a registered nurse who became his companion after Alisa’s death.
“Dorathea watched my dad slowly age while still enjoying life here and attending events galore,”
Peter Kretzmer told mourners at his father’s funeral.
“They became a pair on the social scene, and Dorathea helped my dad through heart surgery, walking difficulties necessitating a new hip and the other inconveniences of aging. Through it all, Dad
Sarasota philanthropist Ernie Kretzmer, a generous supporter of the city’s artistic institutions, died Aug. 24 at age 99.
Courtesy images
Peter Kretzmer, his father, Ernie Kretzmer and, Ernie’s companion, Dorathea Sandland, enjoy a black-tie event.
THIS WEEK
will take home a prize of $3,200.
Award-winning playwright Lauren Gunderson is the keynote speaker. Runs through Sept. 8.
2 p.m. Lia Romeo’s “A Nice Motherly Person;” 5 p.m. Baylee Schlichtman’s “In the Mouth of the Beast;” 8 p.m. Sarah Elizabeth Grace’s “I’m Saving You a Seat.” Urbanite Theatre, 1487 Second St. Festival pass $45-$57 Visit UrbaniteTheatre.com.
This is the fifth annual installment of Urbanite Theatre’s Modern Works Festival featuring the new works of emerging female playwrights. At the end, panelists, attendees and guest adjudicators will vote for their favorite new work, and the winner
DON’T MISS
‘THE FOUR C NOTES’
8 p.m. at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 N. Palm Ave.
$18-$42
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
For fans of Frank Valli and the Four Seasons, the doo-wop sound never goes out of style. With “The Four C Notes,” Florida Studio Theatre continues the tradition of presenting Four Seasons tribute shows inspired by “Jersey Boys” and starring performers from the Broadway smash
‘THE FLORIDA HIGHWAYMEN: INTERSTATE CONNECTIONS’
As the title of Selby Gardens’ latest exhibition, “The Florida Highwaymen: Interstate Connections,” indicates, the show links the pioneering artistic work done on Florida’s East Coast with simultaneous efforts to desegregate Lido Beach in Sarasota. Runs through Sept. 15.
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Where: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St.
Tickets: $28
Info: Visit Selby.org.
hit’s touring production. Runs through Oct. 13.
FRIDAY
NEW EXHIBITIONS:
PRECIOUS DARLING, TANNER SIMON AND BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF MANATEE COUNTY
10 a.m. at Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota Free Visit ArtCenterSarasota.org.
Art Center Sarasota’s latest round of exhibitions features artists Precious Darling, Tanner Simon and teens from the Boys & Girls Club of Manatee County. Darling’s “How He Sees Me” uses black-and-white photography and sculpture to focus on how women are viewed, while Simon’s “Big Soup, Big Responsibility” explores the intersection of humor and gravity with large-scale paintings. Runs through Sept. 28.
‘THE MOUSETRAP’
7:30 p.m. at the Pinkerton Theatre, 140 Tampa Ave. W., Venice $35 Visit VeniceTheatre.org.
Scott Keys directs the Venice Theatre’s production of Agatha Christie’s murder mystery, which has been playing in London’s West End since November 1952. Runs through Sept. 15.
SATURDAY
‘SKYWAY’ ART EXHIBITION
10 a.m. at The Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bayshore Road, and the Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail
$30 at The Ringling (free Mondays); $15 at Sarasota Art Museum Visit SkywayTampaBay.com.
The triennial contemporary Florida art exhibition “Skyway” encompasses five museums in the Tampa Bay area. Even if you don’t have time to visit all five, check out The Ringling Museum of Art and the Sarasota Art Museum. Runs through Jan. 25 at The Ringling and Oct. 27 at SAM.
MONDAY
BALLET AND THEATER COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE
10 a.m. at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail Free Visit AsoloRep.org.
OUR PICK
COMEDY LOTTERY
Everyone’s a winner in this FST Improv show where audience members select the night’s lineup of games replete with scenes, sketches and songs designed to provoke laughter. Runs Saturdays through Sept. 28.
IF YOU GO
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: FST’s Bowne’s Lab, 1265 First St.
Tickets: $15-$18
Info: Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
TUESDAY
DECADES REWIND: ‘ALL THAT MUSIC’ 2 and 7 p.m. at Manatee Performing Arts Center $32-$40 Visit ManateePerforming-ArtsCenter.com.
Jukebox Revolution’s live eightpiece band follows the history of the golden years of rock ’n’ roll — the ’60s ’70s and ’80s.
The three arts companies housed in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts — Sarasota Ballet, Asolo Repertory Theatre and FSU/Asolo Conservatory — show what they have to offer. The schedule includes a “Meet the Leadership” panel with Asolo Rep Producing Artistic Director Peter Rothstein, Sarasota Ballet Director Iain Webb and Interim Conservatory Director Marcus Denard Johnson and presentations throughout the day. Food will be available for purchase from Empanada Girl food truck.
Courtesy images
A Mark Twain enthusiast tackles an age-old story
Alan Kitty brings his play ‘Original Sin’ to Tree Fort Productions.
MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER
The ghost of Mark Twain has haunted Alan Kitty nearly his entire life.
Like many a child, he read “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and dreamed of running away from home and living the way Tom did. Only the river that Kitty planned to navigate by raft wasn’t the Mississippi in Missouri, but the Susquehanna in central Pennsylvania. He even packed some of his belongings in a knapsack. But like most young boys on the Twain Trail, he was back home by dinner.
Unlike many young rascals, Kitty didn’t outgrow his fascination with Twain and his colorful cast of characters. Instead, the actor/playwright has made a career impersonating the author of such classics as “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.”
Since 1979, Kitty has portrayed Twain, whose real name was Samuel Clemens, more than 1,000 times — both on stage and film and at corporate events — all over the country.
In an eerie coincidence, Kitty has also lived around the corner from where Twain once resided. “I lived in New York for more than 12 years, and I found out after the fact that every neighborhood I moved into, Mark Twain also happened to have lived there,” he says.
After pausing for dramatic effect (Kitty is nothing but dramatic, even in real life), he adds, “which freaked me out not a little bit.”
One day not long after Kitty moved to New York City, around the corner from Washington Square, he noticed a plaque at 21 Fifth Ave. stating that Samuel Clemens lived there from 1904-08. “This discovery was incredible to me because I had just
IF
YOU GO
‘ORIGINAL SIN’
When: 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 6-8 and Sept. 13-15
Where: Tree Fort Productions, The Crossings at Siesta Key mall, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, Suite 136
Tickets: $40
Info: Visit MarkTwainEducation.org or call 813-543-6613.
started performing as Twain,” Kitty says.
That wasn’t the first time Kitty found himself walking in the footsteps of Twain. When Kitty was starting out professionally, he went into the printing business, which was — you guessed it — Twain’s first line of work.
Scientists actually have a name for Kitty’s Twain experience. It’s called “frequency illusion,” where something you recently learned about or has become important to you seems to be around every corner.
Kitty’s not likely to find one of Twain’s former residences in Sarasota. But he’s still mining the works of the All-American raconteur for his creative endeavors. Most recently, Kitty starred in “Mark Twain: They Told Me to Be Brief,” at The Sarasota Players in February 2023.
Helping encourage his creativity since he arrived in Sarasota 11 years ago is a group called the Sarasota Area Playwrights Society. SAPS, as it is known for short, was founded in 2007 by George Loukides and has since grown from a small group of actors and playwrights to more than 70 members.
Kitty’s latest effort, a play called
“Original Sin,” is based on Twain’s works, “The Diaries of Adam & Eve,” a series of monologues he wrote between 1904-06. The work was Twain’s tribute to his wife, Olivia, who died in 1904.
“Original Sin” follows Adam and Eve as they discover life and each other. Kitty plays Adam, and Jill Schroeder stars as Eve in a produc-
tion being produced by the Mark Twain Society and directed by Alan Brasington.
Following a recent rehearsal of “Original Sin” in the playwright’s Sarasota home, Kitty and his team sat down for a conversation about their upcoming production. It will run at Katherine Michelle Tanner’s Tree Fort Productions in The Crossings at Siesta Key mall Sept. 6-8 and Sept. 13-15.
Asked why older actors were playing Adam and Eve, who were newly created by God and presumably should be in the bloom of youth, Kit-
Since 1979, Kitty has portrayed Twain, whose real name was Samuel Clemens, more than 1,000 times — both on stage and film and at corporate events — all over the country.
ty replies, “In the Bible, it says Adam lived to be 900 years old.”
Then Kitty, who is in his 70s, has a little time left before he hits the age mark for Adam.
In the tradition of “great minds think alike,” it turns out another adaptation of Twain’s “The Diaries of Adam & Eve” was simultaneously developed on the West Coast. It was written by Ed Weinberger, a TV sitcom writer best known for hit shows like “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “Taxi.”
The “Journals of Adam and Eve” played at The Barry Marshall Theatre in Burbank in January. In Weinberger’s version of the Garden of Eden tale, Adam is 93 years old and was played by Hal Linden. Eve, whose age isn’t disclosed, was portrayed by Sally Struthers. (Maybe Eve was the first woman who declined to reveal her age.)
In Kitty’s production, the playwright and lead actor explains that there is a quality of timelessness that makes the age of the performers irrelevant. There is also a fair amount of bickering about gender differences, sure to spark recognition and laughter from the audience. The more things change ...
The fact that Kitty’s mythical Garden of Eden will be on stage in a part of Florida that some residents consider paradise should ramp up the believability quotient. But will there be palm leaves instead of fig leaves? Kitty’s keeping mum about the costumes, although he volunteered he has grown a beard for his role as Adam.
The staging of “Original Sin” in Sarasota follows a reading in New York for a producer Schroeder helped locate who was interested in the material.
“Things didn’t turn out as planned, but that’s OK,” Kitty says.
It only took him about a week to locate funding for his production in Sarasota, which Kitty says is testament to local support for the arts. “It’s a wonderful, loving arts community,” he says.
Monica Roman Gagnier
Jill Schroeder and Alan Kitty rehearse for Kitty’s play “Original Sin,” which makes its world premiere Sept. 6 at Tree Fort Productions.
KIDS SET SAIL
Sarasota Youth Sailing took the helm from Sarasota Sailing Squadron for the 76th Annual Labor Day Regatta.
Nick Lovisa, sailing director at Sarasota Youth Sailing, has been involved in the sport since he was 8 years old. He said the Annual Labor Day Regatta is important for introducing kids, and the viewing public, to sailing and the lifelong enjoyment it offers.
“It’s a lifelong sport, and when a kid gets hooked on it, it is definitely life-changing,” he said. “It’s not just a small thing you come to and you do and then you forget about it. It’s a community.”
In past years, the Sarasota Sailing Squadron had hosted the event, which began in 1946, however, Sarasota Youth Sailing took the helm for the regatta’s 76th year.
The two-day event was off to a promising start Aug. 31 with favorable weather and propulsive winds.
The event brings together some 160 kids, some as young as 6 years old, from various sailing clubs, including the Sailing Squadron, Florida Yacht Club, Manatee River Youth Sailing and others.
“For a lot of them, it’s their first regatta,” Lovisa said. “They’re just getting a taste for what all this is.”
Jason Herpai, who is 11 years old, has been sailing for about a year. He said he enjoys the competition of the sport and the fact that the results are never predictable due to wind gusts that can appear anywhere.
“It’s not like a race where if you start first, you’re probably going to end first,” he said. “Because for sailing, you could start like the middle and then get first place.”
— IAN SWABY
Photos by Ian Swaby Alexander Sanderson of Manatee River Youth Sailing
Samantha Jones and Lillie Esposito of Sarasota Youth Sailing
Ava Crotty of Manatee River Youth Sailing
The boats of Alexander Getzels and Alexander Hryniewicz, of Sarasota Youth Sailing, and Harper Emerson and Ashley Korakis, of Davis Island Race Team
An events space with a mission
Harvest House’s events space, The Venue @ LEC, helps support its emergency shelter services.
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
Harvest House’s newly reopened space, The Venue @ LEC, is positioned to serve as more than just an affordable events venue for the community.
It will also be a significant driver of revenue for the emergency shelter services offered at the nonprofit.
On June 5, the Sarasota County Commission voted to cut all funding to the organization, which offers the county’s only emergency shelter for families.
On July 1, on the other hand, the City Commission voted unanimously in favor of the venue’s reopening.
“We’re able to use this revenue to fulfill our mission, which is to take care of the most vulnerable, so it’s meeting several needs,” said Erin Minor, CEO of Harvest House.
However, she and her brother, Dan Minor, lead pastor at Harvest Sarasota, believe users will be pleased with the offerings in store at the event space at 3650 17th St., which shares its facility with the church.
“It’s incredible what we have,” said Dan Minor. “It’s state of the art and modern and really great. Most of the nonprofits can afford it. It’s a great space. We make income off of it. They get benefit from it.”
A NEW OPTION FOR EVENTS
The community has seen a significant demand for an affordable venue, Dan Minor said, noting that Riverview High School Performing Arts Center is booked months in advance.
The space brings professional lighting and sound equipment including a 16-by-9 LED wall, as well as seating for 480 people in an auditorium setup, or 300 people around banquet tables.
Other features include a reception area, a catering kitchen and smaller breakout rooms.
Events that can be hosted include nonprofit functions and private events like celebrations, funerals and memorial services.
The space promises lower rental rates in comparison to other local venues, with rates of $450 an hour for nonprofits and $500 an hour for private events, with a four-hour minimum.
Prices are all-inclusive, encompassing the event staff and all features of the facility.
Erin Minor notes a nonprofit’s budget is about $500,000 a year, and that rental rates continue to rise.
Although the venue had initially been open for events from December 2022 to March 2023, it was closed from March 2023 to July 2024, while the City Commission undertook a review of permitted activities on the property.
The area is residentially zoned, although an exception exists to that category for religious institutions.
Dan Minor said to keep the city on board with their plans, they agreed to avoid hosting for-profit, ticketed events unless they were in line with the nonprofit’s mission or featured a co-sponsorship aspect.
“At this point, there’s enough nonprofit, enough weddings and private parties, we think we can fill up our schedule without even having to thread that needle,” he said.
A VENUE WITH A MISSION
Dan and Erin Minor emphasize the mission of the space is twofold.
They say it will be essential for the community following the decision by the county commission not to fund the nonprofit.
The organization had contracted
with the county for 10 years to provide the county’s only emergency shelter for homeless families and was listed as third in priority, out of the 51 organizations to apply for funding, by the county’s Human Services Advisory Council.
However, the meeting introduced a requirement for participating organizations to have filed a 990 tax form, something Harvest House is not required to do as a faith-based organization.
The more than $310,000 that were cut comprised 55% of the organization’s shelter budget, and 7% to 8% of its full budget, Erin Minor said.
The Minors believe the decision was made for political reasons.
“They view us as a progressive organization because we’re inclusive
and affirming of the LGBTQ community,” Dan Minor said.
Operating across both Sarasota and Manatee counties, Harvest House provides supportive housing with a total of 380 beds, and services including addiction recovery and food security.
“The only way I can really put it into words, for me, is that it’s cruel,” Erin Minor said. “It’s a cruel decision to take the only emergency shelter, to defund it in this community, when housing costs are at some of the highest rates we’ve seen in our history.”
Dan Minor said those who benefit from the services do not even necessarily have addiction or mental health issues, such as a mother who could not afford her increasing rent.
“She was going to Wawa gas stations with her teenage son to get cleaned up and get ready for school and work, and that’s going to happen more now, when they’re not going to have a resource, because we’re going to be limited in what we can do,” he said. “We hope that’s not the case, but as it looks now, there’s going to be more people like that, that are not going to have anywhere to go.”
As of last year, Erin Minor said the nonprofit had 70 referrals for families in Sarasota County who were homeless, only 46 of which they could house.
“Now, instead of serving more than half of those families, we’ll be able to serve even fewer,” she said. They say the venue, as well as the philanthropic nature of the community, will help to keep the shelter operational.
Currently, they are contracting with nonprofits like the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, which plans to host a graduation ceremony for participants in its 2Gen Scholarship program.
443F John Ringling Blvd. • Sarasota, FL 34236
The Venue @ LEC seats up to 480 people auditorium-style.
Photos by Ian Swaby Erin Minor and Dan Minor
FRIDAY, SEPT. 6
CREATION STATION
LAB: SELF-PORTRAITS WITH KAT SJOGREN
10:30-11:30 a.m. at Selby Library, 1331 First St. Free. Paint your own watercolor self portrait, following a reading of the story “Reading Artists” by Bob Racska. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 7
SARASOTA FARMERS MARKET
7 a.m. to 1 p.m., North Lemon Avenue. Free to attend. Spend time downtown and support the community as you explore the offerings of local vendors including farmers, businesses and artisans. Visit SarasotaFarmersMarket.org.
BOW WOW AT THE BAY: WHY DOES MY DOG DO THAT?
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Common Ground, The Bay Park, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. These weekly sessions by professional trainer Terry Cook help dogs behave better and their humans to be better parents. On Sept. 7, Cook covers the “do’s and don’ts” of training. Pup parents will receive $2 off any alcoholic drink at The Nest Café. Visit TheBaySarasota. org.
SHARK PUPS AND GROWN-UPS
9:30-10:30 a.m. at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway. $20 for members per child with guardian; $22 for nonmembers per child with guardian. Ages 2-5. This weekly STEM program for kids, accompanied by their parents, explores the marine environment through
imaginative play, activities, songs and more. It takes place in the outdoor classroom space and includes water exploration. This week’s theme is “A-B-Seas, 1-2-3s.”
Visit Mote.org.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 8
DOWNTOWN SARASOTA
GIRLS WHO WALK
9-10 a.m. at 99 Bottles Taproom & Bottle Shop, 1445 Second St. Free. Ages 21 and older. This weekly women’s social club meets each week for a 30- to 40-minute walk totaling just under two miles, to the Bayfront and back. Visit 99Bottles.net.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 10
REMEMBRANCE OF SEPT. 11, 2001
8:30 a.m. at USF Sarasota-Manatee Campus, 8360 N. Tamiami Trail. Free. USF Sarasota-Manatee and the Office of Veteran Success invite the public to attend this remembrance ceremony for Sept. 11, 2001. Visit SarasotaManatee. USF.edu.
PLAYING THE UKULELE FOR FUN AND ... FUN!
1-2 p.m. at Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library, 2801 Newtown Blvd. Free. Learn chords and chord progressions, learn how to move fluidly between chords, develop approaches for rhythmic strumming and more in this class, part of a free series of classes for adults and seniors. Visit SCGovLibrary. LibraryMarket.com.
The Sarasota County Fire Department Sept. 11, 2001
BEST BET
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 11
SARASOTA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT SEPT. 11, 2001 REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY
9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, at Fire Station #23, 1930 N. Tamiami Trail, Nokomis. Free. Sarasota County Fire Department hosts its annual remembrance ceremony honoring those who served and lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.
CHEF WARREN CELEBRATES
HAWAIIAN FOOD
2-3:30 p.m. at Fruitville Library, 100 Apex Road. Free. Join Chef Warren in cooking Hawaiian dishes for two and hear cooking tips, kitchen hints and more. Learn about dishes including kalua pork, huli huli chicken, loco moco, spam musubi, garlicky rice and poke
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bowls. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 12
GREEN LIVING: TIPS FOR BECOMING MORE SUSTAINABLE
2-3 p.m. at Fruitville Library, 100 Apex Road. Free. This class by UF/IFAS extension will discuss concepts related to energy, water,
waste, transportation and food to help you set priorities in sustainable living. Visit SCGovLibrary. LibraryMarket.com.
Expertise Is Dental Implants
A ‘Seussical’ space
The Sarasota Players are preparing to bring the world of Dr. Seuss to life with ‘Seussical the Musical.’
The cast of “Seussical the Musical” may typically consist of about 30 to 40 actors, but Director Thayer Greenberg said a roster of about 20 is large enough for the intimate venue of The Sarasota Players. With the exception of studio shows, which take place within the theater’s educational branch, last season’s productions at the community theater didn’t include any ensembles of this size, she said.
“I just love being able to take a show like ‘Seussical’ that’s normally done with a lot more people, and make it intimate and bring the audience into the story,” Greenberg said.
For instance, she said, David Stein, the actor who plays The Cat in the Hat, has the chance to interact directly with the audience, who borders the actors on four sides in the theater venue.
The family-friendly musical, which intertwines the stories of Dr. Seuss characters from books like “Horton Hears a Who!”, “Yertle the Turtle” and “The Cat in the Hat,” kicks off the 95th season of The Sarasota Players.
AN INTIMATE VENUE
The show takes place in the temporary location of The Sarasota Players as of 2020, a section of The Crossings at Siesta Key mall, which is a former Banana Republic store.
Greenberg said the small venue helps create an immersive experience.
In fact, when 10-year-old actor Max Dalmau walked onto the set and saw the decor, like the Truffula trees plastered in various locations, he felt transported into Dr. Seuss’ books.
“It was like, ‘whoa, this is the books, like, exactly,’” he recalled.
IF YOU GO
‘SEUSSICAL THE MUSICAL’
When: Sept. 12-22
Where: The
Info: Visit ThePlayers.org.
Greenberg said the show, which began rehearsing in June, involves the community in its casting as well.
“Opening up the season, we have a show where we were able to cast an ensemble ... because that’s what community theater is about; it’s about creating community and having these places for people to be,” Greenberg said.
She said she prefers to cast actors based on talent rather than age, stating that young actors are excelling in adult roles, such as Dalmau, who plays the role of “The General” and previously played Mr. Wormwood in “Matilda.”
“He is such a big personality that you almost forget he’s 10 years old when he’s playing these roles, he’s so good on stage,” Greenberg said.
Players Centre, Crossings at Siesta Key, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail.
Ian Swaby
Ainsley McLaughlin and Ariel Proctor perform as the Young Kangaroo and the Sour Kangaroo during a rehearsal.
Rebeca Arrigall-Watkins, a theater teacher, enjoyed returning to relive her school days.
Back then, she played The Cat in the Hat, while this time, she takes the role of Gertrude McFuzz.
“I just wanted to get back on stage and remind myself why I started,” she said. “I was in ‘Seussical’ when I was in middle school, and it kind of started me off on loving musicals, and so it feels really full circle for me to come back in a different role.”
“I feel like I’m the only one who doesn’t know ‘Seussical,’” said Colleen Buchmeier, who plays Mayzie LaBird. “So many of these people and kids know the show, have done the show.”
However, Buchmeier said this ultimately doesn’t change the rehearsal process.
“I think everybody brings what their other productions were ... and so it takes a little while to let that go and have us create what our version is.”
Ariel Proctor, an 18-year-old college student who plays the role of the Sour Kangaroo, calls the chemistry of the cast “admirable.”
“Everyone has their lines, characters down. I feel like it’s an amazing show,” she said.
The show’s whimsical characters nonetheless bring their unique attributes.
Arrigall-Watkins said Gertrude
McFuzz is vulnerable yet willing to stand up for what she believes in.
“She has a lot of growth and development throughout the show, which I think is really important, especially in something that’s maybe geared a bit more towards children,” she said.
Proctor said of the Sour Kangaroo is a change of pace for her.
“Typically in theater, I ended up typecasted as a motherly, kind role, so it’s really fun to let loose and be a little evil, be a little bit of a problem, a little sour,” she said.
“There’s so many different ways people act, and all of them are so brilliant,” Dalmau said.
Greenberg said actors can also showcase their skills through the deceptively complex score.
“It is actually some of the hardest music, like, the harmonies are intense,” she said. “It’s never ending. The whole show is essentially music, so you really have to be up on your music skills to do a show like this.”
Katie Priest, 29, who plays one of the bird girls, calls the play an experience for everyone.
“Most people know what Dr. Seuss is, and it’s sweet, because parents read it to their kids, and I think even the parents grew up with Dr.. Seuss as well, and they keep remaking stories ... ” she said. “It’s very popular. I think it’s super timeless and fun, and all ages can come see this.”
Courtesy image
Riley Aparicio-Jerro as Jojo and David Stein as The Cat in the Hat
Siesta Key home tops sales at $8 million
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Ahome in The Cedars tops all transactions in this week’s real estate. Pamela Keris-Rubinson, of Clearwater, sold the home at 7811 Midnight Pass Road to Matthew and Diana Buchanan, of Sarasota, for $8 million. Built in 1993, it has two bedrooms, three baths and 2,244 square feet of living area.
SARASOTA
MORTON TERRACE
Rita Tiller, as Personal Representative, of Lithia, Michelle Zahalsky, of Vienna, Virginia, Janet Zucker, of Columbus, Ohio, Nancy Green, of Wellesley Hill, Massachusetts, and Bruce Green sold the home at 1627 Waldemere St. to 1627 Waldemere LLC for $1,602,000. Built in 1953, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 2,920 square feet of living area. It sold for $176,700 in 1990.
SOUTH GATE
Reginald and Connie Vorderman, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, sold their home at 2322 Siesta Drive to Jason and Mahiza Musick, of Sarasota, for $1,595,000. Built in 2023, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,234 square feet of living area.
WASHINGTON PARK Global Capital Growth LLC sold the home at 1840 Oak St. to Ruby Enterprises LLC for $1.45 million. Built in 1938, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 1,636 square feet of living area. It sold for $939,000 in 2021.
PIER 550
Mary Lou Poudre Berven, of Fort Collins, Colorado, sold her Unit 4 condominium at 632 Golden Gate Point to WSR-550 LLC for $1,305,000. Built in 1951, it has one bedroom, one bath and 508 square feet of living area. It sold for $225,200 in 2004.
Mary Lou Berven, of Fort Collins, Colorado, sold her Unit 1 condominium at 632 Golden Gate Point to WSR-550 LLC for $1.1 million. Built in 1951, it has one bedroom, one bath and 522 square feet of living area. It sold for $59,000 in 1989.
Jeremy Berven and Xiaobai Miao, of Denver, sold their Unit 2 condominium at 632 Golden Gate Point to WSR-550 LLC for $1.38 million. Built in 1951, it has one bedroom, one bath and 584 square feet of living area. It sold for $650,000 in 2022.
VALENCIA ROSEMARY PLACE TOWNHOMES
Kenneth Rovine and Marsha Schwarz, of King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, sold their home at 1262 May Lane to Charles Raeburn and
Vicki Pearthree Raeburn, of Sarasota, for $1.21 million. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, three-anda-half baths and 2,291 square feet of living area. It sold for $597,500 in 2019.
POMS PARK
Richard Maulsby, of Sarasota, sold his home at 2390 Bay St. to Richard Austin Pond, of Sarasota, for $910,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 1,759 square feet of living area. It sold for $627,200 in 2018.
POINSETTIA PARK
Raymond Shovlain and Laura Ayoub Shovlain sold their home at 1876 Magnolia St. to RJJM LLC for $850,000. Built in 1952, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,380 square feet of living area. It sold for $95,000 in 1997.
TURNER
Sheila Hall, trustee, of Anna Maria, sold the home at 2555 Hillview St. to Courtyard Modern Builders LLC for $800,000. Built in 1962, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,228 square feet of living area.
HUNTINGTON POINTE
Peter Norman Graham, trustee, of Venice, sold the home at 4102 Hearthstone Drive to Paul Laurence Scudo and Cynthia Louise Scudo, of Sarasota, for $749,000. Built in 1992, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,493 square feet of living area. It sold for $393,000 in 2013.
SIESTA KEY
SIESTA ISLES
Roberta Duban, of Sarasota, sold the home at 816 Edgemere Lane to William Schmidt and Marina WolfSchmidt, trustees, of Siesta Key, for $2,475,000. Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,901 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.59 million in 2004.
SIESTA BEACH
Thomas Franck, of Houston, Texas, sold his home at 4947 Commonwealth Drive to Patrick Seese and Jennifer Wright, of Columbine Valley, Colorado, for $1,975,000. Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths and 3,744 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,099,000 in 2013.
Other top sales by area
SARASOTA: $2.23 MILLION
Pier 550
Thomas and Charlotte Hedge, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 4 at 554 Golden Gate Point to WSR-550 LLC for $2.23 million. Built in 1958, it has one bedroom, one bath and 670 square feet of living area. It sold for $407,000 in 2014.
PALMER RANCH: $820,000
Cobblestone on Palmer Ranch
William and Deborah Kurz sold their home at 4004 Cascina Way to Inda Frey and Leonid Shkolnik, of Sarasota, for $820,000. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,349 square feet of living area. It sold for $544,900 in 2017.
OSPREY: $1.25 MILLION
Oaks II
Christina Cassata, of Sarasota, sold the home at 491 E. Mac Ewen Drive to Gregg
Stephen Murphy and Carol Dora Murphy, of Fort Collins, Colorado, for $1.25 million. Built in 2001, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,526 square feet of living area. It sold for $735,000 in 2001.
ISLAND REEF
Joseph Novak and Paul Novak, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, sold their Unit B-304 condominium at 8770 Midnight Pass Road to Dorwin James Van Gundy and Suzanne Van Gundy, trustees, of University Park, for $975,000. Built in 1975, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,886 square feet of living area. It sold for $177,000 in 1984.
Roberta Bachenheimer, trustee, of Deerfield, Illinois, sold the Unit 206-G condominium at 8773 Midnight Pass Road to Kevin Casciola, trustee, of Sarasota, for $780,000. Built in 1981, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,768 square feet of living area.
LA SIESTA
John and Evelyn Viola, trustees, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 403 condominium at 901 Beach Road to Thomas and Amy Cosgrove, of Sarasota, for $575,000. Built in 1972, it has one bedroom, one bath and 697 square feet of living area. It sold for $347,500 in 2017.
VISTA HERMOSA
Nancy Ellen Franks, trustee, of St. Charles, Illinois, sold the Unit 302 condominium at 110 Vista Hermosa Circle to James Joseph Margia and Ana Paula Costa Margia, of Trumbull, Connecticut, for $531,000. Built in 1971, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 900 square feet of living area. It sold for $120,000 in 2014.
PALMER RANCH
HAMMOCK PRESERVE
Denise Gough and Russell Meadows Jr., of Longs, South Carolina, sold their home at 12465 Golden Sage Drive to Susan Bentley, trustee, of Wayzata, Minnesota, for $775,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 1,870
PROMENADE ESTATES
Morne Eric Dewinnaar and Janetha Catharina Dewinnaar, of Delray Beach, sold their home at 5739 Woodland Sage Drive to Glenn Aaron Goldstein, of Siesta Key, for $755,000. Built in 2022, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,826 square feet of living area. It sold for $631,400 in 2022.
ESPLANADE ON PALMER RANCH
Samuel and Ellen Wise, of Sarasota, sold their home at 5360 Bartolomeo St. to Gerald and Christina Campbell, of Erie, Pennsylvania, for $725,000. Built in 2019, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,682 square feet of living area. It sold for $442,800 in 2019.
TURTLE ROCK
George John Straschov Jr., of Bellevue, Washington, sold the home at 4906 Sabal Lake Circle to Neal Dinesh Kansara and Courtney Leigh Smith, of Sarasota, for $715,000. Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,271 square feet of living area. It sold for $300,000 in 2001.
ARBOR LAKES ON PALMER RANCH
Thomas Schnelle, of Zephyrhills, sold his home at 7201 Monarda Drive to David Felipe Ibanez and Milgian Marilina Ibanez, of Sarasota, for $576,000. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,056 square feet of living area. It sold for $315,600 in 2014.
OSPREY
BAY POINTE VISTA
Robert Ripley and Laurin Hill, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 304 condominium at 242 Hidden Bay Drive to Jeffrey Henry Rosen and Dorothy May Rosen, of Hilliard, Ohio, for $895,000. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,100 square feet of living area. It sold for $450,000 in 2016.
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SPORTS
Fast Break
Riverview High freshman girls cross-country runner Madie Muller
(19:06.10) won the Lakewood Ranch Invitational on Aug. 31, crossing the finish line approximately six seconds faster than Oasis High junior Jazlyn Forbes. Riverview senior boys cross-country runner Ben Skaggs also won his race (16:58.70), crossing the finish line approximately 11 seconds before Lemon Bay High senior Kyle Domke. The Rams finished second in the team standings in both races, behind the Venice High girls and Lakewood Ranch High boys, respectively.
… Former Cardinal Mooney High football wide receiver Zy’marion Lang, a freshman at the University of Toledo, had an 18-yard touchdown catch in the Rockets’ 49-10 season-opening home win against Duquesne University.
… The New College of Florida volleyball program picked up the first regular season win in its history Aug. 30, defeating Truett McConnell University 3-1. The match was part of the Talladega Tournament in Talladega, Alabama. New College went 1-3 at the tournament.
… Riverview High football junior quarterback Anthony Miller completed three of four passes for 85 yards and a touchdown, and ran three times for 40 yards and two touchdowns, in the Rams’ 49-7 home win over Hillsborough Riverview High on Aug. 30.
… The Cardinal Mooney High indoor volleyball team is 7-2 as of Sept. 3, after going 4-2 at the Nike Tournament of Champions Southeast event held Aug. 30-31 in Gainesville. Senior Izzy Russell leads the team with 61 kills.
… Cardinal Mooney High senior boys golfer Nicolas Bencomo finished tied for first place (seven under par) in the individual standings at the Lakewood Ranch Invitational, held Aug. 30-31 at Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club and Lakewood National Golf Club. Sarasota High sophomore Jacob Menard (four under par) finished fourth. Sarasota and Cardinal Mooney finished third and 11th respectively in the team standings.
“We are all working together. We are close like a family. Nothing can break our bond.”
Head coach Anthony ‘Amp’ Campbell has the Sailors playing physical football.
SAILORS FOOTBALL GETS AMPED UP
RYAN
KOHN SPORTS EDITOR
It would not earn many style points, but the Sarasota High football team’s Aug. 30 road victory over Braden River High counted just the same.
It was a 10-6 slugfest, all points coming in the first half. In the second half, defenses dominated. Neither team moved the ball efficiently on the ground, and while the two passing games flashed, the flashes were too inconsistent to sustain long drives.
But none of that mattered after the final whistle.
As Braden River players hung their heads, Sailors players erupted in cheers, some literally hopping off the field in joy. It was the first regular season win under first-year head coach Anthony “Amp” Campbell,
and the program’s second such win since the end of the 2022 season, when the Sailors finished 5-5 and won a playoff game over Manatee High. Campbell, the former Riverview High star defensive back, played under legendary college football coach Nick Saban at Michigan State University and has had past stops as a position coach at Kent State University and Western Michigan University, among other places.
Campbell said his focus has been on building a foundational culture within the program, just like Saban had at Michigan State and his other stops. Saban would preach about creating strong relationships with players, Campbell said: Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.
With a roster largely consisting of freshmen and sophomores, Campbell, 49, now has his team believing it
IF YOU GO
Where: Booker High Sailors player to watch: Freshman quarterback Hudson West, who completed 21 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown against Braden River High. Tornadoes player to watch: Junior wide receiver Tyren Wortham, who holds offers from Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University and East Carolina University among other schools.
“... It took these guys 10 weeks to get that first win last year, so this was special.”
Sarasota Football head coach Anthony “Amp” Campbell
can do a lot more winning. After the game, Campbell dodged one attempt at a Gatorade bath, but the Sailors eventually chased him down, dousing him at midfield.
“It was a great feeling, and great to see the kids enjoy that moment,” Campbell said. “It was an unbelievable experience. It took these guys 10 weeks to get that first win last year, so this was special.”
The Sailors’ lone offensive touchdown came on a five-yard pass from freshman quarterback Hudson West to sophomore tight end Chase Fritz. West, in his second varsity start, completed 21 of 31 passes for 200 yards and the touchdown to Fritz. He was also intercepted by Braden River senior Jaron Fields off of a deflection. More impressive than West’s stats was his presence: He rarely felt compelled to scramble out of the pocket, instead going through his progressions and finding an open target. Campbell said the West of today is at the beginning of his journey as a quarterback, but his arm strength and innate leadership already stand out. If West continues on his current trajectory as a player, Campbell said, he will end his high school career as a national-level recruit — the type of quarterback Sarasota’s program has
not seen in a long time. Defensively, the Sailors recovered from allowing 41 points to Cardinal Mooney High in week one to completely shut down the Braden River offense, which put up zero points — the Pirates’ lone touchdown came from its defense, on a scoopand-score fumble recovery. The Sailors’ front seven pushed around the Pirates’ offensive line, holding Braden River to 156 yards of offense and six first downs gained. Campbell said a stout rush defense was a hallmark of a Nick Saban team, and seeing it perform like it did against Braden River (85 rushing yards allowed) was a step in the right direction after the Mooney game, where the team was “a bit overmatched.” Campbell made a note to praise senior Brian Klingel, a defensive end who, despite being undersized for the position at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, has the speed to wreak havoc off the edge. Campbell said he expects Klingel to make a name for himself the rest of the season.
As Campbell gets more time to coach his team, he expects the Sailors to get tougher and to build deeper bonds. Though the team’s next game is a difficult one — a road contest against Booker High (1-1) at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 6 — winnable games follow, with matchups against Gibbs High (1-1) and Ida Baker High (0-2). Campbell said his team will be ready for whomever it faces.
“We have improved dramatically (since Campbell was hired),” Campbell said. “Our weight room process is better. We have to continue to be a disciplined football team and we have to improve in making (less) mental mistakes. But we are getting better.”
Ryan Kohn
Riverview High freshman crosscountry runner Madie Muller.
— Connail Jackson, sophomore, Cardinal Mooney High football. SEE PAGE 11B
Photos by Ryan Kohn
The Sarasota High special teams unit jumps on a Braden River High fumble after a muffed punt return.
Sarasota High’s Amp Campbell played under Nick Saban at Michigan State in the 1990s. Campbell got his first win as a head coach against Braden River High on Aug. 30.
Sarasota High freshman quarterback Hudson West throws a pass to junior Scotty Wells.
Sarasota stars ready to dominate the fall
Watch for these area athletes on the national college sports scene.
It’s only fair to spread the love.
Last week, to commemorate the start of the college football season, Prose and Kohn was dedicated to Sarasota’s gridiron stars playing at the next level. There are so many of them now that, for the first time in years of writing the season-starting piece, I could not give a shout-out to everyone who deserved one, though I wish I could have.
Even more unfair, however, would be to ignore all of the other area alums in all of the other NCAA fall sports. Football may be king when it comes to ratings, but when athletes in indoor volleyball, soccer and cross-country work as hard as they do, they deserve to have that work acknowledged — especially when they are competing at some of the biggest and best programs in the country. Here are five nonfootball athletes who should make a large impact on their programs this fall.
SKYE EKES, MERCER UNIVERSITY
INDOOR VOLLEYBALL
Ekes, a Cardinal Mooney High graduate, spent three seasons at Florida State University before transferring to Mercer for her senior season. A 6-foot-1 outside hitter, Ekes played in 177 sets for the Seminoles over her three years but saw her playing time decrease each season — though she skill finished 2023 with 75 kills.
At Mercer, Ekes is in the midst of a full-blow Cougars reunion. Mercer is led by former Cardinal Mooney High head coach Chad Sutton, who guided the Cougars to a Florida High School Ath-
letic Association state title in 2019 before heading to the college ranks.
Sutton added former Mooney volleyball player Sophia Hritz, a Davidson College graduate, to his coaching staff for the 2024 season; both Hritz and Ekes were on Mooney’s 2019 championship team.
As of Sept. 3, Mercer is 3-0, and Ekes is leading the team with 42 kills and is third with eight blocks. If the Bears are a contender in the Southern Conference, it will be because Mooney legends led them there.
ALEC MILLER, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA CROSS-COUNTRY
Miller, a Sarasota High graduate, was a state runner-up at the FHSAA Class 4A state cross-country meet in 2022. He was also the silver medalist in the 1,600-meter run at the FHSAA track state meet that year.
He’s competing in both sports at the University of Florida, where he is now a redshirt freshman. It is cross-country where he hopes to make a mark this fall. The Gators opened their season with the UCF Invitational in Orlando on Aug. 30. Miller placed 27th in that race (16:02), good for seventh on the team. Former Sailors teammate Orlando Cicilioni, a Gators senior, was right behind him in 28th (16:06). The Gators finished second as a team.
ADDIE DEMPSEY, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
Speaking of cross-country stars, Dempsey was named the 20232204 Gatorade Florida Girls Crosscountry Runner of the Year as a senior at Cardinal Mooney High. Dempsey won eight of her 12 races as a senior, finishing third at the
FHSAA Class 2A state meet (18:01). Dempsey also won the 3,200-meter run at the 2024 FHSAA track championships (10:36). Unlike Miller, Dempsey will not compete in both sports for the University of Miami, opting to stick with cross-country. Dempsey did not compete in the Hurricanes’ season-opening meet at the FAU Invitational on Aug. 30, but it should only be a matter of time until Dempsey, who developed her love of running in Dubai, gets to do her thing for the Hurricanes.
AMELIA MALKIN, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA SOCCER
Though Malkin attended Bradenton’s IMG Academy, she is Sarasota born and raised, transferring to the Ascenders from Riverview High in an attempt to take her game to the next level.
With the Ascenders, Malkin learned that the right play is usually the unselfish play. That attitude has earned her early playing time with the Gators. Malkin, a sophomore, has seen action in four of the team’s five games in 2024, getting more than 30 minutes in a 2-0 win over Western Carolina University and in ties against the University of Central Florida and Towson University. Though Malkin has yet to earn an offensive point, her playing indicates she has earned the trust of her coaches.
JORDYN BYRD, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS INDOOR VOLLEYBALL
It seems uncontroversial to say that Byrd, a two-time Gatorade Florida Volleyball Player of the Year while at Cardinal Mooney High, is the greatest volleyball player in school history and one of the greatest in Florida high school history. The powerful 6-foot-4 outside hitter parlayed her high school and club volleyball domination into a spot on the Texas Longhorns, the current back-to-back NCAA Division I National Champions. Byrd redshirted the 2023 season, but will likely see action at some point this season, particularly against lesser opponents, before moving into a more prominent role for her final three season. After all, you can only keep talent like Byrd’s on the bench for so long before you let it loose. Texas, ranked No. 1 to begin the season, has started 1-1, beating No. 3 Wisconsin 3-1 but falling 3-2 to No. 18 Minnesota.
Ryan Kohn is the sports editor for the Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer. Contact him at RKohn@ YourObserver.com.
Courtesy image
Former Cardinal Mooney High volleyball player Skye Ekes transferred to Mercer University after three seasons at Florida State University.
Connail Jackson
Connail Jackson is a sophomore running back on the Cardinal Mooney High football team. Jackson had 131 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the Cougars’ 35-6 win over the Community School of Naples on Aug. 30. The Cougars (20) will play Chamberlain High (2-0) on the road at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 6.
When did you start playing football?
I started when I was 7 years old. I played it because of my dad (Aaron Mangan), and I loved it right away.
What is the appeal to you?
Everything about it, really. I like the feeling of helping your teammates.
I like getting to let out your anger sometimes. It’s a good way to calm your brain.
What is your best skill?
I think my speed and power work together well. I know how to use them, and I know how to play the position (of running back).
What have you been working to improve? My weight and my strength. Run ning backs take a lot of hits during games, so they have to be big. You have to be strong enough to handle it.
What is your favorite memory?
My first varsity carry against Avon Park High last year.
I was nervous to go in the game. I was a freshman. I didn’t know what was going to happen. I got my first carry, and I almost scored a touchdown, but they called me down at the one-yard line.
What has been working for this year’s team?
We are all working together. We are close like a family. Nothing can break our bond. The coaches
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.
are helping us improve and stay together every day.
What is your favorite food? I love burgers. Pickles, ketchup, mustard and cheese, cooked medium.
What are your hobbies?
I watch football — college and the NFL — and I play video games. I’ve been playing Rocket League, Brawlhalla and sometimes (Call of Duty) Warzone.
What is your favorite school subject?
I like English class. I like writing. It helps me calm my mind.
What is the best advice you have received?
Block out everything inside your mind. Block out all the people on the sideline while you’re playing if they’re talking to you. When you’re on the field, just think about the game.
Finish this sentence: “Connail Jackson
... Prepared. I always have a plan before I do something. I’m ready for anything.
“B’ZA CAZAV VAFPPU XRNKERX NT
WUOAPT FO HASVAOOAH ON WKMR FO B FW SFVFPUDAH YU RNSA.”
OXFCH-KS MNWAHBFC WFVBF YFWTNVH
“YSKMU’ MI S PEK PMRA WMIXMU’. IEZAKMZAI TSKTX SUY FAPASIA MI KXA NAIK ZAKXEY.”
LFSULAF IZMKX, S.R.S. ASFP YMNNPAI GF.
“CTHI H PXDHV YI CHJ IU CYIEDJJ ITD NDEYMJ ITHI CHJ SUS EDCTHXI. ... WZHJJB, GYEP, NDEDXUMJ HEP HSJUZMIDZB TYZHXYUMJ.”
BACK TO SCHOOL by Adam Levav, edited by Jeff Chen
By Luis Campos
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