Hugh Culverhouse Jr. has donated $250,000 to the Church of the Redeemer, the church announced Friday.
The donation follows another donation by Culverhouse of $500,000 earlier this year, which was the largest noncapital campaign gift in the church’s 139-year history and led to an additional $1.5 million in contributions through a challenge match.
The latest contribution, also structured as a matching challenge, is intended to expand every area of the church’s ministry and outreach, a news release said.
Troop members’ tribute
For more than three years, Nikhil Patel, 13, has been senior patrol leader during the restart of Boy Scouts Troop 14, and this year led the troop’s first Eagle Scout project.
Patel chose to install the bench and lending library at First Presbyterian Church in memory of his friend and troop member Jonathon Keisacker, who died last year. Keisacker had a love of reading.
Over three to four days, the boys dug a space, installed the library, poured concrete, and secured the bench, with 40 people attending the Nov. 18 ribbon cutting.
“(Jonathon) was one of the original three people that started from first grade – me, my friend (Philip Wilson), and him, and we all wanted to be Eagle Scouts; that was all of our dreams, but it’s really nice to memorialize him,” said Patel, who is pictured with Eagle Scout Advisor JP Donoghue.
$1.00
New look, brick-by-brick
Kohlbrecker
WEEK OF DEC. 19, 2024
BY THE NUMBERS
7
1 Curb
38
“If you don’t like the process, you need to change the code, but don’t penalize the applicant that comes forward based on what the code permits.”
Sarasota attorney Brenda Patten. Read more on page 5A
Wall Street Journal honors Selby Gardens
In its “Best of Architecture of 2024” roundup, the Wall Street Journal has selected the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens as one of only five projects to be honored for its Phase One Master Plan.
“This acknowledgment is a testament to the vision, innovation, and dedication of our team, as well as the incredible support from our community,” Selby Gardens’ President and CEO Jennifer Rominiecki said in a news release.
The architectural distinction
was bestowed soon after Selby Gardens announced that in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton that it was forging ahead with its plans for resiliency and Phase II of its three-phase Master Plan for the downtown Sarasota campus. The next phase will improve its resiliency and expanding its research facilities and educational offerings.
Wrote Wall Street Journal architecture critic Michael Lewis, “When I visited earlier this year, I was struck by the airy lightness of the entrance canopy, which
was made as open as possible, with no sullen turnstile, and wondered how it would hold up in a hurricane. Now we know. Hurricane Helene, which buffeted Sarasota on Sept. 27, left the Selby unscathed, including its irreplaceable plant research center that was intended to be hurricane-resilient.”
The capital goal for Phase Two is $60.9 million, of which $40.3 million has been raised. The cumulative total of funds raised for both Phases One and Two has reached $103 million mark.
Sarasota Chamber promotes two staff
The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce has made two strategic promotions to its key staff. Kevin Golumbeck has been promoted to director of CareerEdge. He will help lead the chamber’s workforce development initiatives, and to expand CareerEdge’s impact on the local workforce through targeted training and upskilling programs.
Hayley Nau has been promoted to strategic brand manager. She will oversee and strengthen the chamber’s brand strategy, focusing on broadening its presence and community engagement.
“We are so proud to elevate these individuals for their dedication and passion around the mission of serving our member businesses and the Sarasota community as a whole,” said Sarasota Chamber President and CEO Heather Kasten in a news release.
New private club hires membership director
A new premier member-only restaurant and private club opening in late 2025 has appointed a luxury hospitality veteran as its director of membership.
Alex Elshimy will join 1000 North Sarasota and its co-founders Sarasota developer Kevin Daves and Ira Fenton as they bring the 1000 North Jupiter concept to downtown Sarasota.
Elshimy previously served as president and CEO of Global Concept Group, an internationally renowned firm specializing in luxury hospitality consulting and management. No stranger to Sarasota, his prior leadership roles include Seasons 52 at University Town Center. 1000 North Sarasota will be located in the BLVD Building at the corner of Boulevard of the Arts and U.S. 41.
Founding partners of 1000 North include former New York Giants player Tucker Frederickson, golf legend Ernie Els, basketball icon Michael Jordan, wine industry leader Bill Terlato and publisher of The Wine Spectator Marvin Shanken.
Main Street undergoes a new vision
Wider sidewalks, less parking and greater streetside activity are among the priorities as the city develops plans for a cohesive Main Street through downtown.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
Walking along Main Street from School Avenue to Gulfstream Avenue, effectively end to end through downtown, Sarasota’s main drag presents a schizophrenic array of personalities.
The east end is utilitarian. The middle portion a mix of new and future high-rise residential properties with a sprinkling of restaurants, boutiques, office buildings and a church. The west end, meanwhile, features the highest concentration of restaurants, bars and retail shops that has evolved into downtown’s center of activity.
As west end vibe continues to expand gradually eastward, how does the city plan for a future that coalesces the dozen or so disparate blocks into a single, cohesive design that not only lends a sense of place, but better accommodates the mix of mobility modes that traverse the city’s ever-redeveloping core?
Enter the Main Street Complete Street visioning concept presentation, held Dec. 17 by the city of Sarasota at the Selby Public Library. It was the next step in a multiyear process to convert Main Street into a more multimodal-friendly environment, aesthetically reflective of the Main Street’s evolving personality.
The Main Street reimagining is among the top 10 priorities identified in the city’s Sarasota In Motion plan. City staff has workshopped, surveyed and otherwise engaged the public in bringing the vision to this point, with much more work yet to be done.
“We had a survey that received over 1,500 responses, which really helped us take a look at how we would develop the concepts,” Chief Transportation Planner Alvimarie Corales told the Observer. “Not only did the survey help us create those concepts, we also had from the workshop a lot of really good information of what they wanted to see. And then we also had two open houses and attended a couple of community events that really helped us get more survey responses and also feedback on the project.”
The top five priorities from community input are outdoor spaces, more shade, more lighting, space for outdoor dining and attractive landscaping.
“A lot of these priorities overlap. If you have a wider sidewalk, you’re able to accommodate a better landscaping area and create those public spaces that people would like to have,” Corales said. “And with every infrastructure improvement, you definitely need to include the lighting and you need to improve drainage.”
To account for the varying uses along Main Street, seven segments and corresponding scheduling priorities divide the visioning. Segment 1A, for example, between School Avenue and East Avenue will probably come last because that is the area undergoing the most change from outdated uses as well as potential changes to Sarasota County Jail.
To accommodate the wider sidewalks, some segments will eliminate parking on one side of the street or convert angled spaces to parallel parking. Consistent throughout the block-by-block facelift will be materials used for sidewalks and hardscapes, trees and other plant-
ings, lighting and other amenities.
A balance in parking reduction goes against the desires of merchants and restaurants to maintain as much parking as possible in proximity to their places of business. Parking will be reduced to accommodate other priorities, but Corales said survey results suggest parking a distance away and walking is not a deterrent.
“One of the survey questions that we asked was how long would they be willing to walk. About 60% of respondents said that they would be willing to walk more than 30 minutes,” Corales said. “In a parking study what we saw was that the garages were not even up to 70% of capacity.”
All garages throughout downtown, she added, are within 30 minutes of any destination within the central business district, and typically closer than that.
That’s not to forget the Bay Runner trolley, she added, which provides
“Transportation projects are very slow. If you go through the federal process, it can take 15 years for a project from the planning stages all the way to construction.”
Chief Transportation Planner Alvimarie Corales
free rides and multiple stops along the length of Main Street with service averaging about every 20 minutes.
NEXT STEPS
None of this will happen in the short term, though. The Main Street Complete Streets project is currently unfunded. State and federal grant
applications require a project to be at the 30% design phase before submission.
A planning consultant is on board, so once the City Commission accepts the visioning, actual design can begin to move forward with more opportunities, Corales said, for future community involvement.
Planning and design will take two years and not all at once, but in segments. And even if all went perfectly, the Main Street Complete Street won’t be complete until perhaps the end of the next decade.
Case in point: planning for the roundabout at U.S. 41 and Fruitville Road, which opened in 2020, began in 2004.
“Transportation projects are very slow,” Corales said. “If you go through the federal process, it can take 15 years for a project from the planning stages all the way to construction.”
Andrew Warfield
Sarasota Chief Transportation Planner Alvimarie Corales speaks with residents about complete street plans for 10th Street and Boulevard of the Arts.
Courtesy images
Above compares how Main Street might change after the visioning is complete for the street.
Franklin drops defamation case
Resident Kelly Franklin informed her attorney of her decision to not appeal a court ruling favoring City Commissioner Kyle Battie.
With the passing of the Dec. 16 deadline to appeal the dismissal of her defamation lawsuit, Sarasota resident Kelly Franklin has dropped her defamation case against City Commissioner Kyle Battie.
On Sept. 13, 12th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Stephen Walker dismissed with prejudice Franklin’s five-count amended complaint against Battie, stemming from a Jan. 16, 2024 City Commission meeting in which Battie presented a printout of a racially charged social media post allegedly attributed to Franklin.
Franklin countered that the post was a hoax perpetrated by an unknown party that combined portions of two different posts, and that Battie was aware it was a hoax but proceeded to present it anyway without proper due diligence.
Walker’s September ruling was consistent with his prior dispensation of the case — which occurred on June 12 — that under Florida statute, an elected board member acting in an official capacity is shielded from litigation regarding utterances during a meeting.
On the same day of Walker’s judgment on Franklin’s amended complaint, Battie’s lawyer, Brian Goodrich, served a proposal for settlement with a 30-day limit for Franklin to accept or reject. If rejected and the defendant, in this case Battie, obtains a judgment of no liability or the judgment obtained by the plaintiff is at least 25% less than the offer, then the defendant is entitled to fees.
According to Goodrich, the final judgment in Battie’s favor triggered
a potential entitlement to attorneys’ fees from the date the proposal for settlement was issued. Goodrich then filed a motion for fees with a hearing scheduled for February.
Goodrich said Franklin’s attorney, Richard Harrison, inquired whether Battie would waive entitlement to legal fees if Franklin agreed to not appeal, which he did. Later, Harrison contacted Goodrich and said Franklin was not appealing independent of Battie’s decision to pursue fees.
In an email dated Dec. 10, Franklin informed Harrison of her decision not to pursue an appeal of Walker’s ruling, in the process calling Goodrich’s legal fees action “extortionist” and characterizing her decision to drop the case as pragmatic. Goodrich countered that filing a lawsuit is a “hostile act.”
“Ms. Franklin chose to sue Commissioner Battie on a claim that was doomed from the start. She caused the city to spend money defending her baseless lawsuit,” Goodrich told the Observer.
“Ms. Franklin could have avoided a potential fee claim against her by accepting Commissioner Battie’s proposal for settlement issued in this case.
“Pursuing recovery of attorneys’ fees in this case would not be extortionist. It is provided for under Florida law.”
Although the legal fees hearing remains, the expiration of the appeal period effectively ends the nearly year-long odyssey rooted in Franklin’s public opposition to the permit for outdoor seating on the sidewalk outside Corona Cigar Co.
File photo
Sarasota City Commission-
er Kyle Battie is seeking to recoup attorney’s fees from the lawsuit
Kelly Franklin brought against him.
Hyatt project wins driveway relocation
To accommodate its planned two towers, Kolter Urban needs to move its driveway eastward off Boulevard of the Arts.
vard of the Arts as it currently exists and how it is envisioned as a complete streets concept.
Plans to redevelop the Hyatt Regency hotel property adjacent to The Quay received a critical Planning Board adjustment approval last week, allowing developer Kolter Urban to move forward with finalizing its site plans.
Although the project requires only administrative approval, an adjustment to relocate the existing primary entrance off Boulevard of the Arts and utilize a U-turn movement to access it received 4-1 approval from the Planning Board at its Dec. 11 meeting.
Representing Kolter Urban, Attorney Brenda Patten reminded Planning Board members their only consideration may be the lone adjustment request and not the site plan itself.
“I just want to remind you that this hearing is only a simple request. It is only for an adjustment to move the location of that primary access point,” Patten said.
That didn’t dissuade members from bringing up the site plan and the fact they had no detailed plan to view while determining whether Kolter’s request is necessary, nor whether the U-turn movement from westbound Boulevard of the Arts to eastbound is a better option than adding a curb cut provide for a dedicated left-turn access. Patten said that isn’t the Planning Board’s purview as well, and that the developer has extensively engaged staff in discussions about how the driveway synchronizes with Boule-
“Everything going on in the public right of way is a city issue,” Patten said. “It’s not for the applicant to decide. It’s not for the Planning Board to decide. We have no control over the landscaping or the configuration of what’s happening within the Boulevard of the Arts.”
Nor up to the Planning Board are plans for an existing alley between the proposed project and Block 9 in The Quay, where developer Property Markets Group plans to build the One Park West condo tower. Attorney Tyler Stall told the Planning Board the Hyatt redevelopment’s eastern tower, designed to overhang the public right of way alley at 15 feet above the ground, encroaches on One Park’s rights.
“Everything 15 feet and above belongs to Kolter,” Patten said. “They can build their building over that part of the easement because they own the land. It’s not subject to the easement.”
Kolter Urban is planning to replace the Hyatt and its adjacent parking structure with two towers that include a 166-room luxury hotel and 224 condominiums plus 4,700 square feet of street level retail.
The hotel, which will also have a 7,000-square-foot ballroom, some 3,000 square feet smaller than the Hyatt’s event space, will be a Hyattbranded Thompson Hotel.
Although building the towers will be in phases, both buildings will use a common motor court entrance, necessitating the relocation of the
CAT DEPOT SUPPLY
current curb cut to the east. The plan will also reduce from three to one the number of access points to the property, increasing safety by reducing conflict points between pedestrian and vehicles. A current access point to the west, shared with the neighboring Beau Ceil condominiums, will be renovated and dedicated to those residents.
Planning Board members questioned staff and developer representatives on whether the U-turn movement will bring congestion to Boulevard of the Arts, particularly as it impacts Beau Ceil and other condominium towers along Sarasota Bay.
“Approximately 100 additional trips per peak hour,” said engineer-
ing consultant Jason Collins of the combined hotel, residential and commercial uses. And as an existing hotel, “Realize that this site has significant vested trips,” he added.
The board twice heard from Collins the access scenario isn’t “ideal” but it was the best compromise to meet the needs of Kolter to exercise its right to redevelop the property. That wasn’t enough to convince Daniel Clermont, who was the lone dissenting vote for the adjustment. “Twice they said the U-turn is not ideal. Being so near to the crosswalk is not ideal. To me it seems not ideal, and in general, I’m not in love with the project because of what it does to The Quay,” Clermont said. “It seems odd to me that we would have a building as impactful as this using a U-turn.”
As for board members’ concerns about not having a site plan before them to help them through the decision process, Patten said all protocols were followed and it made no sense to draw a complete site plan before seeking the adjustment and risking a rejection — and for that reason by code is not required.
A rendering by SB Architects of the west (right) and east towers proposed to replace the Hyatt Regency hotel adjacent to The Quay.
The Hyatt Regency redevelopment site is outlined in red.
Courtesy images
A leadership legacy
Longtime USF-SM leader and Longboat resident Karen Holbrook receives recognition of her impact at the school upon retirement.
IAN
SWABY STAFF WRITER
Karen Holbrook has served in roles at numerous universities. However, she says outside of the University of Washington, the University of South Florida is the one she’s stayed with the longest.
She attributes her 14 years with the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, including her seven years as regional chancellor that will conclude with her retirement at the end of 2024, to the excellence of the people and community.
The community turned out for the Longboat Key resident’s retirement celebration on Dec. 11, at an event held at the Student Center and Atala Residence Hall opened in August, at which Holbrook received a key to the city of Bradenton.
Brett Kemker, vice provost and regional vice chancellor for academic affairs and student success at USF Sarasota-Manatee, will succeed her in an interim role.
Rhea Law, president of the University of South Florida, recalled the case Holbrook made at a board meet-
ing for creating the residence hall.
“She presented such a passionate case for why this community should have a residence facility right here on this campus, and because of that, because of her passion for that, here we are, three years later, and look what happened. We are standing in it right here,” she said.
In addition to the residence hall, which was the college’s first new structure since 2006, the college also credits Holbrook with a number of contributions, which include adding and expanding academic programs and facilitating faculty research.
“I think Dr. Holbrook has started so many really unique initiatives, especially around bringing different degree programs to our campus that meet the workforce needs in the community, such as the aviation ecosystem that is really a focus of Manatee County,” said Marrie Neumer, the campus’ associate vice president for advancement.
Neumer said Holbrook has also expanded degree programs in risk management and insurance, and “certainly” health sciences, including the commitment to providing
nurses, health care, specialists and all different majors in the area.
“We are proud to be able to continue and use those programs as a launch pad for the future,” she said. Law, speaking during the event, discussed Holbrook’s love of the community.
“I think the thing that most strikes me is her absolute love of people, her love of students, her love of faculty, her love of staff, her love of this community, the real, deep wish that this university would be such an integral part of this community, that we would fight together, that we would work together, and that we would accomplish things together. I think that’s what you’ve done,” said Law.
However, Holbrook emphasized the contributions of others.
“I just can’t say enough for being here, and leaving here is incredibly hard,” Holbrook said. “You just can’t believe it. I have loved it here. I love the people I deal with. I love the people I’ve worked with over the years. And I still want to be seeing you, be friends with you, but I want to also, more than anything, thank every one of you, for all of you and what you have done for this campus and for
this community. It would not be the same without you. It is not ever one person, but it is many people, and the many people who are here are absolutely phenomenal.”
During the event, two initiatives in honor of Holbrook were announced.
The Dr. Karen A. Holbrook Legacy of Leadership fundraising campaign will name the office of the global engagement initiative USF World, found inside the residence hall, in honor of Holbrook.
The Perlman Music Program SunCoast, which has been holding its winter residency program on the campus for the last 17 years, will dedicate its 2024-25 winter residency to Holbrook.
Holbrook previously served USF as senior vice president for global affairs and international research; senior vice president for research, innovation and global affairs; and as senior advisor to the USF president.
She has also served as president of The Ohio State University; senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at the University of Georgia; vice president for research and dean of the graduate school at the University of Florida; and associ-
ate dean for research and professor of biological structure and medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
She has served on many boards, not limited to the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Association of American Medical Colleges, as well as local boards, some of which include the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce and Bradenton Area Economic Development Corp.
Early in her career, she was an NIH MERIT Award investigator, and has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Zoology from the University of Wisconsin and a doctorate in Biological Structure from the University of Washington School of Medicine.
After an extensive career, Holbrook said she isn’t sure what’s next. She said she hopes to spend more time with her family, including her husband, Jim Holbrook, in their Longboat Key home.
“I’m going to go home and get things back in order and just spend some time with Jim and enjoy being with him, and then we’ll see what happens, because I’m hoping something will,” she said.
Photos by Ian Swaby
Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown presents Karen Holbrook with a key to the city.
USF official Greg Smogard and Randy Dunn applaud Karen Holbrook.
A TIME TO KEEP OUR PERSPECTIVE
Editor’s note: A version of this editorial has appeared annually since 2010.
In this season to be jolly, it is, by golly, sometimes hard to be jolly.
And if you’re not all that jolly, when you think of what you, your family, your friends, your business and your work colleagues have endured in this trying year, perhaps we should put it in perspective — keep our perspective on what this season is really all about. Compare, for instance, our lives today to those of Mary and Joseph in the year 4 A.D.
We all know what happened on Christmas — as St. Luke masterfully wrote in his Gospel (see box). But having some of the context that led up to that holy, remarkable day adds to its richness.
In truth, Jesus’ birth is a story for Jews and Christians alike. After all, Jesus’ parents, Mary and Joseph, were Jews. And the setting for this momentous, monumental event was in the heart of the land that God promised to Abraham and Moses: Israel.
The main characters leading up to Jesus’ birth — Mary; Joseph; Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth; and her husband, Zacharias — were anything but celebrities in their day. They were as common as Iowa farmers. And yet, in reality, Mary and Joseph were indeed connected to royalty. Biblical scholars tell us they actually were both descendants from the lineage of King David, the longtime king of Israel.
But at that time — around 4 B.C. — the Jews of Judea (central Israel) were anything but a privileged, royal class. They were living under the rule of Caesar Augustus and his vast Roman empire and under a maniac ruler, King Herod, an Arab-Jew who was a client king for Caesar Augustus.
Imagine life under Herod. The biblical historian Josephus wrote that “Herod inflicted such outrages upon the Jews as not even a beast
could have done if it possessed the power to rule over men.” So vile and monstrous, Herod became infamous for murdering his wife, three of his own sons, his father-in-law, his brother-in-law and 300 of his military leaders.
On top of this, and even though Herod allowed Jews to practice their religion without much interference, the Jews also had to contend with the Samaritans, half-Jew, halfGentile who lived between Judea and Galilee.
“The enmity between Jew and Samaritan was so intense” wrote biblical historian James Edward Talmadge, “that travelers between Judea and Galilee would make long detours rather than pass through Samaria.”
This is what Mary and Joseph faced when they received word of Caesar Augustus’ order for a census. He demanded that everyone register in his hometown. For Mary and Joseph, this meant traveling from Nazareth in Galilee in the north to Bethlehem in Judea in the south — an 80-mile, four-day journey that would have taken them right through Samaria. And let’s not forget: Mary was nine months pregnant.
In his gospel on the birth of Christ, St. Luke was sparing on the details of Mary and Joseph’s trip. The fact there are few details must mean it was mostly uneventful. But you could imagine it otherwise: Any woman in her ninth month of pregnancy is physically miserable — can’t sit for long stretches, can’t sleep, constant heartburn, hemorrhoids. So imagine Mary and Joseph traveling in a caravan, with Mary riding much of the trip on a donkey. The nights were cold.
On Dec. 23, they had two days to go before reaching Bethlehem. And at this point, they would just be passing through Samaria. Jewish travelers who dared that route were marks for bandits.
But we know God was watching over Mary and Joseph. They made it to Bethlehem, only to find out there was no room at the inn.
Bethlehem was normally a sleepy little town, but it was bustling with Jews who had returned to register for the census.
Mary and Joseph, we know, found a stable. But this wasn’t the stable we see on the Hallmark Christmas cards. The stables in those days often were dark, cold caves with “mangers” — animal-feeding troughs carved into the stone walls. The mangers in those days were not wooden cribs padded with dry, neatly arranged hay.
With nowhere else to go, Mary
Who were the 3 kings?
This originally appeared in 2023.
One of the precepts learned in journalism school is there are at least two sides to every story. Truth is, there are more. Throughout most of Christianity, Christ’s birth has followed that journalistic precept. There are two accounts of Christ’s birth — that of Gospel writers Matthew and Luke. But their versions differ. Matthew wrote of Magi arriving from the east after following a star. Luke wrote of shepherds in a field, where an angel told them what happened. Matthew wrote of the Magi giving baby Jesus gold, frankincense and myrrh. Luke said nothing about gifts. You wonder: Who were those guys anyway? In today’s 24-7 media world, you can be sure frothing-at-the-mouth media would be all over that story ad nauseum. They would not just be writing about Jesus, Mary and Joseph. You know they also would be searching madly to find and get interviews with the first outsiders to see the baby Jesus. What’s their story?
Not surprisingly, there is indeed another version to this story. And it’s a doozy.
Hidden in the bowels of the Vatican Library in Rome is a manuscript said to be written in the third or fourth century A.D. It’s called the “Revelation of the Magi” — a de-
FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, (because he was of the house and lineage of David) to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you. Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men.”
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.”
And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger.
— St. Luke, 2:1-16, King James Bible
gave birth — under the stars; amid the manure and muck; among the sheep, cows, goats and chickens; no doctors present to administer an epidural; with Joseph, her carpenter husband, assisting as best he could. Those who have witnessed birth know it’s difficult in a hospital bed. Imagine the scene in a smelly, dark, cold cave.
Yet this lowly, humble setting was the way Jesus Christ, the savior whom God sent for mankind, came into this world.
Now contrast the differences: Caesar Augustus maneuvering for worldly power and the biggest worldwide celebrity of his day; Herod, a regional celebrity, abusing his power in unspeakable ways. They were all about self-centered status, power and ego.
Mary and Joseph were the antithesis. Humble, not wealthy, ordinary in all appearances. And yet they were extraordinary.
God sent his messenger, the angel Gabriel, and stunned Mary, that she would conceive miraculously and bring forth a son who would “reign over the house of Jacob forever.” She would be his mother.
And Joseph, the quiet carpenter, he fretted over what would happen to Mary, his fiancee, if people found out she was pregnant before they were married. Gabriel gave comfort to Joseph, just as he did to Mary.
And with humility, without complaint and far below the status of celebrity, they carried out God’s will, remembering all the while Gabriel’s assurance to Mary: “For with God, nothing shall be impossible.”
This is our heritage.
If we do anything in this holiday season, we should keep our perspective — give thanks to God and bring “peace on Earth, good will toward men.”
Happy Hanukkah. Merry Christmas.
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tailed account of Christ’s birth told from the perspective of the Magi. Brent Landau, an American biblical scholar fascinated by the Magi since he was a boy, happened upon an article about the “Revelation of the Magi” while doing research for his doctorate. In 2010, Landau authored and had published the book: “Revelation of the Magi: The Lost Tale of the Wise Men’s Journey to Bethlehem.”
Landau’s work was extraordinary: the first English translation of this long-forgotten and hidden manuscript, translated from the ancient and little known Christian language of Syriac.
Landau’s translation begins the Magi’s story at the beginning — in the Garden of Eden. Landau:
“These Magi are members of an ancient mystical order and reside in a semi-mythical land called Shir, located in the extreme east of the world, at the short of the Great Ocean. The ‘Revelation of the Magi’ says these individuals are called ‘Magi’ in the language of their country because they pray in silence.”
“These mystics … are the descendants of Seth, the third son of Adam and Eve,” Landau writes. “The Magi inherited from Seth a prophecy of supreme importance for the world: a star of indescribable brightness will someday appear, heralding the birth of God in human form.
“Seth himself had learned about this prophecy from his father, Adam, since the star originally had hovered over the Tree of Life, illuminating all of Eden, before Adam’s sin caused the star to vanish.”
Landau describes how the Magi carried out rituals for thousands of years in expectation of one day seeing this bright star. And they did.
“As promised,” according to the text of the Revelation, “the star is indescribably bright, so bright that the sun becomes as faint as the daytime moon; yet because the Magi alone are worthy of guarding this prophecy, the star can be seen by no one but them.
“The Magi enter the [Cave of Treasures] and bow before the star, whose incredible light gradually
dissipates to reveal a small, luminous human! This ‘star child’ reveals to the Magi that he is the Son of God …The star-child instructs the Magi to follow it to Jerusalem so they may witness its birth and participate in the salvation God has planned for the entire world.”
According to the Revelation, the Magi weren’t the three kings — Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, presenting gold, frankincense and myrrh. According to the Revelation, there were 12 Magi: “These are kings, sons of Eastern kings, in the land of Shir.”
In line with Matthew’s reporting, the Magi found the cave where Jesus was born. The Revelation has a twist, however, that isn’t in Matthew’s Gospel: Mary expresses her fear that the Magi had come to take Jesus in exchange for the gifts they brought.
The text of the Revelation says Christ reassured her: “Peace to you, my mother and upbringer …”
Of course, we don’t have the space here for all of the details in this Revelation. They are fantastical and well worth reading.
Are they true? Traditional biblical scholars say the “Revelation of the Magi” is “an apocryphal” account — outside the mainstream. But as Landau noted, “For European Christians in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, this story had immense influence.”
As always, there is more to every story. This one can indeed enrich your views of the greatness of the birth of Christ. — MW
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MATT WALSH
Holiday spirit afloat
The banner “Joy to SRQ,” found on the Lotus yacht, summarized the concept of the Holiday Boat Parade of Lights, said Maiya and Stephen Gardner, the owners of the boat, which won first place in the category for private vessels 36 feet and over.
“We only see so much of it, being on the boat,” said Maiya Gardener. “It’s actually more of a spectacle for people looking from land, so we’re just happy to be a part of that experience and the joy, and the festive spirit.”
For 38 years, the event, held Dec. 14, has been organized by Suncoast Charities for Children.
Sienna Kohlbrecker and her husband, Kyle, who brought their friends along on their boat themed after the film “Wicked,” enjoy the parade so much they returned for a fourth year.
The boat won “most creative,” as well as first place in the 21- to 35-foot private vessel category.
“The second he was announced, we all screamed, and then my husband jumped into the water, and it was a very exciting moment,” said Sienna Kohlbrecker.
For 38 years, the event has been organized by Suncoast Charities for Children.
Suncoast Charities for Children offered a chance for residents of The Haven, a nonprofit offering services to those with disabilities, to view the parade from the VIP viewing area at Marina Jack. It also held a toy donation drive, and this year was offered a $5,000 matching grant by the Reinhart Foundation, which was met that night.
WINNING BOATS
A gingerbread man takes a plunge on the "Slip N' Slide" boat.
Turtle Beach Grill shines brightly as it approaches.
The boat "Seas the Kilt" featured an American theme.
Photos by Ian Swaby
The "Lotus" yacht arrives with a "Joy to SRQ" theme.
Photos by Ian Swaby
The crew celebrates the holidays on "Santa's Sleigh on the Bay."
"Seaduction" arrives, dwarfed in height by a Santa Claus balloon. Santa Claus makes his appearance as the parade ends.
MarineMax Aquila
THURSDAY, NOV. 19
FAMILY FEUD
11:10 a.m., 2900 block of North Osprey Avenue
Family disturbance: A man’s son arrived at his residence and began a verbal argument over the elder not answering his cell and missing a doctor’s appointment. The father told an officer his son immediately began questioning why he was not answering the phone, responding that he was not aware of its whereabouts.
After they located the phone beneath the sofa, the father said his son began to “mouth off” and, in response, he picked up a broom and began swinging it in the direction of the son.
The incident report notes the man is medically disabled and the son was standing some 15 feet away, safely out of reach of the broom. Still, the complainant said his son grabbed the broom, broke it over his leg and threw it out the window, shattering the glass along the way. He then said the younger man stomped on the coffee table, causing it to break in the middle while also breaking a framed photo on the table. Finally, he said his son “shoved” him before leaving the house.
A friend of the complainant arrived on scene and was able to get the son on the phone, who told the officer a different version of the sequence of events. He said while his father was lifting the couch in order for him to retrieve the phone, he began losing strength as the weight of the couch began pressing down on him. As he was shouting out in discomfort, the man grabbed the broom, striking him in the arm in the process.
The subject admitted to throwing the broom at the window, causing it to break.
The complainant said he does not wish to prosecute for the damage and the son agreed to not return to the residence.
WEDNESDAY,
11:40
200 block of Sixth Street
Civil disturbance: Having purchased a vehicle from a used car dealership that turned out to be a lemon, a complainant called law enforcement when he could not receive a satisfactory resolution.
The complainant said he had purchased a 2003 SUV two weeks prior following a test drive on a prescribed route that did not allow speeds to reach higher than 25 miles per hour. He also said he was not permitted by the dealer to take the vehicle to a mechanic for inspection prior to purchase. Then on the drive home, as he exceeded speeds permitted on the test drive, he immediately noted issues with the vehicle.
He told an officer he paid $4,400 for the vehicle, which now requires $5,000 in repairs to be safely operated.
The dealer, meanwhile, said he did advise the buyer to have the vehicle inspected, as he typically does to avoid such issues.
However, the wheels may still fall off of the dealer’s position because he provided the buyer with the vehicle’s title, which remains in the prior owner’s name. Ultimately, this incident is civil in nature, and both parties understood that it needs to be handled in court.
LOOKING FOR HER ‘OLD MAN’S’ NEW LOVER
12:44 p.m., 1300 block of Boulevard of the Arts
Disturbance: A woman told an officer that a second female subject has been repeatedly asking her, “Who’s been (graphic euphemism for experiencing relations) with my old man?” She advised the subject recently moved into the building in which they both reside and said the woman had previously dated a known male subject. The complainant said since the woman moved in, she has been continuously seeking her out. The complainant wanted the incident documented. The officer was unable to further pursue an investigation.
The joy of giving
Holiday House SRQ, now serving four Sarasota schools, provides a festive shopping experience allowing kids to take gifts for family and one for themselves.
IAN SWABY
STAFF WRITER
If you think your Christmas shopping list is overwhelming, it likely doesn’t compare with Jenny Infanti and Sepi Ackerman’s.
This year, the pair bought about 20,000 gifts to distribute across four Sarasota schools.
They are the founders of the nonprofit Holiday House SRQ, an organization rising in prominence in Sarasota and dedicated to providing a holiday-themed shopping experience for kids at underserved schools.
“Our goal is to eventually be in every single Title I elementary school,” said Ackerman.
A NEW HOLIDAY EXPERIENCE
The idea was born when the two chaired a long-running event known as Holiday House, held by Southside Elementary School’s parent-teacher organization.
After the event was over in 2021, their thoughts turned to other schools that might not have the same resources.
Thirteen out of Sarasota’s 24 elementary schools are Title I schools, so 40% of families or more are below the poverty line.
“The teachers at these schools have the most incredible hearts you can imagine,” Infanti said. “Most of them are just constantly spending money out of their pockets for things for their students.”
The first school they approached was Emma E. Booker Elementary, who asked whether they could offer the experience that year, although Infanti and Ackerman were skeptical there was enough time to acquire the gifts.
Nonetheless, within 24 hours, they had raised the needed funds, and describe the response to the experience as “overwhelming.”
They say the joy it brings is about more than the gifts themselves.
“It’s all about the experience, to the point where you have to have the music playing, you have to have the white bag that they can color,” Ackerman said.
Yet, it also allows kids from underresourced schools to do something they may rarely have the chance to do: to give, rather than receive.
Kids are allowed to take five gifts for other people they choose, in addition to one for themselves, before the gifts are wrapped by teachers.
“I think another part of our mission we really feel that strongly about is that there’s a real joy in the gift of giving, and there’s not always a lot of opportunities for kids to experience being the gift giver as opposed to the gift recipient,” Ackerman said.
The experience also offers lunch to teachers at the schools.
Having added one school per year, the organization now serves Alta Vista, Emma E. Booker, Wilkinson and Brentwood elementary schools. In January 2024, it attained a nonprofit status, which allows grant funding for the gift purchases.
This year, they were able to raise about $50,000 between private family foundations, including contributions from Community Foundation of Sarasota County, and the Junior League of Sarasota, which paid for the cost of adding Brentwood Elementary.
A holiday house at one school costs approximately $10,000.
There’s also a lot of work involved in the effort to bring the experience to life, including the efforts of what the pair describe as “well over 200 volunteers.”
“It is a true gift shop where you can find something for everyone,” Ackerman said.
They say nearly all volunteers have enthusiastically returned each year,
but one role the volunteers can’t fulfill is the gift shopping itself; it requires close coordination to make sure that the right balance of items is achieved.
Items occupy every category, including items for parents, toys for siblings, toys for pets and more. Infanti and Ackerman will be present at sales throughout the year, as well as shopping sporadically.
They ask others to donate monetarily, rather than to donate the toys themselves.
A WARM RESPONSE
When the first holiday house was held at Booker Elementary in 2021, Infanti and Ackerman could see the impact on the students firsthand.
“Their faces just lit up,” Infanti said. “I mean, they were so excited.”
They also realized its ability to reach children in difficult circumstances.
One boy asked for one of the tinsel trees that was decorating the house, saying he wanted to place it on his mother’s grave. A kindergartner’s older sister came through and asked if she could bring gifts for her, as she was being treated for leukemia.
Meanwhile, they say they saw people being inspired, such as an individual would make 32 large bags of food to send home with families for the holidays.
Yet the extra funds they’ve been able to raise also do more than just support the Holiday House experience.
Over the years, they have estab lished a uniform closet at two of the schools, as kids may be sent home if they do not have the correct uniform.
They’ve been able to wipe out large library fines and lunch fines at schools, which many families cannot afford to pay.
At Alta Vista Elementary last year, they helped restart the annual shoe drive, which had been discontinued, and are now pursuing a goal to provide 2,000 shoes to all four of the schools that they serve, with 1,300 acquired so far.
However, they say that what Holiday House offers in itself, is touching many people.
“When people think of Holiday House, we want them to think of
exceptional,” Ackerman said. “We are not only providing an experience for the children, but we are providing an experience for the teachers, for the administration, the volunteers. It is really a 360-degree experience for everyone that puts their hands in it.”
Photos by Ian Swaby
Jenny Infanti and Sepi Ackerman
A card from Wilkinson Elementary thanks Holiday House.
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Holiday Hustle
The weather outside was much more delightful than frightful as residents of Sarasota and beyond turned out for the 48th annual Sandy Claws Beach Run on Dec. 14.
That meant it wasn’t too hot for participants in the fun run and walk or the 5K to deck themselves in festive attire like Santa coats, elf outfits and more for the staple running event of the holiday season.
Participants also enjoyed the chance to switch things up with a sandy environment.
Trenton Johnson, 20, of Bradenton, randomly decided to sign up for the race with his girlfriend, Isabella Cumberland, and came in fourth for his age group.
“The race was pretty fun,” he said. “Running on the sand, that’s a bit different than running on the road, but it’s nice to change it up. I live in West Bradenton, so bit of a drive, but it was worth the drive.”
Finn Shkor, 12, said the fun run was “somewhat hard,” but nonetheless managed to reach first place.
“All I did was just get off to a fast pace in the start, and then kept pacing myself until I got to the end,” he said.
— IAN SWABY
Emerson Lakes,℠ the distinctive new retirement community by Erickson Senior Living,® is now accepting reservations!
Our first phase of construction is now underway. It includes the beautiful Coral Ridge Clubhouse and three residence buildings: Sandhill Point, anticipated to open in the fall of 2026, followed by Laguna Springs and Mangrove Run, opening in the first half of 2027.
Here are just a few resort-style amenities you can expect when you live at Emerson Lakes:
• Multiple dining venues
• An outdoor pool with a walk-up bar
• A state-of-the-art fitness center •
and bocce
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Joe and Lindsay Tami
Greg and Katy Corban
Photos by Ian Swaby
The 5K begins at the Sandy Claws Beach Run Dec. 14.
SPORTS
“I’ve gotten close with all of my teammates over the years. Every girl I play with, I consider to be a part of my family.”
SEE PAGE 19A
This year, two-time Olympic medalist and Riverview High alum
Emma Weyant, a senior on University of Florida’s swim team (4-1) is joined by her sister, Gracie, a freshman. On Day 2 of the Georgia Invitational on Nov. 21 in Athens, Georgia, Emma placed second in the 400 IM final to teammate Bella Sims, with a time of 4:01.01. In the 800-yard free relay, Emma helped lead the Gators to a third-best time of 6:56.53.
Gracie got in on the action on the last day of the event, placing fifth in the 200-yard breaststroke final with a time of 2:11.96. Both the men’s and women’s teams won the tournament, with scores of 1,157.5 and 1,156.5 respectively. UF will next travel to Indiana to square off with Indiana University on Jan. 3. ... University of Tampa sophomore guard and Cardinal Mooney alum Olivia Davis is continuing to contribute to the Spartans’ success this season. Through 10 games Davis is averaging 12.1 points per game while shooting 47.4% from the field and 44.6% from three. Davis matched her season-high of 16 points on Nov. 26 in Tampa’s 77-47 win over Georgian Court University of Lakewood, N.J. ... Former Michigan State wide receiver and Riverview High alum Jaron Glover announced his commitment to Mississippi State on Dec. 13 after entering the transfer portal. Glover, who redshirted his freshman year, spent three seasons at Michigan State, hauling in 30 catches for 455 yards and two touchdowns. Glover will be joining a program sorely in need of some offensive production — the Bulldogs (2-10) finished 14th out of 16 teams in the SEC in points per game with 25.8.
... On Dec. 13, Day 3 of the 2024 Speedo Winter Junior Championships-East at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, North Carolina, Sarasota Sharks swimmer Madyson Hartway finished fifth in the girls’ 100 breast stroke final with a time of 1:01.03. Hartway is committed to swim at the University of Alabama in 2025.
BOOKER GIRLS ON
RIGHT PATH
Cardinal Mooney girls have unfinished business
The girls hoops team looks to get over the hump after finishing second in the Class 3A state tournament four years in a row.
DYLAN CAMPBELL
SPORTS REPORTER
Everything Marlon Williams does has a sense of urgency.
From the way he speaks, to how he paces the gym floor, it’s clear for the Cardinal Mooney girls’ varsity basketball head coach, time is of the essence. It makes sense. In roughly three months, the FHSAA Class 3A state tournament will begin. The Cougars are familiar with the tournament — in the last four seasons, Cardinal Mooney has finished as the runner-up. This past season, the Cougars were dominant, posting a 22-7 record. They beat Tampa Catholic in the regional championship 64-40 and Seffner Christian 66-52 in the state semifinals. Things appeared to be different for the Cougars, until they ran into Miami Country Day School in the championship game, losing 75-51. This year, Williams is determined to not suffer the same fate.
“If you have any questions, ask
now,” Williams called out to his players during a practice on Dec. 5. “Because if you don’t know what you’re doing or we mess this up, you’re going to be back on the line.”
Just like the state tournament, the baseline is also something the Cardinal Mooney players have become quite familiar with. If they mess up a drill or misidentify a play call — of which there are many — they get sent to the baseline to run sprints. If Williams, who has a fanatical eye for detail, spots anything he doesn’t like, a lack of hustle or a missed layup, the players get sent to the line.
The standard in Williams’ gym is high.
“He’s obsessed,” said sophomore Madi Mignery. “He’s never satisfied, which is a great quality as a coach. He’s tough on us, but we just get to work and he loves it just as much as we do. It’s great to have a coach like him.”
Holding his players to that standard, Williams said, is what will make achieving the team’s goal of winning a state championship possible.
Leading the charge for Cardinal Mooney this year are Mignery, a 6-foot-1 forward and 6-foot-2 senior small forward Kali Barrett. Barrett, who over the summer committed to play at the University of Cincinnati, is the engine behind Cardinal Mooney’s success.
Barrett is a do-it-all dynamo, capable of spacing the floor from beyond the arc and punishing opponents with a silky midrange jump shot. Barrett’s height and physicality allow her to be a force on both ends of the floor — last season, Barrett averaged 8.8 rebounds per game, good for second behind Mignery, who averaged 10.8.
This season, Barrett has taken another leap. Through eight games, Barrett has averaged 16.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game — up from the 14.8 points and 2.5 assists she averaged as a junior.
Barrett has also grown as a leader, said Williams, both by raising the competitive level of practices with her intensity as well as directing the team on the court.
“As a senior, I’ve got to be a big leader on the team,” said Barrett. “I have a high basketball IQ, so I’m able to tell everyone where to go on the court. Madi has a high IQ as well, so when it’s both of us on the court at the same time, everyone knows how to run the plays and execute them to
the best of our ability.”
Mignery, ranked as the class of 2027’s No. 2 overall player in Florida by PrepGirlsHoops.com, has also taken another leap this season. While her rebounds per game have dipped from 10.8 to 9.5, Mignery has blossomed as a scorer, averaging 15.9 points per game and establishing herself as the second option on Cardinal Mooney’s potent offense. Versatility on the offensive end is part of this team’s DNA and tantamount to the Cougars’ success this season, said Williams.
At 5-foot-7, senior guard Sy’monique Simon remains a steady scoring presence, averaging just over 11 points per game in 2024. Stepping into larger roles, however, are senior guard Riley Martin and junior shooting guard Talia Busser.
If Barrett and Mignery are Cardinal Mooney’s thunder, banging in the paint, contesting shots and cleaning up on the glass, then Martin and Busser are the lighting, striking down from beyond the arc.
The 5-foot-9 Martin, who transferred in from Venice High prior to the season, is shooting 38% from three-point attempts this year. Nearly half of her 53 attempted field goals have come from the threepoint line. Busser, who missed the entire state tournament with a broken foot, is averaging 10.4 points a game and is shooting 43% from beyond the arc. Busser displayed her shooting prowess when she exploded for a season high 22 points, hitting six of nine three-point attempts in Cardinal Mooney’s Dec. 3 76-56 win over Fort Myers Evangelical Christian School.
“My philosophy is that we all are guards,” said Williams. “So when we bring it down the court, everybody needs to know where everyone is going to be. That gives us the advantage because it’s difficult to have someone who’s a power forward or center try and guard some of our girls on the perimeter.”
For Williams, however, everything the Cougars do offensively boils down to what they do on the defensive end. Cardinal Mooney must defend with tenacity, said Williams, communicating with one another and rebounding the basketball to create open looks in transition.
If they can do that and play as a unit, then they have a shot at finally being crowned the Class 3A state champions.
TOURNAMENT TIME
Cardinal Mooney (6-4) will travel north to Pasco County to play in the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational from Dec. 27-30. Here’s what we know about the matchups.
n What: Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational Session 2, ENG Sports Championship n Mooney will be part of an eight-team bracket.
n Where: Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus Location 3
n Opponent: Mooney will play Georgia’s Milton High (5-0) in the opening round n When: Dec. 27, 12:45 p.m.
— Liza Collier, sophomore, Sarasota High indoor volleyball.
Courtesy image
Former Riverview High wide receiver Jaron Glover, a sophomore at Michigan State University, had six catches for 84 yards and a touchdown against the University of Maryland on Sept. 7.
Cardinal Mooney High girls’ varsity basketball head coach Marlon Williams instructs his team during practice on Dec. 5.
Photos by Dylan Campbell
Cardinal Mooney High junior guard Talia Busser has been one of the team’s top threats from beyond the arc this season.
Cardinal Mooney High senior Kali Barrett goes up for a layup during practice on Dec. 5. Barrett is committed to play at the University of Cincinnati in 2025.
Booker High girls basketball charts its own course
The Tornadoes are off to a strong start in 2024.
When Booker High underwent a major three-year renovation period starting in 2010, all but three buildings were razed — the theater, the administrative offices and the gymnasium.
Those three were spared because they were the high school’s newest buildings, but I like to think, for the gym at least, it was left untouched because of the history it holds.
Stepping into Booker’s gym feels like walking through a time portal into the 1960s. Dark-stained bleachers stack high into the ceiling, framing the massive basketball court. Tucked away above and behind the senior bleachers hides a loft where the school holds its weightlifting competitions. Purple banners, dating back to the high school’s first graduating class in 1935, hang from the rafters.
Booker girls’ varsity basketball head coach Ty Bryant and his team are here early on a Saturday morning, Chris Stapleton’s rendition of “Tennessee Whiskey” trickling through the loudspeakers, trying to make some history of their own.
Since Bryant took over the program in 2020, the Tornadoes have made it to the final four of the 4A FHSAA state championship tournament twice, falling to eventual champions Orlando Lake Highland Prep in 2022 and 2023. Since the Florida Interscholastic Athletic Association Integrated into the FHSAA in 1968, the Booker girls basketball program has yet to make it to a state championship game.
Bryant would like that to change. But first, his team has to hit the gym. The players that come jogging out onto the court after an hour or so of weightlifting and plyometrics differ from those who took Bryant to the regional final last season, where they lost to St. Pete Lake-
wood High 62-53.
Jakai Paterson, who led the team in scoring last season, averaging 15.1 points per game, graduated in 2024. So did forward Cheyla Zastrow, who averaged 8.2 points and 4.9 rebounds.
The Tornadoes, 5-1 as of Dec. 14, are lacking in height, said Bryant. Their tallest active player, senior Charity McKnight, stands at about 6-foot-1. The next tallest is probably fellow senior Janiel Williams, who is about 5-foot-10.
Bryant holds out hope that McKnight, who has missed the last three years with various knee injuries, can make an impact in the paint. Even still, he isn’t deterred. His brand of basketball doesn’t depend on height — it’s reliant on effort.
“Our patent here at Booker has been pressure defense for all 94 feet,” said Bryant. “We try to make you uncomfortable. We don’t allow you to get into your sets, we keep you out of the middle of the floor and we take away your first read.”
It’s a strategy, Bryant said, that has gotten him through the middle school and AAU coaching ranks. Instantaneous, full-court pressure from the moment the whistle blows can make a great opponent worse and a mediocre offense unravel.
If Booker can knock its opponents off balance, like throwing a first punch in a street fight, then the
team’s athleticism and defensive tenacity can overcome some of its, well, literal shortcomings.
So far, the Tornadoes have done just that, holding opponents to an average of 43.1 points per game.
Guards Brianna Behn, Jsiyah Taylor and Yvette Brown have been terrors on the perimeter, all averaging over three steals a game.
Tough, physical plays like these — as well as properly boxing out the opposing offense while they shoot free throws — allow the Tornadoes to play as fast and dangerous as their namesake, creating easy looks in transition.
This style of defense, however, can be demanding, admits Bryant.
Unwrap the Magic
This holiday season, share the joy of community at Lakewood Ranch, America’s favorite place to call
Farmers’ Market Every Sunday I Ranch Nite Wednesdays I Sights + Sounds 12/19
Breakfast with Santa at Remy’s on Main 12/21
Christmas on Main 12/21 I Lunch with Santa at Deep Lagoon 12/22 I Chanukah on Main 12/26
New Year’s Eve Party 12/31
careers and, obviously, there was enough of a relationship there that when they decided they needed to make a change, they came to play for me,” said Bryant. “As a coach, I don’t take that for granted. People might look at it differently, but I feel like these girls came back to someone that they trusted.”
For Behn, the transfer to Booker was less of a move than it was a homecoming. Behn went to Booker Middle School before attending Cardinal Mooney. So far, the reunion has been a joyous one. Under Bryant, Behn has blossomed into the player he always believed that she could be. At Cardinal Mooney, where Behn went to three consecutive 3A state title games, Behn was a facilitator, averaging 7.9 points, 3.4 assists and 3.4 rebounds during her junior season. At Booker, the 5-foot-9 guard has been unlocked as a scoring threat. Through six games, Behn has averaged 14 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per contest. Learning to attack, however, was an adjustment. In her first three games, Behn scored just 5, 11 and 8 points.
Junior guard Kennedy Guy, who transferred in from Riverview this off-season, has had to adjust after playing zone defense for her entire high school career prior to coming to Booker.
While Guy, who is averaging 8.3 points a game, is adapting to Bryant’s coaching at the high school level, she is not new to Bryant herself. Neither is Behn, who transferred from Cardinal Mooney prior to her senior year.
Bryant has known both since the fourth or fifth grade, he said, when they played for his AAU program, Kings and Queens Basketball.
“I was lucky enough to have both of them play for me earlier in their
“Three games into the season, I was on her case, telling her to go score,” said Bryant. “She was forced to facilitate and no one had seen her skill, but she can do it all, from passing to scoring to defense.”
It’s the performance of players like Behn and Brown, who leads the team in scoring with 17.0 points per game, that makes Bryant optimistic about the season.
Perhaps this is the year the Tornadoes can finally make some history of their own.
Photos by Dylan Campbell
Booker High senior guard Jsiyah Taylor drives to the basket during practice on Dec. 7.
Dylan Campbell is the sports reporter for the Sarasota/ Siesta Key Observer Contact him at DCampbell@ Y ourObserver.com.
Booker High girls varsity basketball head coach Ty Bryant keeps his team motivated during a workout before practice on Dec. 7.
Liza Collier
Liza Collier is a sophomore outside hitter for the Sarasota High varsity indoor volleyball team. This season, Collier emerged as the Sailors’ top offensive weapon, leading the team in kills, kills per set and kill percentage.
When did you start playing volleyball and why?
I started playing volleyball in fifth grade when I was 10. I’ve always been an athlete, I’ve tried a bunch of different sports like gymnastics and tennis, but none of them ever stuck. I just kept moving from one sport to another. Eventually, my parents signed me up for a volleyball class at EVO, and it’s been my favorite sport ever since.
What’s the appeal?
I like that you’re never alone on the court. You can always communicate with your coaches and your teammates and they’ll understand you and help you.
What’s your best skill on the court?
I’d say hitting, but not just hitting to hit the ball, actually thinking about where I’m going to hit it. I’m one of the shorter hitters, so I have to put some thought into where I’m going to place it.
What are you working on to improve?
Being consistent with my workouts. In volleyball, it’s not just about working on your skills, you have to be improving your strength and stamina as well. I’ve been working a lot on improving my vertical, because jumping height is important in volleyball. For my club team, we have a one-hour workout in the gym before every practice. We work a lot on explosiveness and reactivity — we do box jumps and quick footwork drills on the ladder. Sometimes we’ll lie down on the floor and have to jump up and race the person next to us.
What’s your favorite volleyball memory?
There are so many great memories that I’ve had, it’s hard to choose.
If you would like to make a recommendation for the Sarasota Observer’s Athlete of the Week feature, send it to Dylan Campbell at DCampbell@ YourObserver.com.
I’ve really enjoyed just being able to bond with my teammates more than any match we’ve won or tournament we’ve played in. I’ve gotten close with all of my teammates over the years. Every girl I play with, I consider to be a part of my family.
What went right for your team this season?
I’d say our serve-receive was strong. We all passed well. We had a bunch of good defensive specialists and good liberos. Anyone that played in the back row could pass well. Not to mention that as a team, we’re super close. Everyone loves each other and wants the best for each other.
What’s your favorite food?
Peanut butter sandwiches. Everyone says that I’m weird for not using jelly, but I think it’s better that way. I have one every day for lunch.
What are your hobbies?
I try to hang out with my friends, especially those that don’t play volleyball, as much as possible. I don’t have time for much else. My club team (GSI Institute) is in Venice, so when I have practice after school, I’m there from about 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., and then it’s time for bed. I’ll do anything beach related with my friends, but even then I usually end up bringing a volleyball to play with.
Charcuterie Display with Pastry Wrapped Brie, Imported cured Meats and Cheeses, Spreads, Olives, Nuts, Vegetables, Toasts and Crackers Carved Station with Beef Tenderloin, Double Stuffed Potatoes, Grilled Lemony Asparagus with Pine Nuts, Rolls, Horseradish, Marrow Demi Crispy Macaroni and Cheese bites, Roast Duck Breast canapes, Firecracker Shrimp
A Sweet table display with Mini-Desserts, Chocolates and Cheeses
Stoneybrook Golf and Country Club Sarasota
Reservation: 941-918-9595
OF THE WEEK
Complete Weddings and Events of SW Florida
Sarasota students write letters to Santa
Hi! my name is Nicholas. I am 6 years old. I have been a good boy this year. I want a (Dry Bowser battle) and all of the Transformers.
NICHOLAS GOULD A KINDERGARTNER AT FRUITVILLE ELEMENTARY
Dear Santa,
Hi! My name is Abigail I am 6 yers old. I have been a good girl this yer. I whant a fake pupy and a phon.
ABIGAIL PETERS A KINDERGARTNER AT FRUITVILLE ELEMENTARY
Students at Fruitville Elementary School, Tuttle Elementary School and Suncoast School for Innovative Studies shared what they hope to receive this Christmas.
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
Christmas is fast approaching, and Sarasota kids have some thoughts about what gifts they hope to receive this year.
From widely sought-after Jordan shoes, to well wishes for others, students in Sarasota’s elementary schools had many requests.
Teachers from Fruitville Elementary School, Tuttle Elementary School and Suncoast School for Innovative Studies helped out as The Observer’s elves to send us a sampling of students’ letters to Santa Claus.
Dear Santa,
Hi! My name is oliviA. I am 6 yers old. I have been a good gir this yer. I want I what you to help my Mommy because (she works so hard).
OLIVIA SERNA A KINDERGARTNER AT FRUITVILLE ELEMENTARY
DYLANIS CRUZ-CARBONELL A FIRST GRADER AT TUTTLE ELEMENTARY
Dear Santa, I have been nice this year. How are the Elfs doing? I want a PS4. A hovr board. A girlfriend. A math book.
DYLAN SILVA A FIRST GRADER AT TUTTLE ELEMENTARY
Dear Santa, I hope you were busy today. I have been nice and help mom do dishes. I try my best at school. What I want for christmas is a christmas Hello Kitty.
Dear Santa,
SANTA LETTERS, PAGE 2B
Dear Santa, hope you are haveing a grate christmas! I have been good this year. For christmas this year I want a lego toy car. merry christmas Santa!
JOSEPH SIERRA-
A
Dear Santa, merry Christmas to you! how are your randers doing. I have been nice. I want for christmas a book and a cat and a Helloy Kitey.
NEVAEH ANDERSON A FIRST GRADER AT TUTTLE ELEMENTARY
Dear Santa, I have been good this year. May I have WWe toys and I want a WWe Ring.
JALEN CHRAPOWICKI A THIRD GRADER AT SUNCOAST SCHOOL FOR INNOVATIVE STUDIES
Dear Santa, I always wanted to see u and for Christmas i want to help the homeless and that is what i want.
SHAMARI BRYANT A THIRD GRADER AT SUNCOAST SCHOOL FOR INNOVATIVE STUDIES
Dear Santa, I have been good This year. may I have a football.
DEAN PERRY A THIRD GRADER AT SUNCOAST SCHOOL FOR INNOVATIVE STUDIES
Dear Santa, I have been good this year May I have a new Phone and can i get a PC and Jorden and Nike shoes and a soccer ball and a VR head set.
ISAAC ZAPATA A THIRD GRADER AT SUNCOAST SCHOOL FOR INNOVATIVE STUDIES
A holiday hub
Director of Park Guest Experience Diana Shaheen noted the large number of attendees from all backgrounds during the Holidays at The Bay Community Celebration.
“This is a fantastic event. We bring the community together to celebrate the holidays, and you can tell. Every walk of life is here,” she said, noting the event fit the park’s goal of being “one park for all.”
Attendees could take a free photo with Santa Claus, join a holiday craft project and enjoy dancing sessions with the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation, including a session of dancing followed by a book reading with children’s entertainer and educator Mr. Stevey.
The Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation has been working with Mr. Stevey to offer Mr. Stevey & Friends, a free community program geared toward preschool and elementary school-aged children.
It offers the program twice a month at local libraries.
“(Holidays at The Bay) was great because it’s so many families that maybe are learning about the program for the first time,” said the foundation’s Kelli Maldonado.
IAN SWABY
Kira Kirilina, 10, her sister, Mia Kirilina, 5, and brother, Robert Kirilina, 8, meet Santa Claus.
Parker Holmes, 2, prepares to throw a football to his father, Dann Holmes.
Photos by Ian Swaby
David Neamtu, 11, throws rings to Mariuca Surdu, 6.
5BD/6BA
585
2BD/2BA
WILD FLORIDA
SPECIAL GRAND PRIZE
Exclusive Dinner, Wine for Four at the famous Maison Blanche
PRE-TOURNAMENT RECEPTION & CEREMONY
Hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer, soft drinks
Thursday, Jan. 16 | 5 to 7 p.m. at The Resort at Longboat Key Spike ‘n’ Tees, Islandside TOURNAMENT
Friday, Jan. 17 through Sunday, Jan. 19
Longboat Key Public Tennis Center
NEW FORMAT! OPEN TO ALL
Four Players per Team at Comparable Levels (2 women, 2 men)
Two doubles pro sets (men vs. men; women vs. women)
Two mixed doubles matches; tie breaker if necessary
$60 ENTRY FEE PER PLAYER
Includes reception, trophies, balls, refreshments
Pre-tournament reception: $40/person for non-players
Habitat Restoration zone returns to Myakka
MIRI HARDY CONTRIBUTOR
Habitat restoration is the process of repairing an ecosystem to its original or near-original state by reestablishing the ecological functions and biodiversity of a degraded natural community. It is necessary in areas degraded or destroyed by human activities like deforestation, overgrazing, mining, clearing land for agriculture and damming rivers. As part of efforts to restore the natural flow of the wild and scenic Myakka River, to the benefit of Myakka’s ecosystems and our community, an exciting habitat restoration project is currently underway at the Upper Myakka Lake. This project commenced in 2022, when a weir built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, which negatively impacted the ecosystem, was removed. A bypass channel created in 1974 was filled in when the weir was removed, to restore a floodplain marsh that previously existed in the area.
Habitat restoration of highly impacted areas to their former health, functionality and diversity takes time. As a floodplain marsh, the newly re-created habitat is seasonally flooded. Indeed, this year, as a result of three powerful storms, this area was completely submerged for months. Native wildlife and plants that live in or along the river depend on such seasonal flooding to survive and thrive. But such hydro periods do create additional challenges for effectively restoring vegetation to this highly impacted area.
While a habitat is recovering, human behavior can be unintentionally detrimental in multiple ways. First, approaching park visitors scare wildlife away, which excludes them, and their role in this ecosystem, from the habitat being restored. And continuous human
trampling is the main suppressor of natural revegetation, which is critical for rebuilding the habitat and controlling erosion. To aid in these important restoration efforts, Friends of Myakka River volunteers, in coordination with park management, recently reinstalled temporary fencing around this sensitive zone.
Encouragingly, thanks to reduced foot traffic in the zone, revegetation in impacted areas is slowly reemerging. As evidenced by the dazzling array of native species taking full advantage of their habitat, Myakka’s wildlife is much quicker to respond to the protection offered by the restoration zone. Their increased presence benefits the habitat’s stability and resilience, while delighting park visitors.
Friends of Myakka River exists to support Myakka River State Park and the Wild and Scenic Myakka River. Together, we’re protecting and sharing Myakka’s Magic, to the benefit of future generations, and our own. Follow us @FriendsOfMyakkaRiver
Caregivers Forum 2025
Saturday, February 8, 2025
8:15 am – 2 pm
Co-chaired by Paula Falk and Pam Polowski
Mark your calendars for a transformative Caregivers Forum featuring two leading physician keynote speakers, two expert break-out sessions, a local resource panel discussion, delicious catered lunch, with premier senior service provider informational booths. This highly anticipated annual event o ers practical strategies and resources to sustain your caregiver journey. This day is designed to connect, educate and support family caregivers.
includes reserved VIP seating,
Dr. Derrick DeSilva
Dr. Miguel Rivera
Miri Hardy
Myakka’s wildlife respond favorably to the habitat restoration zone, which prevents human disturbances and improves their habitats.
Neighborhoods light up
When Brady Johnson and his wife, Beata, ride the Holiday Tour of Lights with friends on the SRQ Trolley, they have some knowledge of their own to offer.
As they pass through the Three Oaks neighborhood, they will point out the home of Brady’s parents Bill and Connie Johnson, who brought Bill’s numerous decorations with them from Boston three years ago.
“The second year is when the trolley started coming through, and once he found out, I think he kicked it in even higher, because he was like, ‘Oh, cool, we’re on the trolley route,’” Brady Johnson said.
He says each year, his father will add a couple of elements, also purchasing new lights to fit the growth of the palm trees.
Bill Johnson joins the many Sarasota residents passionate about decorating. While the displays in Three Oaks continue to grow, two neighborhoods are most widely known for their displays.
Those are Cedar Hollow, located west of Honore Avenue just south of the intersection with Fruitville Road, and Colonial Oaks, located east of Honore Avenue north of the intersection with Bee Ridge Road. Meanwhile, you can find some impressive standalone displays, like 2834 Browning St., which has a wide array of decorations, including many animated characters. — IAN SWABY
Inflatables decorate the yard of 5635 Eastwind Drive in Colonial Oaks.
A display is found at the end of the archway at 3643 Lakewood Drive in Three Oaks.
Numerous decorations and animated figures can be found at 2834 Browning St.
An archway adorns 3643 Lakewood Drive in Colonial Oaks.
5142 Bunyan St. in Cedar Hollow
Photos by Ian Swaby
Bill and Connie Johnson’s home at 5568 Eastwind Drive in Three Oaks
A home in Cherokee Park sells for
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Ahome in Cherokee Park topped all transactions in this week’s real estate. P. Compton Cramer Jr., of Tampa, and Ann Cramer, of Sarasota, sold their home at 3000 Southwest Drive to Erin Christy, trustee of Sarasota, for $9.4 million. Built in 2003, it has five bedrooms, fiveand-two-half baths, a pool and 8,125 square feet of living area.
SARASOTA SARASOTA-VENICE CO.
Wendy Senoglu and David Meyer, trustees, of Sarasota, sold two properties at 3736 Meridale Road to Jesse Medlock, trustee, of Sarasota, for $4,225,000. The first property was built in 1996, it has seven bedrooms, nine baths, a pool and 13,919 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 1996, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 3,832 square feet of living area.
LEWIS COMBS
Lance and Marina McGrath, of Sarasota, sold their home at 1639 S. Orange Ave. to Susan and Joseph Rauh, of Sarasota, for $3,725,000. Built in 2017, it has five bedrooms, six-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,442 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.26 million in 2017.
VUE
Stephanie Lee Shaw sold the Unit 509 condominium at 1155 N. Gulfstream Ave. to Jerome Patrick Parnell III, of Sarasota, for $2,222,500. Built in 2017, it has two bedrooms, three baths and 2,240 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,011,100 in 2017.
Jonathan Alan Berman, of Sarasota, sold his Unit 1507 condominium at 1155 N. Gulfstream Ave. to James and Virginia Ashton, of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, for $2.2 million. Built in 2017, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,580 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,223,000 in 2017.
SARABANDE
Greta Silver and Abby Silver Lasky, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 121 condominium at 340 S. Palm Ave. to Scousehouse LLC for $1,599,000. Built in 1998, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,836 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,365,000 in 2016.
OWEN BURNS
Keith Taylor Geren, of Sarasota, sold his home at 517 Madison Court to Ann Marie McCrossan and Edward Nicewick, III, of Lake Bluff, Illinois, for $1,175,000. Built in 1924, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,487 square feet of living area. It sold for $500,000 in 2019.
Ian Swaby
Other top sales by area
SARASOTA:
$8.1 MILLION
Aqua Brian and Loren Donovan sold their Unit PH-2 condominium at 280 Golden Gate Point to Stuart Alden Cook and Dana Varmuza, of Sarasota, for $8.1 million. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, three-anda-half baths and 4,101 square feet of living area. It sold for $6,495,000 in 2022.
SIESTA KEY:
$1.87 MILLION
Roberts Point
Bridget Smith, trustee, of Highland, Maryland, sold the home at 3928 Roberts Point Road to Peter and Lianne Hoogers, of Ontario, Canada, for $1.87 million. Built in 1951, it has three bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 1,839 square feet of living area.
PALMER RANCH: $755,000
Esplanade on Palmer Ranch Douglas and Marita Werner sold their home at 5377 Popoli Way to Jay Edward Belodoff and Brooke Fielding Belodoff, of Sarasota, for $755,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,918 square feet of living area. It sold for $444,000 in 2020.
OSPREY: $9.35 MILLION
Palmers Casey Key Properties Inc. sold the home at 1544 N. Casey Key Road to Anthony Badala, trustee, of Osprey, for $9.35 million. Built in 1992, it has four bedrooms, five-and-ahalf baths, a pool and 6,997 square feet of living area.
Thomas Casmer and Mary Grandpre, of Sarasota, sold two properties at 883 Virginia Drive to John Olenski and Laura Campbell, of Sarasota, for $1,053,500. The first property was built in 1956 and has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,239 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 2009 and has one bedroom and 416 square feet of living area.
See more transactions at YourObserver.com
The home at 3000 Southwest Drive was built in 2003 and has five bedrooms, five-andtwo-half baths, a pool and 8,125 square feet of living area.
Source: Sarasota County, city of Sarasota
BAY HAVEN
Dr. Kansara
at Coastal Eye Institute, is a leading expert in the field of ophthalmology, specializing in:
• Glaucoma Management & Surgery
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His patient-centric approach ensures personalized treatment plans that cater to your unique eye
Whether you’re seeking preventative care or battling an eye condition, Dr. Kansara’s expertise and compassionate care can guide you towards improved vision and a healthier lifestyle. He is dedicated to staying at the forefront of ophthalmic advancements, offering the latest treatments and technologies to deliver the best possible outcomes for his patients.
Don’t miss this opportunity to receive compassionate and personalized eye care.
Kansara
YOUR CALENDAR
FRIDAY, DEC. 20
SHABBAT HANUKKAH DINNER
5:45 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El, 151 McIntosh Road. $36; children age 4-12 $10; children under 4 admitted free. This intergenerational dinner features traditional Shabbat and Hanukkah foods, a menorah lighting, and a lively atmosphere. Visit SarasotaTemple.org.
HOLIDAY CRAFT 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library, 2801 Newtown Blvd. Free. Get in the spirit of the season by making your own holiday tree, using fabrics and incorporating creative additions. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket. com.
SATURDAY, DEC. 21
DIDGERIDOO DOWN UNDER
1-2 p.m. at Fruitville Library, 100 Apex Road. Free. Ages 13-18. In this “epic adventure to the Land Down Under,” you will hear the sound of the didgeridoo, an Aboriginal wind instrument. The experience will explore the Great Barrier Reef and the outback, and creatures including kangaroos and koalas, while incorporating Australian music and culture, comedy, character building, storytelling and audience participation. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.
ZUMBA AT THE BAY WITH YAËL CAMPBELL
10:30-11:30 a.m. at The Nest, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Join instructor Yaël Campbell for Zumba and her group of “Zumba Rockstars” as you move, dance, sing and meet new friends. Visit TheBaySarasota. org.
SUNDAY, DEC. 22
BRUNCH AT THE BAY FEATURING LIVE MUSIC BY JULIA BROWN
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at The Nest, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Enjoy brunch items at The Nest Café including waffles, muffins, bloody Mary’s, mimosas and more while listening to live covers spanning the genres of rock, blues, soul and funk, by Julia Brown. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
BEST BET
FRIDAY, DEC. 20
BREAKFAST WITH THE GRINCH
7:30-9:30 a.m. at Arlington Park & Aquatic Complex, 2650 Waldemere St. $10 per plate. Enjoy a festive breakfast with the Grinch and including offerings of pancakes, sausage, fresh fruit, apple juice and coffee. Create a Grinchinspired ornament, play games, watch a holiday movie and have your photo taken with the Grinch. Open to all ages. Call 941-263-6732 for reservations. Visit SarasotaFL.gov.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 25
PINECRAFT CHRISTMAS DAY PARADE Dec. 25, Pinecraft, 3713 Bahia Vista St. Free. This event repeatedly draws over 1,000 spectators as it makes its way through Pinecraft, Sarasota’s predominantly Amish and Mennonite community. The experience includes farm vehicles, festive costumes and more.
THURSDAY, DEC. 26
KWANZAA UMOJA — UNITY CANDLELIGHT EVENT
5-7:30 p.m. at Jetson Grimes Newtown Historical Gallery, 2741 N. Osprey Ave. Free. In celebration of Kwanzaa, the Friends of the Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Public Library will hold a series of candlelight events from Dec. 6 to Jan. 1, in various locations, with each one highlighting one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa. This event launches the series and focuses on cultural unity. Visit BettyJJohnsonFriends.org.
File photo
Emily Hahn, 6, meets the Grinch (Mark Cote), while in Siesta Key Village.
NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH
BRANCH MANAGERS by Kruno Matic and Jeff Chen, edited by Jeff Chen By Luis Campos
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