The ice cream man was a huge hit at the Cascades Spring Carnival on April 5, hosted by the Women’s Club at Cascades Sarasota.
Residents of the community played tennis, pickleball, bocce ball and cornhole. All proceeds from the carnival will be donated to Girls Inc.
“Girls Inc. is a wonderful organization committed to serving girls at all stages of development with after school and summer programs,” said WCCS President Susan Braunstein (pictured above with Cascades’ Sports Director Jon Bloom and carnival Chair Jan Santoro).
“I think it just integrates very well with that, especially as we get older,” Doehr said. “I’m in my 40s, so it helps me stay a little bit competitive.” Richardson said they all have kids, so being able to play on demand is important.
Courtesy image
Madison Bierl
East Manatee honors top firefighters
Lt. Robert Day and Engineer Dominick Reale presented with the top awards.
JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR
Two East Manatee Fire Rescue firefighters talked about their love of their job, and how the thing that makes it so worthwhile is that they work every day with their department family.
So Lt. Robert Day and Engineer Dominick Reale were proud of the awards they earned March 18 because they were selected by those same firefighting family members.
Day received the Officer of the Year award, while Reale was named Firefighter of the Year. The nominations for the annual awards come from their peers.
The awards were an interesting representation of what those peers value.
Neither earned their awards primarily for their work in the field. Day earned the respect of his peers for his comeback from a serious boating accident in which he suffered a catastrophic injury to his femur and was out of work a year. His perseverance through that year of uncertainly — doctors originally told him he might never walk again — eventually led to a return to duty.
Reale put together a Trunk or Treat event last Oct. 27 at Station 1 in Lakewood Ranch after the area had been hit with a series of hurricanes. He thought the community needed a fun event to come together. His selfless work in organizing the event was much appreciated by his coworkers, as well as the community.
“I was very surprised (at earning the award),” said Day, who has been a firefighter for 19 years. “But when I saw my wife (Amber Day) and my sister (Cyndi Weitzel) walk in, I thought I was getting an accommodation or something.”
He soon discovered he would be presented with one of the district’s most prestigious awards.
“It was humbling, a nice surprise,” he said.
Day has spent seven years overseeing Station 3 on Rye Road.
“I like the fact it is a more community-based station,” Day said. “There is less commercial here, so we’re dealing mostly with the residents. It feels like home. As a lieutenant, I run my station, my engine company, my crew. I love the job itself.”
Day is a U.S. Army veteran who made a decision with his wife, Amber, not to reenlist after his initial four-year term to live a civilian life. But in doing so, he wanted something similar to his military life. He became a firefighter.
“I like the structure, the guys, the team atmosphere,” he said. “When they say it is the greatest job ... it really is.” His boating accident on May 4, 2023 threatened to end that job. But he went to work.
“My comeback, (his peers) were familiar with it. I set up a gym in my garage. My wife and I are a good team. We’ve been married 30 years, but I think the accident made us closer.”
Amber and Robert have three boys — Ryan (29), Jacob (24) and Brandon (19).
Reale, like Day, was surprised he was presented with his award.
“It was a nice gesture,” he said.
Although Reale, who is 27, doesn’t come from generations of firefighters, he remembered seeing the “big, red trucks” and how excited he was to see them.
He later entered the “Explorer” program, which he said was “like being a junior firefighter.”
In 2024, he was promoted to engineer.
He said an engineer typically drives the truck, but also is the pump operator. But he said a good engineer has to have situational awareness and must be a buffer between the officer and the firefighters.
“You have to know what the officer is thinking,” he said.
He has worked for East Manatee Fire Rescue for six years and was a private ambulance worker before that since 2015.
“I like that (as a firefighter) you never see the same thing twice,” he said. “I didn’t want to walk into a cubicle every day.
“I also like the camaraderie we have here. People have your back.”
EAST MANATEE FIRE RESCUE’S 2024 AWARDS
East Manatee Fire Rescue announced its annual award winners March 18 at the Fire Commission meeting:
Promoted: Chris Galbraith to battalion chief (assigned to oversee Battalion 7 on C-Shift) Service awards: Five years — Engineer Jesse Reasoner, Engineer Jordan Rogers, Engineer Bret Kanapaux, Engineer Garrett Arth, Firefighter Michael Kish, Firefighter Michael Hauck, Firefighter Larry Haymore, Firefighter Kyle Lamson, Firefighter Ryan Berggren, Firefighter Sean Martin and Firefighter Brandon Tinyes. 10 years — Firefighter James Bacigalupi, Firefighter Richard Johnson, Firefighter Ray Sullivan, and Lieutenant Joe Koehler. 15 years — Firefighter Jesse Salain, Capt. Josh Dillard, Lt. Tyler Forche, Lt. Michael Hamilton, Lt. Derek LaPlante, Battalion Chief Craig Madsen and Lt. Nate Smith. 20 years — Engineer Jefferson Bagley, Engineer Daniel Lane, and Lt. Eric Hoying. 25 years — Lt. Chad Gamble, Firefighter Jason Morrow and Battalion Chief Charles Reid. 30 years — Inspector CeCe Hartsfield. Certificates of Appreciation: Lt. Derek LaPlante, Lt. Dillon Garback, Lt. Timothy Bedell, Firefighter Matthew Lawson, Capt. Steven Baker and Firefighter Deric Saxman Chief’s Unit Citation: Battalion Chief Craig Madsen, Capt. Steve Baker, Engineer Bret Kanapaux, Engineer Ben Stasurak, Firefighter Maciej Borawski, and Firefighter Chad Strauser. These firefighters, through quick decision making and heroic actions, saved a stranded individual from rising flood waters during Tropical Storm Debby. Special Operations Award: Lt. Eric Hoying received the Special Operations Award for attending all training events in 2024, completing all five operational level qualifications and completing the operations level hazardous material training. Rookie of the Year: Firefighter Diana Zacher. Firefighter of the Year: Engineer Dominick Reale Officer of the Year: Lieutenant Robert Day
Jay Heater
Lt. Robert Day was presented with the Officer of the Year award, while Engineer Dominick Reale was honored as Firefighter of the Year.
Electric bikes charge up aggravated residents
Residents in neighborhoods along White Eagle Boulevard are fed up with teen electric bike riders.
LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER
Tensions have been rising between Lakewood Ranch homeowners and teenagers accused of running amok on electric bikes.
“Residents are so frustrated. I am actually scared a resident is going to take this into their own hands,” said Eddie Gonzalez, a former police officer and current president of Arbor Grande’s Homeowners Association.
Residents have complained to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office that teens are trespassing in gated neighborhoods, damaging property, taunting residents and driving recklessly.
“We’ve been under this sort of harassment for a couple years from these kids,” Eagle Trace’s Deborah George said.
On March 23, a group of about 25 teens met and started riding through neighborhoods up and down White Eagle Boulevard. They waited for cars to enter and exit the gates and proceeded to speed over lawns while shouting obscenities at residents.
The incident was caught on camera, but the teenagers were wearing full face helmets and couldn’t be identified.
That same week, Gonzalez and MCSO’s Crime Stoppers tip line received screenshots of two WhatsApp posts that were advertising an electric bike meetup behind the Publix at 13150 S.R. 64.
Police were parked behind the Publix ahead of the meetup, so the teens didn’t congregate there, but the East County Observer caught
Eddie Gonzalez, a former police officer and current president of Arbor Grande’s Homeowners Association, wants to see kids and adults be more courteous to one another. He says frustrations are mounting in several neighborhoods.
RULES OF THE ROAD
This information was compiled from Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
■ In Florida, the bicycle is legally defined as a vehicle, so riders have all of the privileges, rights and responsibilities on public roads as motor vehicle operators, except for expressways.
■ Riders younger than 16 years old are required to wear helmets.
■ Riders must yield the right of way to pedestrians when on a sidewalk.
■ Between sunset and sunrise, the bicycle must have a front light that is visible from 500 feet away and a red reflector and red light mounted on the back that can
up with a handful of teenage boys on electric bikes gathered down the street near Panda Express.
A patrol car slowed down to tell one of them to go home and get a helmet, and two of the teens had just been stopped in the Wendy’s parking lot.
They didn’t want to be identified, but the boys said the officers were nice and spoke with them about being respectful.
One of the boys said about 90% of them are “nice and respectful riders.” He complained that the other 10% were making it unfair for the rest of the kids.
A lieutenant and sergeant stayed on the scene in the Publix parking lot and three units patrolled the general vicinity to hand out verbal warnings.
“Our purpose was to educate (the teenagers) on Florida Statutes regarding electric bikes,” MCSO Capt. Brad Johnson said. “We want kids to be kids, but we also want to make sure that we protect private property rights and make sure people feel safe.”
FISHING FOR ANSWERS
Why would a group of Lakewood Ranch teenagers assemble like a gang to scream at residents and tear up their lawns on a Sunday afternoon?
Several residents say they can answer that question with one word — fishing.
Teens have been spotted fishing in ponds where fishing is prohibited and have been asked to leave. The ensuing actions have been considered retaliatory.
In addition, when entering gated communities as nonresidents, the teenagers are trespassing and have been asked to leave repeatedly.
The teens the East County Observer spoke with disputed the claim. They wrote off the incidents as involving a group of bad kids not representative of their group.
Gonzalez said a “No fishing” sign in Arbor Grande disappeared. He suspects it was knocked over and thrown in the pond.
The new one cost $75 and was cemented in place.
George’s husband, Kevin George, said his senior neighbor told a group of kids that were fishing in Eagle Trace to leave, and they parked their bikes by his back lanai and started beeping the horns.
“They were taunting him,” he said. “I felt so sorry for the guy.”
Another neighbor also asked a group of kids to leave the property. The kids came back at night for weeks to bang on her front door and run away. They were also seen kicking her garage door.
Kevin George described them as “wolf packs.” The groups range anywhere between five and 10 kids.
“They’re emboldened because they know they can be,” Deborah George said. “No one has really said, ‘Enough is enough,’ — not their parents, not the cops. The associations and neighbors try, but who’s listening to them?”
AN ESCALATING SITUATION
The Georges said the problem started about three years ago with electric scooters and has continued to escalate since.
WHERE CAN RESIDENTS LEGALLY FISH?
Anne Ross, executive director of the Lakewood Ranch Stewardship District, said there are three good options where kids and adults can legally fish with a fishing license.
■ James L. Patton Park, 5725 White Eagle Blvd.
■ Heron’s Nest Nature Park, 6399 Tupelo Trail
■ Braden River Nature Park, 11915 Hidden River Trail
Residents have made five patrol requests in the general vicinity since December, all because of kids on electric bikes.
Johnson said two came from Mill Creek and one each from Bob Gardner Park, Grey Hawk Landing and the combination of Pope Road and White Eagle Boulevard.
Johnson also created a new patrol request for Arbor Grande and the Gatewood Drive area.
Since March 29, Gonzalez said there’s been a more active police presence. He’s seen officers stopping kids on electric bikes all over the area.
He also scheduled a meeting for the Arbor Grande community on April 17. MCSO is sending a resource officer out to discuss how residents should handle these issues as they arise.
Johnson said people should continue to contact MCSO on the nonemergency line at 747-3011, ext. 2260. The officers are more than happy to provide service, and they will make contact, when appropriate, with juveniles.
The Georges said they’ve seen police called to
eral times, but only once did they see an officer hold the kids until their parents arrived.
“When the parents came down, they said, ‘You’ll never have a problem with my kids again,’” Kevin George said. “Those kids, I’ve never seen again.”
The Lakewood Ranch Stewardship District is also experiencing problems with electric bikes tearing up the grass and nature trail at Bob Gardner Park.
Executive Director Anne Ross said “electric bikes” are being added to the signage of prohibiting activities at parks within the district, but signs get ignored, so they’re also exploring what else can be done to curb the issue.
SAFETY CONCERNS
It’s not only bad behavior that concerns residents. They’re scared these kids are going to hurt themselves or others because they drive so recklessly.
“They’re driving around just bat crazy,” Gonzalez said. “Cars are having to hit their brakes. We had one resident — she was on the sidewalk using a walker — and they almost hit her near (Bob Gardner) park.”
Kids have been spotted weaving in and out of traffic on electric bikes and popping wheelies on the streets.
On March 14, a teenage boy was hit on an electric scooter at the intersection of Lorraine Road and University Parkway. He was not injured.
He also was not following the law. He was riding against traffic, instead of with it.
Electric bikes and scooters are categorized with traditional pedal bikes under Florida law. They’re all considered vehicles, so the same rules apply, except that bikes and scooters aren’t allowed on expressways.
Johnson’s main safety concern for kids on electric bikes is the volume of traffic in the area, especially on thoroughfares like S.R. 64.
“Kids must be aware of their surroundings when operating their bikes,” he said. “And we need drivers to be cognizant and pay attention to those kids when they’re operating their bikes, as well.”
Electric dirtbikes have become a popular mode of transportation for Lakewood Ranch teenagers and a nuisance to Lakewood Ranch adults.
Photos by Lesley Dwyer
Police make their presence known March 29 behind the Publix at White Eagle, which is a meeting spot for kids to gather with their electric bikes.
Courtesy image
A group of electric bikes parks by a pond in Eagle Trace on March 22.
Manatee considers new stormwater fees
After a brutal 2024 hurricane season, commissioners are looking to residents to help fund stormwater solutions.
Ameasure that residents fought to defeat in 2019 is back on the table.
Manatee County might start implementing stormwater fees to collect up to $20 million more each year to prevent future flooding.
Commissioner Carol Felts was a citizen in 2019 and was part of the charge against the fees.
She explained why during the commission’s April 2 work session. She said the previous plan would
have been unfair to rural residents.
At the time, fees were assessed according to the square footage of buildings without taking into account acreage.
“(The county’s) rooftop calculations were including our barns, our chicken coops and our dog pens without taking into account that we were on acreage that absorbs that water,” Felts said. “(Rural areas) were being charged basically the same amount as a suburban or urban area that had a paved road in front of it and a sidewalk.”
The plan wasn’t popular with any of the county’s residents.
Public Works Director Chad Butzow said the biggest pushback in 2019 was from residents in platted neighborhoods because they already have a line item on their Community Development District and Homeowners Association fees that says stormwater, so they didn’t want to
pay twice.
But he noted that CDD and HOA stormwater fees only pay for what’s inside those specific neighborhoods, and water leaves CDDs and HOAs. He used the Braden River as an example of “grounds to definitely say everybody should participate.”
Commission Chair George Kruse had a strong message for those residents living within CDDs and HOAs, which includes himself since he lives in Greyhawk Landing.
“This is the cost of living in a community and society,” he said. “You’re going to leave your subdivision. You’re going to drive down Golf Course Road. You’re going to drive down Rye Road. Guess what? They’re going to be flooded. If we don’t fix this stuff, it’s on you.”
After three back-to-back hurricanes in 2024, commissioners are not expecting the same amount of pushback from residents this time
FUNDING OPTIONS
Butzow laid out two scenarios for funding the county’s additional stormwater needs. Commissioners could create a separate fund from the millage. According to the 2025 numbers, .58 mills would equal $41.4 million. If commissioners decide to charge a stormwater fee, each “equivalent residential unit” would be about $15.60 a month or $187 a year. An ERU averages the cost to residents, so a single family home would be one ERU, but a multifamily home would cost a fraction of the ERU.
around with “the things we know now,” as Felts put it.
Felts said the recent hurricanes highlighted Manatee County’s stormwater problems to the degree that it’s a “different world” than it was in 2019.
However, she and the other residents that were rallying against the fees weren’t just trying to avoid paying them, they were alerting commissioners and staff to the stormwater problems that were starting to crop up from “uncontrolled and unfettered development” out east.
She called for shared responsibility with developers and a more defined plan from staff that lays out exactly what those fees will pay to fix.
Staff’s presentation included “potential additional costs” that could range from $15 million-$20
million over the current annual allotment of $21.4 million for stormwater maintenance.
The additional costs would include increased frequency of maintenance on the canals the county currently maintains and the addition of unmaintained waterways like the Braden River.
Kruse talked about shared responsibility with developers in terms of their expenses when laying down impervious surfaces.
He said the county could start collecting fees when development is done the wrong way, so now it’s only “a couple extra bucks” to do it the right way.
Developer fees would be an aside. The stormwater fees residents would pay could either be assessed monthly through utility bills or annually through tax bills.
The charge would show up as a special assessment if added to the tax bill, which commissioners seemed to favor for collection purposes.
Commissioner Tal Siddique noted that the county already has challenges collecting utility bills, so it might be difficult to recoup the costs going that route. The need for additional stormwater funding was not up for debate, only the ways in which to tackle the problem.
Carving out a dedicated stormwater fund from the millage was the other option staff presented. It would take about 18 months to implement versus implementing a stormwater fee, which would take about six months to a year.
Staff will present a more solid plan to commissioners for a vote, but a date has not been set yet.
Lesley Dwyer
On April 3, Director of Public Works Chad Butzow presents options to commissioners on how to fund Manatee County’s stormwater maintenance moving forward.
Commissioner says restoring wetland buffers will bring lawsuits
Commissioner Mike Rahn voted against bringing back expanded wetland buffers for fear of legal consequences.
The
for a second time, but the only real debate centered around the law. In under an hour, a 5-1 vote at the April 3 land use meeting reversed a measure by the 2023 commission that cut wetland buffers from 30 to 50 feet down to the state minimum of 15 to 30 feet.
Commissioner Mike Rahn cast the lone nay vote because he’s worried the move will lead to a lawsuit against the county.
“Senate Bill 250 is going to come into play in this. It’s going to happen,” Rahn said. “I think we’re going to have some litigation over this.”
SB 250 is a disaster relief bill that prohibits counties within 100 miles of the landfall of Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole “from adopting more restrictive or burdensome procedures to their comprehensive plans or land development regulations concerning review, approval, or issuance of a site plan, development permit, or development order before
Oct. 1, 2024.”
Morris Hill, the acquisition and entitlement manager at M/I Homes, brought the issue of SB 250 and SB 2-C to the Planning Commission’s attention March 27.
SB 2-C extends the date from Oct. 1, 2024 to Oct. 1, 2026, so Hill questioned if the commission has the legal authority to revert the wetlands policy at this time.
Kara Koenig, environmental planning section manager for the county, argued that the buffer policy existed before SB 250 and was never removed from the Land Development Code.
Koenig reviewed the matter with the county attorney’s office, as well.
While there is no case law on
SB 250, few changes were made to the wetland buffer policy since the Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 1989, and no changes are being made now.
The reversion will only put back in place what existed in the Comprehensive Plan for more than 30 years.
“From the development community, it’s not so much that we’re against wetland preservation,” Hill said. “It’s more so that we’re against the additional enhancements of that preservation, above and beyond the state and federal level.”
AN ELECTION-CHANGING DECISION
In 2023, over the course of two meet-
ORANGE COUNTY’S EXAMPLE
Kara Koenig, environmental planning section manager for Manatee County, pointed Commissioner Jason Bearden to Orange County as an example of a Florida county that requires 100-foot wetland buffers.
While Manatee County was lessening its wetland buffer policy in 2023, Orange County was strengthening its protections.
In addition to 100-foot buffers, Orange County also implemented a tiered approach to permitting
ings from August to October, commissioners listened to a combined eight hours of public testimony that asked them not to make changes to the wetlands policy.
Citizens held up signs in the chambers that read “Don’t do it” and “Stop the madness.”
Commissioner Carol Felts was only a citizen then. Her message to commissioners was that residents would vote in 2024 according to how they voted on the wetlands.
Felts’ comments were prophetic, but deemed “out of order” in the moment, so she was escorted away from the podium by two bailiffs.
The only current commissioner to have voted on the issue in 2023 was Commission Chair George Kruse. He cast the one dissenting vote and was
that a county press release said “encourages applicants to limit wetland impacts.”
“A small project in and around low-functioning wetlands will qualify for an expedited process, while a larger project with proposed impacts to more sensitive wetland areas will undergo rigorous technical review,” the release said.
Circumstances, such as impacting a wildlife corridor, trigger additional reviews and analyses.
the only commissioner up for reelection in 2024 to keep his seat.
“It’s amazing that what I said came true,” Felts said.
Current commissioners Rahn, Amanda Ballard and Jason Bearden, along with former commissioners Ray Turner, James Satcher and Kevin Van Ostenbridge, sided in favor of the science provided by outside consultant Daniel DeLisi, who Kruse called “the quarterback for the losing team.”
DeLisi had previously provided expert testimony for developer Carlos Beruff in two separate lawsuits against Manatee County regarding its wetland buffer policy. Beruff lost both suits.
Lesley Dwyer
Myakka City resident Carol Felts is escorted out of the commission meeting in 2023 after telling commissioners people will vote in the next election according to how commissioners vote on the wetlands at that meeting.
CONSTRUCTION RISES ALONG TAMPA RIVERWALK ON PENDRY HOTEL & RESIDENCES
Following the successful completion of the building’s foundation with a massive concrete pour, construction for Pendry Residences Tampa has gone vertical along the Tampa Riverwalk. Two 40-story tower cranes are now onsite to lift materials and equipment as this luxury condominium address rises floor by floor for the next 18 months.
Situated beside this 2.4-mile waterfront pathway, Pendry Residences Tampa offers private condominiums atop a stylish hotel. A refined expression of the polished comfort and contemporary luxury of the esteemed Montage Hotels & Resorts lineage, Pendry Tampa offers unrivaled amenities and a renowned culture of hospitality, amid one of the nation’s hottest downtowns.
EXCEPTIONAL AMENITIES AND GLOBALLY RENOWNED SERVICE
Owners at Pendry Residences Tampa appreciate an unprecedented living experience including unique and thoughtful dining concepts, a rooftop pool, an elite Fitness center, and stunning social lounges and guest suites. In addition, world-class Spa Pendry is an on-site beauty and wellness haven featuring best-inclass treatments, products, skincare innovation and more. Personalized services by the dedicated staff embrace everything from in-residence dining and chef-catered events to specialty provisioning, gift wrapping, and pet walking. Residents also enjoy travel privileges that extend to Montage Hotels & Resorts and Pendry Hotels & Resorts around the world in existing and planned locations like Park City, Manhattan, and the Caribbean.
ON THE CELEBRATED TAMPA RIVERWALK
Ranked among the most vibrant urban waterfront environments in the
nation, downtown Tampa is brimming with exciting new destinations for nightlife, dining, and championship sports. It’s all within a short stroll, river taxi or trolley ride from home.
Pendry Residences Tampa is situated on the Tampa Riverwalk with Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa Museum of Art, and Florida Museum of Photographic Arts at its doorstep. The central location is also convenient to the area’s finest attractions, including world-famous Gulf beaches, the airport, and top-rated centers of healthcare, education, and employment.
ELEVATED LUXURY LIVING WITH EXHILARATING VIEWS
Ascending to the highest floors of the glass-lined tower, Pendry Residences Tampa is where luxury living reaches new heights. With the south view overlooking the majestic bay, the vistas are endless and nothing less than breathtaking. These fully-serviced, designer-appointed Residences boast one- to three-bedroom floorplans, featuring expansive floor-to-ceiling windows and private terraces for dining, relaxing, and entertaining.
Owners experience exclusivity with a private lobby and elevator, along with an exquisite rooftop pool and lounge overlooking the city and bay. The dedicated staff is attuned to meeting every need, from theater tickets to home care, ensuring the ease of turn-key ownership whether owners are in residence or miles away. An onsite signature restaurant will soon be announced, adding to the anticipation surrounding the new era of contemporary luxury represented by Pendry Residences Tampa.
Rosedale tees off for veterans
The 2025 Rosedale Classic honors Army Sgt. Aaron Cornelius, who will receive an adaptive home in Lithia through Homes for Our Troops.
JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR
Before Tom Landwermeyer, a retired Army brigadier general, was to address golfers at the Rosedale Golf Classic on April 2, he wanted to compliment Deb Kehoe and Kathi Skelton, the founders of the event who have spearheaded the effort to raise more than $1.5 million since 2013 for Homes for Our Troops.
Landwermeyer, the president and CEO of Homes for Our Troops, was able to inform Kehoe and Skelton that in 2024 they raised more money — $430,008 — than any other fundraising group in the country that supports his organization.
The Rosedale effort, which never had been higher than No. 2 in the country, achieved its first No. 1 status, out-collecting the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49 (Minnesota), which raised $342,415.
“Everyone who supports our mission touches our heart,” Landwermeyer said. “And everyone who supports our mission knows who these
two ladies are. And they all want to beat them.
“You won’t find two bigger patriots than Kathi and Deb.”
Homes for Our Troops has built 407 adaptive home for soldiers who were injured in service to their country. The 2025 Rosedale Golf Classic was honoring East County’s Aaron Cornelius, an Army sergeant first class who was injured by an improvised explosive device on April 10, 2008. He suffered severe damage from shrapnel to his eyes, face and head, and is blind.
While Cornelius lives in East County, his adaptive home will be built in Lithia.
“I tried my darnedest to stay here (in the Lakewood Ranch area),” said Cornelius, who eventually knew it would be too expensive a proposition to build an adaptive home in East County.
Even so, he said moving into his new home in Lithia will be life changing.
He said his adaptive home will have an open floor plan with rails lining the walls to help him guide himself. He can use audible commands
around much of the house to do tasks such as opening doors or turning on the sprinklers.
“This is going to be huge,” said Cornelius, who is 56 but says he feels 25. “It has been very frustrating for me, and I have had anxiety and depression as I tried to figure out how to do things. But the technology is out there, and now I can be more independent. That in itself is huge.”
Four years after his injury, Cornelius’ wife, Leilani, died. The years since have been tough. And he said the mental adjustments were even tougher than the physical ones.
“You have the anxiety of always being in the darkness,” he said. “You feel closed in.
“But moving into this new home, I can feel stress will brush off my shoulders.”
Cornelius, who has five children, said he looks forward to pursuing his interests, which include working as a DJ, and being a spokesman for the Wounded Warrior and Homes for Our Troops programs. He also is grateful for his service dog that he received from Dogs Inc. He received Vernon seven years ago, and he is an important part of his everyday life. Vernon is now 9.
He said he is amazed by the work done by Kehoe, Skelton and all the Rosedale tournament volunteers.
“They make wonderful things happen,” he said. “It’s all about making the veterans lives better. It’s go ... go ... go.”
He wasn’t the only one applauding the work by the two tournament founders.
“They are a powerhouse,” said Army Capt. Bobby Withers, who received an adaptive home in Winter Garden from Homes for Our Troops in 2016. “They are a juggernaut ... unstoppable.”
Withers, who comes to Rosedale each year to support the event, is unstoppable himself. Even though he had his right leg amputated after stepping on a anti-personnel mine in Afghanistan in 2010, he is going to run the Boston Marathon on April 21.
Those success stories are the payment Kehoe and Skelton receive for their efforts.
As far as running the tournament, Skelton said most of the effort now goes into the “minute stuff” because they have down pat the major parts of the tournament.
The community’s support has made their job more rewarding. They had 96 “flag donors” this year who donated $500 to the cause. Kehoe said they have seen an increase in participation.
Even so, they know much more work needs to be done, and each veteran has a different story and different challenges. Cornelius was the first blind soldier who they have honored.
“This is real different,” Kehoe said about Cornelius. “Talk about a loss of independence.”
Skelton said one of the reasons their Rosedale Classic continues to grow is that they can show possible donors what the funds they raise mean to the veterans. They can see the veterans move into their homes, and can see what it means to them.
“You have the anxiety of always being in the darkness. You feel closed in. But moving into this new home, I can feel stress will brush off my shoulders.”
— Adaptive home recipient Army Sgt. Aaron Cornelius
Sarasota Military Academy students Pierce Mihailoff, Aiden O’Kon, Joey Miguel and Zachary Jewell present the colors with honoree Army Sgt. Aaron Cornelius at the Rosedale Golf Classic on April 2.
Photos by Jay Heater
Former Rosedale Golf Classic honoree Bobby Withers, a U.S. Army captain who received an adaptive home in 2016, returned for the 2025 event.
Golfers Susan Popyer and Judy Diehl are dressed for the occasion to support the Rosedale Golf Classic on April 2.
Gen. Tom Landwermeyer, president and CEO of Homes for Our Troops, calls the Rosedale community the most patriotic of any he has visited for an event to support his organization.
Parrish’s Joe and Vicky Cox, who are puppy raisers for Dogs Inc., show off Keni, a retired guide dog, at the Rosedale Golf Classic on April 2.
Principal’s reunion epitomizes Myakka’s values
Tom Redmon went off on a tangent April 5, talking about cleaning mortar off bricks as a 9-year-old in Wartburg, Tennessee.
The occasion was a get-together at the Myakka City Methodist Church, which hosted Redmon, former principal at Myakka City elementary school from 1980 through 1995. While former teachers and students loved seeing Redmon, the event was also used to lead up to a walk-through of the Myakka City Historic School House right down the street.
Members of the community and the Myakka City Historical Society have been trying to renovate and open the Historic School House for more than 30 years, and it appears the effort finally will be concluded this fall. Hosting the beloved Redmon was being used to generate interest.
Only Redmon’s stories were focused in other areas.
The Wartburg story had to do with the building of the new Central School and the fact Redmon had heard about a way to make some money. He was told if he could get a hatchet to clean mortar off the bricks from the old school, he would be paid a penny a brick. So he went around the neighborhood, found a hatchet and went to work, cleaning 1,900 bricks over four days that he put in a pile for the new school.
The problem came later. On the day he was to get paid, he was sick and couldn’t make it. The next day when he showed up, his pile of bricks was gone. He figured there was nothing he could do, but he went to the builder and told him he had cleaned 1,900 bricks, hoping the man would believe him even though he had no proof.
“Write this boy a check for $19,” the man said, and Redmon had the funds for the Red Rider BB gun he
wanted.
The story had nothing to do with Myakka City, but it did. You see, Redmon was a Tennessee country boy who loved country ideals. He said he was a perfect fit for the school in Myakka City, which was as country as it gets.
Redmon then said he would tell a story about Myakka, but again he veered off on another path. He talked about a near death experience he had in the U.S. Navy in which several fellow soldiers went to the hospital from an incident, all except him. One of his superiors asked him
why he wasn’t badly injured.
“The Lord was with me,” Redmon told his superior.
“Who?” was his superior’s reply.
“I guess he didn’t know the Lord,” Redmon told the group.
When the Myakka City Historic School House opens this fall, those who visit will share similar stories.
It’s not all about the original wood, or the flooring or the desks. It will allow Myakka residents to share stories about their principles and ideals they shared then, and hopefully, continue to share today.
Redmon sat in a chair at the church as a long line of fellow students and teachers lined up to visit with him. Former Myakka City Elementary Guidance Counselor Merilyn Webb waited patiently, saying, “He is an incredible person.”
Mill Creek’s Robin Nichols (Redmon), his daughter, said her father simply loved children and was a country boy, which made him a good fit for Myakka. She compared Myakka to Wartburg, where she said, “People there are all like your family.”
She watched as her dad shared stories of the past with everyone in line.
“My dad loves people,” she said.
“He is eating this up.”
Myakka’s Zach Putnal attended the old school from kindergarten through fifth grade when Redmon was the principal.
“One of the biggest things I remember was his patriotism,” Putnal said. “He loves his country. He would bring POWs to the school.”
Those visits inspired Putnal to become a pen pal with a World War II tail gunner on a B-17.
Current Myakka City Elementary Principal Carol Ricks said she has been impressed by the way Redmon connected the school to the community.
“The school was the hub of the community,” she said. “That’s my goal now.”
Part of that connection involved music. Redmon often would bring his guitar to school and play and sing for the students.
“I like that we can go back in time in a good way,” said Kathy Wicker, a teacher who worked for Redmon in Myakka. “There were solid values and so much history. Everything was about the whole community. It was a real connection. I still get emails from students who say (the school) was the best part of their growing up.”
Redmon is a snowbird now who lives in Mill Creek with his daughter part of the year and at home in Wartburg the other half. His advancing age could force him to sell his farm in Tennessee to become a full-time resident in East County. Such a change would bother him because, as he puts it, he likes to grow things.
Whether he grows any more crops in Tennessee is uncertain, but on a warm Myakka afternoon, one thing was certain.
Redmon was cultivating memories.
Those memories should resurface later this fall when the Myakka City Historic School House is expected to open. Walter Carlton, vice president of the Myakka City Historical Society, said the building now has running water and air conditioning. Some inspections and minor detailing are all that remain before the building, which will serve as a community events center and library, can open.
Jay Heater is the managing editor for the East County Observer. Contact him at JHeater@ YourObserver.com.
Photos by Jay Heater
Myakka’s Zach Putnal says his former principal, Tom Redmon, always impressed him with his patriotism.
Deanna Spencer stands in her former fifth grade classroom in the Myakka City Historic School House.
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Helping Children’s Services a labor of love for volunteer
Each year, members of the Children’s Services Advisory Board pore over grant applications to divvy up about $14 million.
LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER
Mote Ranch’s Carolann Garafola spent 52 years working with children and adults with special needs.
But sitting at her kitchen table with her reading glasses on and laptop open, flipping through a fairly thick packet of papers, she doesn’t look retired.
Garafola volunteers for the Manatee County Children’s Services Advisory Board, and she’s in the midst of reviewing grant applications for the next fiscal year, which begins in September.
Asked how much time she dedicates to the board, Garafola counted 68 applications on her spreadsheet. Each one takes about one-and-a-half hours to score.
“You do the math,” she said.
That’s 102 hours just sifting through grant applications. That doesn’t include the weekly meetings from February to May that are supposed to last from 3-5 p.m., but often run late. The rest of the year, meetings are held monthly.
This is Garafola’s sixth year and second term with the board.
“The work that these men and women are doing on this committee is truly a labor of love,” said Elena Cassella, executive director of Foundation for Dreams, an East County nonprofit that serves children with special needs and receives program funding from Children’s Services.
In 1990, the county carved out a dedicated millage fund to serve abused, neglected, at-risk and economically disadvantaged children.
In 2024, the .33 mill generated $15,078,577. The county maintains
a 20% reserve for emergencies and special initiatives based on emerging needs throughout the year.
The remaining funds are distributed through annual grants. Cassella said the fund should be a model for every municipality in the nation. Garafola spent her career in New Jersey and said her home state has nothing like it.
The program is completely results driven, so nonprofits have to demonstrate how their programs are making a measurable impact on Manatee County children.
In the case of Foundation for Dreams, Cassella has to prove that the adaptive programs the foundation offers are improving behavior and developing daily living, social and hygiene skills.
She described the grant process as “rigorous,” but distilled it down to one major question that needs to be answered through the application: What is the human impact?
As an artist, it broke Garafola’s heart to see a music program
be denied because the impact of teaching a child how to play an instrument didn’t fit within a line graph. At the same time, she understands that the guidelines must be stringent because the program is doling out tax dollars.
Additional grant criteria consider how long the nonprofit’s leadership has been in place and how much the nonprofit is asking of the county in comparison to its overall budget.
If a nonprofit wants the county to cover 60% of its operating expenses, that request would receive a lower score than a nonprofit requesting just 20%.
Cassella said best practices in the nonprofit world recommend keeping any one source of funding under 30% of the overall budget, so if that source were to dry up, the nonprofit could continue to operate.
“It’s a great use of tax dollars,” Garafola said. “It goes into the community, and results come out
to make the community a better place.”
RAISE A PINWHEEL
During meetings, board members raise a blue pinwheel when voting yea.
Pinwheels for Prevention is a program through Prevent Child Abuse Florida. Blue and silver pinwheels are displayed in the month of April for Child Abuse Prevention Month.
The program chose pinwheels because they are symbolic of the “happy, healthy childhoods all children deserve and the commitments from families and communities that make them possible.”
However, the whimsical nature of the pinwheel doesn’t take away from the seriousness of the decisions the board is tasked to make.
Garafola said discussions can get “contentious,” but it’s because the board members care, and everyone comes from a different background.
CHILDREN’S SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD
Last year, Children’s Services doled out just under $14 million to Manatee County nonprofits. Board members serve three-year terms.
Purpose: To make recommendations to the county regarding the expenditure of dedicated funding, to consult with agencies dedicated to the welfare of children in an effort to minimize duplication of services and to complete other duties assigned by the Manatee County Commission.
The board is made up of 13 members, five who are child advocates from the community at-large, such as Garafola. The remaining seats are filled according to the person’s role in society.
There are seats for a physician, licensed mental health professional, a judge and a criminal justice representative. There are also seats that represent the Manatee County School Board, the Florida Department of Children and Families, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the United Way. Garafola ordered 50 pinwheels this year.
They’re spinning on mailboxes and in gardens on her street in Mote Ranch. She’s also given them to friends in Palm Aire, where she’s a member of the Palm Aire Women’s Club and sits on its charitable committee.
As the vice president of the Lakewood Ranch Republican Club, Garafola also has friends and pinwheels spread around Lakewood Ranch and the River Club, too.
Courtesy photo
Foundation for Dreams has weekly summer camps for children with disabilities and chronic illnesses.
COMING
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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.
At Emerson Lakes, Every Day Is a Holiday
Here are just a few resort-style amenities you can expect:
• Multiple dining venues
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Laubacker, Amelia Cendere, Connor Willats, Joshua Parker, and Cooper Gallegos.
Brown said an ideal team consists of four to five students, but they found their team of three works well. She said that in this case it is about quality and not quantity.
“There’s so many elements that go into it, so many moving parts all the time,” Brown said.
Carl and Charles Santos are brothers and Carl showed his appreciation for Charles and what he does for the team.
“Charles controls the flow of the match. He controls how fast things get put in,” Carl Santos said. “He also controls how fast we have to move in order to get the highest possible score.”
Before the competition, teams submit notebooks remotely, which tells and shows their design process and how they built their robots. They then have a team interview showcasing their bot and their code.
“I think their thought process went a step above,” Brown said. “You could definitely tell the maturity level and their thought process.”
Between competitions, many teams make improvements to their robots or bring a completely different one. Both the Mechanical Bull Paradigm and Blue Lightning teams are bringing different robots.
Charles Santos said that their two robots look very similar, but the one they will bring to Worlds has a different power transfer system. It is lighter weight which means the robot can accelerate much faster than the one they competed with previously.
In the Driving Skills Challenge Match, the teams drive their robots to get as many points as possible.
In the Teamwork Challenge Match, teams from different schools or even different countries form alliances.
Each team consists of two drivers, one robot and one loader.
“Even though not everybody speaks English, they were still able to communicate through the robots,” said Jenn Poplaski.
The third challenge is the Autonomous Coding Skills Challenge and this time there are no drivers allowed.
“They push a button and off it
goes by itself,” Brown said. “That’s all coded.”
Brown said that respect is a huge factor during every competition.
“Our kids could have the best robot going the fastest and everything. If we were to say something mean about another team, we’re disqualified,” Brown said.
Brown said that the kids communicate with other Vex competitors all year, through online platforms such as YouTube and Discord. Their YouTube channel is called Paradigm Robotics.
“They’re competing against each other, but yet they collaborate,” Brown said.
Carl Santos said that they collaborated with people around the world to come up with the best design solution, and decided on a back roller robot.
“There’s a roller in the back that pushes balls into the bottom goals,” Carl Santos said. “In addition, we also have a catapult that shoots them up into the high goals.”
Brown said that the sixth graders look up to the eighth graders for guidance and for mentorship. Their influence doesn’t stop there, as they have influenced the elementary students at McNeal. Jenn Poplaski said that Carol Santos has provided her son Parker with tips and tricks to help them succeed.
“He didn’t need to go out of his way to talk with Parker and show Parker different things from the game, but he did,” Jenn Poplaski said.
VEX ROBOTICS,
Madison Bierl
The Dr. Mona Jain Middle School’s VEX team
Mechanical Bulls
Paradigm consists of sixth grader Charles Santos and eighth graders Carl Santos and Jaxon Carver.
Lakewood Ranch softball chases a return to glory
The Lakewood Ranch High softball team was the best in Florida just a few years ago, but that hasn’t been the case since Coach T.J. Goelz left after the team’s second consecutive state title in 2022.
No one could have reasonably expected the Mustangs to sustain that level of success when Goelz stepped down, but the drop-off after his departure was staggering.
Lakewood Ranch went 16-11 in 2023 and 6-21 in 2024, including 12 losses by seven or more runs.
After opening this season with one win through its first five games, it looked as if Lakewood Ranch softball would continue to struggle.
However, there is renewed hope for a return to glory.
RESEARCHING THE SUCCESS
When Andrew Jensen was hired to coach Lakewood Ranch’s softball program this past offseason, he knew whom to call.
“The first thing that I did when I got the job is call T.J.,” said Jensen, who used to be the president of Miss Manatee Softball. “I wanted to know what made him so successful. I’m not quite sure something like that will ever be replicated, but at the same time, it’s something to shoot for.”
Jensen is hoping to build a program that attracts elite players, too, but he faces his fair share of challenges.
One of those challenges has been the emergence of Parrish Community High, which opened in 2019 and plays in the same class as Lakewood Ranch — 6A.
The Bulls have won back-to-back state championships and are currently ranked as the No. 7 team in
Florida. It doesn’t help the Mustangs that Parrish Community is just 11 miles away.
Another reason Lakewood Ranch has struggled is its lack of continuity.
Losing Goelz was hard on its own, but having three coaches in the three season since he left has created adjustment periods that set the program back.
Despite the less-than-stellar records, the Mustangs have flashed their championship pedigree.
Last season Lakewood Ranch shocked its district. Despite entering the district tournament with a 3-20 record, it ran the table — beating North Port, Riverview and Venice to win a district championship.
After another slow start this season, Lakewood Ranch seems to have found its stride a few weeks earlier than it did last year.
The Mustangs won six straight games from March 14 through April 2, including an extra-innings win over previously unbeaten Riverview.
Despite the challenges, holdovers from Lakewood Ranch’s championship teams have set a winning
example.
Seniors Olivia Shephard and Lexi Meneely experienced what it was like to win a state championship as freshmen, and the knowledge gained from that run is something they try to pass on to the next wave of Mustangs.
“We always look out for the next generation,” Meneely said. “We look at how we can help and the little things really matter, even at practice. Whatever we can contribute from our past experiences with coach TJ, we’ll give our best advice on what we think.”
ONE LAST RIDE
Shephard and Meneely will finish their high school softball careers in the coming weeks, and they have a lot left to play for even if another state championship isn’t in the cards.
Representing the bridge between the different eras of Mustangs softball, they have the chance to leave the program in a position to succeed as it moves forward.
After beating Riverview (No. 15 overall in Florida) on April 2, the Mustangs are starting to believe they have championship potential again.
“We couldn’t sleep that night,” Shephard said of the Riverview win. “It felt good because they were 14-0 and we’re their only loss so far. It felt good because it’s like, ‘This is what we can do and we’re capable.’
In the beginning of the season we had a losing streak, but now that we’re on this winning streak, we see what we can truly do as a team.”
Lakewood Ranch has six games remaining in the regular season before it will have to turn its attention to the playoffs.
The district tournament won’t be easy to navigate.
The Mustangs play in a district with Parrish Community (16-2, No. 7 in Florida) and Palmetto (7-5, No. 86 in Florida). Parrish was moved to Lakewood Ranch’s district this season.
However, winning the district might not be a necessity to reach
the regionals after the Mustangs’ recent win streak. Lakewood Ranch is ranked as the eighth-best team in Region 6A-3.
That means that the Mustangs just have to tread water to give themselves a shot at making the regional playoffs via an at-large bid.
But don’t think Lakewood Ranch is counting themselves out from winning a district title.
“I would like to think that (Parrish coach Erin) Spivey going in did not anticipate us being a threat at all,” Jensen said. “And not that I feel like she thinks we’re a threat, but I’m hoping she knows that we’re coming.”
Photos by Vinnie Portell
Andrew Jensen is the third head coach of Lakewood Ranch softball in the past three seasons.
Mustangs senior Olivia Shephard said she does her best to offer lessons learned from playing on a state championship team to her younger teammates.
Vinnie Portell is the sports reporter for the East County Observer. Contact him at VPortell@ YourObserver.com.
YOUR NEIGHBORS
A
MEET ME MIDWAY
The new Midway Park connects the Wild Blue and Shellstone communities with some exciting amenities.
JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR
In looking over the new Midway Park, which has been built between the Wild Blue and Shellstone neighborhoods, OnPlace Vice President of Marketing Mackenzie Straley was having a hard time picking out her favorite aspect of the park. So she didn’t. She basically liked everything.
“I love that the finishes are above and beyond,” Straley said. “We went the extra mile, and took the extra steps. There was a lot of intentional thinking that went into it.”
The 13-acre park will be unveiled to the public and the two Waterside communities it will serve with a grand opening noon to 3 p.m. April 12 at 1000 Sandpoint Way, Lakewood Ranch. The joint project of Stock Development and Homes by Towne will offer resort-style amenities for the residents.
The facility will include multiple sports courts (tennis, pickleball, and basketball), and an artificial turf events field. It will be a centralized hub for social events and activities. Among the events being planned are monthly food truck nights, the Mid-
IF YOU GO
GRAND OPENING OF MIDWAY PARK
When: Noon to 3 p.m. April 12
Where: 1000 Sandpoint Way, Lakewood Ranch
Features: Tour the new park and its facilities. The grand opening will include live music, food and drink and family friendly games and activities.
Cost: The event is free and open to the general public
Home tours: After enjoying the event, attendees are urged to tour the model centers at 792 Blue Shell Loop (Shellstone) and 8396 Sea Glass Court (Wild Blue).
way Live Concert Series, and Sunset Social Happy Hours.
Also among the facilities are an expansive playground, a BBQ pavilion, an open-air pavilion, two dog parks, an outdoor fitness circuit, a kayak launch for Lake Merganser and trails for walking and bike riding.
The grand opening will include live music, food and drink, and family friendly games and activities. The event is open to the general public so people can experience the two neighborhoods.
Straley was serious when she said a lot of “intentional” thinking went into the park. OnPlace, a consulting firm that assists its clients in crafting experiences for their customers to maximize return on investment through placemaking, marketing and lifestyle, has been working with Homes by Towne and Stock for three years on the park. Also involved in the process has been Blackwood Sports. Joiner Architecture and Interior Design and Dix-Hite Landscape Architecture were included on the design team.
John Woodman, a division manager of Homes by Towne, said Schroeder-Manatee Ranch President and CEO Rex Jensen originally proposed the idea of a shared park that would connect the two communities. “The idea was that with more lots, more dollars could be applied to (the park),” Woodman said.
Jensen suggested that instead of building two smaller parks for the residents of each community that they build one large park to be shared.
Wild Blue eventually will be a community of 505 homes, while Shellstone will have 684 homes.
“This (park) adds an extra layer,” Woodman said. “We’re selling the lifestyle.”
OnPlace’s Samantha Radcliff has been hired to be the program director for the park.
“This is exciting,” Radcliff said.
“We can hold league and have events. With the size of the event lawn, there is so much I can do.”
“With the overall scale, there will be something for everyone,” Woodman said.
Straley said the park will have a tennis and pickleball pro and a staff of six to eight overall.
“This is exciting. We can hold leagues and have events. With the size of the event lawn, there is so much I can do.”
Samantha Radcliff, program manager for the new Midway Park
John Woodman, a division manager for Homes by Towne, sits on a swing at the new Midway Park.
grand opening is being held April 12 at the park that connects the Wild Blue and Shellstone communities.
Photos by Jay Heater
Samantha Radcliff, program manager for the new Midway Park, stands in front of the artificial turf events field.
OnPlace Vice President of Marketing Mackenzie Straley stands among the pickleball and tennis courts in the new Midway Park.
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Lakewood Ranch Library hosts Garden Fest
Lakewood Ranch Garden Club is set to host an event that will include butterfly presentations.
IF YOU GO
What: Lakewood Ranch Garden Fest
Subject: To educate the public about the importance of the monarch butterfly and about growing vegetation to support it; to provide hands-on activities for kids; to raise awareness of the Lakewood Ranch Garden Club
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By Nicole Kenedy, DOGPerfect Operations Manager
Thinking about changing your dog’s food? Great idea! Rotating foods can boost nutrition, support gut health, and prevent picky eating. Just remember —a gradual transition keeps their tummy happy.
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On delicate wings of orange and black, monarch butterflies have a history of catching attention with their beauty and long-winded journeys.
However, as time goes on, they have become more endangered.
One goal of the Lakewood Ranch Garden Club is to educate local residents on ways they can assist the butterflies.
“We want residents to plant milkweed so Lakewood Ranch can be a monarch safe zone,” said Sylvia Abdelsalam, vice president of the Lakewood Ranch Garden Club.
Penny Kress, a committee member for the club’s upcoming Garden Fest event, said people need to understand the importance of monarchs to society along with the value of milkweed.
“Milkweed is their pollinator. They put their eggs on the milkweed,” Kress said. “They become a caterpillar and they eat the leaves from the milkweed down to sticks.”
In order to educate the public about butterflies and how they support the ecosystem, the Garden Fest will be held 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 19 at the Lakewood Ranch Library. Besides general information for adults, there will be hands-on activities for children. Those activities will include learning to grow plants, painting stones, and creating bear figures out of pine cones. There will be 50 craft and plant vendors and four food trucks (Kona Ice, Nas Philly Steaks, Matt’s Diner and Super Berry Bliss Bowls) on-site.
There will be presentations as well. Environmental artist and educator Pamela Callender will discuss Florida’s native and invasive plants. Sean Patton, owner of Stocking Savvy LLC, a small environmental consulting business, will talk about maintaining a healthy environment. Butterfly enthusiasts Cathleen Strong and Gilbert Daigneau will also give butterfly presentations.
“Nature inspires us. We love our
When: 9 a.m. April 19
Where: the Lakewood Ranch Library, 16410 Rangeland Parkway, Lakewood Ranch
Guest speakers: Environmental artist and educator Pamela Callender; Sean Patton, owner of Stocking Savvy LLC; butterfly enthusiasts Cathleen Strong and Gilbert Daigneau
gardens. We love to share what we learn,” said Abdelsalam. “Our objectives are to do all that.
Abdelsalam said that the club has been planning the event for a year and is very appreciative of Tiffany Mautino, head librarian at Lakewood Ranch Library, for being flexible and for helping to make the event become a reality. The Garden Fest Committee includes Abdelsalam, Kress, Chery Sheid and Sheryl Perkins. Abdelsalam said that along with teaching about gardening and environmental appreciation, one of the main goals of the event is to make the community aware of the club and what it does for the community.
The Lakewood Ranch Garden Club was founded in 2002 and meets on the second Monday of every month from September to May at the Lakewood Ranch Town Hall. Abdelsalam said that they are always learning about gardening, design, botany, plants, landscaping and conservation.
The club works to enhance the visual appeal of public spaces. This may include planting trees, flowers or gardens. They fertilize, plant and maintain the garden behind the Lakewood Ranch Town Hall.
The club has worked alongside Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee by collecting coffee mugs and decorating them with soap florals. The mugs are put on trays at meals, and Abdelsalam said it has brightened the day of whoever received them.
Mixing things up with quality proteins and formulas
MADISON BIERL STAFF WRITER
Madison Bierl
Members of the Lakewood Ranch Garden Club include Brenda Webb, Julie Groth, Sylvia Abdelsalam, Lori Walker and Penny Kress.
YOUR CALENDAR
THURSDAY, APRIL 10
THROUGH SUNDAY, APRIL 13
LIVE MUSIC AT JIGGS LANDING
Runs from 4-7 p.m. each day at Jiggs Landing, 6106 63rd St. E., Bradenton. The live music lineup at Jiggs Landing includes Steve Arvey (Thursday), Soundwave (Friday), Bluegrass Pirates (Saturday) and Donnie Bostic (Sunday). The Friday, Saturday and Sunday concerts are $5; the Thursday concert is free. For more information, go to JiggsLanding.com.
FRIDAY, APRIL 11
CHORUS FUNDRAISER
Begins at 5 p.m. at the Braden River High School cafeteria, 6545 S.R. 70 E., Bradenton. The Braden River High chorus hosts its BBQOUSTIC fundraiser. The event includes a BBQ dinner (pulled pork, three sides, roll, drink, dessert) and music performances. Tickets are $18 for adults; $12 for students. For tickets, go to Ticketleap.Events/Tickets/ Braden-River-Choirs/BBQOUSTICNight-610004041. For more information, call Stacey Cline, chorus vice president, at 518-4333.
SATURDAY, APRIL 12
BLOCK PARTY
Runs from 6-9 p.m. at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch. Lakewood Ranch Community Activities and the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance host the annual Block Party. The free event features live music, beer trucks, activities and a chance to meet with local businesses, builders, groups and clubs that call Lakewood Ranch home. For more information, go to LWRBA.org.
SATURDAY, APRIL 12 AND SUNDAY, APRIL 13
MUSIC AT THE LODGE
Runs 6-9 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday at Linger Lodge, 7205 85th St. Court E., Bradenton. Linger Lodge’s live music schedule includes Schmitz Brothers on Saturday and Scotty Yates on Sunday.
SUNDAY, APRIL 13
POLO Gates open at 10 a.m. and the match begins at 1 p.m. at the Sarasota Polo Club, 8201 Polo Club Lane, Lake-
BEST BET
SATURDAY, APRIL 12
EGGSTRAVAGANZA
Runs from 9:30 a.m. to noon at Waterside Park, 7301 Island Cove Terrace, Lakewood Ranch. The massive egg hunt of more than 10,000 eggs returns. Children enjoy the hunt, face painting, photos with the Easter bunny, sweet treat and more. Tickets for a Lakewood Ranch resident child are $10; $20 for nonresidents. The egg hunt for children 5 years old and younger begins at 10:30 a.m., and the egg hunt for children 6 years old and up begins at 10:45 a.m. The event is presented by Grace Community Church. Go to MyLWR.com for tickets or more information.
wood Ranch. General admission is $15. VIP tickets run $20 and up. For more information, go to SarasotaPolo.com.
FARMERS MARKET
Runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place, Lakewood Ranch. Vendors will be offering seafood, eggs, meats, dairy products, pastas and more. For more information, visit MyLWR.com.
MONDAY, APRIL 14
ENVIRONMENTAL TALK
Begins at 1 p.m. at Toale Brothers Celebration for Life Center, 4310 Solutions Lane, Lakewood Ranch. Gardeners Out East is hosting a free speaker discussion of The Fragile Ecology of Sarasota Bay and what can we do to support it. The guest speaker will be Orion Morton, who is a board member of the Suncoast Waterkeepers and founder of the Rewilding Collective. All are welcome. For more information, go to GardenersOutEast.com.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16
RANCH NITE WEDNESDAY
Runs from 6-9 p.m. at Waterside Place. Ranch Nite Wednesday features food trucks, dessert trucks, live music, weekly programing, outdoor bars and a recreational cornhole league. Please do not bring coolers, outside food or beverages. Go to Waterside.com for more information.
Find Your Place in East County
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NAVIGATING TAX CHANGES IN 2025 & 2026
If one thing is certain about taxes, it’s that they always change. Some adjustments are modest, such as the standard deduction increases coming in 2025, notes J.L. Bainbridge Family Wealth Advisor and Vice President Ryan Thompson, CPA. But others could significantly reshape financial planning.
“There is a gigantic thing in 2025 that everyone should be watching,” says Thompson That is whether the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 will sunset as scheduled or be extended. Either outcome will impact tax liabilities in 2026.
Originally enacted for 2018, the TCJA lowered corporate and individual tax rates, increased the standard deduction, limited certain deductions, and restructured international tax rules. “It also significantly raised the estate tax exemption,” Thompson adds.
final decision until the very end of 2025. It could be down to the wire.”
HOW TO PREPARE NOW
“Working with the right professionals in your corner, ones who prioritize your best interests, is critical,” says Thompson. To fully understand how tax law changes will impact your financial strategies and how financial decisions affect your tax situation, work with both your financial advisor and tax preparer and ensure both have a broad understanding of your entire financial picture. Otherwise, they will offer advice based only on their own expertise. “A CPA will prioritize minimizing taxes, while a financial advisor will focus on maximizing performance within your risk tolerance,” he explains. For example, if you’re considering selling real estate, should you wait or act now? The answer isn’t always clear-cut. “It’s a complex decision,” Thompson notes, “which is why I believe having a financial advisor who understands your tax situation is invaluable.”
At J.L. Bainbridge, our approach to financial planning is all-inclusive.
“We call ourselves family wealth advisors,” says Thompson. “We chose those words carefully to reflect our commitment to helping clients navigate financial decisions as comprehensively as possible within the legal framework.”
Cars and Coffee goes wild at Big Cat Habitat
Engines were roaring louder than the lions at Big Cat Habitat on April 5.
The exotic animal sanctuary hosted exotic cars for Sarasota Cars and Coffee Gone Wild. Punta Gorda’s Chet Kitchen brought a special McLaren to the show. The car itself, a 2024 McLaren 750S Triple Crown edition, is one of only 60 to be produced.
The edition was rolled out to celebrate McLaren’s 60th anniversary and its “Triple Crown of Motorsport” achievement, which includes winning the Indianapolis 500 in 1974, the Monaco Grand Prix in 1984 and 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995.
However, Kitchen bought the car to celebrate a victory of his own.
“I went through stage 4 cancer twice,” he said. “I told myself if I beat it a second time, I’m going to get something special.”
— LESLEY DWYER
“If the TCJA isn’t extended or made permanent for individual taxpayers, the result, though nuanced, could mean tax increases for almost everyone in 2026,” Thompson explains. “And we may not know the
With tax laws in flux and major changes on the horizon, proactive planning is essential. The right strategy today can help protect your wealth and minimize surprises in 2026 and beyond. J.L. Bainbridge’s team of family wealth advisors is ready to guide you through these uncertainties with knowledgeable and personalized advice. Now is the time to take control of your financial future. Visit jlbainbridge.com or call 941.365.3435 to schedule a consultation today.
- Ryan Thompson CPA and Vice President of J.L. Bainbridge
Photos by Lesley Dwyer
Jazlyn Ocampo, project manager at Big Cat Habitat, holds Toby, a 2-year-old red ruffed lemur.
This 2024 McLaren was Chet Kitchen’s gift to himself for beating stage 4 cancer.
Bradenton’s Jackson Morgan took Parrish’s Angelina Rogers to her first Cars and Coffee at Big Cat Habitat on April 5.
Kay Rosaire, founder of Big Cat Habitat, shows off her own wheels at Sarasota Cars and Coffee Gone Wild on April 5. Sarasota’s 5-year-old Phoenix DeMars likes animals, while his brother likes cars.
JOURNEY
Siesta Key Public Beach near historic pavilion ~ Bring a Beach Chair or Blanket ~ Palm Sunday April 13th at 9:45 a.m. in the Sanctuary Maundy Thursday Service April 17th at 6:00 p.m. in the Community Center Easter Worship Service (April 20th) 9:45 a.m. in the Sanctuary with Full Choir & Brass Nursery Provided • Hearing Loop System Available Easter Egg Hunt
Sunday, April 20th at 11:00 a.m. - Community Center Free and open to the public
St. Michael The Archangel Holy Week Schedule
PALM SUNDAY | April 13th, 2025
Saturday, April 12th Palm Sunday Vigil 4:00pm Sunday, April 13th 8:00am and 10:00am* (Church)
HOLY THURSDAY | April 17th 2025
No 9:00am Mass Mass of the Lord’s Supper 7:00pm Adoration following the Mass concluding with Night Prayer 9:45pm
GOOD FRIDAY | April 18th, 2025
No 9:00am Mass Passion of the Lord 3:00pm
HOLY SATURDAY | April 19th, 2025
Easter Egg Hunt 9:30am Blessing of the Easter Food/Baskets - 12 Noon Easter Vigil Mass 8:30pm
EASTER SUNDAY | April 20th, 2025
Sunrise Mass 6:00am (Outdoor under Portico) Masses (Church) 7:15am, 9:00am and 10:45am*
Through Holy Week With Us
These Sharks play instruments and sing
Live musical performances, an art gallery and a short play all showcased the electives available at Imagine School at Lakewood Ranch during a special event April 3.
Instructional coach Caitlin Johnson said the art projects represent the school’s core values of self-discipline, honesty, open-mindedness and respect.
Gina Gretz has been teaching art at Imagine School at Lakewood Ranch since November 2024. She said the projects took a lot of planning and were all based around the Shark Pledge. The school’s mascot is a shark.
First graders made sea creatures using bright colors with markers and stencils. Second graders made twodimensional artwork of sunsets and sea creatures using materials including tissue paper and felt. This was to represent open-mindedness, which broadens horizons.
Third graders made lighthouses out of cardboard and acrylic paint. In the Shark Pledge, honesty shines as a guiding light.
Fourth graders created sharks out of clay.
Thira Pompa is a fourth grader who’s project was made of clay, but she decided to make an octopus and
crab instead of a shark.
“I couldn’t find the right position I wanted my shark to be in, so I made an octopus instead,” Pompa said. Pompa, along with her mother, Ashley Pompa, moved from South Dakota. Thira Pompa has been attending since February.
Ashley Pompa said she appreciates that the school has specific curriculums for specific students.
“They don’t feel like they’re getting left behind,” Ashley Pompa said.
Principal Ashley Allen said the event was a way for families who are signed up for the next school year to begin getting immersed in the school now instead of waiting until August.
Fourth grader
Evalyn Perez, art teacher
Gina Gretz and sixth grader Yaslin Perez pose with their artwork.
Alexandra Gutierrez and Aliah Reyes enjoy a break between songs during their performance.
Photos by Madison Bierl
Hearing connects us. It makes us feel a part of our world. Whether it’s laughter at the family dinner table, a rousing debate at work, the eclectic energy of a live concert or even the quiet rustling of leaves on a warm summer night, hearing is so much more than a simple sense. It is simply part of who you are.
At AudioNova, we want to restore your sense of hearing so that you can get back what you’ve been missing. So you can feel like you again. If you’ve been putting off getting your hearing checked for another day, there’s never been a better time to take that important first step.
Call us today and receive a FREE DEMONSTRATION of the latest hearing technology!
Concession home tops sales at $2.85 million
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
AConcession home on Lindrick Lane topped the week’s sales at $2.85 million. Paul and Cynthia Gatchell, of Dade City, sold their home at 8480 Lindrick Lane to James and Sarah Brooks, of Bradenton, for $2.85 million. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, four-anda-half baths, a pool and 3,907 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.6 million in 2021.
WATERLEFE
Victor and Catherine Yosha, trustees, of Woodruff, South Carolina, sold the home at 10309 Riverbank Terrace to Helga Schimpf, trustee, of Dousman, Wisconsin, for $2.55 million. Built in 2002, it has four bedrooms, three-and-two-half baths, a pool and 6,136 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,895,000 in 2022.
ISLES
Matthew and Erin MacDonald, of Sarasota, sold their home at 18212 Cayo Largo Place to Patrick and Pamela De Ridder, of Lakewood Ranch, for $2.1 million. Built in 2023, it has four bedrooms, fiveand-a-half baths, a pool and 4,943 square feet of living area. It sold for $2,075,000 in 2024.
COUNTRY CLUB
Ryan and Cindy Swenson, of Minneapolis, sold their home at 8122 Lone Tree Glen to Jeffrey and Machelle Remington, of Bradenton, for $1.7 million. Built in 2002, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,983 square feet of living area. It sold for $785,000 in 2020.
Rentals in the Sun LLC sold the home at 7660 Portstewart Drive to Troy Michael DeFrees-Parrott, of Lakewood Ranch, for $735,000. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,161 square feet of living area. It sold for $879,400 in 2024.
COUNTRY CLUB EAST
Thomas and Danielle Mahon, of Sarasota, sold their home at 16518 Cornwall Lane to Helen Christina Dixon and Alastair Richard Dixon, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1,575,000. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,083 square feet of living area.
RIVERDALE REVISED
Jonathan Neal Brooks IV and Arlene Brooks, trustees, sold the home at 536 Mast Drive to Donald Braunagel, trustee, of Bradenton, for $1.55 million. Built in 2011, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,677 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.15 million in 2022.
EDGEWATER
John and Lisa Deutsch, of White Plains, New York, sold their home at 6638 Windjammer Place to SPE #203 LLC for $1.31 million. Built in 1997, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,861 square feet of living area. It sold for $579,000 in 2011.
LAKEWOOD NATIONAL
Larry Dean Volwiler, trustee, of Greenville, South Carolina, sold the home at 5816 Mulligan Way to Richard and Doreen Depastino, of Sarasota, for $1.23 million. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,647 square feet of living area. It sold for $748,200 in 2022.
RIVER CLUB SOUTH
Matthew and Samantha Kotlik, of Bristol, Rhode Island, sold their home at 10159 Cherry Hills Ave. Circle to Francesca Cartwright and Peter Pohlot, of Bradenton, for $1,175,000. Built in 1996, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and
2,832 square feet of living area. It sold for $690,000 in 2021.
ESPLANADE AT THE HEIGHTS
Richard Glen Manley and Yenette Dee Manley, of Bluffton, South Carolina, sold their home at 6031 Grandview Hill Court to Daniel and Jolene Reinhart, of Bradenton, for $938,500. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,379 square feet of living area. It sold for $769,900 in 2022.
SHOREVIEW
Jacob and Juliann Goodwin, of Sarasota, sold their home at 7989 Grande Shores Drive to Peter and Renee Bojbasa, of Saint James, New York, for $925,000. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,486 square feet of living area. It sold for $638,600 in 2020.
ESPLANADE
Kevin and Cheryl McCabe, of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, sold their home at 13947 Messina Loop to Brian and Jill Katz, of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, for $880,000. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,101 square feet of living area. It sold for $506,300 in 2017.
HERITAGE HARBOUR
Frank Jeffrey Riggio and Terra Marie Riggio, of Bradenton, sold their home at 8419 River Preserve Drive to Anne Riordan Michelson and James Peter Michelson, of Worcester, Massachusetts, for $874,900. Built in 2010, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,258 square feet of living area. It sold for $850,000 in 2022.
RYE WILDERNESS ESTATES
Theresa Kennewell, of Hideaway, Texas, and Janea Orchard, of Molalla, Oregon, sold their home at 125 167th Blvd. E. to Timothy and Ivy Roberts, of Bradenton, for $825,000. Built in 2014, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,072 square feet of living area. It sold for $430,000 in 2014.
MILL CREEK
Kevin and Joanne Willcox, of Palmetto, sold their home at 13609 Third Ave. E. to Adam and Juliana Schuster, of Sarasota, for $765,000. Built in 1990, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,753 square feet of living area. It sold for $610,000 in 2021.
BRIDGEWATER
Barton and Laura Lee Myers, of Bradenton, sold their home at 13013 Ramblewood Trail to Richard Stella, trustee, of Port Charlotte, for $760,000. Built in 2014, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,231 square feet of living area. It sold for $448,000 in 2020.
CENTRAL PARK
Steven Alan Wilhelm and Claudia Maria Wilhelm, trustees, of Clarksville, Tennessee, sold the home at 4651 Claremont Park Drive to Peter and Annette Trahanas, of Bradenton, for $750,000. Built in 2014, it has four bedrooms, four baths and 3,144 square feet of living area. It sold for $430,700 in 2014.
BRADEN OAKS
Kimberly Crockett, Cheri Greenhalgh, Marissa Moats, Terasa Katsaros, Dristin Hughes and Nicholas Katsaros, of Parrish, sold their home at 3314 65th St. E. to Andrea Couture, of Bradenton, for $723,000. Built in 1981, it has four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,776 square feet of living area.
PALM AIRE AT SARASOTA
Vughn Williams, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 5663 Country Lakes Drive to Thomas and Nancy Nunan, of Peabody, Massachusetts, for $675,000. Built in 1986, it has three bedrooms, two-and-two-half baths, a pool and 2,312 square feet of living area. It sold for $435,000 in 2016.
ROSEDALE ADDITION
Robert and Janice Morsches, trustees, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the home at 10655 Glencorse Terrace to Atlas Exchange 349 LLC for $665,000. Built in 2013, it has two bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,656 square feet of living area. It sold for $404,900 in 2014.
RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS
MARCH 24-28
HARMONY
Eric and Leigh Sierra, of Bradenton, sold their home at 11343 Spring Gate Trail to James and Sheryl Lynn Forbes, of Ortonville, Michigan, for $650,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,511 square feet of living area. It sold for $360,700 in 2018.
SERENITY CREEK
Craig Daniel Preston and Amanda Michelle Preston sold their home at 13009 Bliss Loop to Ernest and Mary Liggins, of Bradenton, for $610,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,671 square feet of living area. It sold for $382,000 in 2019.
LANDING
Kevin Michael McLean and Catherine Ann McLean, of Sarasota, sold their home at 2208 Midnight Pearl Drive to Dhruvin Rudani and Himmatbhai and Vimalaben Rudani, of Sarasota, for $604,000. Built in 2020, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 3,377 square feet of living area. It sold for $421,100 in 2020.
DESOTO LAKES COUNTRY CLUB
COLONY
Marcus and Sharonda Sensenig sold their home at 5105 W. Country Club Drive to Jessica and Larry Murphy, of Sarasota, for $575,000. Built in
REAL ESTATE, PAGE 14B
Courtesy image
This Waterlefe home at 10309 Riverbank Terrace, built in 2002, was sold for $2.55 million. It has four bedrooms and 6,136 square feet of living area.
1963, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,890 square feet of living area. It sold for $525,000 in 2022.
ARBOR GRANDE
Stanley Pawelec and Elizabeth Pawelec, of High Point, North Carolina, sold their home at 12233 Perennial Place to Debra Sanders, of Bradenton, for $550,000. Built in 2019, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,901 square feet of living area. It sold for $320,000 in 2019.
COACH HOMES AT LAKEWOOD
NATIONAL
Jeffrey Kenney and Joseph Kenney, of Tampa, sold their Unit 2011 condominium at 5922 Wake Forest Run to Jeffrey and Jean Heckman, of Huntley, Illinois, for $550,000. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,786 square feet of living area. It sold for $315,000 in 2019.
ARBOR RESERVE
Ernest Charles Desfosses and Carolyn Dowdy-Desfosses, of Sarasota, sold their home at 5718 Westhaven Cove to Joseph William Walker and Ashley Walker, of Bradenton, for $545,000. Built in 2015, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,281 square feet of living area. It sold for $390,000 in 2018.
COUNTRY CREEK
Barbara Elaine Benedict, David Ned Little, Phillip Ivey Little, Randy Daryl Little, Jeffrey Lamar Little, Jill Michelle Braun and Jack Barry Little III sold their home at 14719 First Ave. E. to Yallappa Renukadevi and Nadiminti, of Bradenton, for $539,500. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,003 square feet of living area. It sold for $325,000 in 2015.
ROSEDALE
James and Margaret Nardell, of Rochester Hills, Michigan, sold their home at 8729 54th Ave. E. to Vincent and Sandra Palminteri,
of Bradenton, for $535,000. Built in 1993, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 2,081 square feet of living area. It sold for $372,000 in 2018.
GREYHAWK LANDING
Darren and Tara Haimer, of Bradenton, sold their home at 12547 Natureview Circle to Libia Alexandra Ulloa Hernandez and Yarian Lazaro Martinez Garcia, of Bradenton, for $530,000. Built in 2004, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,312 square feet of living area. It sold for $316,300 in 2014.
AZARIO ESPLANADE
Justin Ross Fortenberry and Marcicarmen Alicia Fortenberry, of Bradenton, sold their home at 4762 Tortona Court to Michael and Carol May Frazetta and Michael Brandon Frazetta, of Sarver, Pennsylvania, for $525,000. Built in 2022, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,558 square feet of living area. It sold for $409,100 in 2022.
FAIRWAY LAKES AT PALM AIRE COUNTRY CLUB
Patricia Feeney, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 5822 Fairwoods Circle to Daniel and Annalisa Burke, of Sarasota, for $525,000. Built in 1996, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 1,970 square feet of living area. It sold for $227,000 in 2002.
INDIGO Arlene and David Wescott, of Wales, sold their home at 12715 Coastal Breeze Way to Jeffrey Alan Zych, of Bradenton, for $510,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,682 square feet of living area. It sold for $348,300 in 2020.
NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH
A++ by Will Nediger, edited by Jared Goudsmit
By Luis Campos
From the start, the Shanahans were outstanding-great listeners, highly professional, and incredibly knowledgeable about the local market. In a short time, Ken and Katina understood exactly what kind of community we were looking for and helped us find the perfect fit in Del Webb at Lakewood Ranch and were fully supportive every step of the way, even connecting us with a trusted mortgage banker. One of them was present for every key moment, including our design appointment, where they acted as our advocate. Selling a home in Washington state and relocating 3,350 miles to Florida at the same time was no small task-but thanks to Ken and Katina, we felt confident every step of the way. The best part? We didn’t just find our new home-we also gained two wonderful friends.
