With a blue head and a tail that extends up into a candy cane, kindergartner Riley Shewbridge’s coloring of a wallaroo (above) won her a prize in the holiday card contest at Myakka City Elementary School.
The Myakka Co-op holds the annual contest to support the school and raise awareness for local nonprofits.
This year, students decorated cards in the likeness of animals living at Farmhouse Animal & Nature Sanctuary. On Jan. 14, the winners won T-shirts from the sanctuary, and the school received a $303 donation from card sales.
“The kids were thrilled,” said Lynn Meder, a member of the co-op.
Building the future
The Suncoast Builders Association represents the building and development industry in both Manatee and Sarasota counties, and has been in operation for over 65 years.
However, the Lakewood Ranch-based networking and advocacy group reached a milestone with the arrival of its first female president, Lakewood Ranch’s Debbie Urban (above).
“I’m truthfully very honored to be in this position because it’s such a fine group of people and businesspeople who really care about community and doing the right thing,” Urban said.
During the Rock the Yacht dance party Jan. 9, at the Sarasota Yacht Club, the association installed Urban, along with its 2025 board of directors, and honored the contributions of outgoing President John Carlson.
Jay Heater
Those who hire Myakka City’s Casey Kantenwein to
Courtesy image
Ian Swaby
Garden club takes dive into area ponds
The club invited Sean Patton from Stocking Savvy to speak at its first meeting of the year.
LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER
Camelle Romero isn’t a member of the Gardeners Out East, but two noisy aerators in the pond outside her Eagle Trace home led her to the club’s latest meeting.
She showed up hoping to find a natural alternative because the guest speaker was Sean Patton, an aquatic biologist and owner of Stocking Savvy, an environmental consulting firm.
About 30 people attended the Jan. 13 meeting to learn more about the ponds surrounding their Lakewood Ranch homes.
“Many of us who moved to Lakewood Ranch don’t know that the ponds aren’t really ponds,” club President Nancy Schneider said. “Keeping them healthy is a very important thing.”
The ponds in Lakewood Ranch are man-made detention ponds. They were designed to look natural, but engineered to serve a purpose.
Under ground, the ponds are interconnected as one big network that catches stormwater runoff and filters pollutants before the water makes its way into the Braden River.
During summer 2022, a pond in Lake Club turned brown. Tests showed runoff to be the cause; the lake performed as planned and cleared on its own.
As for Romero’s problem of two noisy aerators, according to Patton, a native pairing of the right plants and fish doesn’t require even one aerator.
However, the benefits of aerators can include a more robust fish stock and less algae.
Stirring up the water gives the fish added oxygen and reduces thermal stratification, which happens when the sun warms the top of the pond.
The water separates into two layers according to temperature, and the warmer layer promotes algae growth.
Patton uses herbicides as a last resort for treating algae. Multiple species of fish are his preferred treatment.
“(Algae) can evolve to resist a chemical,” he said. “It is much harder to evolve to resist a fish because that fish coevolves with (the algae).”
While Lakewood Ranch doesn’t stock algae-eating fish, Anne Ross, executive director of Lakewood Ranch’s Stewardship District, said several ponds are stocked with carp. Lakewood Ranch has Triploid Grass Carp permits for those ponds.
The permits are issued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission because the carp are an effective way to control aquatic weeds.
The grass carp are imported from Asia, so “Triploid” indicates that the fish have been sterilized at a hatchery to prevent spawning into Florida waters.
The garden club meets at the Robert Toale and Sons Celebration of Life Center, which overlooks a pond. Patton walked the group outside. It didn’t take more than a glance for him to spot and pluck a little green sprout from the water.
“This is one of seven federally banned plants in the state,” he said. “This is Hydrilla verticillata.” Patton explained that Hydrilla have tubers that herbicides don’t kill, so stocking a pond with carp is the best control. It’s also far less expensive.
According to FWC, spraying herbicides costs between $100 and $500 per acre. Stocking a pond with triploid grass carp costs between $15 and $150 per acre, depending on how many carp are needed. The range is from three to 10 per acre, and restocking is typically not required for at least five years.
“We work with developers now,” Patton said. “They’ve said (bio control) is so effective, it’s actually in their best interest. They’re having less algae issues because we stock
the ponds right.”
All that stocking costs a little more up front for the first year or two. But once the ecosystem is established, the maintenance costs are minimal.
Patton has worked on several ponds in Venice’s Wellen Park community.
It should be noted that carp do compete with native fish for food.
As with the ponds, every plant and fish serves a specific purpose.
Patton sees 90% less algae in ponds stocked with floating plants because they help to block the sun and keep the water cooler.
Planting a species like Elderberry around the edge of a pond is more aesthetically pleasing than an overgrown “no-mow area” and helps protect the pond. Mowing directly next to the water can spread torpedo grass into the pond, and a heavy lawn mower can cause the banks to erode.
While the crowd was enthralled throughout Patton’s presentation, he mentioned something that had nothing to do with ponds but piqued an audible interest from some members of the audience.
ABOUT SEAN PATTON
Patton has a degree in marine biology from the New College of Florida, but he is not a shy, dry scientist. His presentation was filled with jokes, puns, facts and stories. Here are a few things Patton revealed about himself to the Gardeners Out East in just one hour.
Favorite plant to grow: Coontie, the only host plant for the Atala butterfly, which almost went extinct in Florida.
Funniest schtick: The lazy millennial who has to plant ground cover because mowing the lawn takes time away from gaming.
Cool side gig: Teaching students at the Ringling College of Art and Design how to make a dye garden, so they can grow their own paints and dyes.
Quirkiest question: “When’s the last time you ate an American chestnut?” (99.99% of chestnut trees were lost in a 40-year time span during the early 1900s because of a disease brought in from a species of Asian chestnut.)
Best pun: “Respect your elderberries.”
Worst pun: “My favorite dance is the Oak-ie Pokie.”
“There’s a state law exempting you, if you’re using native plants and xeriscaping, from Homeowners Association bylaws,” he said. “You cannot be told by your HOA not to use those species. They can, however, say you are a bad gardener and tell you to make it look nicer.”
Lesley Dwyer
Marine biologist Sean Patton shows the Gardeners Out East a piece of Hydrilla verticillata he plucked out of the pond next to Robert Toale & Sons Celebration of Life Center.
but it might be more practical to whittle that down to something more site and time specific.
Commissioners differ on moratorium value
Bob McCann and Carol Felts say constituents want a moratorium, while other commissioners say the move is ineffective and harmful.
LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER
Commissioner Bob McCann made it clear during his campaign for a District 5 seat on the Manatee County Commission that he would be representing those who wanted to slow development.
“If there’s a blade of grass, (developers) want to build on it,” McCann said. “I got 42,000 votes that said, ‘Hey, stop the building.’”
Since being elected in November, McCann has cast votes against final plats, rezoning requests, commercial proposals and an affordable housing land use restriction agreement because the project will add cars to Lorraine Road.
He also made a successful motion to revert the prior board’s decision to change wetland buffer requirements.
Now, he would like to see a residential building moratorium for District 5, which includes the Lakewood Ranch area, for one year while, he said, steps could be taken to prevent any future flooding and to catch up on infrastructure.
While he hasn’t made a motion yet, McCann started the conversation during the Manatee County Commission’s first meeting of the new year Jan. 7.
“My district wants a moratorium on building,” he said. “Edgewater voted for a one-year moratorium on building. It can be done.”
Whether he gets any support on his idea remains to be seen.
Commissioner Mike Rahn is “100% against” it.
“Building moratoriums have proven not to be effective,” Rahn said. “They hurt employment in the county within the building industry. There are other things that the county can do, with the board’s approval, to slow down growth if they want to.”
But McCann said Manatee could follow the example set by the city of Edgewater in Volusia County in Central Florida on the east coast, which passed a citywide building moratorium Jan. 6, so its staff could
get a handle on the city’s stormwater issues.
Edgewater has a detailed plan of what will be accomplished during the next year, including the creation of a stormwater master plan and updates to its Land Development Code and Comprehensive Plan.
McCann said Manatee County could follow Edgewater’s model. The moratorium includes exceptions for industrial and commercial uses in certain areas.
EXTREME ACTION?
District 1 Commissioner Carol Felts said citizens in her district want a moratorium, too, but what might happen is that a districtwide moratorium idea gets whittled down to something extremely specific, such as “until Moccasin Wallow Road is completed, we’re not going to approve any more development on it.”
“You have to take a little militant action when the pendulum has swung so far to one side to bring it back to plumb,” she said.
Commissioner Jason Bearden said he wants more information first but is willing to consider the idea.
Commissioner George Kruse said moratoriums are too broad of a stroke. With a moratorium, the board would have to deny everything from housing developments to homeless veterans projects.
Rex Jensen, president and CEO of Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, weighed in from a developer’s perspective.
“I’m elated that the county commission is finally looking seriously at drainage concerns and that Lakewood Ranch’s Commissioner McCann shares that priority,” Jensen wrote in an email to the Observer. “I appreciate his participation in the quest for solutions. This is the first time in 35 years that I’ve heard anything from anyone in the county willing to address the problem. I’m dismayed that one of the tools being considered is a moratorium, which
I view to be nothing but political, irrelevant, counterproductive, ineffective, and for that matter, illegal.”
Jensen is correct. Senate Bill 250 currently prohibits construction moratoriums in any county within 100 miles of where Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole made landfall.
McCann said the bill contains “questionable language.” He’s looking into what was actually damaged in District 5 because of Hurricane Ian. If there was no major damage in the area, then the bill shouldn’t apply to the area.
“We just received a big grant for disaster management,” McCann said. “We should be building and mitigating the last disaster. We should be making sure that we’re not going to flood again.”
Specifically, McCann wants to see trash and debris removed from the Braden River and retention ponds dredged.
He said his plan wouldn’t stop commercial development or parks from being built. The moratorium would only apply to residential projects.
Kruse is hoping the board considers alternative actions, such as setting clear criteria for building and taking away incentives in places where commissioners would like to limit density and growth.
“Stop allowing up-zoning of properties in those areas,” he said. “Stop allowing all the extra stipulations for less setbacks and less buffers. Just keep saying ‘no.’”
Saying “no” to Kruse also means keeping the Future Development Area Boundary where it is and removing Policy 2.1.2.8 from the Comprehensive Plan, which allows the board to approve projects beyond the FDAB.
“Here’s the thing,” Felts said. “I’m here to represent the citizens. I know my citizens want a building moratorium.”
Ever since Hurricane Debby caused flooding in Lakewood Ranch and
EDGEWATER’S EXAMPLE
Here’s a closer look at Edgewater’s plan according to a press release from the city dated Jan. 7.
What’s affected: Annexations, rezones, Comprehensive Plan amendments, site plans, preliminary plats and final plats
What’s not affected: Applications submitted within the six months prior to the effective date of the ordinance
Staff’s goals for the year: Perform stormwater maintenance, enact stormwater and housing impact fee ordinances, have a consultant design a stormwater master plan and make updates to the land development code, comprehensive plan and the stormwater code.
Parrish, there have been two specific requests made by some citizens at commission meetings — the findings from the Hurricane Debby independent investigation the county promised and a building moratorium.
The findings are due to be released during a special work session scheduled for Feb. 19.
“Rather than forcing a useless legal contest that makes lawyers rich, I offer today a partnership which should begin with a face-toface meeting in which we share the facts, leaving the politics aside,” Jensen said.
“Some of these facts we have already gathered, and some facts the county should already have at its fingertips,” Jensen said. “By sharing these facts, we can quickly figure out an action plan with defined timetables where we (SMR) deal with Lakewood Ranch, and the county deals with anything off-site, which we don’t have the authority to touch. I look forward to that meeting, which can happen yesterday as far as I am concerned, if anyone is serious about actually doing something about the problem.”
McCann agreed during the Jan. 7 meeting that the first step is to sit down with the builders. However, during the land use meeting on Jan. 14, he also made it clear he intends to continue his pursuit.
“I heard the argument that if we try to do anything to stop the building, then people are going to lose their jobs and take food off the table,” McCann said. “At least they’ve got a table. Those tables, those countertops, those walls, those floors (of flood victims) ended up in the street.”
“Rather than forcing a useless legal contest that makes lawyers rich, I offer today a partnership which should begin with a face-to-face meeting in which we share the facts, leaving the politics aside.”
Courtesy image
An East Manatee Fire Rescue worker paddles toward a flooded home on Quonset Road along the Braden River to rescue the occupant.
Commissioner Carol Felts says people in her district want a building moratorium,
Commissioner Bob McCann is looking into the possibility of a residential building moratorium in District 5.
Rex Jensen, president and CEO of Schroeder-Manatee Ranch
Photos by Lesley Dwyer
New semi-private golf course set to open in Lakewood Ranch
Calusa Country Club will feature 30 holes and a socialized concept.
Golfers in East County soon will have a new course where they can put their
to the
Calusa Country Club, a new golf course community built by Lennar, will feature a semi-private golf course that includes rolling fairways, a variety of tee markers and more than a standard 18 holes of golf at 18812 Scallop Loop.
After over two years of planning and construction, Lennar is hosting a members-only grand-opening event on Jan. 23, and the public will be welcome to play Lakewood Ranch’s newest golf course shortly after at a date to be determined.
THE CALUSA COUNTRY CLUB COMMUNITY
Lakewood National Golf Club, also built by Lennar, has become a popular option for golfers in the region.
The course hosted every LECOM Suncoast Classic — a Korn Ferry Tour event — since the start of the event in 2019. It will schedule the event again April 16-18.
CALUSA COUNTRY CLUB QUICK FACTS
Address: 18812 Scallop Loop, Lakewood Ranch
Grand Opening: Jan. 23
Par: 72
Distance from tips on 18-hole course: 7,404 yards
Designer: Gordon G. Lewis
Developer: Lennar
Unique features: Additional 12-hole course and putting course
from condos in the high $300,000 range to single-family homes that start at $500,000 and go up to just over $1 million.
Those homes start at 1,200 square feet and go up to roughly 3,000 square feet. Construction on homes is slated to begin in the coming months, with the first wave projected to be finished in the late summer or early fall, Tucker said.
Memberships are bundled with the price of the home, with the option to choose between an all-inclusive golf membership or a “social” membership that includes access to the pickleball and tennis courts, Tiki bar, resort-style pool, clubhouse and practice facility, but no priority tee times.
With the success of the course and its community, creating another country club golf course community in Lakewood Ranch was a no-brainer for Lennar.
“We built Lakewood National, which was highly successful, so we wanted to do a similarly bundled golf course community within Lakewood Ranch because of the popularity,” Lennar Division Manager Michelle Tucker said.
Matt Koratich, director of community management of the Southwest Florida Division of Lennar, said there are 1,900 homes planned for Calusa Country Club, with homes ranging
Tucker said every home that’s been made available has sold. Currently, that’s approximately 35 homes, with homes being released to the market on a limited basis.
That means there will be a period in which Calusa Country Club doesn’t have many members actively playing on it — a big reason why Lennar decided to make it available to the public.
“Our data from our previous courses suggests we’ve sold a number of homes where people have fallen in love with the course and the community,” Koratich said. “And
they’ve said, ‘You know what, this is a community for me, and I want to be able to golf here whenever I want to,’ and they buy a home and become a member.”
MAKING GOLF SOCIAL
A feature of Calusa Country Club will be what Lennar calls “social golf.”
That socialized concept includes a 12-hole course to complement the 18-hole course, as well as a putting course just shy of an acre that’s surrounded by a snack bar, fire pit and seating.
There will also be a driving range, a short-game area and practice putting green nearby along with a golf simulator in the clubhouse.
Though some people may be quick to assume the 12-hole course is an executive course, that’s not entirely the case, but the same idea applies.
Executive courses were created to better suit working people who wanted to play shorter rounds. Those courses primarily feature Par 3 holes and short Par 4 holes so working professionals can fit golf into their busy schedules.
The 12-hole concept at Calusa Country Club takes a unique spin on that, offering typical-length Par 4 and Par 5 holes as well as Par 3 holes.
That means golf can be played in three hours or less and players also have access to 30 holes to vary their experience. The 12-hole course is still taking shape, and won’t be ready until later this year, Director of Golf Dylan Wright said.
“I think it had a little bit to do with the space, but it’s more to do with us looking at the clientele and how the modern working family is interacting with golf as a leisure activity. We saw in the industry data that people are looking to get out and play but don’t necessarily have the four or five hours it takes to play a whole 18,” Koratich said.
“The industry trend is moving to more of a tight turnaround with play time. A 12-hole course gives us the ability to be extremely flexible with how we route and play the course.”
To further lean into the family style concept, there are plans to allow junior golfers to play at Calusa Country Club with their families at no cost after a certain time (to be determined).
At night, there will be full-swing glow golf and putting contests using glow sticks to guide the way.
“We’re doing some things that I think modernize the golf world,” Tucker said.
THE 18-HOLE CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE
The socialized aspect of golf might not appeal to some traditional players, which is where the 18-hole, par72 course comes into play.
The course is designed by Gordon G. Lewis, who has designed 73 courses in Florida, according to Golfpass.com. Some of those nearby courses include Heritage Oaks Golf and Country Club and the Palms Golf Club at Forest Lakes in Sarasota and Sarasota National in Venice.
There are six different tee markers ranging anywhere from 7,404 yards from the tips to 3,850 yards from the closest tees. That makes what could be an
intimidating course manageable for golfers of all ages and skill levels.
“It looks daunting off the tee on some holes because it has a lot of water carry, but as far as playability goes, a lot of the fairways are wide,” said Wright, who added that he worked at Ibis Landing in Lehigh Acres and Sarasota National before coming to Calusa. “You have a couple of tight holes, but it’s a lot more wide open than a lot of the other courses around here. We have a lot of rolling fairways, and I think that will be the main challenge, is that you’ll get some funky lies. The greens are wide enough to where we have separate tiers, and I wouldn’t say there’s any unfair pins, even with fast green speeds.”
Though there will be homes lining the golf course, David Negip, vice president of community management of the Southwest Florida Division of Lennar, said the course has maintained a natural environment.
“It runs through, over and around the headwater of the preserved uplands and protected wetlands,” Negip said. “You’ll see a variety of wildlife and vegetation out there and have an opportunity to use every club in your bag.”
Koratich said that rates are expected to range from $99 to $149.
Calusa Country Club is hosting a grand opening event on Jan. 23. The golf course will open to the public shortly thereafter.
Rendering courtesy of Lennar
Photo courtesy of Dylan Wright
Calusa Country Club features rolling fairways surrounded by wildlife and vegetation.
The library board is back ... almost
Manatee County’s Library Advisory Board hasn’t met in over a year, but commissioners say it will hold its first meeting by April.
LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER
After a public protest, two rounds of applicants and commissioners who refused to make appointments since April 2023, Manatee County’s Library Advisory Board will reconvene by April just as it was two years ago — a five-member board with no authority to oversee the county’s book collections.
“Unfortunately, what we didn’t realize is that (the advisory board) is governed by state law,” Commissioner Amanda Ballard said. “We didn’t have that information at first. Somebody in the legal department found the statute, and so we had to revert due to that.”
Ballard’s idea to increase the board to 15 members to oversee the book collections in April 2023 was seen by some citizens and members of the library community as an attempt to control the collections, or a book ban in a different form.
The plan came with genre labels and parental consent forms and was initiated just as the Lakewood Ranch Library began choosing which books to include in its more than 40,000-piece collection.
The move caused protesters to line the sidewalk outside of the Administration Building, waving signs and chanting, “Trust librarians to do their jobs.”
A compromise was made.
The labels and consent forms were scrapped, and instead of a whole new board, the existing board was expanded and its duties included “collection development process review.” It took a dozen professional librar-
UPCOMING
LIBRARY EVENTS
■ Lakewood Ranch Library. 16410 Rangeland Parkway. Visit ManateeLibrary.LibCal. com/Calendar/Events for a complete list of programs.
■ Opera Lecture with the Sarasota Opera. Jan. 24 from 10-11 a.m. General Director Richard Russell will talk about where opera came from and where it’s going.
■ Big Impact Ideas for New Build Homes. Jan. 28 from 6-7
p.m. Interior designers will offer tips on how to take your new home from “blank slate to ‘wow.’”
■ Cheers to Winemaking in Lakewood Ranch. Jan. 29 from 3-4 p.m. Kristin Hokanson, co-owner of Fiorelli Winery & Vineyard, will explain how to grow and harvest grapes in Florida and how the production process works.
■ “FUNsician” Kirk Jones Ukulele Workshop. Jan. 31 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The workshop is for all skill levels and includes a mini concert and play-along jam session.
ians seven months to curate Lakewood Ranch’s collection.
Library Services Manager Tammy Parrot said it was too much to ask of volunteers to choose what was in the collection, but asking them to review the process was appropriate. The purpose of the advisory board is to recommend policies to commission-
ers and update them on the state of the county’s library system.
Even those opposed to the expanded board overseeing the book collection, like Sue Ann Miller, president of the Friends of the Lakewood Ranch Library, liked the idea of adding more members to the existing board, making it nine instead of five.
In a 6-1 vote in January 2024, commissioners refused to appoint any of the 13 applicants to the seven open seats. In adition to the five new seats, two terms were up and one member retired.
Commissioner George Kruse was the sole vote to keep the board intact. Had commissioners chosen at least three out of the 13 applicants, as attorney William Clague said was within their right to do, a five- or nine-person board could have carried on with a quorum.
However, then-Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said the applicants weren’t “like minded” with the board.
Parrott said it was the “most robust” applicant pool she had seen since joining the county in 2019, while Ballard said it was “unfortunate” there weren’t more applicants to choose from.
Given the state’s authority, it was all for nothing. On Jan. 8, the board
unanimously voted to restore the original board to its size of five members.
If Ballard has her way, the library advisory board still will be expanded.
MOVING FORWARD
“I’d like to see it expanded because our population is so much larger,” Ballard said. “When our library board was created (in the 1970s), we had maybe a third of the population, and the population center was completely different.”
Ballard noted that there are seats for the city of Bradenton and the islands but not for East County or North County.
Miller made the same observation but identified the areas as Lakewood Ranch and Parrish.
When the board was expanded from five to nine in April 2023, one seat was set aside to represent the Lakewood Ranch and Myakka City area. The other three seats sought out specific community members regardless of their geographic location: a homeschool parent, a parent with a child in public school and someone who holds a master’s degree in library science. Ballard will have to start from scratch to expand the board, but she has a plan.
“It’s on our legislative priorities,” she said, “But I don’t think it’s going to happen this year because it’s a local bill and we’re already past the deadline.”
Local bills apply to a designated area versus the entire state.
Ballard said there are two options. The law can be stricken so the county has the authority to expand the board, or the county can ask the state to expand the board.
For now, the five-member board will reconvene in either March or April. The last meeting was held Jan. 17, 2024.
Parrott is looking forward to the monthly input from citizens again. She’s not overly concerned with the size of the board because all board meetings are open to the public.
“We were starting to get more members of the public attending those meetings,” she said. “When we went on hiatus, we missed having them.”
Parrott is rebooting the board with a newly introduced orientation and handbook, which provides an overview of library operations. The first few meetings will offer members a brief overview of how libraries work.
Lesley Dwyer
Protesters line up in front of the Manatee County Administration Building in April 2023 before a commission meeting.
BIG SHOES TO FILL
JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR
With his arms wrapped around the back leg of a warmblood horse and his farrier’s tools in hand, Casey Kantenwein was having a calm morning in the TerraNova Equestrian Center’s main barn.
That’s a good thing, too, because it’s not always the case.
“I’ve been kicked, bit, jumped on,” said Kantenwein, who lives in Myakka City and operates as Casey’s Farrier Service. “It’s something for every occasion.”
Even while working on his preferred warmbloods, which he said tend to be quiet while being shoed, Kantenwein said things can get a little nuts at times.
“You’ve got to be able to deal with a lot of different horses,” he said. “You have to control your temper.
“Sometimes, you just grab ahold and hold on. Even then, I ignore him. The more fight you give them, the more they will want to fight you.”
A horse being spooked, or objecting to what is going on, can manifest itself in an instant, but Kantenwein has the experience, and the touch, to protect himself.
“If he is going to explode,” he said, “I know it before he does it.”
It’s no surprise to those around the TerraNova barns that Kantenwein knows horses inside and out.
Zach Ketelboeter, co-founder of TerraNova with his wife, Hannah Herrig Ketelboeter, became friends with Kantenwein when they were both farriers in Illinois. After the Ketelboeters got together and had horses at Windsong Farm on Fruitville Road in Sarasota, they would fly Kantenwein from Illinois to shoe their horses.
That was despite Florida having many choices in farriers.
“After I moved to Florida, I knew he had done good things with my horses and I continued to fly him down,” Zach Ketelboeter said. “We have very high-end horses, and I have seen horses having to be put down when their feet got messed up. We were not taking that risk.
“With Casey, it’s his attention to detail. He doesn’t fall into the category of following what the trends are. He sticks to the basics of what he was taught about the anatomy of a horse. The current trend is to have horses being changed to encourage them to be better at whatever the discipline. That doesn’t mean it is what is better for the horse’s health. Casey is going to do what is best for that horse. He doesn’t shoe a single horse the same.”
Lauren McElhaney is another farrier who works at TerraNova and she said she wants to one day be at Kantenwein’s level.
“Everything starts at their feet. People don’t understand how precise these have to be.”
Casey Kantenwein
off. I like the stuff that makes me think outside the box.”
On Jan. 17, he was using Play-Doh to build a dam that would hold silicone between the horse’s hoof and a leather pad and horseshoe. The horse he was working on had medical woes, including cancer, and Kantenwein was using his expertise to make his life a little more comfortable.
“I use a lot of Play-Doh,” Kantenwein said with a laugh. “Like, this one has a goofy foot ... divots, dents, the way it grows.”
Kantenwein grew up in Fox Lake, Illinois, and learned to love horses through his father, Bruce, and stepmom, Christine. His dad was a helicopter broker, but he always had horses and his stepmom rode Western pleasure. He grew up riding since he was 9 and eventually learned to break trail horses through his dad.
He was in his early 20s, working as a welder and pipe-fitter when he got laid off. His father pushed him to go to horseshoeing school, which he did.
He still worked in different jobs, such as firefighting and welding, before he turned to being a farrier full time. He moved to Myakka City from Illinois five years ago to continue working with the Ketelboeters. Through that association, he met his future wife, Nadia Yahraus.
Casey Kantenwein nails it when it comes to his job as a farrier.
IF YOU GO
What: Combined Driving at TerraNova When: Thursday, Jan. 23 through Sunday, Jan. 26 (9 a.m. start time Thursday, Friday and Sunday and 9:30 a.m. Saturday) Where: TerraNova Equestrian Center, 31625 Clay Gully Road, Myakka City Cost: Free parking and general admission; VIP tickets available More information: Go to TerraNovaEquestrian.com.
“He takes a look at each horse’s confirmation,” she said. “He takes the time. Some do every horse the same way.”
Kantenwein, 42, is not shy about showing his disdain for farriers who fall into the “one-size-fits-all” school of shoeing or who will shoe a horse based on an event as opposed to what fits that particular horse.
“How they function is through their feet,” he said, noting that he does a lot of medical shoeing. “You might be doing a different setup for a collateral ligament injury. You might have a suspensory (ligament) branch that you want to take the pressure
Yahraus, who gives various equestrian lessons, also is in the business through her Black Moon Equestrian Services.
Meanwhile, they spend a lot of time at TerraNova, which continues to offer high quality equine competitions, such as the Combined Driving Event at Terra Nova that takes place Jan. 23 through Jan. 26.
While Kantenwein is available to competitors, he takes the most joy working on a regular basis with clients who can schedule him every four to six weeks, which allows him to keep a regular schedule with a horse he knows.
“Everything starts at their feet,” he said of his horses. “People don’t understand how precise these have to be.”
He notes he currently is looking for an apprentice who has experience working around horses.
Hannah Herrig Ketelboeter said the person would be learning from someone extremely talented.
“He is so creative and he thinks outside the box,” she said. “We used to fly him down because the feet are everything.”
Besides being talented, Zach Ketelboeter said Kantenwein has been a great friend.
“Casey is a guy who, whenever I needed something, he was one of my first calls,” Ketelboeter said. “No matter what it was, no matter the situation. He also is a guy who, as a former firefighter, will come across car accidents, and he doesn’t look away.
“He is very proud of his work and very talented in what he does.”
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Casey Kantenwein uses Play-Doh to form a dam to hold the silicon he will put between the horse’s shoe and the hoof.
Casey Kantenwein leads one customer back to the stall at TerraNova Equestrian Center’s main barn and will return with another.
Casey Kantenwein has disdain for farriers who shoe every horse exactly the same. He said every horse is different.
Photos by Jay Heater
Can George Kruse keep the board on Republican path?
District 3 and 5 commissioners want Manatee County Commission to consider building moratorium.
to look up synonyms or better PG-rated descriptions for (expletive) disturber.
What I came up with, through WordHippo.com, was “A provocative individual who stirs up conflict or spreads discord.”
I would imagine that is the way most of his fellow commissioners would have described his run through his last term. Kruse was often the only “nay” vote on important issues. He simply wouldn’t just go with the flow. Many in the public had to be thankful for Kruse’s challenges because his common sense and yet educated opinion made people think, even if it fell on deaf ears in the commission.
While many politicians might be ultra frustrated with their inability to change minds when it comes to votes, Kruse seemed to relish his loose-cannon image through the past four years. If his goal was to make the public think, and ultimately get involved, he was successful as proven by the 2024 elections.
Things have taken a dramatic turn in 2025, but some might wonder if it is too dramatic. District 5 Commissioner Bob McCann is pushing for a one-year residential building ban in his district. McCann said the time is needed to study flooding and to implement measures to prevent it in the future. He also said his district needs to catch up on infrastructure
before any more residential building takes place.
District 1 Commissioner Carol Felts sounds like she would support a building moratorium, but would settle for specific measures to control growth, such as voting down individual projects that don’t make sense or stopping development in specified areas that don’t have the infrastructure to support it.
Kruse has taken the role of board chair in 2025, and while it amounts to being the moderator during commission meetings, it also affords him some extra respect among his peers. Perhaps it is too Pollyanna to hope other commissioners will give some extra thought to Kruse’s reasoning, even when it conflicts with their own, but we can always hope.
In today’s East County Observer
story (Page 3A) on McCann’s thoughts on a building moratorium, Kruse said that moratoriums are too broad a stroke. I am sure he will go into detail in the Jan. 28 Manatee County Commission meeting when McCann revisits the topic.
It will be interesting to see how this issue is handled as we move forward. During the previous four years, it seemed board members had an agenda, and their mind was made up long before a vote was taken. Kruse knew his commentary was in vain, so certainly his comments gained an antagonistic edge, especially when he was being attacked from all sides.
With new commission members in McCann, Felts and Tal Siddique, floating compromises could be an effective strategy as opposed to all-
out opposition. Kruse no longer has to be the guy whose vote doesn’t count, but who needs to make a statement anyway. His common sense approach might now be considered the voice of reason, and one that could sway votes, or the board’s direction.
McCann and Felts have noted that their constituents are in favor of a building moratorium and that was a campaign promise that they would pursue.
But are their constituents really in favor of a moratorium, or rather smart growth?
The last time I looked, citizens of Manatee County voted all Republicans to the commission. Would a building moratorium be a Republican-friendly action?
I think not.
If you look at the make-up of the commission, I would suspect McCann and Felts would vote for a moratorium. Jason Bearden is on record as saying he would favor development as long as the infrastructure is in place, although he said he would listen to the merits of a possible moratorium. Kruse and Mike Rahn are against a moratorium. While Siddique and Amanda Ballard have not been vocal yet on their direction, I would imagine their Republican association would cause them to vote against a moratorium (in districts not their own), unless there is some compelling information that would show significant improvements could be made to reduce flooding.
So let’s consider District 5 and flooding. Lakewood Ranch makes up the lion’s share of that district.
So if you look at Manatee County as a whole, what area has gone to extremes through engineering and just common sense decisions, to protect the residents from flooding? Yes, that would be Lakewood Ranch. Providing the best infrastructure
in the county before residential development? Yes, that would be Lakewood Ranch.
Schroder-Manatee Ranch CEO and President Rex Jensen is now on record (also on Page 3A) in saying he would meet with county officials as soon as possible to discuss ways to lower potential flooding in the future. Hopefully, McCann and other commissioners will reach out to take Jensen up on the offer. It would seem Felts would have the better argument in District 1 when it comes to slowing down residential development. The area is growing by leaps and bounds, and the development is just getting started. Much of District 5, in terms of residential development, already is accounted for and has been approved.
So here we go in 2025, trying to plot the best steps forward for Manatee County. Do we punish our builders and developers for what has transpired, or do we take a reasonable stance on the future, and approve or dismiss individual development projects as they come across the desk?
Having Kruse mediate the proceedings upcoming guarantees a reasonable process and a quality of discussion, but you, the residents, are still needed to voice your opinion. The commission has opened more opportunities for public comments, so you can begin to use it on Jan. 28.
Jay Heater is the managing editor for the East County Observer. Contact him at JHeater@ YourObserver.com.
Jay Heater
Commissioner George Kruse has gone from outcast to the voice of reason on the Manatee County Commission.
Plans for late-night dining put on hold
Sarasota commissioners granted a continuance instead of voting ‘no’ to a request to expand hours.
LESLEY
Mat Baum, president of Wolverine Management, thinks there’s been some confusion about his latest venture Backyard Social, which is planned for a 10-acre site off Professional Parkway near Interstate 75. Baum and business partner, John Mann, are seeking a special exception to operate past what Sarasota County’s Unified Development Code allows. Some neighbors have complained that granting the exception will negatively impact the Waterside community.
“We could stay open until 2 a.m. every night already,” Baum said. “The special exception here is for
the use of live entertainment past 10 o’clock and outdoor dining, so I think that’s where some of the confusion comes in.”
Sarasota County Planning and Development Services confirmed that Baum is correct with one caveat about the building’s design. An email from the department provided further explanation.
“What makes this proposed development unique is its business model of using food trucks parked next to the building and using bay and/or large doors to order food from them. Due to the bay/large open doors, this would constitute the structure as outdoor, since the indoor noise cannot be ‘contained.’ Indoor entertainment is allowed only if a structure is fully enclosed with closed windows.”
Just before the commission meeting on Jan. 15, outdoor entertainment past 10 p.m. was removed from the request, but it wasn’t enough to persuade Sarasota County commissioners to grant the remaining exceptions for indoor entertainment and outdoor dining.
However, the final vote is yet to come.
Baum’s team requested a continuance after Commissioners Teresa Mast, Tom Knight, Mark Smith and Ron Cutsinger all stated they would not vote in favor of the special exception.
Stanley Morrow, member of the Waterside Neighborhood Alliance, was disappointed by “the eleventh hour” continuance.
“It’s not just about music,” Morrow said. “It’s about changing the nature of the community. What goes on at 7 p.m. at a bar is a lot different than what goes on at midnight.”
The alliance pulled police reports from Backyard Social’s Fort Myers location to prove its point that granting the exception could alter the peaceful atmosphere of Waterside neighborhoods.
Member Jacob Goodwin read excerpts of the reports to commissioners that ranged from loud yelling to a physical fight.
Baum said most of those complaints were filed in or around Octo-
WHAT’S BEING PROPOSED?
The Backyard Social concept combines dining and entertainment in an indoor and outdoor space. Food trucks provide dining options, and entertainment options include live music and games, such as cornhole, darts and duckpin bowling. A 13,000-square-foot building with another 17,000 square feet of outdoor space is proposed for the Sarasota location, along with 143 parking spaces. Below are the proposed outdoor dining closing times versus what is currently allowable under Sarasota County’s development code.
Allowable Proposed
“We could stay open until 2 a.m. every night already. The special exception here is for the use of live entertainment past 10 o’clock and outdoor dining, so I think that’s where some of the confusion comes in.”
Mat Baum, president of Wolverine Management
ber 2023, when Backyard Social first opened. He described the initial influx of visitors as “overwhelming,” but said things have normalized since.
He added that the Sarasota location might not warrant hours until 2 a.m.
Baum is a co-owner of Agave Bandido at Waterside Place. Initially, the restaurant closed at 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. Now, it closes at 1 a.m.
“The market kind of dictates it,” Baum said. “There’s a high percentage chance that we end up closing at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.”
The big difference Baum sees between the Sarasota and Fort Myers locations is Florida Gulf Coast University, which is close by the property in Fort Myers. That location gets a late-night college crowd that Lakewood Ranch doesn’t have.
Goodwin recommended Backyard Social operate for one year to prove they can control the noise and crowd, then apply for the special exception.
Commissioner Mast agreed.
“You’re welcome to come and see after a year, once we have some baseline, and discuss it then,” Mast said. “But I will always try very much to err on the side of if I were that neighbor. With 2 a.m., I think I might be a little bit unhappy about it after I’ve made a significant investment (in a home).”
At over $6 million, Baum said Wolverine’s investment is too large to wait and see.
Baum has opened 13 other restaurants and has never faced this kind of opposition.
“We’re a sought-after brand in terms of developers calling us, asking us to go into their developments,” Baum said. “It’s disheartening that it’s a very select few people, that I understand their concerns because it’s unknown, but there are way more people that are in support of it.”
One of those people is developer Pat Neal. After visiting the Fort Myers location, Neal told the Observer he thought Backyard Social would be an amenity for Lakewood Ranch residents.
Lakewood Ranch resident A.J. Freda, 41, wrote a letter to commissioners saying he’s sick of having to leave the area for recreational activities. When the proposal went before the Planning Commission on Nov. 7, the board recommended the exception in a 6-2 vote.
Baum said he hopes to bring the proposal back to commissioners in March. The focus will be on the outdoor dining hours, as opposed to entertainment.
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
• Pickleball and bocce ball courts
• Outdoor fitness center with meditation garden
• Fire pits
Courtesy image
This is a rendering of the outdoor patio for the proposed Backyard Social off Professional Parkway in Lakewood Ranch.
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YouTube star buys partnership in Bradenton Motorsports Park
Garrett Mitchell, AKA Cleetus McFarland and owner of Freedom Factory, buys interest in neighboring track.
Arace car driver and YouTube star has become 50% owner of Bradenton Motorsports Park, in a move the two partners say will help handle surging interest in the facility off State Road 64 in East County.
After an October 2024 event that drew record attendance to Bradenton Motorsports Park despite bad weather, “it became apparent … the drag strip was bursting at the seams with growth” and owner Victor Alvarez “needed a strategic partner,” said Garrett Mitchell, who races and broadcasts on YouTube under the name Cleetus McFarland.
McFarland’s comments were made on Facebook.
McFarland shared news of the partnership on his YouTube channel, where he has a following of more than 4 million. He has more than 1,500 videos, most of which are centered around autos. He also owns a neighboring race track on State Road 64 called Freedom Factory. Between the two properties, McFarland estimates there are more than 100 acres for racing.
“It’s a big facility. It’s got a lot of moving parts,” McFarland said of Bradenton Motorsports Park, in the YouTube video where he took viewers on a tour of the race track’s tower and tech shed.
The path to co-ownership has been a “natural progression,” said Alvarez, who owns the other 50% of the facility, in the YouTube video.
“It’s a very strategic partnership. Now we’ll have access to double the staff, double the equipment.”
Josh Dauta is now the general
manager of both the Freedom Factory and Bradenton Motorsports Park. For the past four years, he has been general manager of the Freedom Factory. Dauta started out his career in racing running staging lanes for the Bradenton Motorsports Park.
“I am coming full circle, … so it’s a dream come true,” Dauta said on YouTube.
Having a new general manager will give Bradenton Motorsports Park the chance to level up, according to Alvarez.
“This place just needs a little bit more attention,” Alvarez said on YouTube. “We’ve grown so much and there’s so much happening and there’s so many upgrades we want to do that we just need somebody that could be here every day, all the time, and just take really good care of this place and help us take it to the next level.”
When Bradenton Motorsports Park was built in the 1970s, Alvarez said, the vision was not for it to have events “to the capacity that we do. I mean, we fill these places up, we have some of the fastest races in the country, and it wasn’t really built for that.” Each year, Bradenton Motorsports Park draws 300,000 visitors to its drag strip off State Road 64, according to its website.
The new partnership means McFarland and Alvarez can more easily team up on investments to accommodate growth.
“We’ve got some big upgrades already done and more on the way,” McFarland said on YouTube, adding the duo invested $100,000 in a tech shed “that’s pretty serious.” The tech shed, which is not yet complete, contains room for storage, tools and
“I’m not afraid to smile anymore!”
Doctor Jeffrey Martins has changed my whole life. I’m so much more confident now and I feel better about myself. You see, I’ve always had such small teeth, and I was self-conscious about it. I didn’t like how they looked, so I never wanted to smile.
I tried to have my teeth fixed once before. I got some dental work done at another place about five years ago and it helped the situation some, but I wasn’t happy with the results. What they did to fix my teeth didn’t look natural and although I put up with it, the work they did was really only a temporary fix. I put up with it for a long time, but I was still always self-conscious about the way my teeth looked.
When I decided to visit Paradise Dental, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve always been nervous about having my teeth worked on, but everyone there was so friendly and the team really put me at ease. They took the time to listen to all of my concerns and what I hoped to accomplish, then recommended veneers for my front teeth. I liked that they took their time and helped me choose just the right color so my teeth would look more natural and not fake.
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space for technicians to work on race cars on scales.
Two years ago, McFarland noted he and Alvarez invested in stands for the spectators, while the tech shed is an investment that will benefit the racers.
In addition to making upgrades, the owners are working on Bradenton Motorsports merchandise, according to McFarland.
“We’re going to take these race tracks to the absolute next level,” McFarland said on YouTube. “We’re synchronized from here forward.”
McFarland thanked his YouTube fans for supporting his channel,
which he said helped make it possible for him to partner in Bradenton Motorsports Park.
Alvarez and McFarland said they had been acting unofficially as partners for a while, before the deal closed Dec. 20. Making the partnership official is a demonstration of commitment, according to McFarland.
“This just further drives in our passion for racing and our desire to keep this drag strip here and going for as long as we can. We’re committed. We’re in this to win this,” McFarland said on YouTube.
Rowena B.
SMILE MAKEOVER PATIENT
ELIZABETH KING
Owners Victor Alvarez and Garrett Mitchell (whose racing name is Cleetus McFarland) stand in front of the new timing system at the racetrack.
Image courtesy of Bradenton Motorsports Park/Facebook
IT’S READ EVERYWHERE
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OBSERVER READERS ARE SALT OF THE EARTH: Michael and Nadine Kenneally show their East County Observer at the Wieliczka Salt Mine in Krakow, Poland.
“I love the actual wrestling and fighting part of it, but I also enjoy just being part of the team.”
Fast Break
Quote of the week: “We focused a lot on being smart players this season,” said Lakewood Ranch High volleyball coach Jessica Leupold, whose team went 15-9 in the 202425 season and ranked fourth in Class 7A in academics with a team GPA of 3.726. “For our hitters, as they’re taking the approach for the play, they’re having to watch how their setter sets them into position, who is blocking on the other side and where the defense is set up. Our passers are having to watch how our block is moving. Are they together? Are they separate? All of this feeds into decisions that have to be made within milliseconds during the match.”
… The Out-of-Door Academy girls varsity soccer team (114-2) has been on a roll since defeating Bradenton Christian School 2-1 on Jan. 11 to win the program’s third straight Sunshine State Athletic Tournament title. The Thunder have won three consecutive games since, with their most recent victory at Manatee High on Jan. 17, when the Thunder defeated Manatee 3-1 to conclude the regular season. ODA will next faceoff with the winner of St. Stephens Episcopal and Sarasota Christian on Jan. 24 at home at 7 p.m. in the semifinal game of the Class 1A District 10 tournament.
Florida Premier FC SWFL is hosting tryouts for its UPSL Premier Division team on Feb. 1 and 2, from 9-11 a.m. at Lakewood Ranch Park, 5490 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. The UPSL team, the organization’s most competitive team, went 7-1-2 this fall and will begin play in April. Players born in 2008 or before are eligible to try out for the squad and must register online in advance of the tryouts. For more information, go to FloridaPremierFC.com.
HE’S GOT THE MOVES
Senior wrestler Matthew Ireland looks to be a medal contender at the 2A state tournament in Kissimmee.
Matthew Ireland has trouble sitting still.
It’s not always the most useful trait to exhibit for a high school student, where long stretches of the day require doing just that — sitting still in a classroom or auditorium for hours at a time — but he can’t help it. That’s just the way he’s wired.
For Ireland, a senior at Braden River High, it’s turned out to be a good thing. While the restlessness and nervous energy that seem to course through him doesn’t always help in the classroom, it pays dividends in the place he cares about the most — the wrestling mat.
In wrestling, sitting still can be a death sentence. Wrestlers are always moving, looking for the smallest of openings to break through against their opponent. A match can be won or lost in the blink of an eye — one wrong move, one momentary lapse in attention can result in a takedown, escape, pin or even an injury.
At 5-foot-6, 120 pounds, Ireland is somehow slight and imposing at the same time. At practice, he moves around Braden River’s wrestling room, a tight space filled with a couple dozen wrestlers from the boys and girls programs. He has confidence, cracking jokes with teammates during warmups.
When it’s time to hit the mat, however, Ireland’s all business. He grapples with Jacob Fuentes, a 132-pound junior, with the two wrestlers showing one another no mercy as they shoot for takedowns and pins.
The competition is intense and Ireland wouldn’t have it any other way. In fact, he wouldn’t mind if things were a little more heated.
While Fuentes is a great partner, Ireland said, technically proficient and plenty challenging, he misses the battles he had with former senior Grady Murphy.
“It was my favorite thing because we were both so driven,” said Ireland. “At the end of practice, both of us would have bloody noses from going as hard as we could.”
Driven is probably the best way to describe Ireland, who raised his record to 41-3 with a championship Jan. 18 in the Rickey Gullett Invitational at Bayshore High. He has established himself as Braden River’s top wrestler and one of the top 120-pounders in Class 2A.
“Wrestling has helped with improving my overall life,” Ireland said. “I have more self-control because of everything that I’m doing for wrestling. It has made me stronger mentally, as well. If I can wrestle, then I can do most of the things that I face in life.”
He has a mission, to win a title in the 120-pound class at the state tournament on March 6-8 in Kissimmee, and the determination to make his dream a reality.
It wasn’t always that way.
When Ireland, who lives in Braden River’s district but attended Foundations Christian Montessori Academy until his junior year, stepped into head coach Cezar Sharbono’s wrestling room partway through his freshman year, he was a scant 98 pounds with absolutely no wrestling experience.
He trained in gymnastics prior to high school, but at the behest of his uncle, a former wrestler, he decided to give wrestling a shot.
Although Ireland said he loved wrestling right away because the aggressiveness and intensity gave him a place where he would channel his energy, it was not an easy start.
At 98 pounds, Ireland should’ve been wrestling at Florida High School Athletic Association’s lowest weight class, 106 pounds. That spot was filled, however, so he was bumped up to 113 pounds.
Ireland rose to the challenge.
“My opponents did have an advantage over me in size and skill,” he said. “There was nothing I could do about it, so I just pushed through and sucked it up.”
For Sharbono, cases like Ireland’s are a common occurrence. Sharbono noted that Florida, as a whole, does not have the same youth wrestling culture as states like Ohio and Penn-
THE ROAD TO KISSIMMEE
Last season, Ireland was eliminated in the third round or “blood round” as wrestlers refer to it, of the state tournament by Lakeland Senior High senior Erick Vargas, failing to place atop the podium in the 113-pound division. This season, Ireland is determined to rectify last season’s shortcomings, but first he must reach the tournament by placing in the qualifying tournaments. He also will participate in the FHSAA Florida Wrestling State Dual Championships on Jan. 24-25 at Osceola High in Kissimmee.
Here’s what his path forward looks like: ■ Class 2A Region 3 Tournament: Feb. 28 to March 1 at Charlotte High ■ Individual State Championships: March 6-8, Silver Spurs Arena, Kissimmee
sylvania, where kids start wrestling in elementary school.
Braden River High in particular, he said, doesn’t have the pipeline of youth wrestling talent flowing through it like that of perennial powerhouses Tampa Jesuit and Lakeland’s Lake Gibson High.
Many of the wrestlers who come through his doors, like Ireland, are new to the sport. Routinely, his wrestlers will face opponents who have wrestled for twice as long. There is a fix to that, Sharbono said, one that is simple yet effective.
“Matty used to be just a straight grinder, with very minimal technique,” said Sharbono. “Now the technique is catching up because he’s put in the time. Our goal for the kids who want to be the best is to get in 100 matches from the time our season ends in March to the start of the next school year in August. We had four do it this year, Matty being one of them.”
During the season, Sharbono’s wrestlers will have between 50-70 matches. It’s the only way, Sharbono said, they can catch up to their opponents who have been wrestling for their entire lives.
So far this season, the work has paid off. Sharbono points to Ireland’s wins over Rocco Ruiz of Columbus High, the 2024 1A state runner-up at 106 pounds, and South-Dade High’s Kaleb Williams, who took third in 2024 in the 3A 120-pound weight class.
Sharbono said that not only has Ireland’s technique improved, but his motor and determination are what allow him to defeat more experienced opponents.
Ireland plans to wrestle in college and has been in communication with coaches from schools such as Northern Iowa Area Community College, the 11th ranked junior college for wrestling by the NJCAA, and the home of Braden River’s 2023 state champion, Jessey Colas. He wants to pursue the sport in different avenues after college as well, perhaps delving into mixed martial arts and more hand-to-hand combat.
“When I’m not there on the mat, it just feels like something’s missing,” said Ireland.
— Lakewood Ranch High’s Francesca Bisordi SEE PAGE 19A
File photo
Junior Ava Collins was one of the leaders of the Lakewood Ranch High volleyball team, which finished the season with a 15-9 record. Collins, an outside hitter, led Lakewood Ranch in kills with 228.
DYLAN CAMPBELL SPORTS REPORTER
Braden River senior Matthew Ireland (left) grapples with Everett Smith of Lakeland’s George Jenkins High during their 122-pound match at the Ricky Gullett Invitational at Bayshore High on Jan. 18.
Photos by Dylan Campbell
Matthew Ireland, a senior wrestler at Braden River High, is all smiles before his match against Everett Smith, a freshman at Lakeland’s George Jenkins High on Jan. 18. Ireland won the match by pin fall as well as the entire 122-pound division of the tournament, the Ricky Gullet Invitational at Bayshore High.
Local athletes are champions in the classroom
There was a running joke I had with my teammates during my brief stint as a Division III college baseball player.
“Academic weapon.”
It was the term we used to describe ourselves in jest and our commitment — or most notably lack thereof — to our studies. Whenever a player had to leave practice early to take an exam or was caught studying on one of the interminable bus rides across the vast state of New York, shouts of “academic weapon” would follow.
Academics and athletics, traditionally speaking, haven’t always mixed well. It’s ironic because the majority of athletes in the United States are, in fact, student-athletes.
Whether youth athletes play for an outside organization like AAU or for their school team, they still have to manage balancing their studies with time spent playing their sport.
There’s a reason that the stereotype of the big, dumb jock exists in popular culture. For athletes, it can be easy to slack off in their studies, trading time in the weight room for hours in the study hall. Many of the best players on my college team, for instance, struggled to stay academically eligible. When finals came around, one of our catchers would pick one at random to fail, knowing that he couldn’t pass them all.
Stereotypes, however, also exist to be broken. At the high school level, student-athletes in East County are proving excellence on the field can go hand-in-hand with greatness in the classroom.
Multiple athletic programs from Lakewood Ranch High and Parrish Community High were recognized by the Florida High School Athletic Association as Academic Team Champions for the fall of 2024-25.
The Lakewood Ranch High girls varsity swimming team finished first in academics in Class 4A, with a cumulative team GPA of 3.835. Other top 10 finishers in the school included the indoor volleyball team,
which ranked fourth in the state in Class 7A with a 3.726 cumulative GPA and the varsity football team, which finished fifth in Class 6A, with a 3.21 GPA.
At Parrish Community High, the indoor volleyball team ranked first in Class 6A, with a 3.811 team GPA, while the football team finished one spot behind Lakewood Ranch in Class 6A, with a 3.161 GPA.
The impressive metrics in the classroom are a testament to the student-athletes’ dedication to both their sport and their studies over the course of what is a long and grueling season. There are only so many hours in a day.
At Lakewood Ranch, the school day begins at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m. For students who don’t play sports, that leaves the entire afternoon and evening to go home, do their school work and spend time with their friends and family. For athletes, however, the end of the school day is merely a midway point.
Following school is practice, which lasts anywhere from an hour-and-a-half to more than two hours, depending on the sport. Then, there’s the travel home from practice — not to mention extra time spent in the weight room or studying film, either before or after school — and the schoolwork that awaits them.
“I’m blessed by how hard my girls work in the classroom and in the gym,” said indoor volleyball coach Jessica Leupold, whose team practices five to six days a week during the season, excluding game days, of which there are two a week.
“They’re playing volleyball, which is extremely time restrictive, and they’re taking all of these hard classes, yet they’re still making sure that they have time for their families and their friends. They’re managing their time, which as an adult, I can tell you is a high level skill that we all struggle with sometimes.”
Leupold said that the vast major-
ity of student-athletes in the indoor volleyball program, including the junior varsity team, all take advanced placement classes. One of her starters, junior setter Julia Vendramini, is enrolled in seven AP classes, with A’s in all of them. For an athlete like Vendramini, just being intelligent is not enough to succeed in the classroom, at least not to that degree. It requires effort, planning and teamwork. On game days, Leupold said, the team would gather together at one of the players’ houses, completing their school work before they took the court.
Lakewood Ranch boys varsity golf coach Dave Frantz, whose team finished second overall at the FHSAA 3A state golf tournament in November and ranked 40th in Class 3A in academics with a team GPA of 3.254, said there is a different mentality in the student-athlete than that of a nonathlete when it comes to performing in the classroom. Frantz, who taught AP psychology at Lakewood Ranch for 14 years, said the discipline athletes have in their respective sports lends itself
to striving for academic excellence.
“I don’t think many studentathletes are motivated by the standard GPA that they have to maintain to be on the team,” said Frantz. “There’s an element of ‘I want to excel at my sport, because I love it,’ but also wanting to excel in the classroom because you’re representing your team when you’re there.”
Lakewood Ranch Football head coach Scott Paravicini echoed Frantz’s sentiment, saying there is a toughness instilled in studentathletes that shows itself in the classroom.
“In athletics, you’re always going to experience success and you’re always going to experience failure,” said Paravicini. “When bad things happen, how are you going to respond? The young men and women who participate in athletics have that resilience and character built into them, so if they’re struggling to understand a concept or manage their work, they can persevere instead of getting down on themselves.”
Frantz said that when he reflects back on his time teaching studentathletes, particularly in nonadvanced placement classes, there was an almost subconscious expectation that they were individuals who would put forth a lot of effort.
“Athletes don’t want to let their coaches down,” said Frantz. “That translates to the classroom, where the teacher is another type of mentor or coach. There’s a mindset of, ‘I want to show this adult that I’m with them, that I’m going to perform for them under their guidance, because I believe that as a student they have my best interests at heart.’”
Courtesy image
Dylan Campbell is the sports reporter for the East County Observer. Contact him at DCampbell@ YourObserver.com.
The
Luke Wilson, Henry Burbee and Parker Severs
Francesca Bisordi
Francesca Bisordi is a sophomore wrestler on the Lakewood Ranch
High girls varsity wrestling team.
Bisordi, who started wrestling for the first time when the program was created last year, has been on a tear in 2025. This season, she is 12-1, with a win in the 170-pound division of the Queen of the Island tournament at Venice High on Jan. 18. She defeated Parrish Community High’s Isabella Montanaro by decision, 4-0, in the championship match.
When did you start wrestling and why?
I started last year because my brother, Thomas, was a senior on the boys’ team and told me Lakewood Ranch was starting a girls team and that I should join. I decided to take his advice, and now it’s my favorite thing to do.
What’s the appeal?
I like everything about it. I love the actual wrestling and fighting part of it, but I also enjoy just being part of the team. I like having something in my life that I’m constantly working on to improve.
What’s your best skill on the mat?
I’m pretty good at throws, especially when I use my opponent’s momentum and body weight to create a takedown.
What are you working to improve?
I’m trying to improve my shooting and how I attack my opponents. I want to shoot more often and take better shots when I do attack.
What’s going right for your team this season?
I’ve been winning most of my matches and have been enjoying it more than I did last season, because I’m better at it. I’m a more much intense wrestler this year.
If you would like to make a recommendation for the East County Observer’s Athlete of the Week feature, send it to Dylan Campbell at DCampbell@ YourObserver.com.
What’s your favorite wrestling memory?
I’d say winning my first match last season. It took me awhile to even win a match. It felt like I’d lost every single one for such a long time, so when I finally won, it felt amazing.
What’s your favorite food?
Fruit. Strawberries are probably my favorite out of all of them.
What’s your favorite movie or television show?
That’s a tough one. I’m rewatching season four of “Stranger Things” right now. I can’t wait until season five comes out.
What’s your favorite school subject?
Surprisingly, algebra. I’ve always hated math, but for some reason, this year I’m actually good at algebra. Either that or AP Seminar.
What are your hobbies?
When I’m not wrestling, which isn’t often, I like to go to the gym and hang out with my friends.
Finish this senFrancesca Bisordi is … Competitive.
ATHLETE
YOUR NEIGHBORS
A wild ride
Those who attended the Manatee County Fair on Saturday needed to stick to their itinerary to see all that was happening.
From the time gates opened at noon, the action was jam-packed.
The day kicked off with the 22nd annual baby pageant, followed by a steer sale and then the 10th annual corndog eating contest.
In between were shows of blacksmithing and woodworking, magic, wrestling matches and dinosaurs.
When one show ended, another began almost instantly, with some
overlapping to give fairgoers multiple options for entertainment.
In the midst of it all were performers, vendors, fair games, rides, music and plenty of seating to take a break or enjoy a variety of food options.
The Manatee County Fair will run through Jan. 26 at 1303 17th St. W across the street from Palmetto High School.
For more information, including a schedule of events, history of the fair and more, visit ManateeCountyFair. com.
— VINNIE PORTELL
Photos by Vinnie Portell
The Claw was one of the most popular rides at the Manatee County Fair on Jan. 18.
John Myers, 7, tries to maximize his corndog-eating efficiency during the 10th annual corn dog eating contest at the Manatee County Fair.
Marc Dobson, the “One Man Band,” roamed around the Manatee County Fairgrounds while playing a variety of instruments Jan. 18.
Gianna Constantine, Haile Middle School Future Farmer of America member, looks at her steer as he’s being sold at auction at the Manatee County Fair on Jan. 18.
A T. rex stares down the crowd after being introduced at the Jurassic Kingdom Dinosaur Show at the Manatee County Fair on Jan. 18.
Keaton Winget lends a hand to Trenton Tye, owner of Purgatory Ironworks, during a blacksmith demonstration at the Manatee County Fair on Saturday.
Cardiology
Christian Lorenzo, MD
Dr. Christian Lorenzo brings to Intercoastal Medical Group at the Lakewood Ranch II office a wealth of knowledge and
in Cardiology.
Medical School: Universidad Central Del Este College of Medicine San Pedro De Macoris, Dominican Republic
Residency: Internal Medicine, Florida State University College of Medicine, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, Sarasota, FL
Fellowship: Cardiovascular Diseases Fellowship, Orlando Health, Orlando, FL; Cardio-Oncology Fellowship Rotation, University of Pennsylvania Penn Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
Certification: Board Certified, American Board of Internal Medicine; American Board of Cardiology
Hospital Affiliations: Sarasota Memorial Hospital; Lakewood Ranch Medical Center
Ranch II 11715 Rangeland Parkway, Bradenton, FL 34211
Exploring science
Projects on AI, Wi-Fi and cell phone radiation show how far science fairs have come.
VINNIE PORTELL STAFF WRITER
Science fairs have been an instrumental tool of education for nearly 100 years, with some sources citing them beginning in the 1930s and the National Science Fair debuting in 1950.
The core structures of the science fair — young students using the scientific method to reach a conclusion — remain fundamental today, but the topics and processes for completing them have evolved.
Evidence of that was on full display at Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy on Jan. 13 as students from fifth grade through high school presented their findings after research
and testing.
“It’s nice to see young people interested in science,” said Richard Currie, science fair judge. “I did this last year, and what I liked was how some of them presented what they did. I didn’t have to ask a lot of questions.”
Some of the classic science fair experiments were present.
Testing the aerodynamics of paper airplanes, finding different effects on plant growth, battery tests, bottle rocket propulsion and heart rate monitoring were a few of the popular choices.
Other projects were aimed at investigating the science of the modern world.
Wrenn Pevzner, who placed second among eighth graders, decided to test whether people can distinguish between artificial intelligence and real images.
“Most of them got the AI wrong, which proves the point that the intelligence is getting smarter as we talk right now,” said Pevzner, who
Photos by Vinnie Portell
Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy student Cadence Clay placed second among high schoolers for her science fair project that examined the radio frequency waves emitted by different cell phone apps.
gathered 10 people and asked them whether an image was created with artificial intelligence. “I find that intriguing.”
Emile Roy read that people in skyscrapers often have poor Wi-Fi connections and decided to test why that might be.
Roy gathered several different 6-foot-by-6-foot materials from Home Depot, separated his cell phone from his Wi-Fi router and found he essentially had no signal when metal was in the way, but other materials, such as wood and plastic, had no effect on the signal strength.
Cadence Clay took her modernday science experiment a step further. She rented a radio frequency meter and measured which cell phone apps emitted the highest levels of radiation.
She found that the FaceTime app emitted the most frequency, while gaming apps emitted the least.
“I found that maybe cancer researchers can further examine the connection between radiation and cancer cells,” said Clay, who placed second among high school participants. “They could also educate the public, because a lot of us don’t realize it until you do an experiment like this.”
Other science fair participants
studied the science of sports to discover more about their passions. Ellie Turner measured the best pounds per square inch to inflate a volleyball, while Illia Korotkov did the same for a soccer ball.
Kaiden Cantrell gathered 10 people to find the best angle to shoot a basketball. Grace Carpinello used a golf simulator and different golf balls to determine what makes a golf ball travel farther.
Amelia Babiak found that orange juice has more electrolytes than sports drinks, which was the opposite of her hypothesis.
“Science is bringing us into the future,” said Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy chemistry teacher Alexandra Wilcoxson, who helped judge the science fair. “Things are always changing, so I think making kids excited about science is important. And also, to teach them how to ask questions and how to properly research those questions.
“In this day and age when you can just Google things and you don’t necessarily fact check them, it’s important that these kids are thinking about what’s going on in our world and then finding out what is the answer and not just what TikTok told them yesterday.”
Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy eighth grader Wrenn Pevzner tested people to see whether they could distinguish the difference between a real photo and one that was generated by artificial intelligence for her science fair project.
No ordinary (cup of) Joe
New coffee shop takes community-first approach.
Lakewood Ranch’s newest coffee shop has a name that’s hard not to notice.
Bad Ass Coffee originated in Hawaii in 1989, and longtime friends Danny Slavin, 62, and Michael Miller, 59, have now brought it to Southwest Florida.
Slavin said the inclusion of the word ass — named after the donkeys of Kona, Hawaii, that carried coffee beans down mountains — initially created a hurdle for real estate developer Casto to accept the project. The two partners didn’t give up.
BAD ASS LATTES
■ Bad Ass Mocha (dark and white chocolate)
■ Caramel Wave (caramel and vanilla)
■ Beach Bliss (white chocolate and macadamia nut)
■ Monkey Mocha (dark chocolate and banana)
■ Hazelnut Hula (caramel, dark chocolate and hazelnut)
■ Three Waves (coconut, caramel and macadamia nut)
■ DIY Latte (create your own latte)
“Casto wasn’t too keen on the idea,” Slavin said Jan. 14, which was the store’s official grand opening in Center Point at 6588 University Parkway. Slavin and Miller showed their value by selling coffee at the World Champions Cup in 2023 at The Concession Golf Club. That led to the PGA asking if the owners could provide coffee for the LECOM Suncoast Classic Korn Ferry Tour event at Lakewood National, and then the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
Photos by Vinnie Portell
Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii is located at 658 University Parkway, Sarasota.
“It was fun, and it was a great experience, but that’s how we got our store front,” Slavin said of selling coffee at golf tournaments this past summer. “(Casto’s Brett Hutchens) is a member at The Concession, and he saw us, and he was like, ‘All right, everyone is asking why Bad Ass Coffee isn’t in our development.’ So he said, ‘Come over; I’ve got two spots. Pick which one you want.’”
Bad Ass Coffee is a nationwide franchise that has stores in 14 states, including eight stores in Florida, but Slavin said that he and Miller want their store to become a community hub more than just a stop-and-go cafe.
The shop is available to be reserved for free — with a phone call ahead of time — for any clubs, meetings or other gatherings on weeknights from 6-8 p.m.
Free delivery and curbside pickup is also available to any businesses.
This community approach to coffee is one that a top competitor, Starbucks, is scaling back.
Starbucks is enacting a policy this month that will require people to purchase an item to stay on property, per an article in the New York Times.
“Opening Bad Ass Coffee in Sarasota is a dream come true for us,” Miller said in a press release. “From our convenient location, to the signature coffee ice cubes we use in our products, there’s truly nothing else like Bad Ass Coffee in Lakewood Ranch right now. We’re ready to give back to the people who have always supported our family by providing a welcoming space for local groups and offering convenient delivery options to our local businesses. This is our way of saying ‘thank you’ and strengthening the bonds within our community.”
When it comes to the coffee itself, Bad Ass Coffee’s differentiators include its beans harvested from Hawaii and frozen coffee iced cubes so drinks don’t get watered down.
Slavin said his morning routine used to be picking up black coffee from 7-Eleven or Wawa. Miller doesn’t drink coffee, but he didn’t realize what he was missing until he tried Bad Ass Coffee’s beans.
The coffee is already featured at some other establishments, with Owen’s Fish Camp offering an
Danny Slavin moved from Chicago to Lakewood Ranch after retiring as a bonds and commodities trader to open Bad Ass Coffee shops.
IF YOU GO
Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii. 658 University Parkway, Sarasota. Open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Visit BadAssCoffee.com.
espresso martini and Bar Italia offering a cold brew with its beans, Slavin said.
Slavin said the lattes have been the most popular menu items so far — so much so that he’s run out of coffee ice cubes a couple of times. Breakfast and lunch items include sandwiches and snacks, each priced under $8.
There are plans for at least two more stores in the Sarasota/Bradenton area — timeline and locations to be determined — with the possibility for more if business goes well.
Though Slavin said there already have been some people who have questioned the name of the store, he isn’t worried about that impacting the potential for success and more locations.
“With the name, we’ve had some kickback,” he said. “Marriott told us, ‘Yeah, we can’t do it.’ I said, ‘You know, the word ass is in the Bible 86 times.’ I go, ‘If it’s OK with that book, I’m OK with it here.’ Especially with what’s going on in the world, is it really that big of a deal?”
FREE LECTURE SERIES
February 2025
Staying On Rhythm: Keeping the Beat with Advanced Cardiac Care
Everyone walks to the beat of their own drum, but what if that beat gets a little… off? At Sarasota Memorial, our award-winning cardiac care utilizes the latest in technological innovations to prevent and repair arrhythmias, atrial fibrillations, and irregular heartbeats, setting your heart back in sync so you can live life at your own pace. During this free lecture series, hear directly from the experts about emerging technologies changing the future of healthcare. A brief Q&A follows each presentation.
Tuesday, February 4, 4:30-5:30pm
} Martin Espinosa Ginic, MD, FACC - Ventricular Tachycardia, update in Therapeutic Options
Thursday, February 6, 4:30-5:30pm
} Robert Eckart, DO, FACC, FHRS - Concomitant Watchman Procedure for Heart Rhythm Disorders
Thursday, February 13, 4:30-5:30pm
} Antonio Moretta, MD, FHRS - New Advances in Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation
Tuesday, February 18, 4:30-5:30pm
} Brian P. Betensky, MD, FACC, FHRS - The Mysterious PVC: When to Worry
Runs from 2:30-5:30 p.m. each day at Jiggs Landing, 6106 63rd St. E., Bradenton. The live music lineup at Jiggs Landing includes Steve Arvy (Thursday), Side 2 (Friday), Gator Ridge Ramblers (Saturday) and Rock’n Randy Talbott (Sunday). The Friday and Saturday concerts are $5 and the others are free. For more information, go to JiggsLanding.com.
FRIDAY, JAN. 24
SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
Begins at 6 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1560 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. The Sarasota Opera will present a selection of popular arias and ensembles from classic operas performed live by the 2025 Studio Artists, accompanied by a pianist. The Sarasota Opera Studio Artists are members of the more advanced level of Sarasota Opera’s two training programs. Studio Artists Program participants have often returned to Sarasota Opera as principal artists. Limited seating is available, so please bring a lawn chair. No outside food or drinks permitted. For more information about the free series, go to WatersidePlace.com.
SATURDAY, JAN. 25
MUSIC AT THE PLAZA
Runs 6-9 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1560 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. Singer Mylon Shamble performs for those strolling through Waterside Place on Friday night. For information about the free music series, go to WatersidePlace.com.
SATURDAY, JAN. 25 AND SUNDAY, JAN. 26
LINGER LODGE MUSIC
Runs Saturday from 6-9 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. at Linger Lodge Restaurant, 7205 85th St. Court. E., Bradenton. Live, free music at Linger Lodge restaurant includes the Divebombers on Saturday and Donnie Bostic on Sunday. For more information, call 755-2757.
SUNDAY, JAN. 26
FARMERS MARKET
Runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place, Lake-
BEST BET
THURSDAY, JAN. 23 THROUGH
SUNDAY, JAN. 26
COMBINED DRIVING AT TERRANOVA
Begins at 9 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Sunday and 9:30 a.m. Saturday at TerraNova Equestrian Center, 31625 Clay Gully Road, Myakka City. The TerraNova Equestrian Center is hosting the Combined Driving at TerraNova event. The competition, which is being hosted at TerraNova for the first time, basically is a triathlon for horses, which navigate select courses pulling a carriage. Thursday and Friday’s competition features dressage, Saturday’s event is the marathon and Sunday’s event is cones. General admission and parking are free with local food trucks available. A VIP brunch is available for the Saturday competition with single tickets at $149 which includes lunch, beer, wine, VIP parking and more. For information or VIP tickets, go to TerraNovaEquestrian. com.
wood Ranch. The Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch, which was voted as the top farmers market in Florida for the second year in a row in 2024, will run year-round every Sunday. Vendors will be offering seafood, eggs, meats, dairy products, pastas, bakery goods, jams and pickles, among other items. Other features include children’s activities and live music. For more information, visit MyLWR.com.
POLO Gates open at 10 a.m. and the match begins at 1 p.m. at the Sarasota Polo Club, 8201 Polo Club Lane, Lakewood Ranch. General admission is $15. VIP tickets run $20 and up. Each week has a theme for those who want to participate. For more information, go to SarasotaPolo.com.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 29
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. Go to Waterside. com for more information.
A knead for Challah
efore the Mega Challah Bake at Grove, Country Club East’s Nancy Menard hadn’t made Challah bread with her now 88-year-old mother, Dolores Carl, since she was a little girl.
“It’s so easy to buy it at Publix,” Menard said with a laugh. “But everything is measured out for you here. You don’t have to think about it.”
Thanks to the Jewish Women’s Circle of Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch, the mother and daughter are now making Challah together once a year.
Challah is a celebratory and sacred dish within the Jewish community. Nearly 350 women attended the event Jan. 16 to stir and knead the dough together in celebration of Shevat, a month on the Jewish calendar.
They also prayed, nibbled on desserts, played games, sang and danced together.
Young women have to be 9 years old to attend. This was the first year Lakewood Ranch’s Ella Ben-Ami was able to join her mother, Celeste, at the gathering. She also volunteered to set up for the event.
“She likes being part of the group,” Celeste Ben-Ami said. “She feels grown up.”
— LESLEY DWYER
•
Photos by Lesley Dwyer
Bradenton’s Michelle Ercolino returns to the Mega Challah Bake for the second year in a row. The event has grown to nearly 350 women.
Lakewood Ranch and Sarasota mothers, daughters and friends gather at Grove on Jan. 16 to make Challah together.
At 9 years old, Ella Ben-Ami is the youngest baker in the crowd. She also volunteered to help set up with her mom, Celeste.
Linda Grieshaver is only in Lakewood Ranch for the Challah. She drove from Sun City Center just for the Mega Challah Bake at Grove.
What Would the Founding Fathers Think of America Today?
It would be nearly impossible to overestimate the reverence afforded America’s celebrated founding fathers. They were real men whose brilliance launched our country, and they vigorously discussed and debated the important political issues of their time.
By focusing on key writings and speeches of founders such as Washington, Jefferson, Adams and others we can certainly speculate what they’d think about the issues of today. That’s the fascinating and unique idea behind the Observer’s upcoming event in Sarasota on February 6th. It will be presented by renowned Brown University Professor Wendy Schiller, Chair of the Department of Political Science.
Here’s an example. The partisan hostility of our two major parties
has certainly frustrated nearly everyone. It turns out that the “Father of our Country” and our very first President was concerned about that very issue. In George Washington’s words from his famous farewell address in 1796, “There is an opinion that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the government and keep alive the spirit of liberty. But then he went on to assert “the constant danger of excess” and ended by referring to a political party as “ a fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance topresent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume”
Another subject area that was discussed thoroughly at the start of our country and continues to be a major focus today is the role of religion. While many believe
that the Founders felt that religion should be kept entirely outside political life, that’s really not what most of them felt. James Madison wrote that all men are “equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience”. In actuality the founders were less concerned about religious influences on government than they were with any effort to exclude some religions and favor others. That is what they had experienced as citizens of England and was what they were primarily concerned with. One more example would be concerns about economic and wealth inequality. Many think of this as an area of concern only in recent times, e– launched in large part by the now well known “occupy Wall Street” movement in 2011. In fact, it was a subject ad-
vanced by many founders, and some of their thinking was quite advanced. Thomas Paine wrote of the need to “make some provisions for people become poor and wretched not only at the time they become so. Would it not, even a matter of economy, be far better to devise means to prevent their becoming poor?”
And finally, apparently federal spending has been a hot button
Dive into the past with our exciting speaker series, featuring renowned scholars from top universities. Each lecture brings history to life with fresh insights and captivating stories you won’t hear anywhere else.
issue for as long as our country has been in existence. It was Thomas Jefferson who wrote “That same prudence which in private life would forbid paying our own money for unexplained projects, forbids it in the dispensation of the public monies” Sounds a lot like something you hear every day on TV!
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PET PICS
Have photos of your four-legged family members? We want to see them! Share them at YourObserver.com/Contests/Pet-Pics to be published online and for a chance to see them in print!
Dr. Kansara
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LWRCF scores with polo event
Polo with the Pros packed the pavilion despite a storm that canceled the actual polo match.
JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR
Raymond Dweck, a board member of the Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation, was picking up a polo mallet to swing at the Sarasota Polo Club on Jan. 19. It was something he hadn’t done before.
Dweck, a senior portfolio advisor for Northern Trust, and his fellow LWRCF board members should be doing all kinds of new things in 2025. The LWRCF is planning to host or participate in one event every month.
“Our goal is get out there in the community and grow,” Dweck said. “We’ve got our work cut out for us. We want to create a cohesiveness in the community and make people aware (of the foundation and needs of the nonprofits). But we will ... we have a scrappy group.”
The first event was Polo with the Pros on Jan. 19 at the Sarasota Polo Club’s pavilion. While the actual polo for the day was canceled due to a downpour that hit the area right as the match was getting ready to begin, the LWRCF event was cozy inside the pavilion and having a great time enjoying a lunch prepared by Pineapple Kitchen’s Mike and Jenny Schenk.
Bob Brosious, a former polo player, was busy teaching polo basics to those who attended the event.
“Basically, I am showing them how to hold and swing the mallet,” Brosious said. “Once you start, polo becomes addictive.”
Brosious, who is retired, said he welcomed the opportunity to teach at the event because it was a way of giving back to the community. He was asked how hard it was to hit a polo ball with a mallet while riding full speed on a horse.
“It’s like a dart hitting the bull’seye,” he said.
Mark Mulligan, who plays polo at the club, also was talking to those who attended the event about polo basics.
“Polo is such a dynamic sport,”
said Mulligan, whose wife, Kate, is the LWRCF’s executive director.
“Nothing is ever the same in polo.
The plan is that there is no plan. But if you are prepared, it is not that hard.
“And the adrenaline is off the chart.”
While the pros might not think the sport is that hard, Lisa Friedman said she couldn’t see herself swinging a polo mallet while on the back of a horse.
“I need to have two hands just to hold on,” said Friedman, who is a relationship advisor for Northern Trust.
Mark Clark, president of the LWRCF board, said the nonprofit’s first event to kick off 2025 was a success despite the rain. He expects more successful events to follow.
“I think we have the right people and the right team in place,” he said.
“And I am glad to see the people in the community getting involved.”
Northern Trust and WilliamsParker Attorneys at Law were the major sponsors of Polo with the Pros.
Jay Heater
Former polo pro Bob Brosious gives some quick instruction to Raymond Dweck and Lisa and Mark Friedman during Polo with the Pros at the Sarasota Polo Club on Jan. 19.
Lake Club home tops sales at $3.4 million
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Ahome in Lake Club topped this week’s real estate. James Douglas Randolph and Margaret Mary Randolph, trustees, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the home at 8458 Pavia Way to Daniel Joseph Brierton and Donna Brierton, of Bradenton, for $3.4 million. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, three-and-two-half baths, a pool and 3,754 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,918,600 in 2022.
POMELLO PARK
Jonathan and Karen Lyon, of Bradenton, sold their home at 18911 63rd Ave. E. to Nancy and Larry Scally, of Sarasota, for $3.22 million. Built in 2019, it has five bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a pool and 5,182 square feet of living area.
LAKE CLUB
John Patrick Thielen Jr. and Bill Biggerstaff sold their home at 8469 Pavia Way to Thomas and Frances Kuczmarski, of Lakewood Ranch, for $3.2 million. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,832 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.81 million in 2022.
Paula Ayala sold her home at 16303 Baycross Drive to Bruno Glavich, of Lakewood Ranch, for $2.85 million. Built in 2016, it has five bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 5,079 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.7 million in 2022.
COUNTRY CLUB EAST
Kevin Handerhan, of Pittsburgh, sold his home at 7409 Seacroft Cove to Philip Quesnel and Paula Quesnel Jerman, of Lakewood Ranch, for $2.5 million. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,820 square feet of living area.
Lorence Schwartz sold his home at 7240 Whittlebury Trail to David and Janet Hackney, of Bradenton, for $1,075,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,408 square feet of living area. It sold for $650,000 in 2018.
LAKEHOUSE COVE AT WATERSIDE
HBT Waterside LLC sold the home at 7919 Waterbend Trail to Gregg and Lynda Martinsen, of Sarasota, for $2,083,400. Built in 2023, it has three bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,500 square feet of living area.
COUNTRY CLUB
William Carey, of Brandon, sold his home at 7234 Greystone St. to John and Patricia Logan, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1,627,000. Built in 2013, it has three bedrooms, threeand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,957 square feet of living area. It sold for $925,000 in 2020.
SWEETWATER
M/I Homes of Sarasota LLC sold the home at 4618 Sweet Retreat Run to Olivia Anne Macey and Geoffrey Mowry, of Bradenton, for $1,196,500. Built in 2024, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,697 square feet of living area.
M/I Homes of Sarasota LLC sold the home at 4811 Honey Dew Lane to Angelo and Valerie Gesualdi, of Bradenton, for $900,000. Built in 2024, it has four bedrooms, threeand-a-half baths and 3,697 square feet of living area.
INDIGO Norman Joseph Jester Jr. and Donna Marie Jester sold their home at 13207 Deep Blue Place to Gerald Daly, trustee, of Bradenton, for $1.02 million. Built in 2020, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool
and 2,758 square feet of living area. It sold for $564,900 in 2020.
Daniel Robert Magel and Elisha Nichol Magel, of Perham, Minnesota, sold their home at 12730 Aquamarine Ave. to Chaoheng Gao and Qiong Yu, of Bradenton, for $520,000. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,160 square feet of living area. It sold for $358,900 in 2021.
BRIDGEWATER
Kristina and Geoffrey Garrity, of Sarasota, sold their home at 13307 Swiftwater Way to Brant Eric Vaughn Doner, of Santa Rosa, California, for $855,000. Built in 2017, it has six bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,815 square feet of living area. It sold for $463,400 in 2019.
HERITAGE HARBOUR
Robert and Kathleen Walsh sold their home at 8507 River Preserve Drive to Cynthia O’Connor and David O’Connor, trustees, of Ellington, Connecticut, for $830,000. Built in 2010, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,402 square feet of living area. It sold for $350,000 in 2012.
ESPLANADE
Alex Howell and Eusebia Carmen Howell, of Bradenton, sold their home at 12730 Del Corso Loop to Lee Duis, of Bradenton, for $775,000. Built in 2013, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,787 square feet of living area. It sold for $697,100 in 2021.
Vipul Patel sold his home at 13950 Messina Loop to David Kazierad and Susan Pozaic, of Needham, Massachusetts, for $733,900. Built in 2017, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,798 square feet of living area. It sold for $402,300 in 2017.
GREYHAWK LANDING WEST
John Anthony Butto, of Groveland, sold the home at 11812 Goldenrod Ave. to Kevin and Lisa O’Leary, of Yorktown Heights, New York, for $769,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,203 square feet of living area. It sold for $434,100 in 2018.
BRADEN WOODS
Michael and Cynthia Vanderkodde, of Bradenton, sold their home at 6018 93rd St. Circle E. to Kimberly Pause Tucker and Matthew Scott Tucker, of Bradenton, for $690,000. Built in 1983, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,364 square feet of living area.
Frank Robert Vivelo Jr., of Bradenton, sold his home at 6111 Braden Run to Prabhu Ramkumar and Megan Renee Ramkumar, of Bradenton, for $470,300. Built in 1986, it has three bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 1,971 square feet of living area. It sold for $285,000 in 2014.
DEL WEBB
Mary Snyder and John Durbin, of Port Charlotte, sold their home at 17314 Hampton Falls Terrace to Pamela Padgett, of Bradenton, for
$650,000. Built in 2018, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,872 square feet of living area. It sold for $499,000 in 2020.
Dawnmarie Krause, of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, sold her home at 16629 Blackwater Terrace to Mary Ellen Thompson, of Bradenton, for $645,000. Built in 2017, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,572 square feet of living area. It sold for $317,200 in 2018.
Richard and Rebecca Swanson, trustees, of Bentonville, Arkansas, sold the home at 6902 Hanover Court to Gerald Cote, trustee, of Bradenton, for $587,500. Built in 2020, it has two bedrooms, two
baths, a pool and 1,572 square feet of living area. It sold for $317,400 in 2020.
MANDALAY
Marilyn McKay and Leslie Wagenfeld sold their home at 6176 46th St. E. to Karam Alnadi, of Bradenton, for $600,000. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,290 square feet of living area. It sold for $337,500 in 2017.
EAGLE TRACE
Richard Delay, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 12618 Halfmoon Lake Terrace to Cynthia and
Courtesy image
This Lake Club home sold for $3.4 million. It has three bedrooms, three-and-two-half baths, a pool and 3,754 square feet of living area.
Lakewood Ranch Medical Group General Surgery
David Dexter, MD, FACS, Samuel Yelverton, MD, and Alexa Kinder, MSPAP, PA-C — provide individualized care to the Lakewood Ranch community. They currently see both elective and acute care general surgery patients at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. The team’s surgical services include:
• Minimally invasive robotic surgeries, including anti-reflux, hernia, colon/rectum, gallbladder, appendix, spleen, and adrenal glands
• Management of benign and malignant breast disease
• Benign and malignant skin disease
• GI Tract Procedures
• Robotic Weight Loss Surgery
To make an appointment, call 941-254-6767
lakewoodranchmedicalgroup.com
Michael Vanderkodde, of Bradenton, for $584,000. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, two-and-ahalf baths and 2,272 square feet of living area. It sold for $322,700 in 2015.
SAVANNA
Robert Moran and Siew Chiew Moran, of Las Vegas, sold their home at 13208 Saw Palm Creek Trail to Alex and Eusebia Howell, of Bradenton, for $563,000. Built in 2020, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,340 square feet of living area. It sold for $398,000 in 2020.
FAIRWAY LAKES AT PALM AIRE
Michael and Kathleen Healy, of Sarasota, sold their home at 7554 Fairlinks Court to Roderick Charles Murray, of Sarasota, for $545,000. Built in 1991, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,990 square feet of living area. It sold for $410,000 in 2005.
CREEKWOOD
Patrick and Kathleen Jensen sold their home at 7105 46th Ave. Circle E. to Charles Moulliet Jr. and Teresa Chaffee, of Bradenton, for $515,000. Built in 1998, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,674 square feet of living area. It sold for $160,000 in 1999.
GLENBROOKE
Alexander Matthew Goldman and Sinead Magennis, of Sarasota, sold their home at 8125 Glenbrooke Place to Cody and Kaitlyn Poepperling, of Bradenton, for $507,000. Built in 1986, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 1,750 square feet of living area. It sold for $422,500 in 2022.
RIDGE AT CROSSING CREEK
Anita Turel and Richard Michael Turel, of Wake Forest, North Carolina, sold their home at 7429 Ridgelake Circle to Darryl and Karen Breiner and Nicholas Breiner, of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, for $505,000. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,774
square feet of living area. It sold for $505,000 in 2022.
RIVERWALK
Celia Marino sold her home at 7427 Loblolly Bay Trail to Tammy McLeod, trustee, of Lakewood Ranch, for $480,000. Built in 2001, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,080 square feet of living area. It sold for $229,100 in 2001.
TERRACE AT TIDEWATER
PRESERVE
JS Benson Properties LLC sold the Unit 127 condominium at 850 Tidewater Shores Loop to Michael Genovese and Tracy Zotta, of Augusta, Missouri, for $395,000. Built in 2019, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,151 square feet of living area. It sold for $197,000 in 2019.
OLD GROVE AT GREENFIELD
PLANTATION
PR TRS LLC sold the home at 10506 Old Grove Circle to Hanny Maher Fakhry Morcos, of Venice, for $393,000. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,742 square feet of living area. It sold for $182,900 in 2014.
CREEKWOOD TOWNHOMES
Kim Herrera sold her home at 7854 52nd Terrace E. to Donald Thomas Scherer and Elizabeth Anne Gunn, of Bradenton, for $385,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,908 square feet of living area. It sold for $365,000 in 2021.
TERRACE AT LAKEWOOD NATIONAL
Norma and Steven LeClair, of Gray, Maine, sold their Unit 838 condominium at 17510 Gawthrop Drive to Kelly Kristine Lanza and James Ernest Rothlin, of Port Orchard, Washington, for $384,000. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,286 square feet of living area. It sold for $220,000 in 2019.
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DOUBLE FRONT FLIPS by Michael David & Jeff Chen, edited by Jared Goudsmit
I highly recommend the Shanahan Luxury Group to any buyer or seller. Katina, Ken and Tyler offer exceptional service. I was blessed to have them help me sell my home. They are professional, approachable, and always available to respond to questions and issues. From start to finish, they provided the network of services (staging, repair work, painting, etc.) which ultimately got my home sold quickly. As I was out of state throughout the process, I was relying on them to resolve any and all issues involved in the sale. They were there for me every step of the way, with a calm and professional approach. Truly a dream team!
