Lorena Noyes celebrated her 98th birthday among friends and neighbors on Nov. 11. Noyes lives in Windward Bay and has been a part of the Windward Bay Bridge Club since it began in 1984. Fellow bridge members joined her in the birthday celebration as well.
Her secret to life: “Keep moving, play and stay positive.”
One of her friends, Heather Sellers, said, “She has certainly proved this.”
Welcome back party at Christ Church
Christ Church of Longboat Key
welcomed back its snowbirds with a Hawaiian-themed party on Nov. 13 at Hugo II at the Cedar Tennis Resort and Club.
Members enjoyed food and conversation while reuniting with their friends that haven’t been on the island since before Easter.
Christ Church member Sue Wertman said the annual welcome back party was a good time to check on all her returning friends and hear how they are recovering from the hurricanes. She was excited the event was well-attended with a mix of full-time and snowbird residents.
“It was a fun evening,” said Wertman. “It was the perfect chance to share recent storm experiences as well as summer activities and to enjoy the wonderful food.”
Carter Weinhofer Harry, Lynn and Hal Christensen, of Harry’s Continental Kitchens, are bringing back their famous Thanksgiving menu that brought in 300 reservations and takeout orders this past year.
Carter Weinhofer
Brian Walton said Gabby, the umbrella cockatoo, was the welcoming committee for volunteers who came to help clean up the Save Our Seabirds campus.
Courtesy image
Mary Ellen Haggert, Roberta Steiner, Lorena Noyes and Brenda Frost.
Courtesy image
Karen Gardiner, Patty Buck and Karen Fors at the Christ Church Welcome Back Party.
WEEK OF NOV. 21, 2024
BY THE NUMBERS
5
“The other issue is, how does the cost of this program get fairly allocated among members of the community? And I think that’s where there is a real debate.”
— Mayor Ken Schneier on the canal maintenance program
Read more on page 5
The Patterson Foundation has donated $250,000 to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund. This gift will strengthen CDP’s support for medium- and long-term recovery efforts to those impacted by this year’s hurricane season in the local region.
The CDP Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund is focused on rebuilding homes and livelihoods, meeting the needs of more vulnerable populations, supporting mental health
services and addressing other urgent challenges identified by the affected communities that arise as recovery efforts progress.
“The Center for Disaster Philanthropy provides an avenue for donors to invest strategically and effectively into long-term recovery efforts that restore the well-being and livelihoods of people navigating the aftermath of major disasters,” said Patterson Foundation President and CEO Debra Jacobs in a news release.
Since 2013, The Patterson Foundation has given more than $6 million to CDP for operations and recovery efforts in the aftermath of disasters around the world. This latest gift is intended to catalyze additional donations from other funders monitoring the impact of these severe storms on communities in the U.S. and abroad.
To learn more and to contribute to its CDP Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund, visit DisasterPhilanthropy.org.
Some Longboat beaches reopen
On Nov. 14, the town of Longboat Key announced an update to the town’s public beach parking access points. Many remained closed after damage and debris pileups after Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
According to the update posted on the town’s social media channels, several accesses are available with parking, including Northshore Road, Broadway Street, Seabreeze, Atlas, Zota and Bayfront Park.
Access points at Seahorse, Diplomat and Neptune recently reopened with parking available as of Monday. Before then, the access points had only been open to foot traffic.
The access points at Whitney Beach, Poseidon and Gulfside Road are closed as of the Nov. 14 update. In the update, town staff also advised that trash bins at the access points are limited to prepare for the potential storm next week.
“Please help keep our beaches clean by taking out what you bring in. Leave only footprints behind,” the update stated.
Debris removal updates on LBK
Monday, Nov. 18, was officially the last day for residents to move storm-related debris to the curb on neighborhood streets. Residents who live along Gulf of Mexico Drive are also asked to stop bringing more debris to the curb. These notices are important for the town to meet its 90-day cleanup deadline, according to a community recovery update sent on Nov. 18.
Additionally, sand removal began on Longboat Key, which is handled by the Florida Department of Transportation.
The FDOT will briefly pause operations on Nov. 21 for the Thanksgiving holiday, then will resume operations on Dec. 2.
Residents with questions about debris removal or sand can contact the Town Hall at 941-316-1999.
Helene brought four feet of water inside the Old Salty Dog; Milton crashed through its shutters and tore its historic bar in two.
SOARING HIGH AGAIN
Save Our Seabirds has reopened after damage from Helene and Milton.
CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER
For the first time since before Hurricane Helene, Save Our Seabirds opened its doors to the public on Monday.
After the wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center took substantial damage from both Hurricanes Helene and Milton, staff and volunteers worked hard to get both the hospital and outdoor enclosures ready to open.
The night before Save Our Seabirds officially reopened, the nonprofit held an event for board members, key donors and their families at the SOS campus.
According to Board Chair Linda Mitchell, this event was planned before the hurricanes as a way for smaller groups to interact with the board and staff.
“We wanted to show where we are, let people get to know us and our staff better and understand that we are doing well and have big plans,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell has been on the SOS board of directors for about two-
IF YOU GO (OR HELP)
Save Our Seabirds is open to the public every day of the week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The organization does not charge a fee for admission and can be found at 1708 Ken Thompson Parkway.
The avian hospital is also open, and anyone who finds an injured bird can contact 941-388-3010. The hospital is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The facility is also looking for volunteers to be greeters, docents, landscaping, facility maintenance, office staff, rescuing and transport. For more information and to apply to be a volunteer, visit SaveOurSeabirds.org/Volunteer.
and-a-half years and recently took over as board chair after former chair Jim Curtis died in August.
At the event on the evening of Nov. 17, about 100 guests enjoyed food and live music and had the opportunity to visit several stations scattered around SOS where avian keepers talked about certain resident birds.
These “keeper talks” included a pelican feeding and introductions to ambassador birds like Fish William, the double-crested cormorant.
Fish has been in captivity for most of his life and is about 4 years old. He has Rickets disease, which is caused by vitamin deficiencies and can lead to bone deformities.
Another ambassador bird on display was Cupid the black vulture. Cupid is 9 years old and came to SOS in February. He was raised by another rehabber from when he was a chick, so Cupid imprinted on humans, making him nonreleasable.
The SOS facility has between 80 and 100 nonreleasable birds on campus. Any bird that is out in an enclosure is a permanent resident and will likely spend the rest of its life at SOS.
Birds who are still in the rehabilitation process are kept behind the scenes to prevent the birds from imprinting on humans and potentially becoming nonreleasable. Imprinted birds tend to rely on human interaction too much to survive on their own in the wild.
After what has been a tough month of recovery after back-to-back hur-
ricanes, Executive Director Brian Walton and Mitchell were happy to share the progress so far with board members and donors.
“We still have more repairs to do from the hurricane. We’ve been fortunate that we’ve had some very generous people help fund a large portion of our recovery,” Mitchell said.
ROAD OF RECOVERY
Hurricane Helene was a major storm surge event for many living near the coast. This includes SOS and its avian residents.
The storm made landfall on Sept. 26, but SOS staff closed the center on Sept. 24 after final preparations. That was the last day SOS was open to the public.
Walton estimated that SOS took about $50,000 in losses from the hurricane, which included a broken generator, tools and materials for repairs.
Helene also caused one avian casualty, a turkey vulture named Ruby. She was an older bird, and Walton said staff grew close to her over the years.
It’s uncertain what her cause of death was, but it likely could have been stress from the storm.
About three-and-a-half to four feet of water flooded the campus, which caused a massive die-off of vegetation. The surge also brought a substantial amount of debris, which required a herculean effort from SOS staff and volunteers to clean up.
While cleaning up from Helene, Hurricane Milton eyed the Sarasota coast for a direct hit. Walton and the SOS staff quickly switched from recovery mode to preparing for another storm.
“Psychologically, that was just like a punch in the gut,” Walton said.
Before leaving the campus, staff put many of the smaller birds like parrots in the office and bathrooms, which are on a raised platform about 15 feet above the ground.
After the storm passed, Walton and staff secured a boat ride from the Sarasota Police Department to check on the birds. Walton said he was nervous to come back and see the aftermath but was relieved to find all the
birds were okay. He credited much of that to how sturdy the elevated structure was, which was built decades ago when SOS used to be The Pelican Man Sanctuary.
Standing on the balcony of the facility’s elevated surface, Walton said he was amazed to be able to see the water in places that were previously blocked by trees and other vegetation. That’s when he grasped how much vegetative damage the two storms caused.
Milton brought more debris and damage to the facility, but thanks to volunteer support and the work of staff — especially Director of Facilities & Grounds Leo Kissling — SOS was able to open again on Nov. 18.
“We’re not back to where we used to be yet, but we’re open,” Walton said.
FUTURE PLANNING
Now reopened, Walton, the staff and the board of directors are looking toward the future of SOS.
This includes an attempt to create a network of local veterinarians, something new for SOS. Through this, the goal is to have three to six veterinarians the SOS rehab team can utilize when needed.
The SOS rehabilitators can per-
SEE SEABIRDS, PAGE 4
“We’re not back to where we used to be yet, but we’re open.”
Photos by Carter Weinhofer
Board members John Wilson, Jane Weinman and Jeff Telego
Cupid, a black vulture, perches on Amber Paffenroth’s arm.
Petey the Pelican welcomes guests to Save Our Seabirds located at 1708 Ken Thompson Parkway.
Five new enclosures will be built by the end of January 2025 on the Save Our Seabirds campus.
Mattie Watson has volunteered with Save Our Seabirds for about two years and, at this station, educated people using clones of bird skulls and fishing line taken from rescued birds.
Save Our Seabirds Executive Director Brian Walton and Board Chair Linda Mitchell.
— Brian Walton, Save Our Seabirds Executive Director
Referendum ready for March ballot
Commission approves March 2025 referendum to pursue up to $33M loan.
CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER
On Nov. 12, Longboat Key town commissioners voted unanimously to approve a referendum for the March 2025 ballot.
The referendum will give town voters the opportunity to vote for or against the town borrowing money through the State Revolving Fund Loan Program for up to $33 million.
This loan will pay for the town’s replacement of its main underwater sewer line from the Key to the mainland. If the referendum passes, the town could start construction as soon as fall 2025.
The town’s utility system operates with 47 lift stations, the main one being on Gulf Bay Road, which pumps water from Longboat Key to the mainland.
In 2020, a leak occurred that forced the town to pursue the replacement project. The mainland portion of the force main was replaced in 2023, and now the town must replace the portion that is under Sarasota Bay.
According to a town memo, the staff’s high-end estimate for the project cost is around $33 million which includes final design, permitting, easement acquisition and construction.
This is the maximum amount the referendum allows for the loan, but Assistant Town Manager Isaac Brownman said the town will try not to take that much if possible.
“We are proposing a $33 million ask on the debt side for this loan,” Brownman said. “However, if we don’t need to incur that much, we’re going to try to drive that down.”
Loan payments will be made by town utility rates.
REFERENDUM LANGUAGE
“Shall town of Longboat Key be authorized to borrow money through a State Revolving Fund loan, not exceeding $33,000,000, bearing interest not exceeding maximum legal rates, maturing over a term not longer than 25 years, payable from revenues of the town’s water and sewer utility system and a backup covenant to budget and appropriate legally available non ad valorem revenues, to finance the design and construction of a subaqueous wastewater line across Sarasota Bay?”
Commissioners voted in September to approve rate increases of 8% for fiscal years 2024 through 2026, plus pass-through rate increases from Manatee County. Rate increases of 7% for fiscal year 2027 and 3% for fiscal year 2028 were also in the new increase schedule.
A second reading of the referendum ordinance will take place at the commission’s Dec. 2 meeting. The referendum will then be on the ballot for the March 11, 2025, election.
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1.
2.
BEER FOR THE BIRDS
At the Nov. 17 event, 3 Car Garage Brewing debuted the Laughing Gull Lager, a beer developed as a collaboration with Save Our Seabirds. Proceeds from the lager sales will go toward SOS. The brewery has limited distribution but is currently looking for more local breweries to carry the Laughing Gull Brewery.
Walton said the main purpose of the collaboration was to increase name recognition for SOS in the surrounding community.
3 Car Garage Brewing is located at 8405 Heritage Green Way in Bradenton.
SEABIRDS, FROM PAGE
form simple medical procedures but would need licensed veterinarians for surgeries and to prescribe certain medications.
This idea for a veterinarian network was born from a staff change behind the scenes of SOS, which Walton took as an opportunity.
“I think a staff change is always an opportunity for improvement,” he said. “I think it’s exciting.”
The avian hospital at SOS serves about 1,000-1,200 birds per year and responds to over 5,000 distress calls per year.
This week, SOS also began work on five new aviaries.
These new aviaries will be aluminum structures with more modern mesh material, which differs from the older style of aviaries currently at SOS which have wooden structures. The goal is to replace the over 30 outdated aviaries with these new materials.
The site of the new aviaries used to hold old enclosures, which have not been in use since Hurricane Ian damaged them, according to Walton. Walton expects the first five aviaries to be done by the end of January 2025.
The aviary project is the start of a larger redevelopment of the SOS campus as a part of the master site plan drawn up by local architects at DSDG Architects.
Also, a part of the new site plan is resiliency aspects like raising the behind-the-scenes rehabilitation area to make it less susceptible to flooding.
As Mitchell said, the SOS board and staff have big plans for the facility, even after recovering from two major hurricanes.
“Going forward, what I want you to know is we’re full speed ahead,” Walton told attendees of the Nov. 17 reception. “We are not just surviving; we’re going full speed ahead.”
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Carter Weinhofer
Lift Station D at 521 Gulf Bay Road collects sewage from the town of Longboat Key and pumps it to a treatment facility in Bradenton in August 2020.
Save Our Seabirds Board Member Ken Goldberg grabs a Laughing Gull Lager from Mike Folino and Stu Drymon of 3 Car Garage Brewing.
Carter Weinhofer
3
Canal maintenance conundrum
At a meeting on Nov. 12, town commissioners voted to create the taxing district, but how to
CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER
At the Longboat Key Town Commission’s Nov. 12 meeting, commissioners took a big step forward in establishing a townwide canal maintenance program.
After a discussion during the commission workshop earlier that day, commissioners voted at the meeting to establish a townwide taxing district for a new canal property tax.
“We are not setting a millage rate. All we are doing is creating the mechanism for it to be a dependent taxing district,” Town Manager Howard Tipton said. “The rest of this will fall into place through the budget process.”
Town staff must set up the ad valorem taxing district before Dec. 31 for it to appear on next year’s tax roll. Commissioners and staff don’t need to figure out the exact method of calculating the tax yet, but they will need to before the beginning of the next fiscal year on Oct. 1, 2025.
The final vote to set up the district was 5-1 with District 4 Commissioner Debra Williams being the only nay. District 5 Commissioner Sarah Karon was absent.
“I agree that the canals need to be addressed,” Williams said before the vote. “I just don’t agree with the funding formula that’s been presented to us today.”
Longboat Key town commissioners agree that a canal maintenance program is necessary, especially because some staff memos show a maintenance program has been in discussion for nearly 30 years.
But how to fairly allocate costs of the dredging project is still up for debate among town staff and commissioners. After a discussion at the workshop, there was no consensus on how to do it.
Mayor Ken Schneier emphasized at the start of the discussion that it boils down to how much this will cost someone living on a canal versus not.
“The other issue is, how does the
cost of this program get fairly allocated among members of the community?” Schneier said. “And I think that’s where there is a real debate.”
Similar to how the town’s project to bury utilities was funded, there are direct and indirect benefits to town residents from the canal maintenance program. For the undergrounding project, there was the Gulf of Mexico Drive portion of the project and the neighborhood portion.
As the program was presented, the town’s canals are split into three types: general, shared and direct benefit.
Ad valorem taxing by all residents would fund general benefit canals, direct benefit would be funded by non ad valorem taxing from properties within a given group and shared benefit would be a combination method.
In-depth discussions about a canal maintenance program have been ongoing with the town commission for about a year. Last year, commissioners were left confused by a complicated funding method and directed staff to look for ways to decrease costs.
This led to staff hiring engineer-
ing firm First Line Coastal to conduct updated canal surveys, which allowed staff to limit the scope of the project to focus only on canals that needed work done rather than doing work on every canal.
As the project stands now, the initial dredge cost to re-baseline the town’s canals would cost about $4.58 million. After that, there would be a maintenance program developed for the town’s canals.
DREDGING UP DEBATE
Still uncertain about how to fairly fund the project, town commissioners voiced their opinions to shed light on the necessity of the project.
“I think it comes down to if you believe the canals are an asset for the island or not,” Vice Mayor Mike Haycock said in support of the project. “If they’re an island asset, to me, they’re like roads, they’re like beaches, they’re like utilities. We ought to maintain them.”
Haycock said he was content with the funding method as it was. This funding method would include funding $1.85 million of the project through 62% ad valorem tax and 38% non ad valorem tax.
District 2 Commissioner Penny
Gold said she sees canal maintenance as a benefit to everyone on the island, even those who may not go boating frequently.
“I think we all take advantage of the bay,” Gold said. “It helps all of our property values when we have a clean, usable waterway ... admiring the bay and a healthy bay comes from maintenance.”
Williams voiced her opposition to the funding methodology and pushed to find a more equitable way to share the cost.
For example, the ad valorem taxing for residents would include a combination of the general benefit canals and 50% of the shared benefit canals.
In an example that was provided, a property valued at $1 million taxed with a millage of 0.1256 would pay $125.60 for the annual ad valorem assessment. A property valued at $3.5 million would pay $439.60.
“If you don’t have access, if you don’t have a boat, you’re never ever using this benefit that it provides,” Williams said. “And I understand that it needs to be done and people certainly want it ... so I’m trying to figure out what’s the fair thing to do because that doesn’t seem like it’s quite fair.”
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Left to Right: Rylan Lanham, Adrienne Lambers, Mike Osterman, Tom Bardwell, Susan Wilson, Susan Knight, Amanda Lewis
LBK Club Friars give back to grounds crew
The group raised $15,000 in 10 days to appreciate the crew’s hard work and help them with their own recovery.
fter hearing from John Reilly, director of agronomy for the Longboat Key Club, about how many on his staff were affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the Longboat Key Club Friars wanted to help.
In 10 days, the club of about 140 members raised $15,000. On the afternoon of Nov. 15, members of the Friars and Longboat Key Club staff gathered to celebrate one of their members and invited Reilly and a few from his crew.
The crew had no idea they would be presented with the $15,000 check.
Director of Golf Terry O’Hara said the Friars and staff at the Longboat Key Club appreciated how hard the grounds crew worked to get the golf courses back in operation and cleaned after the back-to-back hurricanes.
A week after Hurricane Milton, the Longboat Key Club was open for people to catch a round of golf, have a bite to eat and attend pickleball clinics.
But, while the grounds crew were working hard at the Longboat Key Club, O’Hara said many were personally affected by the hurricanes.
The $15,000 will be distributed by Reilly to some of his crew members.
Reilly said the recognition was unique, especially since many golf course maintenance crews get used to operating behind the scenes.
“It’s awesome,” Reilly said. “The job of a golf course maintenance person is mostly behind the scenes.” It meant a lot to see his crew recognized after their hard work to get the course back in shape while also going through their own hardships.
“These are people who have families and possessions. It was pretty special to be recognized like that,” he said.
In 2023, the Longboat Key Club Friars celebrated 30 years. The group promotes brotherhood while also frequently enjoying golf. Since the Longboat Key Club has risen in popularity, the Friars have grown to golf, drink and celebrate exclusively at the island club.
Carter Weinhofer
Chuck Eldridge, Juan Sarmentoe, Freddy Montoya, Steve Gregg and John Reilly
Florida always comes back
Population
Day by day, it’s looking more like home.
Sure, there is still a long way to go. A few weeks ago, a resident of Fort Myers Beach told us he was just finishing up final repairs on his home — two years after Hurricane Ian pretty much obliterated the island.
And there are still plenty of raw emotions and challenges that thousands of residents from Manatee and Sarasota counties are working through.
Many homeowners in the Buttonwood Harbor neighborhood on Longboat Key saw their 57-yearold, ground-level homes washed out during Hurricane Helene. One homeowner told us his flood insurance won’t come close to covering the damage. After assessing what it would take to restore their home, he and his wife determined the home is totaled. They plan to sell the lot and move to the mainland. The evacuations have them worn out.
Up the road, at the Spanish Main Yacht Club development of singlefamily villas, there is a similar challenge. Helene destroyed many of the interiors of the 56-year-old units. In the weeks after Helene and Milton, residents have been debating whether to rebuild or sell their entire complex. It’s an emotional issue.
Indeed, the travails of recovery are everywhere. And no one really knows how long this will take in Sarasota and Manatee counties to feel like we did pre-storms. Hurricane scars last a lifetime. Anyone here 30 years from now still will remember vividly Debby, Helene and Milton of 2024.
But count on this: We’ll be back. We’ll recover. And we’ll be more resilient structurally than we were before the storms.
Here is one measure: Not surprisingly, in the years that followed Hurricane Andrew in 1992 in Miami-Dade, Hurricane Charley in 2004 in Charlotte County and Hurricane Ian in 2022 in Lee County, the counties’ populations declined. But in the second year after the hurricanes, population totals rose to higher levels than what they were at the time of the hurricanes.
People have short memories, and the allure of Florida vis-à-vis other places remained compelling in spite of the threat of hurricanes.
What’s more, we adjust — to be better prepared for the next one. While the damage to so many was devastating, at the same time, you can say the structural resilience actually was impressive.
After Hurricanes Andrew and Charley, blue tarps covered the roofs of blocks of neighborhoods for months. Today, perhaps you see one here, maybe another there. Most high-rises hardly appear damaged from the outside. They were most vulnerable in the gradelevel garages where Helene and Milton’s surges destroyed hundreds of cars that were not moved to the mainland or shorted the electricity in elevators.
All things considered the lack of homes lifted off their foundations and seen floating down streets — as happened on Fort Myers Beach — is a testament to Florida’s building codes.
When we asked an insurance CEO with offices along the Gulf Coast where the worst damage was, he said Palmetto. The reason: old wood and stucco structures built in the
1960s that haven’t been updated.
Asked what lesson is likely to come from these storms, Joshua McCarthy, Shepherd Insurance’s Florida manager, said, “The interest level for flood insurance is through the roof.”
Homeowners found out the National Flood Insurance Program’s coverages are inadequate. “They didn’t realize they didn’t have lossof-use coverage to put them up in hotels or take care of those addi-
HOW FLORIDA BOUNCES BACK
No surprise: Population typically dips slightly the year after a hurricane, and then restarts its decades-long upward trajectory.
tional expenses,” he said.
“The positive is people are going to give flood insurance more attention, and they’re going to be more willing to purchase it even if it is not required by their lender,” McCarthy said.
Another positive: It appears Florida is going to avoid another statewide insurance crisis, as was experienced for the three years after Hurricane Irma in 2017.
Although total wind and flood losses are estimated around $50 billion — a top three in losses — insurers appear to have the capital and reinsurance to cover the claims and not go bankrupt.
“The amount of flood damage versus wind is in [the property insurers’] favor,” McCarthy said. “We haven’t had one of the property carriers express any concern. In fact, we’ve heard the opposite: ‘We’re going to be OK.’”
“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.” Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944
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It appears the insurance reforms the Legislature adopted two years ago are having positive effects as well. Minor roof repairs are not being turned into total replacements, and, McCarthy said, “We’ve seen a big drop in lawsuits.”
Altogether, we are Florida strong.
Price gouging: Much ado about nothing
As Floridians rebuild and recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the issue of price gouging always captivates politicians and the media. Headlines after both storms declare hundreds of incidents reported to state officials in Florida and across the Southeast. Florida law defines price gouging as an “unconscionable” price hike during a declared state of emergency and for what it deems essential goods, including food, water, gasoline and transportation. The attorney general’s office says it investigates every claim, most of which come through a dedicated hotline “activated” in the run-up to each storm where consumers provide tips. Businesses can be slapped with a misdemeanor and fines of up to $1,000 per act and $25,000 in a single day.
Vice President Kamala Harris
brought the issue into her core economic message to voters in the final days before the presidential election. In addition to stern warnings to businesses before the hurricanes, she increasingly mingled the term with rhetoric about corporate greed and inflation.
The idea of charging high prices to desperate consumers evokes anger in many, but most economists warn against price controls even in the face of potentially large hikes after a disaster. While not unanimous, the prevailing view is that government price controls create new problems while trying to solve what is really no problem at all. Shortages of essential items such as gasoline are made worse, not to mention longer, by reducing the incentive of sellers to rush the product to affected areas.
A reporter in an October National Public Radio report noted, “It can be tricky to draw the line between illegal price gouging and just the normal forces of supply and demand.”
Most economists would respond that they are one and the same. The supply and demand curves indelibly associated with economics explain this intuition quite elegantly, making the example of price gouging in the wake of a hurricane a mainstay of economics textbooks. Higher prices increase incentives to supply goods and end the shortage faster. But economists remain frustrated that their broad agreement fails to make an impact in politics or popular opinion. Florida and more than 30 other states have laws against price gouging. And at least in the
vice president’s estimation, the recent hurricanes made the term a useful attack for any price increases she may not like.
We often spend so much time debating the idea of price gouging that we forget to ask what the fuss is about. States no doubt receive tips revealing some amount of consumer exploitation and other unsavory business practices. Considering how much we hear from politicians and media about the practice during emergencies and their recoveries, we hear little about the hundreds of misdemeanor investigations after storms have passed. What few specifics on consumer complaints we do hear look little like the textbook case we debate.
In the wake of Helene, media outlets reviewed limited samples of the complaints, most that took place in the areas hardest hit by stormsurge flooding. Turns out most were related to fuel and occurred before the disaster rather than after.
Maybe there were complaints of gas stations selling at high prices, but none has been reported by the state or the media. Instead, complaints focused on stations being out of fuel — up to 75% of gas stations in these areas were sold out of gasoline before Milton hit.
Examples of actual allegations included a seller only leaving his premium pump on before storms and another of a 10-cent price increase. As a whole, consumer complaints appear more the product of chaos, frustration and most importantly many gas stations entirely sold out.
In early October, Florida Attorney
General Ashley Moody reported a “rapid response team” investigating 160 consumer complaints. As of late October, the office’s website remained emblazoned with a red banner reading “STATE OF EMERGENCY IN EFFECT. REPORT POSSIBLE PRICE GOUGING.”
There is no evidence that the resources put into hotlines and investigations during the most serious of emergencies ensnare anything more than angry consumers looking for sellers with any stock. In effect, the current system is taking in mostly reports of too little price gouging, leading to shortages, than too much of it.
So while politicians love to talk about price gouging to rile up voters, there is scant evidence of anything like price gouging. One of us was here in Sarasota through both Helene and Milton and did not witness any gouging — places that ran out of things charged normal prices once they got resupplied.
The government waste and media overhype might be cause for amusement were they not occupying significant resources and far more than their share of public attention when everything and everyone is stretched to the limit. From local officials all the way up the chain to the vice president, one struggles to find benefits from state anti-price gouging laws like Florida’s other than false badges of honor sought by those enforcing the law.
Adrian Moore, a Sarasota resident, is vice president and Max Gulker is senior policy analyst at the Reason Foundation.
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MATT WALSH
Photos by Matt Walsh
Calle de Costa Rica on Siesta Key — one day and one month after Milton.
ADRIAN MOORE AND MAX GULKER
No more fines for St. Regis
After a slew of violations resulted in $6,850 of fines, representatives from the St. Regis say resort staff is working on compliance and education.
CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER
The town of Longboat Key’s magistrate Milan Brkich ruled the St. Regis Longboat Key violated the town’s sea turtle lighting ordinances, but no further fines or fees were added to the ruling.
A special magistrate hearing — continued from the last hearing on Sept. 11 — allowed both the town’s code enforcement and representatives from the St. Regis Longboat Key to present new information about the violations that continued throughout the summer.
After the hearing was continued, Code Enforcement Officer David Woods met with the director of engineering for the St. Regis Longboat Key on Sept. 20 to inspect the lights together.
In the town’s code, any visible while light from the beach is a vio-
lation; it is not limited to a specific spectrum or wavelength of light.
Woods said during this meeting, the resort lobby lights were one of the main issues cited. Jenkins then configured the lobby lights to be a reddish tint, sufficient to the town’s code standards.
According to Woods’ testimony, he visited the site again on Sept. 23. Some lights were still on, and the lobby lights were no longer red as previously agreed to. This was the last night that Woods was out to inspect the St. Regis property.
There are also regulations for beach lighting outlined by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Staff from the FWC visited the St. Regis and submitted a report, which was added to the record at the Nov. 13 hearing.
The report states that of 94 items (lights) on the property, 59 required action to comply with FWC stan -
dards.
Another special magistrate hearing was scheduled for Oct. 9, but Hurricane Milton’s anticipated landfall shut down town operations that week. This postponed the continued St. Regis hearing until Nov. 13.
Sea turtle nesting season officially ended on Oct. 31, but Hurricanes Helene and Milton likely put an earlier end to nesting activity on Longboat Key after storm surge washed over most of the island’s beaches. The end of the nesting season on Oct. 31 also means the town’s sea turtle lighting ordinances are no longer in effect.
Before the end of the season, the St. Regis accumulated $6,850 in fines for lighting violations that occurred from May 10 to Aug. 16.
Woods stated the St. Regis was unable to come into full compliance with the town’s sea turtle lighting ordinances throughout the nesting season, and staff recommended finding the resort in violation of the ordinances without additional fines or fees.
“The turtles we lost this past season are gone, and we don’t want that to happen again. It’s a very important issue in the community here, and it’s a very important issue when it comes in front of me,” Brkich said.
WHAT’S NEXT
Since the last hearing on Sept. 11, Brenda Patten, who provides legal counsel for the resort and developer, said residents closed on about 45 of the condominiums at St. Regis.
With the residents now taking ownership of their units in the St. Regis, this may pose complicated enforcement issues for code enforcement in the future. The St.
Regis resort is responsible for lighting in common indoor areas, restaurants, pools and outdoor spaces. But, now, unit owners are responsible for the lighting in their units.
Patten said the St. Regis staff is continuously working to educate guests and new homeowners about the town’s turtle lighting ordinances.
Upon closing on the condo units, Patten said residents are given a fact sheet that outlines the turtle lighting ordinances. This has been well received so far, she said.
Patten also continued to emphasize the goal of code enforcement is compliance and is not a punitive process.
“I think what you’re seeing here is, with the assistance of Mr. Woods and the FWC and others, we are bringing this more and more into compliance,” Patten said.
Brkich ruled the St. Regis violated the ordinances this summer, but followed town staff’s recommendation to not add additional fines. Patten’s presentation focused on explaining the complexities behind the St. Regis ownership. She planned on a longer presentation to dispute further fines but decided not to use that and conceded to Brkich’s ruling.
Finding the resort in violation sets a precedent for the resort in the future and gives the resort a record of violating the town’s lighting ordinances. Next season, if similar issues arise, the special magistrate could move to enforce stricter and more severe fines.
“I will be interested to see next year if your group there has gotten a handle on this,” Brkich said. “Because, if not, then you won’t want to come into my courtroom.”
Courtesy images
2024 is the 43rd year of Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium’s sea turtle monitoring program.
The St. Regis Longboat Key at night on Aug. 14.
HARRY’S IS BACK!
Carter Weinhofer
Always ready and on-duty
Last Thanksgiving, Paul Dezzi and his son, Ryan, saved the life of their neighbor while both were off-duty. The Longboat Key Fire Department recognized them for their efforts this month.
over and found his neighbor had fallen from a ladder and was unconscious in cardiac arrest.
like being in the spotlight often. But at this year’s medal day and pinning ceremony, his crew surprised him with a
Dezzi responded quickly, according to Szalbirak, as he grabbed a defibrillator from his department vehicle and got his son Ryan to assist.
The department’s sixth Annual Medal Day and Pinning Ceremony included pinning badges on crew members who joined in the past year and a variety of merit and commendation awards to recognize the hard work of many people in the Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department.
But at the end of Paul Dezzi’s presentation of awards, Asst. Chief Martin Szalbirak called on Dezzi and brought up a surprise guest — Paul Dezzi’s son Ryan, who works as a firefighter with the city of North Port.
Szalbirak presented Paul and Ryan Dezzi with a Phoenix Award. The Phoenix Award is a symbol of excellence and a reference to the mythical bird that is said to rise from its ashes. This award is given to a crew who responded to a cardiac arrest in which the victim was found without a pulse, revived and then released from the hospital.
The father-son duo initiated CPR and used the defibrillator and Paul Dezzi advised Sarasota County dispatch of a trauma alert victim to prepare emergency room staff.
Ryan Dezzi initiated advanced procedures, and the victim’s pulse returned. The patient was still unconscious and not breathing adequately, so he was transported to the emergency room and treated by the trauma team.
“The life-saving acts provided by Chief Dezzi and his son, along with the continued care of the Sarasota County Fire Department, the ER staff and trauma team are why this patient is alive today,” Szalbirak said. For Paul Dezzi, the Phoenix Award that was presented to him alongside his son was invaluable. This was the first time Paul Dezzi saw his son in action and the first time he worked with one of his sons.
On Thanksgiving Day last year, Paul Dezzi was notified that his neighbor was injured. He walked
“That was probably my most precious award because I was with him,” Dezzi said. “I saw him in action and he went right into it. I couldn’t believe what he was doing.”
Firefighters practice high-rise fires
The three department crews ran through scenarios that put high-rise training into practice and helped solidify training on lower-frequency calls.
Fire calls aren’t frequent on Longboat Key. But if there is one, the Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department will be ready to respond to any fire.
That’s largely because of annual training sessions that keep the firefighter paramedics updated on how to work different types of fires. This year, the department’s focus has been on high-rise fires.
Although Longboat Key doesn’t have many true high-rises like Sarasota, St. Petersburg or Tampa, several condominium complexes on the island have multiple floors.
Three crews of firefighter paramedics ran through hands-on highrise fire training from Nov. 12-14 at Longboat Harbour Condominiums. Training Captain John Elwood said getting the hands-on repetitions is useful to cement the crews’ training in their minds.
About two years ago, a small group from the Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department went to a High Rise Operation Conference where they learned techniques about operating on high-rise fires. After that conference, the group worked on how to take the material they learned and present it back to the rest of the Longboat Key team.
“This has been a long work in progress,” said Firefighter Paramedic David Oliger, one of the crew members who attended HROC.
Oliger and the others who attended the conference said they wanted the rest of the crews to learn that working through high-rise fires requires teamwork, efficiency, attention to detail and repetition.
All of that was demonstrated throughout the hands-on training.
First, the crews went through every step of how to set up for a high-rise fire. That’s where details and repetition are crucial.
When working a high-rise fire, the crews will typically work on the floor below the fire. Elwood said this is because fire and smoke generally move upward, so the floor below will be more clear and allow the crew to work in a smoke-free environment.
Buildings with multiple floors often have a standpipe, which is
a system of hoses that connects through the floors to give firefighters a place to hook up hoses and use the water.
In this training, the Longboat Key crew also practiced how to attach hoses from their trucks up to the working floor. Here, the hose must be secured to a railing or around something like the standpipe. Once the hose fills with water, it will become much heavier and could cause problems if not properly secured.
Teamwork and efficiency are important, especially for the Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department. In a best-case scenario, the department will have 10 crew members fully on duty.
Aside from additional assistance, the Longboat Key Fire Rescue crew will have eight people physically working on the fire. There will also be one battalion chief commanding from the ground and one crew member manning the fire truck.
It’s because of this crew size that Elwood stresses efficiency and teamwork.
That was clear as the team went through a scenario that involved a “fire” on the fourth floor.
The Longboat Key firefighter paramedics quickly got to work attaching a hose from the fire truck up to the third floor. In the scenario, the crew had to deal with unexpected obstacles like needing more hose and getting kinks out of the hose.
Hands-on repetitions are important when training for these types of scenarios.
For lower frequency calls, getting hands-on training like this helps the firefighter paramedics retain information that they don’t experience regularly.
“You need to train for high severity, low-frequency events,” Elwood said.
Carter Weinhofer
Firefighter Paramedic Joshua Falcon mans the fire hose in the simulation. Lt. Ron Koper assists by keeping the hose stable.
TRIBUTES
Ruth Latrelle Strauss 1925-2024
Ruth Latrelle Strauss, long time Longboat Key resident, passed away on Monday, November 4th, just short of her 99th birthday (born December 12th, 1925). Ruth is well known as the longtime treasurer of the Longboat Key library, the secretary of the Longboat Key Republican’s Club, and an active member of Christ Church on Longboat Key.
As you might imagine,
Ruth outlived almost everyone, including her beloved husband, Robert L. Strauss, her twin sister, Ruby Ehman, and her older sister, Maureen. In truth, there are plenty of survivors including one of her four children, Bobbette, eleven grandkids, and twenty-one great-grandkids.
It is hard to imagine living through the century from 1925 to the present, but Ruth lived it to the fullest. All who knew her were blessed by her grace, compassion, and humor. Her beatific smile alone would make your day. We will miss her.
Edward D. Cohen 1925-2024
Edward D. Cohen of Longboat Key FL, born in NYC April 1925, died Oct. 29th 2024, just six months shy of attaining his goal of 100 years old. He was predeceased by his wife Anne and his siblings - our beloved Uncle Jerry and Aunt Ruthie.
He is survived by his daughters Janet and Diane, favorite son-in-law John, steadfast friend and companion Roberta Steiner, our very good friend Nola, who achieved “third daughter” status, and many other friends and admirers, new and old.
He was a lifelong jokester, telling us as kids that his middle initial D stood for “Dascoyne.” he loved puns, word play, and “groaners.” his other long-standing joke was that his birthday was easy to remember, as it was Shakespeare’s Baptism Day. We always thought that was a joke, until we googled it recently...sure enough, it’s
true!
He was also a lifelong learner (he attempted the banjo later in life), and volunteered for Meals On Wheels and tutoring English. He also played tennis into his late 80’s.
He was proud of serving in WW2, where he did de-coding work in the Signal Corps. Post-war, he went to Harvard for his law degree (we found out after he died that he was in the top 20% of his class). The bulk of his career was spent at the Public Service Commission in Albany NY, where he conducted hearings on utility price hikes as an administrative law judge.
Our mother jokingly (we think) referred to him as “El Cheapo,” but he was incredibly generous of mind, spirit, and resources. He taught us much about generosity, wise money-management, and many other life skills.
We are so lucky to have had him in our lives for all these years, and will miss him acutely.
He is buried at Sarasota National Cemetery.
Lido
ELC Sarasota Builds Bright Futures for Our Littlest Learners
Early childhood is a critical time in life, as 90% of brain development occurs before the age of five. This is why the Early Learning Coalition of Sarasota County (ELC) is dedicated to ensuring that every child in our community has access to high-quality early education. The nonprofit supports childcare providers in key areas including teacher training, preschool enhancements, and early literacy resources. For families, the ELC offers financial assistance, access to Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) and tools to find quality care.
The ELC serves 4,000 children and assists 150 childcare providers annually, yet the work doesn’t stop there. As the local population grows, so does the need for early educators. The ELC’s apprenticeship program helps individuals launch a preschool teaching career for free, no experience necessary. It also supports rising educators pursuing a teacher credential, at no cost to them. Apprenticeship is one of many ELC initiatives that empower teachers with knowledge, skills and tools, so they can create nurturing environments. After all, high-quality childcare is rooted in trained teachers.
Alongside professional development, the ELC recognizes how a child’s learning environment shapes their experience. That’s why it enlists individuals, students and corporate volunteers for preschool makeovers, breathing new life into childcare centers with bright, welcoming spaces that spark growth and imagination. From refreshing playgrounds to sanitizing toys or painting murals, these makeovers offer something for everyone, with tasks that suit all skill levels.
Because early reading skills set the stage for future academic success, the ELC provides resources for little ones including books, educational materials, and interactive literacy tools. The “Bucket of Books” initiative tackles book deserts by supplying free books in the waiting rooms of businesses for children to enjoy.
HELP
THE ELC
TRANSFORM LIVES
Dedicated volunteers drive the ELC’s mission, expanding its impact and reach. There are numerous ways to get involved, from assisting with special events to participating in the popular Literacy Buddy Program.
Literacy Buddies commit to purchasing three new books for a preschooler throughout the school year and exchanging drawings and letters with their little “buddy.” This meaningful connection builds home libraries and inspires a lasting enthusiasm for books-a simple yet powerful way to make a profound impact on a child’s life.
Learn more at: elcsarasota.org
Sponsorship by Early Learning Coalition of Sarasota County; the State of Florida and Florida Department of Education’s Division of Early Learning
Early Learning Coalition of Sarasota County Administrative Office and Parent Lobby
1750 17th Street, Building L Sarasota, Florida 34234 (941) 954-4830
The ELC Sarasota is ready to connect with you. Contact us at: mail@elcsarasota.org or visit elcsarasota.org
COPS CORNER
FRIDAY, NOV. 8
8:47
a.m., 4000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Suspicious Person: Longboat Key officers were dispatched to investigate a report of a suspicious man sleeping in the park. The man in question said he was fishing on his 14-foot boat when he lost his balance because of the waves and fell overboard. He said he spent awhile floating in the bay on a personal flotation device before another boat spotted him and rescued him from the water. The captain of that boat brought the overboard boater to Bayfront Park where he was waiting for someone to pick him up.
SATURDAY, NOV. 9
SUSPICIOUS PERSON OR PLASTIC?
8:34 p.m., 700 block of El Centro Street
Suspicious Incident: Dispatch sent officers to respond to a burglary in progress. The caller said he saw an unknown man on his Ring doorbell camera trying to break into a unit before fleeing on foot. Upon arrival at the scene, officers canvassed the
THURSDAY, NOV. 14
COME SAIL AWAY
9:48 p.m., 500 block of Cutter Lane
Lost/Found Property: A resident called the police to report that his 27-foot boat was lost. According to the resident, he returned to his backyard after being away for three hours and, when he returned, the boat was missing. The officer reviewed surveillance footage from the residence and watched the vessel drift away unattended earlier that afternoon. A report was filed in case anyone spotted the runaway vessel.
area and checked on the residence, which showed no signs of forced entry. Officers also conducted a fingerprint test on the door handle but were unable to find any. The doorbell footage was reviewed by the officers, which showed the camera’s motion sensor was activated due to a plastic covering on the front door.
SUNDAY, NOV. 10
PARTYING THROUGH THE NIGHT
12:04 a.m., 4700 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Civil Disturbance: A citizen called to report a wedding party was using a pool and jacuzzi after hours, and the party repeatedly refused to leave and argued with staff. When officers arrived at the scene, they met with someone from the wedding party who said he just spent a lot of money on a wedding at the hotel and the party wanted to keep using the pool area. Officers advised him that the hotel had rules. The man and the rest of the wedding party understood.
CANVASSING THE NEIGHBORHOOD
11 a.m., 600 block of Hideaway Bay Drive
Suspicious Person: A resident called the police to investigate suspicious people taking pictures of and trying to access a property. According to the complainant, two men in yellow vests were showing Longboat Key town ID cards and taking pictures. An officer checked the area and found one of the men, who said they were taking pictures of storm and flood debris. The complainant understood and said she was worried about people casing the neighborhood.
THURSDAY, NOV. 14
WHO HIT AND RAN?
7:21 p.m., 500 block of Bay Isles
Parkway Officer Public Service: An officer was dispatched to respond to a reported hit and run. The responding officer met with the complainant, who said she quickly realized that, because there was no plastic or glass near her vehicle at the time of the officer’s arrival, the car was likely hit earlier when she was in Holmes Beach. The officer advised her to contact Holmes Beach.
Climate & health experts convene in Sarasota
At the Climate Adaptation Center’s fourth annual Florida Climate Conference, climate and medical experts spoke about how climate change impacts human health.
CARTER WEINHOFER
How do weather events and climate warming impact humans’ physical and mental health?
That was the main topic of the Climate Adaptation Center’s fourth annual Florida Climate Conference on Nov. 14-15. Climate and health experts convened at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus to deliver two days of speeches and discussions.
The impacts of extreme weather events related to climate warming were relevant, especially for many in the audience who experienced Hurricanes Helene and Milton in the past two months.
Climate Adaptation Center CEO Bob Bunting said heat from climate warming is causing more extreme weather events like hurricanes, harmful algal blooms, sea level rise and human health impacts.
“At the rate we’re going now, we’re putting ourselves in incredible danger. What you’re seeing outside your
window these days is weather that has changed because the climate has already changed,” Bunting said. “It’s going to continue to change. That means that our only real solution for the next lifetime is adaptation.”
During the two-day conference, speakers focused on how educating the public is a priority in mitigating future climate impacts. Experts also used personal experiences and data to show how hotter temperatures are impacting humans’ physical and mental well-being.
ECO-ANXIETY EMERGENCE
CAC Senior Scientist Ric Kearbey’s presentation on day two focused on the mental health impacts of climate change.
Terms like climate change anxiety, eco-anxiety, eco-grief and climate doom were paramount in Kearbey’s talk.
Kearbey said this is especially relevant for younger generations.
According to the Climate Mental Health Network, 75% of young people ages 16-24 say climate change is making their future frightening.
“When they look and hear about things like climate warming, they have a lot of concern for the future because it’s their future more than our future, and they’re just getting started,” Kearbey said. “So they also face a lot of anxiety, but everything does show that when there’s education, it calms anxiety.”
Kearbey’s presentation also stated 27% of Americans say they are “very worried” about the climate, and the number of people who say they are “alarmed” about climate change tripled in the past six years.
“It’s definitely a trend in the wrong direction, but it makes sense,” Kearbey said.
PROBLEMS HEATING UP
In one of his speeches, Bunting said heat-related illnesses and deaths are one of the most underrepresented.
“Heat is the deadliest weather phenomenon in the United States,” he said. “It’s not floods, it’s not hurricanes ... one of our issues with heat is we don’t know how to measure heat deaths.”
Warmer temperatures and higher humidity create a higher heat index, all of which can lead to more frequent and extreme cases of illness like heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Many speakers warned, as global temperatures continue to rise, these issues will become more frequent, and more adaptation will be necessary.
One of the speakers who spoke about this was Dr. Ankush Bansal, an internal and lifestyle medicine physician based in West Palm Beach.
“The climate crisis is both a health crisis and a human rights crisis,” Bansal said.
Bansal spoke about how people at the city, county and community
“The climate crisis is both a health crisis and a human rights crisis.”
level can help mitigate and adapt to the “climate crisis.”
There were seven strategies that Bansal outlined to address heatrelated impacts: heat-health warning systems, urban planning, public cooling centers, clinician training, community outreach, public policy and research and development.
For example, Bansal said cities could encourage more green roofs, parks, community gardens and efficient ventilation through urban planning.
Partnerships between cities, counties and local communities would also be useful in education and public policy.
“We also need public education campaigns, especially for vulnerable populations, on what the signs of heat illness are and how to respond,” Bansal said. “That requires partnerships of all these governments.”
Overall, the main takeaway from Bansal’s presentation was communities need to not only learn how to adapt but also address the causes of climate warming.
“Everything I’ve talked about is adaptation. None of that will work if you don’t address the cause,” Bansal said. “That’s why mitigation must be paramount for any climate healthrelated risk. We can’t expect to keep mopping up the floor if we don’t address the root cause and shut off the tap.”
WORSHIP directory
— Dr. Ankush Bansal, an internal and lifestyle medicine physician based in West Palm Beach.
Several climate and health experts spoke throughout the two-day conference at the University of South Florida SarasotaManatee campus.
Photos by Janet Combs
Climate Adaptation Center CEO Bob Bunting speaks at the 2024 Annual Florida Climate Conference.
YOUR NEIGHBORS
Feasting on Longboat
Restaurants gear up to serve holiday favorites on Thanksgiving Day as snowbirds arrive back on the island.
PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER
If you don’t want the hassle of making Thanksgiving dinner this year, gather the family together at a table at one of Longboat Key’s restaurants. You will have a lot to be grateful for with these delicious dishes.
LAZY LOBSTER
Lazy Lobster is known for celebrating Thanksgiving twice a year.
This summer, the restaurant hosted its “Thanksgiving in June” as a way to raise donations for Meals on Wheels Plus and All Faiths Food Bank. Each night, donation bins were overflowing with nonperishable items because of how much the community loves the restaurant’s holiday meals and helping others. People are excited to have the official Thanksgiving meal at Lazy Lobster this year.
For $30, the “Traditional Turkey Dinner” will include fresh-roasted turkey with a homestyle stuffing, turkey gravy, mashed russet and sweet potatoes, green beans with fried onions and cranberry sauce.
People can also order the maple pecan salad for $8, which includes mixed greens, dried cranberries, tomatoes, candied pecans, gorgonzola, cinnamon bread croutons and Vermont maple dressing. To finish it off, people can enjoy either pumpkin or pecan pie.
“This Thanksgiving holds a special meaning for us, as we have so much to be grateful for in the wake of the recent storms,” said co-owner Michael Garey. “Serving this classic meal to about 600 guests is more than a tradition this year. It’s an opportunity to give back and share gratitude. This Thanksgiving, as our guests gather around the tables, we’re reminded of the resilience of our community and the importance of coming together to support one another in times of need.”
HARRY’S CONTINENTAL KITCHENS
As well as serving its normal menu, Harry’s Continental Kitchens brings back its famous Thanksgiving menu that brought in 300 reservations and takeout orders last year.
“Holidays are a busy day,” said General Manager Hal Christensen. “People don’t want to stay home
or eat at a hotel. So, we provide the perfect place to get out and celebrate after everything we have been with the hurricanes.”
A three-course Thanksgiving meal has all your favorite foods for $48 per person.
To start, people can enjoy a fivespiced butternut squash soup with maple syrup drizzle and spiced pecans or a fall apple salad that includes apples, craisins, cherry tomatoes, spiced pecans, spinach, and shallots with a lemon honey vinaigrette.
The main entree is fresh-roasted turkey with apple-walnut stuffing, gravy, cranberry relish, green bean almondine, mashed russet and sweet potatoes. For dessert, people can choose between pumpkin pie, apple cheesecake and chocolate pecan pie.
THE ST. REGIS LONGBOAT KEY RESORT
This year will mark the St. Regis’ first Thanksgiving on Longboat Key. To make it special, a unique menu was planned to celebrate at its Thanksgiving Celebration Buffet in the
OTHER RESTAURANTS OPEN ON THANKSGIVING
n Chart House: Find the menu at ChartHouse.com.
n Euphemia Haye Restaurant and the Haye Loft: Find the menu at EuphemiaHaye.com.
n Zota Beach Resort: Find the menu at OpalCollection.com.
Astor Ballroom.
For $175 per person, guests have their pick of fare from several stations, starting with artisan cheese and charcuterie and an ice bar with oysters, shrimp, stone crab and local fish dip. Seafood lovers can treat themselves to king crab, Maine lobster and torched salmon, while meat lovers can indulge in a slice of pastrami-rubbed prime rib.
For the classic Thanksgiving meal, they will be serving whole-roasted turkey, foie gras gravy, cranberry jam, cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and a sweet potato casserole with a marshmallow spread.
For not-so-classic options, guests can enjoy fried Kurobuta pork chops served with creamed spinach fregola and cider jus or crawfish cassoulet served with cranberry beans, carrot bique and housemade herb biscuit crumble. Vegetarians also have options with the ricotta cavatelli with a butternut squash soubise caramalized cauliflower emulsion, scallion gremolata and parmesan mollicata. For dessert, every sweet tooth will be satisfied with a variety of holiday cookies and assorted festive pies, including pumpkin, pecan and apple. People can also order a la carte at Riva, or dive into a prix fixe menu for $145 at CW Prime with the choice of an appetizer, one of five entrees and a dessert to end the holiday on a sweet note.
Courtesy images Thanksgiving at Harry’s Continental Kitchens is sure to warm the spirit.
The traditional turkey dinner at Lazy Lobster, with a side of sunshine.
2067
Fresh start
In its reopened office, Coldwell Banker’s renovations built resiliency for future flooding on St. Armands Circle.
In 2022, Hurricane Ian destroyed the first floor of the Coldwell Banker Realty office on St. Armands Circle.
The real estate firm repaired the necessities with the hopes of reopening quickly, not thinking about how to prepare for future hurricanes.
“It was very plain because we were trying to get open fast after Ian,” said Managing Broker Ellen O’Day. “It had the gray luxury vinyl style on the floors and white walls. But we kept a lot of our original office then: our old sliding glass doors, the old bathroom and the original conference room.”
Hurricane Helene hit two years later. When its storm surge flooded the office, the St. Armands location thought it was time for a new game plan.
Coldwell Banker Realty on St. Armands Circle reopened its newly renovated office on Nov. 13 for the first time after Hurricanes Helene and Milton. As the office recovers, it saw it as an opportunity to renovate in a way that will prevent as much future damage as possible while also upgrading the space to match its clientele.
“The one thing I’ve learned by going through so many of these hurricanes is that there is such a resil-
ience, not only in the communities but in the agents,” said Duff Rubin, Coldwell Banker regional president of the southeast region. “Their business is put on hold for months and weeks. They know that this happens every year and then their job the day after is to go back to the community and say, ‘How can I be a service?’ So I’m excited for them to get back into their office and collaborate and see what they can do.”
When Hurricane Helene hit the Circle in September, the St. Armands
office was flooded with about fourand-a-half feet of water. After being flooded three times this hurricane season, Coldwell Banker decided to focus on making its office floodproof to avoid having to renovate again when the next hurricane hits.
This is particularly important for this location, given the amount of foot traffic it generates.
“St. Armands has brought itself where we are selling a lot of St. Regis, the Ritz, Rosewood just from our walk-in business on the Circle,” said O’Day. “With 30,000 people walking past this office during the season, it is important that our offices match what we are selling and who we are selling to.”
Wanting to start fresh, the office was completely gutted. The renovations cost about $1 million, with $100,000 spent on replacing the roof alone.
The office now features durable waterproof drywall, double-coated epoxy floors and its new desks will be raised and rustproof. Keeping in mind its upscale clients, the office is also being upgraded with new lights and furniture.
Officially, all renovations are scheduled to finish the week of Nov. 25. The 150 agents who work out of the St. Armands location are excited to be under one roof again.
“We are so happy to get our community back,” said Realtor Kelly Erb. “This office attracts a lot of businesses with just people looking at our listings on the window, so it is so important. We are happy to be back.”
PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER
The Coldwell Banker Realty office on St. Armands Circle reopened on Nov. 13.
Coldwell Banker Managing Broker Ellen O’Day (center) cuts the ribbon on the reopening of the St. Armands office Nov. 13 with Bonnie Higgins, Duff Rubin, Jennifer Destefano and David Frankel Chris Tobiasz and Bobbi Ellis
Photos by Petra Rivera
Light Up Longboat
The sixth annual Light Up Longboat is expected to be bigger than ever.
Longboat Key is planning on lighting up brighter and bigger this year.
The sixth annual Light Up Longboat event will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 23 at the Karon Pavilion at the Town Center Green.
Join special guests Santa, Minnie and Mickey Mouse to welcome back snowbirds to Longboat Key after weeks of recovering after Hurricane Helene and Milton. As the first event back after the storms, Assistant to the Town Manager Susan Phillips said they aim it to be a way to encourage community and normalcy.
Co-hosted by the town of Longboat Key and the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce, the free event will start by lighting up the new custom-designed tree during the traditional lighting ceremony on the Karon Pavilion stage, along with
After the ceremony, local band
The Big Z and Longboat musician
Tim Michael McCaig will kick off a holiday concert for people to enjoy while perusing the many tables of local organizations.
People can purchase food and drinks from four food trucks, along with gift cards and merchandise from local businesses. Longboatbased businesses and non-profits will also be there to discuss town happenings as the season starts after Thanksgiving.
“This will be the perfect chance to support our small businesses,” said Phillips. “Our residents need those businesses for the services they provide, so we must help them come back because they’re equally a part of our community as the residents.”
The Rotary Club of Longboat Key will be collecting unwrapped children’s gifts for Hope Family services in Bradenton at the event. They asked for guests to bring donations to receive a raffle ticket for the chance to win a $100 gift certificate to Lazy Lobster.
“It will be a bigger Light Up Longboat this year,” said Phillips. “We hope it brings some joy and recovery
Happy to be back on the Key
Members look forward to the season as snowbirds arrive back on Longboat Key just in time for holiday festivities.
During Hurricane Helene, the property grounds of Ginny Akhoury, a member of the Women’s Guild of St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church, was completely flooded. She said that she lost many things, including her file cabinet floating away.
Even after enduring the damages from the hurricanes, the thought of being back with her close friends from Longboat is what has gotten her through these past few weeks.
“I was really looking forward to this lunch,” said Akhoury. “The church has made it known to everyone that they are here for us, so it is nice to be inspired by the hope they promote.”
St. Mary welcomed back its Women’s Guild members with the annual luncheon on Nov. 12. After weeks of recovering from the storms, the women are happy to be back with their close friends as they go into the high season.
The ladies attended Mass before enjoying a catered lunch from Lazy Lobster. As the holiday season approaches, the women were able to shop for Christmas decorations and gifts from the Women’s Guild Christmas Bazaar, which was on
Members are looking forward to the upcoming season since many expected it not to happen after Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The guild’s most anticipated event of the holiday season is its Christmas concert, which will be Dec. 13.
“As we go into this season, we just pray that everyone stays in good health because that is the most important thing,” said the Rev. Robert Dziedziak during his sermon. “At the moment, the island is not pristine, but it will be soon. The spring will come and everything will be beautiful and refreshed. So everyone, keep that in mind as we welcome you back.”
PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER
File photo
Luke Safford, Nancy Rozance and Shae Safford at Light Up Longboat on Nov. 25, 2023.
PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER
Maggie Oberst and Karen Iannello at the St. Marys Women’s Guild welcome back lunch.
Carol Fischbein, Susan and Georgianna Vicari
Photos by Petra Rivera
Cindy Noble and Linda Olsen check in at the St. Marys Women’s Guild welcome back lunch.
SANTA’S HELPERS
To be ready for Dec. 1, the chapel is asking for help from the community to prepare for the beloved holiday event.
PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER
It’s time to start rocking around the Christmas trees at the Longboat Island Chapel.
Christmas in the Garden is right around the corner, and the chapel is looking for volunteers to help decorate.
For the fourth year in a row, the community will come together to celebrate the holidays at the Chapel’s Christmas in the Garden: A Celebration of Lights and Music.
Chapel and community members decorate a variety of Christmas trees with unique themes in its garden to enjoy for the holiday season. Longboaters can attend Christmas in the Garden throughout December while listening to special music performances, sipping on hot cocoa and eating homemade cookies.
After Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the Rev. Brock Patterson was determined to keep this tradition to provide hope while people recover.
“A lot of people actually lost their holiday decorations because all of those were kept either in their garage or in their bottom floors, and that’s what’s flooded,” said Patterson.
“So, hopefully, this will provide the opportunity for them to decorate if they can’t do it at home.”
Because the hurricanes put them behind schedule, volunteers are needed to help decorate 22 trees and put out Christmas decorations. It provides a great opportunity to help the community move forward and to meet fellow Longboaters.
This year, a community tree will be set up for anyone to bring a special ornament to hang on it. It will represent the saying “Longboat Key Strong” as the community works to recuperate.
People can help out Monday through Friday, except for Thanksgiving Day, decorating trees from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. until the opening day of Dec. 1. Once it is open to the public, volunteers are welcome to help set up special music performances throughout the month, especially on New Year’s Eve.
“It will be different than last year for sure because we had 35 trees last year,” said co-Chair Lesley Rife. “It won’t be the same because of how the hurricanes affected the chapel. The garden is a little barren right now, but we will fill it up with Christmas decorations because the community needs this.”
For more information, contact Rife at LesleyRife@att.net or Kelly Shrout at Kelly.Shrout@gmail.com.
The Sarasota Debutantes grabbed their pearls and channeled their inner Holly Golightly on Longboat Key this past weekend.
High school seniors Camiryn Opstal, Rylie Jackson and Maggie Mays hosted their debutante event as a formal brunch at Shore Longboat Key on Nov. 16.
Inspired by the movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” all guests wore black, white and blue attire to stay on theme while the hosts dressed in all white to stand out.
The Sarasota Debutantes are chosen in February from a variety of high school seniors from across the area. While being trained in etiquette, each of the girls hosts an event with a theme of their choosing to show what they have learned. This leads to the grand debutante ball on Dec. 21.
As a Sarasota native, Maggie Mays’s mother, Dawn, was selected to be a debutante when she was a senior in 1992 but wasn’t able to participate because of the financial burden.
When Maggie was nominated to be a debutante this year, Dawn pushed her shy
daughter to try it out after wanting to do it when she was in high school.
“It has really brought her out of her shell,” said Dawn. “I love that she can make new friends from different schools and now she feels confident to talk to new people. After seeing her blossom, I always encourage every woman I know with a little girl to do this if they have the opportunity to.”
RIVERA
Petra Rivera Judy Heyer
Photos by Petra Rivera Gabe Owen, Loudon Dougherty and Ethan Perrin at the debutante event at Shore Longboat Key.
Maggie Mays, Rylie Jackson
Home on Bird Key tops week’s sales at $7.88 million
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Ahome on Bird Key tops all transactions in this week’s real estate. John and Margaret Russell, of Sarasota, sold their home at 364 W. Royal Flamingo Drive to Michael Canney and Diane Canney, trustees, of Sarasota, for $7.88 million. Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a pool and 6,289 square feet of living area. It sold for $4,925,00 in 2016.
JOHN RINGLING
Maryanne Maier, trustee, of Sarasota, sold two properties at 259 John Ringling Blvd. to James and Susan Davis, of Sarasota, for $2,575,000. The first property was built in 1952, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,469 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 1952, it has one bedroom, one bath and 400 square feet of living area. Both sold for $225,000 in 1991.
Mari Lynn Cheatham, trustee, of Lakeland, sold the home at 240 Van Buren Place to 240 Van Buren LLC for $1.2 million. Built in 1962, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,375 square feet of living area. It sold for $710,000 in 2015.
EMERALD POINTE SOUTH
Michele De Luce and Leighton Allenby sold their Unit 6 condominium at 1915 Harbour Links Cir-
cle to Todd and Lisa Zimmerman, of Longboat Key, for $1,775,000. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,462 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.2 million in 2022.
THE PIERRE
Kenneth Leung and Ester Rodriguez, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 307 condominium at 455 Longboat Club Road to Robert Grossi, of Burr Ridge, Illinois, for $1,725,000. Built in 1990, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,410 square feet of living area. It sold for $612,500 in 2012.
SEAPLACE Nancy and David Schwiesow, of
Roseland, Virginia, sold their Unit G8-301-B condominium at 1925 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Jeffrey and Deborah Milks, of New Albany, Ohio, for $1 million. Built in 1978, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,492 square feet of living area. It sold for $700,000 in 2016.
ONLINE
See more transactions at YourObserver.com
Images courtesy of Yvette Sellyn John and Margaret Russell, of Sarasota, sold their home at 364 W. Royal Flamingo Drive to Michael Canney and Diane Canney, trustees, of Sarasota, for $7.88 million.
Light up Longboat
YOUR CALENDAR
November 23, 2024
5:30 - 7:30 pm
Karon Family Pavilion
Town Center Green
600 Bay Isles Road
LIVE MUSIC BY BIG Z McCAIG & TIM MICHAEL
SPECIAL APPEARANCES BY SANTA, MINNIE & MICKEY
LOCAL EATS & TREATS
SHOP
SATURDAY, NOV. 23
FERRARIS ON THE CIRCLE
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Armands Circle Park, 1 St. Armands Circle. Stroll through St. Armands Circle Park while enjoying Ferraris of all ages during this fun, free event. A minimum donation of $50 is requested to show your car. All proceeds benefit Flight to the North Pole, a charity that provides financial and emotional support to terminally ill children and their families in Sarasota/Manatee counties. For more information or to register, call Joe Gliksman at 860-1053.
MONDAY, NOV. 25
BODY ROLLING CLASS
Noon to 12:30 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. This free class will introduce body rolling as a myofascial release that helps alleviate muscle pain and tension. It aims to reduce stress and tension. Call 383-6493.
RECURRING EVENTS
MONDAYS
STRETCH AND STRENGTHEN
From 10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. This class is mostly seated and great for all fitness levels. Focus is on strength training and flexibility for balance. Suzy Brenner leads the class. Fee is $15; free for members. Walk-ins welcome. Call 383-6493.
MIXED BEGINNERS BRIDGE
From 1-2:30 p.m. at The Education Center at Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road. Professional bridge player and teacher Larry Auerbach will cover the basic mechanics and fundamentals of the game combining players who have some knowledge of the game and new players. Members, $85; nonmembers, $95. Call 383-8222 or email Admin@ TBIEducationCenter.org.
TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS
PILATES SCULPT
From 9-9:50 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Pilates Sculpt is a combination class mixing traditional Pilates exercises into a fun, challenging workout to upbeat music. It will make you sweat, encourage your body to burn calories, and make you stronger and more flexible. This class is for all levels. Cost is $15; free for members. Walkins welcome. Call 383-6493.
YOGA
From 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Debby Debile of Feel Good Yoga & Massage leads a gentle yoga class that can be done on a mat or in a chair. Cost is $15; free for members. Call 383-6493.
TUESDAYS AT THE MOVIES
From 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at The
BEST BET
SATURDAY, NOV. 23
LIGHT UP LONGBOAT
5:30-7:30 p.m. at Town Center Green, 600 Bay Isles Road. Join the town of Longboat Key at the Karon Family Pavilion for the sixth annual Light Up Longboat event. Join Santa, Minnie and Mickey Mouse to celebrate the start of the season with a special tree-lighting ceremony. There will be food, treats, shopping, raffle giveaways and live music by Big Z and Tim Michael McCaig. The Rotary Club of Longboat Key will be collecting unwrapped children’s gifts for Hope Family Services in Bradenton. Call 383-2466.
Education Center at Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road. Enjoy quality assigned films at local theaters and come to class to discuss them with popular film maven and critic Gus Mollasis. Films are assigned a week before class discussion. Package of six, members $95; nonmembers, $105; pay as you go, $17 per class. Call 383-8222 or email Admin@TBIEducationCenter.org.
MAHJONG
From 1-3 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Fun time for experienced players. RSVP only. To check availability at the tables, email Amy@TheParadiseCenter.org.
WEDNESDAYS MIXED LEVELS YOGA
From 9-10 a.m. at The Education Center at Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road. These alignmentbased classes led by certified yoga teacher Harriet Roberts, are carefully crafted to offer both challenges and modifications for all ages and levels. Improve balance, strength and flexibility and reduce physical pain. Engage your body, heart and mind with breathwork and meditation. Package of six, members $75; nonmembers, $85; pay as you go, $15 per class. Call 383-8222 or email Admin@TBIEducationCenter.org.
File photo
Dr. Jack Rozance and Nancy “Santa” Rozance at Light up Longboat.
Jules Mackie | Tracey Stetler | Nicholle DiPinto McKiernan | Patrick DiPinto | Rene DiPinto | Steven Moore | Janet Coughlin
NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH
Alber captured this photo of willets walking the shoreline
By Luis Campos Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.
Jenelle
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