Giving back to the PD Community groups have been showing their thanks to the Longboat Key Police Department and Fire Rescue Department since residents returned after Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Women’s group hosts Western party Bird Key Yacht Club? More like Bird Key Honky Tonk. Femcity of Longboat Key and Sarasota brought out their best cowboy boots and hats at its third annual fashion show on Dec. 6. The fashion show is a time for the women entrepreneurs’ group to network and support a local nonprofit. This year, it raised $1,200 for the Humane Society of Sarasota County.
President Medge Jaspan was happy to support her friend Melinda Foster and the Humane Society.
This year, the ladies modeled looks from local businesses and Femcity members Oh La La Moda and Coral Reef. Then, the night was finished with dancing.
Last week, Lynn Larson and her husband, Jim, brought lunch to the police department on behalf of the Country Club Shores neighborhood. The neighborhood provided lunch to all the town’s offices over the last several weeks, according to an email to commissioners from Town Manager Howard Tipton. Building solid relationships with the community is an emphasis in Chief of Police George Turner’s community policing philosophy. Having the support of these communities since after the storms have been an example of that. $1.00
Courtesy image
Petra Rivera
Medge and Michael Jaspan
Waylon Wilson chats with Santa Claus at the St. Armands Holiday Night of Lights.
WEEK OF DEC. 12, 2024
BY THE NUMBERS
$2.9
“I think everything related to resiliency becomes heightened in the budget process going forward.”
Town Manager Howard Tipton on strategic planning in the future
Read more on page 4
The Longboat Key Town Commission approved an emergency ordinance to further streamline residents’ recovery after Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The ordinance, which eliminates the requirement to obtain a permit for drywall restoration and repair in single-family structures, was approved by the commission at its Dec. 2 meeting.
Section 150.30 of the town code previously required a building permit for drywall repair exceeding 48 square feet
in single-family homes.
“This requirement was likely intended for commercial and multifamily structures, where rated assemblies continue to be required. Sheetrock repair/ replacement, in single-family structures, however, is not required to be performed by a licensed contractor, nor is a building permit required by the Florida Building Code,” a release from the town stated.
This emergency ordinance removes the need for a permit for simple drywall work in singlefamily structures.
Drywall and sheetrock repairs in single-family structures that involve work such as electrical and plumbing work as part of a larger project will still require a permit.
The town also furthered the extended construction hours for storm-related construction, which is allowed to take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day, including Christmas holidays, through Dec. 31.
For more information or questions, contact the Planning, Zoning and Building Department at 941-316-1966.
Fire Rescue Dept. hosts free courses
The Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department will host free hands-only CPR and AED training throughout the following months for interested residents.
The courses are held once a month, on Dec. 16, Jan. 16, Feb. 13, March 13 and April 17.
Through these courses, attendees will learn the basics of lifesaving skills like CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator. All of the classes start at 10 a.m. and will be held at the North Fire Station at 5490 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Each course is limited to 16 attendees. To reserve a spot or request more information, email LBoggs@ LongboatKey.org or call 941-3161944.
Additionally, the department will host its next Firehouse Forum on Dec. 11 from 9-9:30 a.m. Fire Administration Manager & PIO Tina Adams will talk about holiday fire safety. This is a virtual forum via Microsoft Teams that requires a link and passcode. More information can also be found by calling the fire station at 941-316-1944.
Cortez Bridge project update
The utility relocation as a part of the Cortez Bridge replacement project is expected to continue through spring 2025.
According to a release from Community Outreach Representative Tina Allen on Dec. 6, drilling and intracoastal pipe installation on both sides of the
These closures are expected to run through spring 2025.
On Monday, Dec. 16, the contractor will need to stage pipes on the right of way. This work will be done between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. to minimize impacts to traffic, and occasional flagging operations may be necessary during that time.
Carter Weinhofer
RAISE THE LIFTS
Longboat Key residents spoke up about how boat lifts under current restrictions didn’t stand a chance with the storm surge from Hurricane Helene.
CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER
When residents returned after Hurricane Helene, some found their boats in different places, some damaged. Other residents couldn’t find their boats.
The boats were resting on lifts designed to conform to the town’s code, which restricts the height of the lift equipment. Some boat-owning residents want these regulations changed given what they experienced.
North-end resident Jim Haft was one resident whose boat was dislodged and damaged from Helene’s surge.
“It ended up in my neighbor’s yard in the first storm. There it sat safely through the second storm,” Haft said about his 30-foot boat. “But three other boats in our community either sank or just disappeared.”
Another resident, Steve Weyl, couldn’t find his boat after Helene. Luckily, someone found his boat damaged and floating down a nearby canal. Like Haft’s situation, Helene’s storm surge moved Weyl’s boat from its lift.
Residents like Haft and Weyl say the issue is the town’s code, which restricts the height of boat lifts.
“Longboat Key is very restrictive at five feet. Nobody else has that kind of restriction. It’s kind of unique to Longboat Key,” Weyl said.
CODE COMPARISONS
The town’s current code restricts the top of the boat lift equipment to five feet from the highest walking surface of the adjacent dock.
Chapter 158 of the town’s code regulates structures over water.
“No part of the boat lift structure, except boat guides, shall exceed a height of five feet, measured from the highest walking surface of the dock,” the code says about boat lifts adjacent to a dock.
The same rules apply to lifts that are built adjacent to a seawall cap if there is no dock.
For areas under Sarasota County’s code, Chapter 54 “Environmental and Natural Resources” outlines the same type of regulations, but with a higher maximum.
“Boathouses and vessel lifting devices must have open sides, and shall not exceed 15 feet in height as measured from mean high water,” the code reads.
And in unincorporated Manatee County, the county code lacks specific language to regulate boat lifts. Only covered boat houses and boat hoists are regulated to a maximum height of 20 feet above the mean high water line, or 10 feet above the ground, whichever is higher.
Given the more lax restrictions in neighboring areas, Weyl and Haft feel that Longboat Key should give residents the ability to replace boat lifts higher, especially after what many experienced in Helene.
“Clearly, our boat lifts are too low,” Haft said.
Haft and Weyl both speculated that the current regulation may have been written from an aesthetic standpoint, to prevent boat lifts from being too high and blocking views.
“That was probably an aesthetic thing, and I get it,” Weyl said. “And that was probably established many years ago ... we never really had properties getting wet like they have been.”
Weyl argued that because the lifts are on canals that are adjacent
to property owners, the higher lifts would only impact the views of those property owners.
“The aesthetics only affect the people who really have boat lifts,” Weyl said. “Not the general public.”
HIGHER LIFTS WANTED
Weyl is confident a few extra feet granted for boat lifts would make a big difference.
While his boat on Longboat Key was floating away in a canal during Helene, his other boat was on a higher lift in Bradenton Beach. This one survived both storms. The high surge caused more damage to the Longboat lifts than moving boats.
“It destroyed the lifts,” Weyl said. “But so many of the lifts got wet, the motors and controllers got wet. It just wasn’t high enough.”
Replacing the electronics of a boat lift, and the boat lift itself, could be a costly endeavor. Raising the height allowance for boat lifts by a couple of feet may prevent boaters from having to replace the equipment the next time a high storm surge rolls through.
According to Weyl, replacements for basic lift motors and the controller could range from $5,000 to $8,000. If the lifts require larger motors for different boat sizes, the cost could climb.
Aside from the damages incurred during Helene, Weyl said raising the boat lifts also has a safety component. With the equipment only
allowed to be five feet from the dock, that leaves less room than a standard door frame, which is about six feet, eight inches. There’s often a beam on the lift equipment that Weyl said people often hit their head on.
“If you just raised it up two feet, to seven or eight feet, you wouldn’t bang your head,” Weyl said. “Which is really kind of nice from a safety standpoint.”
Both Weyl and Haft feel adding a couple of feet to the height allowance would be the best route. Weyl suggested raising the allowance to at least seven feet above the dock, but ideally, it would be up to eight or nine feet.
Haft said another possibility is to measure the allowance from the mean high water line as Sarasota County does. This would make the water level a factor in the regulation, whereas now it’s only related to the dock height.
“Let us go at least a couple of feet higher than the seawall if we want to give people the flexibility to make their own decisions as to how high to go with this stuff,” Haft said.
Weyl said he was ready to install another boat lift on the island for his second boat stationed at Bradenton Beach. Now that the issue is on the Planning & Zoning Board’s agenda and could result in a change, he’s going to wait.
“I’m in limbo now,” Weyl said. “I was ready to do a five-foot lift, but I’m going to wait and see.”
WHAT’S NEXT
The Longboat Key Town Commission and Planning and Zoning Board are aware of the concerns residents raised about the boat lifts, and an ordinance is in the works.
According to an email from Director of Planning, Zoning and Building Allen Parsons sent to Mayor Ken Schneier, the item will be a part of the Planning and Zoning Board’s workshop discussion on Dec. 17.
The workshop will allow the P&Z Board to discuss potential issues and options for the ordinance.
Then, the ordinance would be expected in January following recommendations from the Dec. 17 meeting.
Once the P&Z Board has an ordinance and recommendation ready, the ordinance could be ready as soon as Feb. 3 for the town commission’s meeting. If the commission chooses to move forward with the ordinance, it could be expedited with a special meeting on Feb. 18.
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
Residents interested in sharing input on the ordinance can attend the P&Z Board’s public meeting at 9:15 a.m. Dec. 17 at at Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road.
LONGBOAT KEY BOAT LIFT CODE
Not to exceed five feet
“Boat lifts adjacent to a boat dock. No part of the boat lift structure, except boat guides, shall exceed a height of five feet, measured from the highest walking surface of the dock.”
Courtesy images
The docks at Lands End on the north end of Longboat Key were destroyed by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
One of the boats that was moved from its lift near Lands End on the north end.
Town to consider new projects
Town staff calculated financial hits from Hurricanes Helene and Milton and expect resiliency to be top of mind for commissioners’ future planning.
CARTER WEINHOFER
STAFF WRITER
Though the fiscal year 2025 budget only began on Oct. 1, it’s not too early to be thinking forward to next year and beyond.
For Longboat Key, strategic planning in the future may have more emphasis on resiliency after the past summer of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Town Manager Howard Tipton said that through learning about these experiences, he thinks these major storm events will impact how staff and commissioners approach the next phase of strategic planning, including some resiliency projects that have been planned.
“I think it just really reinforces
the need for the town to move with urgency on the public infrastructure projects,” Tipton said.
DAMAGE COSTS
At the Longboat Key Town Commission’s Dec. 2 meeting, town staff presented budget amendments to account for expenditures from Hurricanes Helene and Milton that needed to be taken from the general fund reserves.
Staff estimated about $2.9 million was used from the general fund reserves balance, which is money set aside for emergencies or natural disasters like hurricanes.
The town’s reserves in the general fund are $3,738,000 for FY25. This covers about 60 days of the town’s operating expenses.
Having reserves built up is important for all municipalities and counties, especially because the Federal Emergency Management Agency system focuses on reimbursement, meaning costs first need to come from local budgets.
“You hope you never need to use them, but when you do, they need to be there,” Tipton said.
Town staff will need to work closely with FEMA to acquire reimbursement for storm-related expenditures.
Tipton said he and the finance department expect almost, if not all, of these expenditures to be reimbursed by FEMA.
The town also has insurance claims to process that will help make up the expenditures.
In the next budget cycle, Tipton
said staff will start work to build those reserves back up while awaiting reimbursement from FEMA and insurance.
EYES ON RESILIENCY
Since the town has these reserves budgeted, Tipton said the financial hit from the hurricanes won’t affect planning for upcoming town projects.
Tipton said the priority for staff is to push for FEMA reimbursement for lost sand from the storms, which was estimated to be around 407,000 cubic yards.
If the town gets this reimbursement and can proceed with a nourishment project, Tipton said this could drive the cost down for the already-planned beach nourishment project in 2029.
Aside from that, Tipton said he believes these storms will affect the prioritization of resiliency projects in strategic planning.
“I think everything related to resiliency becomes heightened in the budget process going forward,” he said.
Town commissioners have discussed resiliency projects for a couple of years now, specifically for the lowest-lying areas of Buttonwood, Sleepy Lagoon and the Village. These projects include raising roads and rethinking drainage systems.
Once the town gets through the design phase, Tipton speculates the projects will garner more attention for grants when closer to shovelready.
“From a grants perspective, there’s a lot of money floating around out there,” Tipton said.
Resiliency projects could also be simpler but have a big impact.
For example, the town needs to replace the electrical panels in the town’s water lift stations. Tipton said this provides an opportunity to replace and raise them as preparation for storms.
Tipton also said several town employees took a trip to Sanibel Island in early November to learn from staff about their response after Hurricane Ian devastated the island.
The meeting was insightful, Tipton said, for staff from Public Works, Finance, Fire Rescue and Planning, Zoning and Building learned new techniques in case they have to
BY THE NUMBERS
Here’s an estimate of how much the damage from the hurricanes cost the town:
Overtime associated with Hurricane Helene: $266,453, $163,637 of which was for the police department
Overtime associated with Hurricane Milton: $150,000
Parks and property: could be as much as $2 million (boat lifts, boardwalks, beach access areas)
Streetlights: $100,000
(41 streetlights on Gulf of Mexico Drive and 76 in the neighborhoods)
respond to another major event.
For example, Tipton learned the Sanibel police replaced all their vehicles with gas-powered pickup trucks high enough to travel through flooded streets.
The town was trying to move toward electric or hybrid vehicles for most departments, but Tipton said this might be something to reconsider. During Helene, Tipton was left stranded at Town Hall and his town-issued hybrid vehicle was damaged from the flooding. Discussion of these issues will have to wait until the town’s next strategic planning cycle, which begins in April 2025 for the FY26 budget.
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File image
Gulfside Road, which usually floods during large storms, was no different during Hurricane Helene.
Plan to narrow barrier island traffic fixes
Focused more on implementation, the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization plans to complete a Barrier Island Implementation Plan next year.
CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF
WRITER
The Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization will embark on a new implementation plan to advance traffic improvements along the region’s barrier islands.
Vice Mayor Mike Haycock, who represents Longboat Key on the MPO’s board, told his fellow commissioners at their Dec. 2 meeting the MPO plans to have a list of priority projects ready by the end of next summer.
“It’ll be something we’ll want to be very, very actively involved in,”
Haycock said.
The Barrier Island Implementation Plan will be a continuation of the Barrier Island Traffic Study, which was completed in 2020. The study cost around $675,000 and includes more than 100 suggestions to improve the barrier island corridor from Anna Maria Island to the southern Sarasota County line.
“Not much happened after this five-year study,” Haycock told commissioners.
One successful project that came from the study was the Gulf Islands Water Ferry, which transports tourists from Downtown Bradenton to Anna Maria and Coquina Beach. The goal of this project, like many others in the BITS, was to reduce traffic congestion.
Another suggestion from the BITS was to create a uniform method of public transportation on Longboat Key, which happened with the expansion of Sarasota County’s Breeze program.
But since 2020, few projects from the BITS have come to fruition.
Haycock said he went to representatives of the MPO about six months ago, along with Town Manager Howard Tipton and Assistant Town Man-
ager — then Public Works director — Isaac Brownman.
The group asked the MPO to take another look at the BITS, to which the MPO agreed to sponsor a revised implementation plan.
“It won’t be long before we can look at some real-life strategies that might help,” Haycock said.
This time, the goal is to create a shorter, more precise study that includes more accomplishable goals that could become a part of the MPO’s Long-Range Transportation Plan.
The study will use traffic data, mostly derived from data collected through smartphone map applications, to provide insight into where traffic solutions are necessary.
The MPO can also use the same data from previous years to compare how the traffic grew over the years.
“There isn’t one solution to all of the traffic. There are a thousand small solutions that kind of need to happen,” Tipton said.
Having an organization like the MPO for this region is helpful because it gives all the municipalities in Sarasota and Manatee Counties the opportunity to have a say in infrastructure planning.
“What the MPO does is it brings everybody to the table. We’ll be at the table with Bradenton Beach and Manatee County and everybody else,” Tipton said. “It just gives us a chance to really look at the recommendations that were made.”
A plan like the Barrier Island Implementation Plan will give the municipalities a chance to voice priorities and convey these projects to funding agencies like the Florida Department of Transportation.
NORTH-END TRAFFIC HEADACHES
Tipton said one of the problem areas the implementation plan will likely address is the north end of Longboat
Key.
“We know that this section of road is one of the worst segments of traffic in the region,” Tipton said.
The problematic section spans from the Longboat Pass Bridge north to the intersection of Gulf Drive and Cortez Road.
On a busy day in season, residents and tourists are stuck in lines of cars that span from this intersection to sometimes midkey.
A solution to the Gulf Drive/Cortez Road congestion could be a longer right-turn lane, which would allow those leaving the islands to pass the intersection more easily. But this would require the state to acquire property.
After Hurricanes Helene and Milton, many of the properties next to the existing right turn lane were destroyed. Commissioners discussed at the Dec. 2 meeting how this could provide an opportunity for the town to acquire the property.
“The timing could be great to really move on that recommendation,” Tipton said.
Longboat Key resident Maureen Merrigan is co-chair of Longboat Key North, a coalition of homeowners and condominium associations on the north end of the island.
The group discussed the new
“There isn’t one solution to all of the traffic. There are a thousand small solutions that kind of need to happen.”
implementation plan at its recent meeting.
“We’re thrilled that the MPO and FDOT are looking at the congestion that we all experience during the season,” Merrigan said.
Aside from the Cortez Bridge intersection, Merrigan said other north-end residents expressed concern over the Coquina Beach parking lot on the north side of the Longboat Pass Bridge.
The frustration for residents comes when the flow of people leaving the beach mixes with the line of cars trying to go north, exponentially increasing the line of traffic.
Merrigan said she and other north-end residents hope the MPO include a closer look at this issue in the upcoming plan.
According to a presentation by the MPO, a published dashboard of the plan was expected around November or December. The MPO will conduct stakeholder outreach in March and April 2025, and it will present a draft and final report in August 2025.
The MPO’s meetings are open to the public.
For more information on the MPO or to access the meeting schedule, visit MyMPO.org.
File image
A study completed by the Florida Department of Transportation estimates the current drawbridge for Longboat Pass Bridge raises 100-300 times a month.
— Howard Tipton, town manager
Café L’Europe becomes The Café on St. Armands
The St. Armands Circle staple will reopen in January 2025 with a reimagined dining theme and new name following damages from Hurricane Helene.
When the restaurant reopens in January 2025, it will no longer be Café L’Europe.
Oysters Rock Hospitality announced via press release that the St. Armands Circle restaurant will reopen as The Café on St. Armands, also changing its menu theme.
Oysters Rock Hospitality purchased the 51-year-old restaurant in February 2022. Now, the hospitality group is ready to start a new era of the St. Armands staple.
The Café on St. Armands will feature a Mediterranean-inspired menu with small plates and a seafood focus.
The inspiration will draw from meals from places like Spain, Greece, Italy, South Africa and the Middle East.
“The Café brings the flavors of the Mediterranean coast to life in the heart of St. Armands Circle,” the release said.
Along with the new menu, The Café will feature The Wet Bar, which the release calls a “Gatsby-inspired lounge with creative cocktails.” Café Soleil, a coffee bar with morning
cocktails, will be another addition.
The new restaurant will include other “unique services.”
“Our hospitality will extend to-go liquor sales, bespoke picnic baskets and third-party delivery services,” the release said.
During Hurricane Helene, Café L’Europe sustained about five feet of water throughout the restaurant. The flooding also damaged sliding glass doors and ruined all of the restaurant’s equipment.
At the time, the restaurant needed to lay off staff for unemployment benefits and focus on recovering the restaurant.
Previously, Oysters Rock Hospitality Executive Vice President Eleni Sokos said the group was taking time to reimagine Café L’Europe.
With the reopening as The Café, the restaurant’s appearance will match the new vision of a Mediterranean dining experience.
According to the release, the restaurant group will start a grand reopening campaign in January 2025.
The Café on St. Armands will be located in the same spot: 431 St. Armands Circle.
Safety refresher for pedestrians
Officers recently completed a course designed to be an overview of state laws, which came with a grant to allow for directed patrols.
ongboat Key Police Department officers recently completed a course designed to enhance education about bicyclist and pedestrian safety along roadways. The goal of the course taught by the Institute of Police Technology and Management is to inform officers about laws and best procedures related to bicycle and pedestrian safety.
Completion of this course on Nov. 25 includes a $5,000 grant to the Longboat Key Police Department, funded by the Florida Department of Transportation.
This money is to be used for directed patrol overtime for the department, which means focusing on educating the public and enforcing safety-related laws to receive extra money. During these directed patrols, the officers can’t be pulled onto other non-related calls.
“It gives us more of a presence with our team,” Chief of Police George Turner said.
In the four-hour course, officers reviewed common causes of crashes involving pedestrians, comprehensive approaches to local crash problems, road safety audits, Florida laws related to pedestrians and available educational materials and resources.
According to a brochure about the course, Florida ranks first in bicyclist fatalities and second in pedestrian fatalities in the nation.
Crashes that result in fatalities are less common on Longboat Key, but the state identified Gulf of Mexico Drive between Yawl Lane (600 GMD) and 1700 GMD near the Aquarius
Club to be the highest area of concern for vehicle crashes.
Now certified through this course, Longboat Key officers plan to increase public education and outreach efforts about pedestrian safety in the coming months.
Turner said this effort will kick off once the roads are clear of debris following cleanup from hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Strategies for public education may include traffic message boards, marked vehicle enforcement and outreach to resident groups.
“I think it’s going to be mostly educational,” Turner said. “Making sure that people know the rules of the road and what they have to follow, safety on the sidewalks and the fact that sidewalks are shared between pedestrians and bicycles ... to make it a safer environment, more enjoyable for everyone.”
Courtesy image Officers with the Longboat Key Police Department completed a course on bicycle and pedestrian safety on Nov. 25.
CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER
Cafe L’Europe owner John Horne and his wife, Amanda, purchased the restaurant in 2022.
How to stop hurricanes
Research has demonstrated that turbine-driven wind farms in the gulf and ocean can produce energy and dramatically reduce hurricane damage.
It’s an accepted bromide that you can’t fool with Mother Nature. She’ll do whatever she wants. Indeed, that is pretty much the thought process when it comes to hurricanes coming near and through Florida. You can’t stop her. Longtime Floridians know the drill: Get ready. Get water. Get food. Get out of town. Secure your property. Take cover.
Then face the grim aftermath. We also know these storms ebb and roar inconsistently and unpredictably.
Yes, the trifecta of Debby, Helene and Milton was a rarity, especially for this area. But let’s not also forget 2004. That was a doozy of a late summer: Hurricanes Charley (Aug. 13), Frances (Sept. 5), Ivan (Sept. 16) and Jeanne (Sept. 25) all affected this area, albeit on the fringes, coming at us seemingly one week after another. It was exhausting.
As the table above shows, all of the storms were deadly and costly in property damage:
2004: 106 deaths in Florida; $37.3 billion in losses.
2024: 56 deaths in Florida; close to $100 billion in property losses.
It’s difficult to grasp the scope of death and destruction. But the total property losses from this year’s three storms essentially are the equivalent of wiping out the entire taxable value of all real estate in Sarasota County. Picture that.
All of which prompts the thought: There must be a better way, a better way to protect against and mitigate hurricane damage than just letting Mother Nature take her course.
Observer reporter Carter Weinhofer has quoted Bob Bunting, CEO of the Climate Adaptation Center, saying: “We have to change the way we do business.”
The most obvious way is to build better resistant buildings and refurbish, renovate and harden existing buildings. Those steps have been occurring with improved construction and stricter building codes.
One simple illustration is the level of building destruction throughout the region. As we reported previously, asked where the worst damage occurred along the coast from Helene and Milton, one insurance executive told us Palmetto had worse damage comparatively, largely because of the age of its buildings. Few, if any, of the recently built high-rise condominiums suffered physical damage; it was on the ground levels from Helene’s surge. So, duh, hurricane-resistant construction — while far more costly than bolting together an aluminum trailer home — makes sense. And no doubt insurers will continue to urge their policyholders to harden their homes, while Florida lawmakers will continue to use your tax dollars to subsidize home improvements. Realistically, however, think of the massive amounts of money, materials, labor and time it would take to rehab all of the 30-, 40and 50-year-old single-family homes and apartments throughout Florida.
Is there a better, more economical, more efficient way to protect and mitigate?
Turbines in the Gulf of Mexico.
Ten years ago, Mark Z. Jacobson, a Stanford University professor of civil and environmental engineering, and two colleagues developed computer simulations showing how wind turbines actually can reduce the force of hurricanes.
In a 2014 paper in Nature Climate Change, Jacobson his two associates from the University of Dela-
PROPERTY, HUMAN COSTS OF HURRICANES
The data below is a sampling of recent major hurricanes in Florida in terms of Florida deaths and property damage unadjusted for inflation. (Dollars in billions) Deaths Damage
STATE POPULATION RAISES DILEMMAS FOR INSURANCE
In the wake of disasters, there always are the doom-and-gloomers who rattle us with the “I told you so’s” and that whatever the disaster, that thing is getting worse. We hear it all the time now — that climate change is causing hurricanes to come more frequently and with more intensity and speeds; and that there is more catastrophic destruction than ever before.
27 $30-$47
24* $50 *1 death in Sarasota County Sources: CoreLogic, Morningstar DBRS, President Biden, National Hurricane Center
ware — Christina Archer, an earth, ocean and environment professor, and Willett Kempton, an electrical and computer engineering professor — posed the following: Can offshore wind turbines mitigate hurricane damage while avoiding damage to themselves?
The conclusion (as published):
“(L)arge turbine arrays (300+ gigawatt installed capacity) may diminish peak near-surface hurricane wind speeds by 56 to 92 mph and storm surge by 6% to 79%.
“Benefits occur whether turbine arrays are placed immediately upstream of a city or along an expanse of coastline. The reduction in wind speed due to large arrays increases the probability of survival of even present turbine designs,” their study concluded.”
In their models simulating Hurricanes Sandy in the Northeast and Katrina in New Orleans, the three professors determined “Offshore wind turbine arrays reduced storm surge by up to 34% for Sandy and 79% for Katrina, mainly owing to the average wind speed decreasing by up to 14% and 58% upwind of New York and New Orleans, respectively.”
As for cost, they concluded: “The net cost of turbine arrays (capital plus operation cost less cost reduction from electricity generation and from health, climate and hurricane damage avoidance) is estimated to be less than today’s fossil fuel electricity generation net cost in these regions and less than the net cost of sea walls used solely to avoid storm surge damage.”
In a phone interview this week, Jacobson said the cost of wind-farm energy is dropping below that of fossil fuels — 7.5 cents per kilowatthour for wind versus 10 cents for fossil fuels.
“In sum,” the professors wrote, “large arrays of offshore wind turbines seem to diminish hurricane risk cost-effectively while reducing air pollution and global warming and providing energy supply at a lower net cost than conventional fuels.
“Turbines pay for themselves from the sale of electricity they produce and other non-market benefits, but seawalls have no other function than to reduce storm surge (They do not reduce damaging hurricane wind speeds.), so society bears their full cost.”
Asked where his research stands today, Jacobson said he hasn’t pursued since 2014 in large part because: “The physics doesn’t change. It still stands.”
One thing that has changed is the strength and technology of
Maybe, maybe not. Perusing a list on Wikipedia (OK, not the most authoritative source, but useful nevertheless.) of 42 Category 3 or above hurricanes that have hit Florida since 1851, there have been two Category 5 storms (Andrew, 1992, and Michael, 2018); 13 Category 4 storms and 24 Category 3.)
Based on the table, it looks likely the claim of greater frequency will prove true, given the 11 storms that have hit since 2000.
But you never know. After the 10-storm streak from the 1940s through the 1960s, there were only two major hurricanes in the 1970s and 1980s and two in the 1990s. No one knows what will happen going forward.
Are the storms more deadly and destructive? On the former, again referring to Wikipedia, they’re not more deadly. “Collectively, cyclones that hit the region have resulted in more than 10,000 deaths (in Florida), most of which occurred prior to the start of hurricane hunter flights in 1943.” In the 32 years since Andrew, storms directly account for 511 deaths.
Proportionately, it’s obvious the deaths per capita have dropped dramatically. In the century from 1880 to 1980, Florida’s population grew from 270,000 to 9.7 million. In the past 44 years, it has mushroomed to 23 million. The fewer deaths can be attributed to far better protective conditions —
turbines. Today, there are turbines that can withstand Category 5 hurricanes.
What’s more, they’re more powerful. When Jacobson and his colleagues did their simulations, they based them on 7.5 megawatt turbines. At that size, it could take a wind farm or farms of 80,000 offshore turbines to make a significant difference. You can imagine how Florida’s dolphin lovers and fishing industry would respond to 80,000 turbines offshore.
But now, Jacobson said, turbine technology has advanced to 20 megawatts, thus requiring onethird the number of turbines to have maximum mitigating effects.
“It’s not like you need 100,000; one turbine would actually help,” Jacobson said.
How they would work: As a Category 5 hurricane approaches, the turbines would extract energy from the wind and turn it into electricity and send the power to shore through an underwater cable. That process would slow down the hurricane winds, which in turn would slow down the storm’s wave heights.
Asked why his research hasn’t been put into practice, Jacobson acknowledged large-scale wind farms
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Category 3 or above to hit Florida as recorded by the National Hurricane Center and Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. 1850-59
1870-79
1880-89
1890-99
1900-09
1910-19
Source: Wikipedia
more resistant buildings and better access to evacuation routes.
It’s no surprise that property damage now and over the past 50 years has grown increasingly worse. With 23 million people in Florida, the density of buildings — homes, stores, offices and warehouses — is astronomical comparatively.
So, of course, as the chart above shows, property damage hereon is almost always likely to be in the billions of dollars. And that triggers the obvious questions about the cost and availability of insurance: Are there enough businesses and investors willing to put up the required capital to cover the astronomical losses? And, can the price of insurance be affordable for the 23 millionplus million, plus the millions more who will move here over the next decades?
The challenge is how best and economically to protect, minimize and mitigate against future death and destruction.
are only now starting to percolate.
“They are starting to put some in Asia where they have typhoons,” he said.
In Florida, no surprise, Jacobson said there is a moratorium. Any time someone suggests erecting oil rigs or, now, wind farms off the coasts of Florida, the environmentalists and tourism lobbies go bananas, and the short-sighted lawmakers (driven to be reelected) jump on the anti-rig wagons.
In the words of economistphilosopher Thomas Sowell, everything is a tradeoff. Likewise with energy-producing, hurricanemitigating turbines. In the context of the three storms that ravaged our region — plus all of the historical damage and deaths that have occurred over the decades, what makes sense? To let Mother Nature continue to destroy people and property unabated? Or to embrace human ingenuity and technology that has demonstrated Florida could have its cake and eat it, too? Wind-farm turbines can produce year-round clean energy and, as a bonus, serve as protection and mitigation against Mother Nature’s destructive winds and surges. Someone call Elon Musk.
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MATT WALSH
Longboat hosts Masters tennis event
In its 21st year, the Masters Clay Courts National Tennis Tournament hosted players from ages 50 to 90 years old.
PETRA RIVERA STAFF WRITER
Tennis runs strong in the Schlorf family.
Twenty-one years ago, the late Dick and Donna Schlorf started the Masters Clay Courts National Tennis Tournament to call tennis lovers from around the country to Longboat Key.
Even though his parents have passed, Todd Schlorf still flies in every year to compete in honor of his family’s legacy. And this year, he made it to the finals.
From Dec. 2-8, 345 male tennis players, just like Todd, flew in from around the country to play on the courts in the USTA-sanctioned annual tennis tournament. For the first year, players from ages 50 to 55 and 85 to 90 registered to play.
“With the new age range, our oldest player here, King Van Nostrand, actually holds the world record for tennis world champions,” said tournament director Ron Watts. “He is 90 years old and has won over 40 world titles.”
Along with Van Nostrand, there were many title holders, such as Oren Motevassel, ranked No. 161 in the world for singles tennis. The players used the tournament to work on their game while they took in the island camaraderie.
Even with the cold front, spectators and tennis enthusiasts gathered all week to watch the intense matches.
Volunteers from the Tennis Center laughed in between their duties. Andy Sawyer said it was a pleasure to bond over the plays with his friends and play in matches himself while also cleaning the courts during the tournament.
Matches began every day at 8 a.m. at the Tennis Center, Tennis Gardens at the Longboat Key Club and Cedar Tennis Resort and Club.
“This year, we almost ended up
with 350 players,” said Tournament Chairman Richard McGreth. “This is my 11th or 12th year doing this, and we usually don’t get that many. So, it is nice that people are coming to support the island while playing tennis. We were hesitant about having it, but I’m really happy with how it turned out.”
C ORNELL BEH AVIORAL HEA LTH PAVILION
The Cornell Pavilion is a safe, welcoming place for those struggling with mental health issues. With evidence-based programs and services, and the most experienced clinicians, lives are transformed, smiles return and our community grows stronger.
Only 17% of SMH’s behavioral health costs are reimbursed. Learn how you can make an impact, call 941.917.1286 or visit smhf.org
Todd Schlorf keeps the tradition strong in honor of his parents and founders, Dick and Donna Schlorf.
USTA representative Allan Thompson, Tournament Director Ron Watts and Tournament Chair Richard McGreth
Jay Lucas came from Indiana to participate.
Photos by Petra Rivera Phillip von Holtzendorff-Fehling
Oren Motevassel is ranked No. 161 in the world.
Turtle Watch donation honors late members
The local organization raises money throughout the year to help its partners at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium.
Research Program received the largest donation from Longboat Key Turtle Watch this year at $4,900. This donation is made in honor of Perrotta.
through donations this year.
Longboat Key Turtle Watch has maintained this donation tradition for more than 15 years, honoring Freda Perrotta and Orville Clayton.
Clayton was one of the founding members of Longboat Key Turtle Watch when the group organized in 1969.
Nearly $2,350 of Longboat Key Turtle Watch’s donation went toward Mote’s education programs.
Longboat Key Turtle Watch aims to sponsor at least one scholarship for a child interested in Mote’s summer camps. Some of the $2,350 will go toward one camper scholarship in Clayton’s honor.
The Sea Turtle Conservation and
Perrotta was a long-time member of the Longboat Key Turtle Watch and instrumental in growing the organization into what it is now. She died in September 2023, but her legacy as the “turtle lady” lives on.
One of the Longboat Key Turtle Watch programs that Perrotta helped enact was the “Name the Nest” program, which allows donors to have their names on turtle nest stakes and receive information of how well the nest did after eggs hatch.
“That was her thing, and she really enjoyed doing that even when she couldn’t go out to the beach anymore,” Longboat Key Turtle Watch Vice President Cyndi Seamon said.
To learn more about Longboat Key Turtle Watch or any of the programs, visit the organization’s website at LBKTurtleWatch.com.
Carter Weinhofer
Members of Longboat Key Turtle Watch met Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium staff to present this year’s donations to the facility.
Exclusive Dinner, Wine for Four at the famous Maison Blanche
Hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer, soft drinks
Thursday, Jan. 16 | 5 to 7 p.m. at The Resort at Longboat Key Spike ‘n’ Tees, Islandside
Friday, Jan. 17 through Sunday, Jan. 19
Longboat Key Public Tennis Center
Four Players per Team at Comparable Levels (2 women, 2 men)
Two doubles pro sets (men vs. men; women vs. women)
Two mixed doubles matches; tie breaker if necessary
$60 ENTRY FEE PER
Includes
Pre-tournament
n indoor pickleball franchise is expanding, with its first Florida location set to open in Sarasota in mid-December.
Dill Dinkers will be located off Tallevast Road near the SarasotaBradenton International Airport.
Spanning 27,000 square feet, the facility will feature 11 fenced courts, a ball machine, dinking court and pro shop. In a nod to Sarasota’s connection to the circus, it will also include social spaces called the Trapeze Triangle and Three Ring Circus, as well as a viewing area with bleachers known as the Grandstand.
The new pickleball center will offer an air conditioned location for open play, round robins, clinics, private and semi-private lessons, leagues and rentals for private events.
A group of investors has collaborated with the Dulls in developing Dill Dinkers in the region: longtime friends of the Dulls Brian and Chrissy Krupnisky and Mike Mulligan, who recently connected with the couple over their shared love of pickleball, the release states.
The first Dill Dinkers location opened in 2022 in Columbia, Maryland, where the company is based. It currently has nine locations operating in the United States, with more
than 380 in development, according to its website.
To open a single-club franchise, operators need $100,000 liquid and a net worth of $500,000, and for a regional franchise, the requirements are $250,000 liquid and a net worth of $1 million.
Dill Dinkers will be at 500 Tallevast Road in Sarasota.
Tim and Heather Dull, a husband-and-wife team of former equity analysts with previous franchise experience, are spearheading the development of Dill Dinkers in Sarasota. The couple, avid pickleball players, have committed to developing nine other Dill Dinkers locations throughout Sarasota County and surrounding areas, where they saw a need for high-quality, indoor pickleball courts.
“This club will be a game-changer for the pickleball community, and we are eager to introduce Dill Dinkers to Sarasota this winter — a season when courts are especially in demand with the influx of snowbirds,” Heather Dull says in a statement. “Our goal is to create a welcoming environment where those interested in pickleball can enjoy the sport, connect with others and have access to a club filled with state-of-the-art courts, including two championship-sized show courts with viewing areas and entertaining amenities.”
Elizabeth King
There will be 11 fenced courts at Dill Dinkers in Sarasota.
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COPS CORNER
THURSDAY, DEC. 5
RESIDENT SAID HE ‘OWNS THE ROAD’
9:42 p.m., 500 block of Kingfisher Lane
Noise Disturbance: A Longboat Key officer was dispatched to what started as a noise complaint. When the officer arrived in the area, he was flagged down by the complainant, who was standing outside with a flashlight and his dog. The man said he was walking his dog when he noticed two workers inside a garage that was under construction. According to the man, he tried to confront the workers about the town’s noise ordinance, and the workers proceeded to close the garage. That’s when the man called 911.
The responding officer walked up to the garage and knocked on the door, but did not hear any construction sounds while walking up to the garage. When the garage door opened, two men from a garage door construction company spoke with the officer, allegedly unaware of the town construction ordinance. One of the men said they arrived at the site late and were trying to wrap up the job to finish it that day. The workers said they closed the garage door to avoid confrontation with the man. The officer verified that neither the worker nor the company were issued a written warning for the noise violation, so that’s all the officer issued them at this time.
When the construction workers and officer were leaving, the caller asked the officer what happened and the officer explained that he issued the workers a warning since it was their first violation. The man went on to allege that the workers were also trespassing, which was nullified by the fact that the workers were hired by the homeowner. The officer advised the workers to wrap up quickly to avoid further confrontation.
Suddenly, the concerned man yelled out that he “owns the road” before saying “I’m going to stand in front of their truck so they can’t leave,” according to the police report. This confused the officer since the reason the man called in the first place was to get them to stop working and leave, which the workers were now trying to do.
The officer asked the man to move away from the workers’ truck, but the man continued on the argument that he pays for the road so that means he owns the road, therefore the men are trespassing. Once more, the officer told the man he needed to move, and this time he obliged.
SATURDAY, NOV. 30
THE WIFE WHO WANDERED AWAY
2:36 p.m., 500 block of Sanctuary Drive
Missing Person: Dispatch sent officers to a report of a missing person.
At the scene, officers spoke with a man who said his wife was missing. The man gave a physical description of his wife and said she was last seen late the night before. He said he woke up at noon and found the door open with his wife nowhere to be found. Further, he told officers his wife does not walk far and suffers from mild memory loss.
Officers canvassed the scene for about 30 minutes, scanning nearby beaches, roofs and stairwells. Finally, an officer found the man’s wife watching TV in the building’s recreation room. She said she had been there for several hours, and the police were able to reunite the couple.
SUNDAY, DEC. 1
TRUCK TOO LOUD
11:55 p.m., 3700 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Noise Disturbance: An officer was sent to this location to investigate a noise disturbance but could not find anything noisy. Then, the officer called the complainant, who advised the officer which unit was the alleged culprit. After the officer received this information, the officer spoke with a man who was in the unit. He said he had just arrived in town, unhooked a trailer and parked his truck. The man said the noise could have been from his truck that rattled while running. The officer found no other obvious signs of loud noise, so the case was closed.
TUESDAY, DEC. 3
NO CRASH TO REPORT AFTER ALL 4:30 p.m., 600 block of Saint Judes Drive
Officer Public Service: A citizen called for police assistance after he said he was involved in a car crash.
Upon arrival, an officer met with the caller who said the other driver left and did not want to wait for the police to arrive. The man proceeded to show the officer his vehicle, which was unharmed. According to the man’s account, he was backing up slowly and the other vehicle bumped into him. The other driver took a photo of the scratch on his vehicle but did not want to file an insurance claim or meet with the police. According to the caller’s story, the scratch had rust on it already, which made him believe the scratch was not a result of the recent accident. The caller said he did not want to file an insurance claim or file a crash report, so there was nothing more for the officer to do.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 4
GOING TO NEED PROFESSIONAL HELP
10:03 a.m., 4200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Officer Public Service: While on marine patrol, an officer was dispatched to a citizen assist call involving someone who needed help with a boat lift. When the officer arrived at the scene, the caller said his boat was pushed too far onto the floating dock during Hurricane Helene and he needed help to get it off of the dock. Officers told the man he would need to call a professional towing service to remove the vessel, and the man agreed that would be the best next step.
Samuel Anderson
“Andy” Reasoner, 69, of Bradenton, FL passed away quietly on Wednesday, November 27 in hospice care at Sarasota Memorial Hospital after a short hospital stay. A (long-winded) storyteller and generous soul ‘til the end, he will be missed by all who knew him.
Andy was a fifth-generation nurseryman born in Bradenton, FL on November 28, 1954, to Rae Ferguson and Egbert “Bud” Reasoner. He went to high school at the Culver Military Academy in northern Indiana where he played football and polo and was a proud member of the Black Horse Troop. He went on to earn a BS in Tropical Horticulture from the University of FL and served as the class spokesman of the first Leadership Manatee class sponsored by the Manatee County Chamber of Commerce. He did his part to carry on the rich Reasoner family history in Manatee County as owner of Andy Reasoner’s Royal Palm Nurseries. After years of wrangling with county government about property taxes for historic structures, Andy grudgingly sold Beth Salem, the iconic 2-story green Victorian family homestead built in 1896 that had been converted to his business offices located
on SR 70 next to the Sam’s Club near 301. With the sale of that property, which has since been developed as a Racetrac, Andy reluctantly closed Royal Palm Nurseries and finished that chapter of Manatee County’s agricultural history. He worked tirelessly with the Smathers Library at the University of FL to provide old nursery catalogs, ledgers and family communications to offer the public one-of-a-kind research resources for native FL and exotic plants as well as some of the early history of Manatee County. Rather than retire after his horticultural career was over, Andy turned his energies to real estate development and built a 220-unit apartment complex, Royal Palm Terrace in Bradenton. He would often
say that the early years of that project took a decade off his life, but the now-thriving complex was a source of great personal pride and is the legacy he leaves his family.
Outside of work Andy was a Commissioner of the Cedar Hammock Fire Control District, had served as secretary/treasurer of the Southeast HS Athletic Boosters while his son was a student-athlete, was the President and member emeritus of the Southeast HS IB Parent Alliance, loved his time as a volunteer with the Youth Group at First Presbyterian, Sarasota, Bay Haven Odyssey of the Mind and Southeast High School TSA when his children were participants, supported the Manatee County Ag
Museum, the Palma Sola Botanical Park, Yellowstone National Park and every dance school and troupe his daughter performed with. And lest we forget, he was a life-long avid Gator fan. Andy is survived by his wife, Beth Byron-Reasoner, his sons Ryan “Addison” (Holmes Beach, FL) and Byron “Tyler” (Los Angeles, CA), his daughter, Lauren who is currently attending the University of South Carolina, and daughter-in-law, Maya. He also leaves behind his brother, Alan “Ward” Reasoner, a sister, Elizabeth Rae Reasoner, sisters inlaw Theresa Reasoner and Laura Pfender and nieces and nephews including Justin and Jesse Reasoner, Evan Reasoner Pfender, and Aidan and Priya Sharma. He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, father-in-law, and family dogs Roxy and T-Bow – all of whom he plans on seeking out in heaven.
SERVICE:
Friends and family are invited to a celebration of life with a catered reception following at 3:00pm on Sunday, December 15th at First Presbyterian Church of Sarasota. Andy will be cremated, and his ashes will spend eternity throughout Yellowstone National Park.
DONATIONS:
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Manatee County Ag Museum (1015 6th St W, Palmetto, FL 34221 or www. manateecountyagmuseum. com/donate or the Palma Sola Botanical Park (P.O. Box 14214, Bradenton, FL 34280 or https://palmasolabp.org/ donate/).
Charles Shook (Minister Emeritus, Longboat Island Chapel), died on November 27th at age 96. Charles was a lifelong preacher and teacher. He grew up in Maryland, but spent his lengthy retirement years in Florida. During his professional life, he served churches in Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Florida. He also taught at the Boston University School of Theology, where he earned a PhD.
For Forty years, Charlie was married to Katherine Olewiler. They were the parents of four children, Karen, Steve, Cyndia and Jeff. In 2003, he married Lois
major interests were religion, music,
ature, and sports. He was also fascinated by games and puzzles of every
In their retirement years, Charlie and Lois were active members of the Longboat Island Chapel, where Charlie did much of his teaching and preaching.
Town of Longboat Key ATTENTION VOLUNTEERS
The Town of Longboat Key is accepting applications for appointment to the following committee: Citizens’ Oversight Committee for Public School Facility Planning
All applications must be submitted to the Office of the Town Clerk by 12:00 p.m. on December 20, 2024. Applicants must be registered voters of the Town of Longboat Key.
Please call the Office of the Town Clerk at 941 -316-1999 for an application or for any questions. Applications may be submitted to:
Town of Longboat Key – Office of the Town Clerk 501 Bay Isles Road Longboat Key FL 34228
Stephanie Garcia, Deputy Town Clerk I Published: 12-12-2024
Friday, December 13, 2024 From 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Finley. In so doing, he also united with popular “Mama Lo” and her children, Scott and Susan.
Charlie’s
TRIBUTES
Nebraska born and raised on a ranch. A valedictorian graduate of Nebraska Wesleyan University, where Shirley met her future husband. Ultimately moved to Sudbury, Massachusetts where, along with husband of 70 years Robert F. Noyes (predeceased) raised her family Jill, Terri and Bob Jr combined with an eventful career as an educator. She greatly enjoyed spending retirement between Cape Cod and Longboat Key, staying active volunteering at Yarmouthport Library and at the Island Chapel Lord’s Warehouse. Always on the move gardening, walking and tending to her beloved shih tzus and most of all, continually proving her skills and embarrassing the
younger generation with the many board games and card games that few were able to challenge. Shirley Noyes is survived by Terri Noyes and Tom Alvord, Robert F. Noyes Jr, Grandchildren Kristin Shepley-Noyes, Justin Noyes, and Great Grandchildren Evabelle, Cozette and Evan. She was well aware and appreciated all of the love and support of the large extended families and the extremely large Family of Friends. Our family thanks all of you for your constant, welcome presence in her life. Shirley’s life was full, well lived and to be celebrated. May her spirit and energy reside within all of us.
DONATIONS: In lieu of flowers, donations to charity of your choice.
Marianne Ondocin Beckett 1935-2024
It is with great sorrow and much love that the family of Marianne Ondocin Beckett announce her peaceful passing at home on November 25, 2024.
She will be lovingly remembered by her daughter Diana Reilly (Michelle Richard); granddaughters Grace Ondocin Seeley and Nora Ondocin Richard; brothers Phil (Sharon) Ondocin and David (Dina) Ondocin; nine nieces, nephews and their families; as well as many friends around the world.
Marianne was predeceased by her second husband (Thomas Beckett); brother (Joseph Ondocin); son (John Christopher Reilly) and her parents (Joseph and Anne Ondocin).
Marianne was born in Brooklyn, NY on 8/15/1935. She loved to read and excelled at school, which led her, as a young woman, to work at Merrill Lynch in Manhattan in the 1950’s. Marianne later married and enjoyed raising her two children in the beach town of Northport, NY. Working part-time for Senator Bernie Smith in the 1970’s, Marianne managed to also be a Girl Scout leader (teaching the girls to tie-dye and sing African songs) and to open her home to her teen son’s garage band. As a single Mom, Marianne was devoted to sharing art, poetry and ballet with her children,
often spending time in NYC at museums, libraries and Lincoln Center.
As Marianne’s youngest went off to college, she created a new life and career in Washington, D.C. She worked in many embassies in Europe, Central and South America as well as at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. Marianne volunteered at a church soup kitchen for all of her years in NYC. Her love of travel for pleasure and work led her to visit over 30 countries, generating many wonderful friendships and memories with family. Egypt, Morocco, Prague and China were particular highlights.
Retirement in the Bradenton/Sarasota area of Florida was well deserved. She enjoyed the beach and cultural life, as well as being a proud founding member of the Christ Church of Longboat Key, Presbyterian. Marianne married Thomas Beckett in 2004 and they enjoyed nine years together, including a memorable trip to Russia and riverboat cruises throughout Europe, before his death in 2013. Cherished events in her annual calendar included Christmas in Vermont and a vacation on Martha’s Vineyard with her extended family and sweet granddaughters.
In 2019 she moved to The Terraces in Shelburne, Vermont to be near her loving family. Marianne wrote essays in her spare time and published poetry earlier in her life. Marianne was an avid fan of the New York Times crossword, Jeopardy and treats with whipped
cream. She recently moved to Assisted Living at The Residence at Shelburne Bay and her family is especially grateful for the assistance and kindness of Todd Patterson there. Marianne was known for being funny, adventurous, a great Mother, telling a good story and for her intelligence. She was loving, loyal, stylish and always up for a laugh. Marianne was a role model to many girls and young women, being generous with her resources and time.
SERVICE: There will be a service and Celebration of her Life in the Springtime. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her name to Mercy Connections, 255 South Champlain St., #8, Burlington, VT 05401, (802) 846-7063.
DONATIONS: Marianne would ask that you celebrate her by taking a friend or loved one to lunch. Share a laugh and a big hug in her honor.
Lighting up the circle
Santa Claus led a countdown in lighting the 60-foot tree and brightly illuminating all of St. Armands.
Amixed crowd of snowbirds, visitors, and full-time residents heard the famous holiday classic “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” echoing from every corner of St. Armands Circle on the evening of Dec. 6.
While attendees sang Christmas carols led by a choir from St. Armands Key Lutheran Church, all heads tilted toward the 60-foot Christmas tree in the middle of the park.
“After everything happened out here, it is nice to see everyone gathered here together,” said Maribeth McDermott. “We need to support everyone in the Circle as they get back on their feet.”
St. Armands Circle celebrated the start of the holiday season at its 46th annual Holiday Night of Lights. The night was the perfect event to celebrate the end of the hurricane season and welcome merchants and their shoppers back to the Circle.
Escorted by a Sarasota County fire truck, Santa Claus made his way through the Circle and greeted all the children.
After Rev. Kenneth Blyth from St. Armands Key Lutheran Church led the crowd in prayer, Santa counted the final 10 seconds to illuminate the tree.
Following the tree lighting, children of all ages lined up to take photos with Santa and mail their letters to him. The parents enjoyed other musical performances and seasonal decorations in the St. Armands shops and restaurants.
The free event was in support of Flight to the North Pole, a nonprofit that provides financial and emotional support to terminally ill children and families in Sarasota and Manatee Counties. To support the cause, visit FlightToTheNorthPole.org.
— PETRA RIVERA
Bard Dzumela, Sandi Love, David Lawrence, Anjoy Bukmier, Sae Burkmier and Caleb Overholt walk around St. Armands Key Lutheran Church during the live nativity.
Singers from St. Armands Key Lutheran Church led the crowd in Christmas Carols.
Crowds cheered as the 60-foot tree was lit at St. Armands Holiday Night of Lights on Dec. 6.
Commissioner Kyle Battie, Santa Claus, Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch and St. Armands Circle Association Marketing and Events Director Rachel Burns counted down together to light the St. Armands tree.
Photos by Petra Rivera
Darin, Nick, Sophia, Katie and Alex travel from Chicago every year for the St. Armands tree lighting.
2067
2067
2067 HARBOUR LINKS DRIVE, #4
Longboat Key | Offered at $779,000 MLS# A4178487
YOUR CALENDAR
2024: A CELEBRATION OF LIGHTS AND MUSIC
Every evening from 5-9 p.m. at the Longboat Island Chapel, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive. The gardens of the Longboat Island Chapel are enhanced with holiday music and lighting and decorated Christmas trees donated by community organizations, businesses and friends. On the evenings of Dec. 10, 12, 16, 19 and 20, there will be special musical presentations, refreshments and treats for the children with performances beginning at 6 p.m. Ring in the New Year at the garden with a special celebration from 4:30-6:30 p.m. on Dec. 31. John Rinell, “The Voice of Solid Gold,” will be performing. Free admission. Call 383-6491.
SATURDAY, DEC. 14
PORSCHES IN THE PARK
From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Armands Circle, 1 St. Armands Circle. Some of the most spectacular Porsche automobiles from all over Florida will be on display for the annual Porsches in the Park event at St. Armands Circle Park. Call 388-1554
SATURDAY, DEC. 14
LONGBOAT KEY COMMUNITY CONCERT
Starting at 4:30 p.m. at Town Center Green, 600 Bay Isles Road. Celebrate the end of hurricane season and the completion of debris removal from Longboat Key with a free December concert at the Karon Family Pavilion. Longboater musician Tim Michael McCaig will open as people come in and browse the several food trucks and complimentary beer and seltzers donated by the Gold Coast Eagle Distributing. Local band SoulRCoaster will take the stage at 5:30 p.m. Bring your own lawn chairs and blankets. Call Susan Phillips at 316-1999 ext. 1212.
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.
BEST BET MONDAY, DEC. 16
MARKET ON LONGBOAT KEY
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Town Center Green, 600 Bay Isles Road. Join the fun every first and third Monday, December through April. Try the many food trucks while you do your holiday shopping. You will find artists, apparel, sandals, fresh flowers, plants and more. Follow The Market on Longboat Key or Markets by Nancy on Facebook and Instagram to see who will be there and what they will be bringing. You can also pre-order pies, cakes and breads to be ready and waiting upon your arrival. Call 289-4141.
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, make you stronger and more flexible. This class is for all levels. Cost is $15; free for members. Walk-ins 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 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.
image The Market String Band at the Market on Longboat Key.
Hear the bells
After coming in second last year, the Kiwanis Club is working hard to become the top fundraising club for the Salvation Army from Tampa to Venice.
RIVERA STAFF WRITER
Every year, the Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key would receive a shoebox full of coins from the same woman for its bell-ringing campaign.
Somehow, the late Cash Register would always be the one to receive it.
“I would get the call from Cash every year saying that the shoebox is here with bags of pennies and nickels and every coin,” said President Chris Sachs. “It turned to a kind of joke.”
As the Kiwanians started its annual bell ringing for Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign on Nov. 29, their hearts hang heavy as they remember key members who have died this year: Cash Register, Ed Krepela, John Wild and Jack Black.
Heading into this holiday season, Sachs said it’s hard not to acknowledge that their membership has been dwindling as members die. But their hard work inspires him to make an impact as best as he can in their
honor.
According to Sachs, Krepela spear-headed the campaign when the Salvation Army wanted to start bell-ringing on Longboat Key. Krepela laid a foundation for success by partnering with the help of members from Christ Church of Longboat Key and the Rotary Club of Longboat Key.
On Dec. 10, Joe D’eugenio and Patty Buck rang the bell outside of Publix as Christ Church representatives.
“Cash was my best friend,” said D’eugenio. “In the 30 or 40 shifts he would take on during the season, he would talk to everyone that would pass by. His sense of humor made the shifts so fun. I miss him very much.”
Chatting with people was the best fundraising lesson Register taught D’eugenio. He continues his legacy by being as amiable as possible.
Kiwanian Michael Garey said Register was always the first one at Kiwanis pancake breakfasts, flipping pancakes for everyone. Register also bought numerous tables every year at the annual Lawn Party.
“They were both amazingly dedicated bell ringers every year for as long as I could remember,” said Garey.
President Chris Sachs took over after Krepela to lead the initiative for the past five years with the same spirit. His wife, Tammy, finds Sachs awake late at night multiple times during December, making sure of coverage at the bell-ringing station.
“If we don’t have a slot filled, that’s where I will be able to find him,” said Tammy at their previous meeting. “He will definitely be bell-ringing himself. He puts his whole heart into this campaign, and it pays off.”
For the past five years, an anonymous donor has matched every $20 bill donated for its 20-for-20 campaign. This has helped Longboat Key be one of the top fundraising clubs in the previous years.
Last year, the club raised $25,000, which made it the second-highest fundraising Kiwanis Club for the Salvation Army from Tampa to Venice. The club is aiming for the top spot this year.
Sachs’s favorite part about the campaign is the camaraderie they have formed with Christ Church and the Rotary Club. He said they could
not fundraise as much as they do without the two other organizations.
Last year, the station had 42 bell ringers from Christ Church, completing about 95 shifts throughout the bell-ringing season. The Rotary Club provided 15 bell ringers. The Kiwanis Club is always looking for volunteers to fill the slots for the bell-ringing station. If interested, email Sachs at Chris.KiwanisBell@ gmail.com.
File image
Chris Sachs, former Police Chief Kelli Smith and Cash Register outside Publix in 2020.
Tammy and Chris Sachs with bells up in front of Publix on Bay Isles Road.
Courtesy images
Angie Blanco, Ann Harris and Trevor Harris surprised dad Chris Sachs with a bell-ringing appearance.
Where to worship
candlelight service begins at 5 p.m. in the sanctuary.
ST. ARMANDS KEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
The Rev. Kenneth Blyth, 40 N. Adams Drive
Candlelight Christmas Eve services will be at 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
The Christmas Day service is at 10 a.m.
The Rev. David Marshall, 563 Bay Isles Road A Blue Christmas service will be held at 4 p.m. on Dec. 12 to offer prayers for lost loved ones. The
The Rev. Julia Piermont, 6400 Gulf of Mexico Drive Christmas Eve candlelight service will be at 5:30 p.m. with a full choir singing Christmas carols.
LONGBOAT ISLAND CHAPEL
The Rev. Brock Patterson and the Rev. Jeffrey Nunes, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive Christmas Eve Communion and
ST. MARY, STAR OF THE SEA, CATHOLIC CHURCH
The Rev. Robert Dziedziak, 4280 Gulf of Mexico Drive Christmas Eve Vigil Mass begins at 4 p.m., followed by Christmas carols at 8:30 p.m. There will be a Christmas Vigil mass at 9 p.m. Christmas Day masses will be at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 25.
TEMPLE BETH ISRAEL
Rabbi Stephen Sniderman, 567 Bay Isles Road
The eight days of Hanukkah start on Dec. 25. Friday Evening Shabbat services will be 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 27, with a Hanukkah dinner following at Michael’s On East. Reserve your spot by Dec. 20. Call 383-3428.
The Rev. Robert Dziedziak, the Rev. Kenneth Blyth, the Rev. Julia Piermont, the Rev. David Marshall, Rabbi Stephen Sniderman, the Rev. Brock Patterson and the Rev. Jeffrey Nunes processed together in the church for the Interfaith service.
DECKING THE DOCKS
Residents at Longboat Harbour Condominiums love a friendly competition.
As a first-time participant in Lighting of the Docks, Margarita Lenk noticed every time she added more lights to her dock, her neighbor’s dock was brighter.
Stopping at Lenk’s dock, one learned everything they needed to know about her by its items, including a drink, a symbol of her home country and where she taught in her career.
“I’m Margarita and I’m from Argentina,” said Lenk, “So I’m serving margaritas. This penguin is from Argentina. I worked as a professor at Colorado State University, so I have a CSU ram, and this year I’m praying for peace on earth, so I
spelled out peace.”
Just like Lenk, residents decked their docks all week, adding new holiday decorations of their taste every day and saving their money pieces for the night of the event.
On Dec. 7, the Longboaters walked the docks checking out the creative holiday displays to vote for their favorite one in Longboat Harbour’s annual Lighting of the Docks event.
The dock decorations spanned from an octopus boat to life-sized, handmade nutcrackers, many Florida Christmas themes and even a Hanukkah dock.
The completely outdoor event provided for a more collaborative and casual environment.
The event also benefited Toys for Tots. To register for the event, each resident donated money to buy toys.
Commodore Jeff Hecklau announced the winners of the contest won gift cards donated by Lazy Lobster, Guppy’s and Shore Longboat Key.
A new contest at the event, “Docktails,” judged residents’ bartending skills. People experimented with different cocktails, including margaritas, Jell-O shots
and prosecco with sugar rims.
Mary Beth and John Schiavone took the win with their Whiskey Sours and “Woo-woos,” which is a 1980s-inspired drink with vodka, peach schnapps and cranberry.
Mike and Marilyn Perez won third place for best dock overall, while Herb and Cindy Ritchell took second place.
For a second year in a row, Jane Hunter and John Wheeland won first place for their Christmas
caroling-themed dock.
As two-time winners, Hunter and Wheeland received the first replica model of a Longboat Harbour dock built by Commodore Hecklau. He said this will shared among future winners to document their hard work and memories from everyone’s favorite Longboat event.
— PETRA RIVERA
Photos by Petra Rivera
John Wheeland and Jane Hunter won for the second year in a row.
An octopus-themed dock shines at the Lighting of the Docks.
Margarita Lenk
Wendy and Mitchell Winick did a Hanukkah-themed dock.
Brenda Korthauer and Cindy Ritchell with her handmade nutcrackers.
415 L’Ambiance Drive #A608 - $7,217,000
Experience luxury living in this jaw-dropping Gulf-front residence at L Ambiance, one of the most sought-after addresses in the exclusive Longboat Key Club. Perched on the 6th floor and accessible via a private elevator, this residence boasts 3,380 square feet of meticulously designed living space, featuring three bedrooms, three full baths, and onehalf bath. Relish breathtaking vistas that span south to Siesta Key, north along Longboat Key, and across the golf course to Sarasota Bay. Masterfully modernized by the acclaimed Mark Sultana, DSDG Architects, this home exudes sophistication with exceptional design and premium finishes, catering to the most refined tastes. Mark transfers words into pictures. No water intrusion in this home from the storms.
415 L’Ambiance Drive #A801 - $7,500,000
Beyond imagination with ultimate views of sunrises and sunsets, enjoy casual elegance from this epic southwest corner residence in the south building of L’Ambiance within the gates of the Longboat Key Club. This residence has been recently reconstructed and custom-designed to take full advantage of the spectacular sites. Three bedrooms with ensuites, plus a bonus room or children’s wing with bunk beds. This outstanding beachfront residence offers 3,380 square feet of luxury living, 10-foot ceilings, a wraparound terrace, and two covered parking spaces. One pet is welcome, up to 35 pounds. Instant enjoyment. No water intrusion in this home from the storms.
GULF FRONT HOME
A Powerful Partnership in Luxury Real Estate
We are thrilled to partner with Forbes Global Properties, aligning our brand with one of the world’s most trusted and prestigious names in business.
This exclusive collaboration provides unparalleled global exposure for the exceptional properties we represent, connecting to Forbes’ audience of 140+ million affluent readers worldwide.
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
home in Emerald Harbor tops all transactions in this week’s real estate. James Johnstone, trustee of Bradenton, sold the home at 6031 Emerald Harbor Drive to David and Linda Via, of Chesapeake, Virginia, for $2.5 million. Built in 1969, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,432 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,523,000 in 2019.
Danna Costa-Sahs and Lee
at 4310 Falmouth Drive to Alison and Robert Salo, of Gulfport, for $390,000. Built in 1969, it has one bedroom,
and
NOV. 25-29 ONLINE
See more transactions at YourObserver.com
for
Danna CostaSahs and Lee Sahs, of St. Cloud, sold their Unit 205 condominium at 4310 Falmouth Drive to Alison and Robert Salo, of Gulfport,
$390,000. Images courtesy of Malihe Karimi
Jules Mackie | Tracey Stetler | Nicholle DiPinto McKiernan | Patrick DiPinto | Rene DiPinto | Steven Moore | Janet Coughlin
NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH
FORECAST
TIDES SUNRISE
MOON PHASES
“WAVK, SMOVO SO FVO SVATH, PFNO ZR SLWWLTH IA GMFTHO; SMOVO SO FVO VLHMI, PFNO ZR OFRE IA WLXO
IT’LL MAKE YOUR HEAD SPIN! by Shaun Phillips, edited by Jeff Chen
By Luis Campos
Jane Waite took this photo of a cormorant drying out his wings on Longboat Key.
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Seasonal Rentals
L’AMBIANCE, LONGBOAT K KEY Beach front 2BR/3BA condo on high oor with wrap-around terrace, 270 degree views over the Gulf, Sarasota Bay and LBK Club. Sunrises, sunsets through oor to ceiling windows. View at: www.thephotos.smugmug.com Call John at: 203-984-8477 or E-mail: garment@optonline.net
LONGBOAT KEY: Beachfront Condos, 1st or 2nd floor, 2BR/2BA, W/D in units, free Wi-Fi, heated pool, & parking. Call 941-383-3338.
