At your leisure
The
Writer
Buyers
This
Kim
At your leisure
The
Writer
Buyers
This
Kim
“We are going to try
to refine our approach for a wider audience. It’s not just Longboat; this library also serves Lido and St. Armands.”
Town Manager Howard Tipton about the library project
Read more on page 6
BY THE NUMBERS
$3.5
Fire crews from Sarasota County and Longboat Key fire departments responded to a fire at Rochelle’s Boutique on Jan. 23, in the 300 block of the circle, according to Tina Adams, a spokeswoman from the Longboat Key Fire Rescue. The two-alarm fire was reported about 11:40 a.m., according to Sarasota County spokeswoman Genevieve Judge. Janine Nunnery, who works in a neighboring shop, said she noticed flames about 11:45 a.m.
and told the Observer flames were visible for about 20 minutes before fire crews were able to get the fire under control.
Responders reported no injuries but remained on the scene throughout the day to tape off the area.
Officers called the Florida Bureau of Fire, Arson and Explosives Investigations, and they encourage anyone with relevant information about the fire to contact the bureau.
Sarasota County Fire Depart-
ment Assistant Chief of Operations Will Schreiner said in a video statement there was a fire in the attic of a commercial building and the fire was contained to three units, some of which were under construction.
Following the fire, Rochelle’s posted on its social media account that the fire has forced the boutique to close.
However, the store’s location at 5114 Ocean Blvd. on Siesta Key is open.
The Florida Department of Transportation advised drivers that necessary repairs to the Cortez Bridge guardrails will cause overnight lane closures from Jan. 26 through Feb. 2. Repairs to the eastbound lane guardrail of the bridge will take place between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. until Feb. 2. This lane will reopen for drivers from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
“The repairs are necessary to correct damage to the guardrails that occurred during an accident in December of last year,” a release from the FDOT stated. “Please use caution in the area, watch for flaggers, equipment and crews and plan for delays. Use an alternate route if possible during the overnight hours.” There is also the utilities relocation construction occurring along the Cortez Bridge to prepare for the future bridge replacement. Though this construction has not needed lane closures, it has impacted the shoulders near the Cortez Bridge. For traffic updates in real time, dial 511.
Starting Jan. 23, the Gulf Islands Ferry service began operating from downtown Bradenton to the Bridge Street Pier on Anna Maria Island.
The service to the Anna Maria Island pier was suspended after the pier sustained major damage from Hurricane Milton, according to a press release.
“Our ongoing goal is to continue to enhance multimodal transportation via the water ferry service for our residents and visitors to experience and enjoy, while studying every landing option from the downtown corridor to possible additional locations on Anna Maria Island,” said Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Tourism Bureau in the release.
The ferry service operates Thursdays through Sundays. Call or text 727-200-6487 for more information or questions.
CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER
Walking along Longboat Key’s beaches, some parts of the beach are flatter. In some areas, beachgoers can see through to Gulf of Mexico Drive. In this upcoming nesting season, sea turtles will experience the same.
Those differences in the beach are concerning, said Melissa Macksey, a senior biologist with Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Conservation & Research team.
Dunes are important not only for keeping the beach in place and protecting property, but also for acting as a natural light barrier for sea turtles.
“They shadow the beach and they block a lot of these lights that cause disorientations,” Macksey said.
“Without the dunes, there are going to be more exposed places.”
Disorientations occur when adult or hatchling sea turtles become confused with artificial light visible from the beach. The turtles rely on the natural moonlight to find the ocean again.
Chapter 100 of Longboat Key’s town code, “Marine Turtle Protection,” states that all lights visible from the beach must use turtlefriendly bulbs or fixtures or must be shielded or turned off.
Macksey said without the dunes, there would be many more lights exposed where they previously were not — things like first-floor lights, hotel lobbies and pool lights.
There is also a general loss of vegetation along the back of what used to be the dune system. This lack of vegetation is an added blow to the beach’s natural barrier.
“I think we have to consider lights that maybe we didn’t even think about before,” Macksey said. “A lot of lights were lower, or around the side (of a property) or technically not beachfront properties, but now they’re visible from the beach.”
Not only do the dunes block light, but they also act as a barrier for the nesting and hatchling turtles. If the
turtles do become disoriented by light visible from the beach, the dune could stop them from reaching busy roads like Gulf of Mexico Drive.
“If the turtles don’t have an end to the beach, how far in will they go?” Macksey said. “I am a little worried about that increasing this year in areas that were already higher risk.”
CAUSE FOR CONCERN
Vice President of Longboat Key Turtle Watch Cyndi Seamon said residents are noticing the multifaceted importance of dunes more than ever before.
Dunes can do a lot for turtles — shield natural light, act as a barrier to the road and also provide another viable nesting ground. But dunes also mean storm surge protection for homeowners.
It’s because of all these reasons that Seamon said she’s heard a lot of interest in property owners wanting to conduct private dune replenishment.
“It seems like there’s a lot of community support,” Seamon said.
“People really now understand how important a healthy dune system is.”
Seamon worries about the same issues as Macksey — lights that weren’t visible before and turtles possibly entering the roadway.
“There are spots where you can actually see the beach from the road and vice versa,” Seamon said. “If you’re walking on the beach, you can see the cars on the road where you could never see that before.”
Seamon said she attended some condominium association meetings to try to spread the word about the importance of dunes and the expectation that residents will need to be more cautious about sea turtlefriendly lights this year without dunes.
“There’s going to be more lights because there’s going to be less vegetation, fewer trees and also lights that we haven’t seen across GMD,” Seamon said.
Even if all the visible lights are turtle-friendly bulbs and amber-colored, Macksey worries the increased amount of those lights could create a significant enough glow to cause problems.
Though the official start to the sea turtle nesting season is May 1, Macksey suggested that people should start thinking about turtle-friendly lighting around mid-April.
Nesting sea turtles often begin around this time, and with less dune shielding, she’s worried about nest-
Without the sand dunes acting as a natural barrier, sea turtles may travel too far for their nests.
If a property owner has questions about turtle-friendly lighting, Code Enforcement at the Planning, Zoning and Building Department may be able to evaluate a property for compliance. To reach the office, the phone number is 941-316-1966. The Sea Turtle Conservancy also helps with turtle-friendly lighting and has previously helped properties financially with lighting retrofits. The Sea Turtle Conservancy office can be reached at 373-6441 or STC@ ConserveTurtles.org.
ing sea turtles becoming disoriented.
“My biggest concern is the disorientation rate,” Macksey said. “There are going to be more lights visible and, even if they are turtle-friendly, there will still be more (lights) and that still creates a brighter environment.”
Seamon suggested residents start thinking about lighting even sooner than April.
She said some fixtures may take longer to set up or figure out, especially if this is the first time property owners have to use these fixtures.
Macksey said when in doubt, make a light turtle friendly. This could mean using turtle-friendly lights, shields, blinds or turning off the lights.
Triple hurricanes abruptly ended last year’s sea turtle nesting season.
Hurricane Debby’s impact had the most impact on the season, according to Macksey. This storm’s overwash from the Gulf happened at the early to middle part of the hatching season.
Macksey said about 1,300 nests were washed over and ruined by Debby. Of those that did survive, many were badly impacted and didn’t survive Hurricane Helene.
That caused Mote’s sea turtle nesting number to be down overall last year, but the disorientation rates were about the same as previous years.
Of the nests that hatched in 2024, about 14% were disoriented across Mote’s entire study site from Longboat Key to Venice.
About 11.1% of Longboat Key’s sea turtle nests were disoriented in 2024. According to the last nesting report by Mote, there were 1,259 nests on Longboat Key in 2024.
In 2023, 19.2% of the nests in Mote’s study site were disoriented, and 26% of the nests on Longboat Key were disoriented.
Still lacking a taxing method and not wanting to impose an additional tax, the commission decided to push the program down the channel.
CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER
Longboat Key residents will not see a new canal maintenance tax on their 2025 bills.
After a workshop discussion at the Longboat Key Town Commission’s Jan. 21 meeting, the commission agreed not to impose any additional tax and directed staff to continue simplifying the non ad valorem taxing methodology.
“Certainly, any revenue collection is on hold,” Town Manager Howard Tipton said. “But we hope the program can continue to develop.”
The canal maintenance program would dredge the town’s private and public canals and be funded by ad valorem (property tax) and non ad valorem taxes.
At the end of 2024, the town commission voted to approve an ad valorem mechanism to collect the revenue. But having that mechanism in place does not require the town to utilize it.
A canal maintenance program has flowed in and out of town commission discussions for several years, but staff undertook a serious development of such a program about a year ago.
The project team and town consultants have been working to develop the non ad valorem portion of the tax collection, which is not yet refined.
This method could split up the town into six taxing districts, as well as group canals based on use — direct benefit, general benefit and shared benefit.
First Line Coastal, the town’s main consultant on the program, surveyed the town’s canals last year before the hurricanes and scored each one with
a letter grade. The surveys showed that 23% of the town’s canals were rated D or F, and those would get the dredge priority in the first round of dredging.
Previous estimates showed that the all-in project cost to get the town’s canals back to baseline would be around $9.25 million, which includes environmental mitigation costs of about $3.6 million.
Those costs were also adjusted to reflect estimates for 2028 pricing, which is likely when the dredging would start after collecting enough tax revenue to get the project started.
DREDGED-UP DISCUSSION
At the Jan. 21 workshop, the town consultants with First Line Coastal said the team is at the beginning stages of developing a dedicated website for the maintenance program where residents could input their information and receive an individual tax estimate.
The consultants and Public Works Director Charlie Mopps also talked about one of the potential reasons to move on the canal program sooner rather than later: beneficial use of dredged material. According to their presentation,
sediment dredged from the canal maintenance program could be tested and used as fill for the subaqueous force main project.
Construction for the subaqueous force main project is happening in 2025 and, if the town could use BUDM from the canals, it could mean cost savings for the subaqueous project.
During the commission’s discussion, a common theme emerged — the need for simplification.
“When you enter into something like this, the key should be simplicity,” Mayor Ken Schneier said. “It’s not always possible, but simplicity, fairness and, where you have a wheel, don’t reinvent the wheel.”
District 4 Commissioner Debra Williams continued to question the methodology, especially after seeing numbers emailed to commissioners that showed 42% of parcels in the town have direct access to canals, but 68% of the taxable value would come from properties without direct access.
The workshop discussion continued to emphasize the need for a simpler and fairer method, with one suggestion being to split up the island by canal access and noncanal access.
Either way, the discussion was still a ways away from reaching a consensus on the right way to move on a non ad valorem tax.
Williams and Commissioner-At-
Large BJ Bishop also agreed that now is not the right time to impose a new tax on residents.
“I absolutely think we need to come up with a rate,” Bishop said.
“But I will strongly discourage us from putting another tax bill in front of people who have lost their homes, who have significant damage to their homes.”
Williams also reemphasized the need for a simpler method, something that can be explained like an elevator pitch to their constituents.
“If you can’t explain something in 30 seconds or less to somebody and get them hooked, you have a PR problem,” Williams said. “It’s not equitable to the people who don’t have canal properties.”
After the nearly 90-minute discussion, commissioners reached a consensus to not collect any tax for the canal program in 2025 and allow town staff and consultants to refine the methodology toward something simpler.
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The 14,000 square feet of commercial space will take about a year to complete construction, which started in November 2024.
CARTER WEINHOFER
STAFF WRITER
New commercial space is coming to Longboat Key this fall.
Mark Ursini, president and founder of Brista Homes, said the company’s Brista Commons project, located at the 3100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive, should wrap up construction late this fall.
The project will bring 14,000 square feet of commercial space to the mid-Key location. Included in the commercial lot will be an office for Brista Realty, an anchor tenant Couch, two smaller spaces and an out parcel.
Ursini said the construction team is about 50% complete with the necessary drainage work, and concrete extension block walls should be completed within a few weeks. Then, the team can move on to setting trusses and, later this year, move
toward interior finishing touches.
“We’re looking forward to starting the interior finishes and hoping to be complete by fall of this year,” Ursini said.
This should put the project’s completion date around October or November of this year, according to Ursini.
Ursini submitted building permits in August 2024, but construction was postponed until after Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The project officially broke ground in November 2024.
The hurricanes set construction back a little, but Ursini said the more challenging aspect came before construction during the approval process from the Florida Department of Transportation and environmental regulations.
Those approvals and the COVID-19 pandemic-born remote work delayed the project’s start date originally, Ursini said.
With a completion date in sight, Ursini is working to get all the spaces leased out.
The anchor tenant, Couch, already has a finalized lease.
Couch will be a high-end, independent furniture store that occupies four of the available spaces in
Brista Commons. The store will include a 5,000-square-foot showroom and full design services.
Two smaller spaces in the main Brista Commons space are 1,500 square feet and 1,266 square feet, neither of which has finalized leases.
There is also a 3,422-square-foot out parcel on the lot. Ursini said he is in talks with potential leases for all the available spaces in Brista Commons.
The annual leases are about $40 per square foot, which means the smallest available space at $1,266 would have an annual lease of about $50,000.
Those leases are also triple-net, meaning the tenants are responsible for paying taxes, insurance and maintenance for the space.
Brista Commons will also be home to Brista Realty’s new Longboat Key office. In a previous article about the project, Ursini said about 80% of Brista’s projects are on Longboat Key, so having their offices on the island seemed like a natural fit.
“Everything feels great,” Ursini said of the project. “We’re very excited about having our offices down there, too.”
RELATED PROJECT NEXT DOOR
About three years ago, Ursini decided to use part of the land near the
3100 block of GMD for residential use. He wanted to rezone the lots behind what is now Brista Commons but, to do so, a town referendum was required to allow more residential density.
Those lots were previously zoned as “office institutional,” which had been zoned that way since at least the 1960s.
In November 2021, town voters allowed Ursini to move forward with
plans to increase 0.86 acres in density from office institutional use to residential use.
Those residential homes are located behind the Brista Commons site and the homes were expected to have values of about $2 million to $2.5 million.
The Brista Commons project then gained approval from the town’s Planning and Zoning Board in April 2022.
The town now has until the end of April to raise the $3.5 million needed for an enhanced version of a Sarasota County library.
Town Manager Howard Tipton and the Longboat Key Foundation agree it’s time to ramp up the fundraising campaign for an enhanced version of a Sarasota County library.
After two requests for extensions, the town of Longboat Key has until the end of April to raise the $3.5 million needed for the enhanced version.
Last year, the town fully engaged in the public library project, which kicked off with community input sessions in February 2024. Sarasota County will fund the $11.1 million to construct the core library, at about 8,780 square feet. But after the community input sessions, it was evident that Longboat Key residents wanted more.
The county offered the chance for Longboat Key to include an expanded meeting space and covered terrace to the library, but the onus to fund those extensions was put on private donations.
An expanded community meeting space, enough to hold about 250 people, would cost $2 million and the terrace another $1.5 million. These enhancements would bring the library’s total square footage to about 11,230 square feet.
First, the town had a deadline of the end of August 2024. Tipton attributed the slow start to the migration of snowbirds away from Longboat Key.
The county gave the town another extension, which was overshadowed by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The impact of those storms took over the rest of Longboat Key’s 2024.
“I think the storm really redirected our energy,” Tipton said.
Now, with the new deadline set, Tipton is hoping on a productive spring.
Jim Brown, founder of the Longboat Key Foundation, has been a
partner in the fundraising campaign since it kicked off last summer.
So far, he’s collected about $100,000 and said he has more people interested who want to schedule meetings about the project.
Though the start to the fundraising was slower than expected, Brown said he’s feeling positive.
Tipton said the fundraising team has scheduled meetings with potential donors over the next few weeks and, in the meantime, the team is trying to refine its messaging and approach to fundraising.
This means reaching out to a wider audience with a clear message about the positive impact the project could have on all the nearby barrier island communities.
“We are going to try to refine our approach for a wider audience,” Tipton said. “It’s not just Longboat, this library also serves Lido and St. Armands.”
Tipton also said a wider approach means being less focused on a few large donations to meet the $3.5 million mark and, instead, taking any donations as they come.
With that, though, Tipton understands that people may want to be recognized for the donations.
According to the county, naming rights are available if someone were to donate 25% of the estimated project cost, which would be about $3.65 million.
Tipton said the campaign going forward will include working with Sarasota County to figure out how donations smaller than $3.65 million — for example something in the range of $500,000 — would be recognized.
Tipton and the town may look to additional outside help like a professional fundraiser to help boost the campaign.
“Somebody who could help us chart the right path is what we’re looking for,” Tipton said.
With more part-time residents coming back for peak season, Tipton is also optimistic that the campaigning will start to pick up.
“We expect it to ramp up,” Tipton said. “We’ve got to show progress. It’s time to go.”
Tipton said anyone interested in becoming a donor for the library should reach out to him directly at HTipton@LongboatKey.org.
We
The Karins report on the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall brings to the fore many dilemmas. The Van Wezel needs $17 million to keep going . It’s worth $80 million. Should the city be in the theater business?
Let the conversations begin.
And to be sure, there will be and should be many of them.
The Sarasota-based firm of Karins Engineering recently released the long-awaited engineering report on the condition of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. The report is now in the hands of the city’s Purple Ribbon Committee, which will digest all 400 pages and its recommendations, and later make its own recommendations to the City Commission on the fate of the city’s iconic performing arts hall.
The Karins report recommends it will take $17 million in repairs and the upgrading of all facets of the 55-year-old facility to preserve and protect it for its current and continued use.
The bigger questions for the Purple Ribbon Committee and City Commission will be whether to make those fixes, how to finance them and whether to commit to the never-ending and sizable costs to keep operating the performing arts hall in the shadow of what many hope will be a new iconic performing arts hall. Or … what?
Tear it down? Repurpose it? Sell it?
You can be sure this will become one of the most debated and contentious issues in the city’s history. Much like the fixed-span Ringling Bridge.
Many may recall that began in 1993 and lasted until April 2001. That’s when the First District Court of Appeal ruled the Florida Department of Transportation could begin construction. That battle — multiple lawsuits —pitted factions of Sarasota and barrier island citizens against each other and tore the fabric of the community.
You already can envision a repeat when someone dares to suggest abandoning, tearing down or selling the Van Wezel.
But those visions come to mind when you read Karins Engineering’s 409-page report.
On the plus side, among the Karins report’s conclusions were “the team did not identify significant architectural or structural Florida Building Code Violations … The roof was observed to be in generally good condition and well maintained.” And the appraiser, Patricia Staebler, stated in her report “the building was found to be in good condition.”
Staebler’s appraisal concluded the depreciated market value of the Van Wezel to be $80,019,000. She said the replacement value is $97,584,000. Nonetheless, the Karins report is rife with deficiencies in the hall. There are so many they bring to mind the debate you have with old cars: Is it throwing good money after bad to dump a couple thousand dollars into your old jalopy, not knowing what else will go haywire, or do you take on new debt
ORIGIN OF THE ROOF
purple seashell-shaped roof had family connections. Frank Lloyd Wright’s wife had a love of the sea. She selected the purple color because it reflected a purple seashell she found in Japan.
and buy a new one?
What’s more, reading the Karins report leaves you with the impression from the theater and audiovisual consultants that the Van Wezel is clearly a Class-B venue for today’s musical and theatrical productions — and wouldn’t be much more than that even with the $17 million in fixes.
Read the report (YourObserver. com/Opinion-Karins-Report).
Several conclusions, observations and opinions are likely to emerge in your mind.
Here’s one: When you think about what is required to keep that building operating — the people, their expertise; all of the mechanical requirements for HVAC; the maintenance of the thousands of parts; the upkeep inside and out; and on an on — you realize it is a gigantic task.
You then appreciate the job that Mary Bensel, executive director of the Van Wezel, and her team perform. You get the sense it’s like constantly plugging leaks in a dam, while keeping the water flowing as it should.
It’s a big, constant job. And the fact they have managed to keep the Van Wezel going for 55 years is something we all take for granted, but shouldn’t. Give them credit.
But then … there are the issues.
With the stage, offices, HVAC, electrical, plumbing and fire protection. Bringing all that up to where they should be consumes most of the $17 million.
And while the engineers say the roof can last another five to 10 years, the roof consultants cited 12 concerns to be addressed. The theater consultants were diplomatic in their assessment of the functionality of the acoustics and audiovisual features: “While the building is beloved, and many things from a technical acoustics and AV design perspective are functional, there are challenges that limit the use of the main performance space … Overall Assessment: Audio and video systems, including cable infrastructure, require replacement.”
They were critical of the continental seating (no aisles) and noted the difficulty of staging big touring shows. Both “Hamilton” and “The Lion King” played the Van Wezel, but they were difficult negotiations, with short runs and the need to balance the show’s minimum guaranteed revenue with ticket prices.
Once you digest all that is required to repair, preserve and
Source: Karins Engineering
In Patricia Staebler’s appraisal of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, she included a section comparing the lives of other halls around the world:
“The typical life expectancy (also called useful life) for auditoriums and similar property types can be found at about 55 years, as indicated in the national cost data publication Marshall and Swift.
Performing Arts Hall Historic age Boston Symphony Hall 124
Carnegie Hall, NYC 133 Academy of Music, Philadelphia 167 Fox Theatre, Atlanta 95 La Scala, Milan, Italy 246
Theatro dell’Opera, Roma, Italy 145
Royal Opera House London 292 Opéra Garnier, Paris, France 149 Vienna State Opera 155 Sydney Opera House 51
Theatro Municipal, Rio de Janeiro 115
Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires 116
Cape Town City Hall, South Africa 119 Noh Theatre, Nara, Japan 129 Average 145
“Keep in mind, the term ‘useful life’ was introduced in the valuation world to quantify the time at which the structure might not be longer used for its intended purpose. A structure such as the subject property, however, can have a perpetual life if maintained on a regular basis and renovated from time to time to keep up with market standards.
“There is an additional tool an appraiser can use to examine the useful life of a property. Professor Craig Langston of the Bond University in Australia invented the physical life calculator, which
protect the structure to continue operating in the short term and even after a new, modern performing arts center opens, say, seven to 10 years from now, you can easily find your mind leaning to this conclusion: The city government of Sarasota should not be in the performing arts hall business. Is that really a function of government — managing and maintaining an $80 million building, and booking and managing year-round traveling entertainment productions to suit the varied interests of the region’s citizenry?
Yes, the city has done that for 55 years. And over the past decade, Bensel has managed to reduce its annual subsidy on the city’s operating budget. The Van Wezel finished the four years from 2016 through 2019 with operating surpluses that ranged from $239,000 to $1.1 million. Its best operating years were 2021 ($1.3 million operating surplus) and 2022 ($3.4 million operating surplus), but it is expected to have losses totaling $3 million for 2023 through 2025.
Many will argue a performing arts hall is a public good and an amenity that enhances the quality of life — much like parks, Legacy Trails and football and baseball stadiums. But virtually all of them require subsidies — that is, taking the earnings of taxpayers and depriving them of that money to support “amenities” many may never use. Will that be the future and fate of the Van Wezel if there comes a day when there is a new performing arts hall next door?
Indeed, the Karins report now triggers many questions the Purple
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Source: Staebler Appraisal and Consulting
computes the expected life of a property based on three groups of questions, such as environmental context, occupational profile and structural integrity …
“Taking the three methods and the actual historical age of the subject property into consideration, it is my professional opinion the life expectancy of the subject property should be found above the industry normed range at 100–120 years.”
Ribbon Committee and city commissioners soon will face.
■ Should taxpayers fund the $17 million to repair, preserve and protect the Van Wezel for the next the five to 10 years (the likely time it would take for a new performing arts hall to be built)?
■ What are the consequences if the city doesn’t “invest” the $17 million?
■ How will that $17 million be funded?
■ In the larger sense, should the Van Wezel be operated with the objective of making it a break-even/ surplus-producing enterprise? Is that a strength of the city?
■ Or, should it be structured, say, much like the Bay Park Conservancy, a not-for-profit corporation expected to stand on its own?
■ With a market value of $80 million, should it be sold to a private company or not-for-profit organization (after a new performing arts center is built), relieving taxpayers of any future obligations? Based on the Karins report, it’s clear that even with the $17 million upgrades and repairs, the Van Wezel will still be what it is — a B-market venue with its B-level customer experience and an inability to attract top-flight productions. We have our sympathies for the members of the Purple Ribbon Committee and city commissioners. The Karins report has brought to light the unwinnable dilemmas they will face. Hopefully, they will keep in mind: This is a 50-year decision. It’s not just a matter of preserving a 55-year-old, inadequate architectural icon.
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Mopps was previously the project manager and assistant public works director, then served as interim director for the past three months.
The town of Longboat Key has a new face of the Public Works department.
Charlie Mopps was recently promoted to Public Works director after former Director Isaac Brownman was promoted to the assistant town manager role.
“I’m most excited that I get to continue to work for the town but at a higher level,” Mopps said.
When Brownman accepted the assistant town manager role in late 2024, Mopps became the interim director of Public Works and later applied for the job.
Town Manager Howard Tipton announced Mopps’ promotion to department heads and town commissioners via email on Jan. 17.
“I am pleased to announce that Mr. Charlie Mopps, after competing against external candidates, has been selected as the next Public Works director for the town of Longboat Key,” Tipton said in his email. “He has brought a strong work ethic and positive attitude every day, working very well with the public as a key team member with all our internal operations teams (including storm response), a respected liaison with all our coordination and permitting agencies, as well as accomplishing major projects, initiatives and leadership goals.”
Now, as the new director, Mopps is looking forward to continuing the strong working relationship he had with Brownman, but at a new
level. This time, Mopps will oversee the Public Works department and Brownman will oversee multiple town departments and projects on a broader scale.
Mopps said he has always valued the level of camaraderie shared with Brownman, and he hopes to continue that in their new roles.
From 1993 to 2016, Mopps was a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve and holds a bachelor’s degree in marine affairs and military science from the University of Rhode Island.
Mopps has worked for the town for six years collectively. He first joined the town’s Public Works staff in 2019 as the department’s project manager.
Before that, he had worked as a project manager in Charlotte County from 2001-2016 and a project manager at a private engineering firm called Atkins from 2016-2017.
In early 2022, Mopps left the town to become Public Works director for the city of Venice but, after seven months, returned to the Longboat Key Public Works Department to assume the project manager role and also become the assistant director.
During his six years with the town, Mopps has become familiar with the departments, systems, staff and the community. This gives him a high comfort level, he said, and he’ll look forward to utilizing that comfort in a higher position.
“Putting me in this position allows me to continue my career path,” Mopps said. “I feel at home on Longboat Key.”
The lift stations, which control water and wastewater flow, need to be replaced after the hurricanes, costing about $800,000.
The town of Longboat Key is looking to upgrade its resiliency in lift station infrastructure after many of the panels at those stations failed during Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Hurricane Helene, in particular, caused a significant amount of flooding from storm surge across the entire island. This flooding resulted in about $800,000 in damage to the lift stations’ electrical panels.
The town’s wastewater system on the island is operated by 47 lift stations scattered throughout the island that control the flow of wastewater from the island to the mainland.
At those lift stations are electrical control panels that manage the amount of wastewater within that lift station. Currently, the control panels are fixed about one to two feet off of the ground.
According to Public Works Director Charlie Mopps, the panels need to be low enough so department workers can easily service and repair the panels — that’s why the panels aren’t installed multiple feet off the ground.
But the town’s Public Works department is now seeking a state
appropriation of $950,000 to upgrade the control panels by putting them on a device that could lift them higher off the ground in the event of an impending storm.
“Having them on a pole that can be elevated in the event of a possible storm, it allows the components to then still be serviceable,” Mopps said.
Putting the panels on a moveable extension could save the panels from being flooded by storm surge events in the future. Then, if those panels are saved, it could mean wastewater services coming back online for residents waiting to enter after hurricanes pass.
Mopps said at a Jan. 21 commission workshop the department is also working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to set up a site inspection for the damages to the panels experienced during Helene and Milton. The town will also seek a $1.5 million state appropriation to help with the cost of the necessary subaqueous force main replacement project, which is expected to cost around $30 million.
If the state appropriations are granted, the town will be notified by July 1.
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Anthony (Tony) Pescatello 1935-2025
Bradenton, FL, passed away peacefully on January 17, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. Born in New London, CT, Tony was a successful entrepreneur, advertising executive, and radio station owner. He shared a 60-year marriage with his beloved wife, Margaret (Midge) Pescatello, and cherished his family, including his three children, four grandchildren, and
FL.
DONATIONS: Donations in Tony’s memory may be made to Tidewell Hospice of Sarasota (tidewellhospice.org).
For the full obituary & to leave condolences, please visit www.brownandsonsfuneral. com.
Owners of the newly opened Café on St. Armands blended the familiar feeling of the 100-year-old building with an updated aesthetic.
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
Alongtime staple restaurant that has been central to the St. Armands Circle dining scene for 52 years has a new look.
Café on St. Armands officially opened its doors Jan. 21, a relaunch that has been three years in the making.
Eleni Sokos, executive vice president and managing partner, said unveiling a project that has been her passion project for so long was always going to be nerve-wracking, but she was thrilled to see the community show up with such enthusiasm for the hard launch and twoweek testing leading up to it.
“The surprising thing to me has been how positive it has all been,” she said, sharing her concern about legacy guests continuing to support the restaurant. “Their reassurance that they understand why we’ve made these changes has been so validating and gratifying.”
She and fellow opening attendees celebrated with Champagne, bites from the new menu and stories of gratitude for those who helped the restaurant reach this new point in its history.
With its exposed brick, ornate white ceilings and marble-topped bar, the restaurant retains the classic charm of its predecessor, Café L’Europe. But Sokos said she sought to update the aesthetic to make it approachable to all eaters, hopefully contributing to the community’s ongoing efforts to make St. Armands Circle exciting and engaging for both visitors and long-time residents.
“The feedback has been phenomenal,” Sokos said. “People feel like the menu is more approachable, that they can really gather over these flavors. And the flavors of the menu are diverse enough that they’re going to keep people coming back.”
The restaurant offers different experiences depending on the time of day. From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., patrons can enjoy pastries and coffee from Soleil, which she said has been appealing to families looking for a quick stop before heading out to explore the Circle. She noted the coffee bar manager is a former Starbucks barista trainer and said adding the coffee service to the broader cafe concept.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the café serves breakfast tapas, featuring its “benedict flight.” Then, from afternoon to close, the restaurant dishes up its seafood-centric dinner menu.
Acting General Manger Jason Simpson said the new menu does still feature some crowd favorites, like the crusted grouper that was a popular white-tablecloth service staple. But the menu also includes some new delicacies, like their beetcured deviled eggs. Simpson said he is particular eager for patrons to try the “pulpo a la gre-
cia” charred octopus dish.
“There are a lot of fun things to try with our small plates,” he said. Celebrants sampled some tapas offerings before raising their glasses to the owners, Oysters Rock Hospitality, who persevered through floodwaters and all other challenges to get to opening day.
It would be nearly impossible to overestimate the reverence afforded America’s celebrated founding fathers. They were real men whose brilliance launched our country, and they vigorously discussed and debated the important political issues of their time.
By focusing on key writings and speeches of founders such as Washington, Jefferson, Adams and others we can certainly speculate what they’d think about the issues of today. That’s the fascinating and unique idea behind the Observer’s upcoming event in Sarasota on February 6th. It will be presented by renowned Brown University Professor Wendy Schiller, Chair of the Department of Political Science.
Here’s an example. The partisan hostility of our two major parties
has certainly frustrated nearly everyone. It turns out that the “Father of our Country” and our very first President was concerned about that very issue. In George Washington’s words from his famous farewell address in 1796, “There is an opinion that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the government and keep alive the spirit of liberty. But then he went on to assert “the constant danger of excess” and ended by referring to a political party as “ a fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance topresent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume”
Another subject area that was discussed thoroughly at the start of our country and continues to be a major focus today is the role of religion. While many believe
that the Founders felt that religion should be kept entirely outside political life, that’s really not what most of them felt. James Madison wrote that all men are “equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience”. In actuality the founders were less concerned about religious influences on government than they were with any effort to exclude some religions and favor others. That is what they had experienced as citizens of England and was what they were primarily concerned with. One more example would be concerns about economic and wealth inequality. Many think of this as an area of concern only in recent times, e– launched in large part by the now well known “occupy Wall Street” movement in 2011. In fact, it was a subject ad-
vanced by many founders, and some of their thinking was quite advanced. Thomas Paine wrote of the need to “make some provisions for people become poor and wretched not only at the time they become so. Would it not, even a matter of economy, be far better to devise means to prevent their becoming poor?”
And finally, apparently federal spending has been a hot button
Dive into the past with our exciting speaker series, featuring renowned scholars from top universities. Each lecture brings history to life with fresh insights and captivating stories you won’t hear anywhere else.
issue for as long as our country has been in existence. It was Thomas Jefferson who wrote
“That same prudence which in private life would forbid paying our own money for unexplained projects, forbids it in the dispensation of the public monies” Sounds a lot like something you hear every day on TV!
FRIDAY, JAN. 17
WATER EMERGENCY
7 a.m., 3600 block of Fair Oaks
Place
Citizen Assist: A resident called for emergency assistance with a water main break. Upon arrival, the responding officer observed water pooling in the street in front of a residence. The complainant approached the officer and said that Public Works was responding, which the officer confirmed. The case was cleared.
‘FUTURE MAYOR’ OUT OF ORDER
9:59 a.m., 500 block of Bay Isles Road
Suspicious Person: An officer met with a complainant at town hall about a suspicious man. According to the complainant, the man had slicked-back hair, poor hygiene and “FILA” on the back of his shirt. The complainant said he entered a meeting, caused a verbal disruption and said he was running to be the mayor of Tampa. The responding officer canvassed the area but could not find the suspicious mayoral candidate.
E-BIKE PROHIBITED ON THE BEACH
12:44 p.m., 5700 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Suspicious Person: A citizen called to report a suspicious person with an electric bike on the beach. At the scene, the responding officer discovered a man fishing on the beach with an electric bike nearby. The officer educated the man about the town ordinance prohibiting self-propelled or motorized vehicles on the beach. The man claimed he was unaware of the ordinance and moved the bike off the beach without incident.
SATURDAY, JAN. 18
MEET THE NEIGHBOR
7:13 p.m., 500 block of Bayport Way
Animal Problem: Dispatch sent an officer to investigate a report of a dog walking around on the loose.
SATURDAY, JAN. 18
OUT OF GAS
12:20 p.m., 6400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Disabled Vehicle: A driver flagged down a patrol officer for assistance with his truck that was parked off of the roadway. The man said he ran out of gas and needed assistance, so the officer provided him a courtesy ride to the nearest gas station. Upon return to the man’s truck, he was able to get the vehicle running and left without any other issues.
The officer met with the complainant who said her dog was “freaking out” at the door and, when she looked out the door, there was a large, brown dog sitting on her front porch. She said she didn’t know what to do and was scared of the dog. The officer checked the area but did not find any loose dogs. After canvassing the area, the officer returned to the complainant who was then talking to her neighbor. The neighbor was holding a brown dog that matched the description the complainant gave. The dog’s owner claimed his dog was never loose and there was no issue. In the end, the complainant said she was happy to meet her neighbor.
TUESDAY, JAN. 21 MUST’VE BEEN THE WIND
2:16 p.m., 7100 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Open Door: A citizen taking care of a Longboat Key residence contacted police after she arrived at the house and noticed a balcony door open. Two officers responded to the scene and checked the residence, finding nothing out of the ordinary except for the opened doors. There were no signs of forced entry and all windows were secure. According to the police report, it appeared the doors opened accidentally.
St. Regis Longboat Key Resort recently sought recruits within the community at an in-house job fair.
Kara Hardiman, hotel manager at St. Regis Longboat Key Resort, said the luxury accommodations business can teach an employee many things about the ins and outs of the hospi-
tality industry. But what managers are really seeking from the start is passion to go above and beyond to make a stay special for guests.
The resort held an in-house job fair on Jan. 23, aiming to bolster staffing at the newly opened facility.
Positions ranged from the front office to the spa, recreation, food and beverage service and banquet service.
“It went really well today,” Hardiman said. “We had a good turnout. We’ve hired a number of new hosts to join our team, which is always exciting. We feel really pleased with the success of today, and to have so much of the community come out for it.”
Hardiman said St. Regis hopes to continue its outreach efforts within the Longboat community.
She shared her appreciation for how welcoming residents have been during the opening and said the resort aims to pay back that generous spirit.
“I think anytime that we can bring the community in, it does nothing but benefit those around us, from longevity in careers to putting money back into the community,” she said. For anyone interested in applying for a position who was unable to attend the fair, Hardiman recommended visiting Marriott’s career page online.
This week’s Art on the Gulf showcase highlighted the works of six local artists, ranging from jewelry design to poetry to painting.
As Lydia Zorzi was chatting with attendees at the Art on the Gulf showcase, one person came up to share how much her book of poetry resonated with him, adding that he planned to share her work with other friends who may also appreciate it.
“It makes me feel really good that someone can feel the depth of what I wrote,” she said.
The smiling writer explained that exactly is why she was so eager to participate in the showcase.
Organizer Medge Jaspan recently started the series, open to the public at the Mediterranean Plaza, which aims to promote the work of local artists of all specialties.
Jaspan is the owner of Holistic Healing & Wellness Center Longboat Key, and she wanted to start the series to show the wider community what talent resides here.
The Jan. 22 event featured six local artists: Lydia Zorzi, Rosane Ferreira of Rosane’s Creations, Jackie Williams, Vincent Taschetti, Victoria Konsavage and Jaspan.
Proceeds from the event will go to the Humane Society of Sarasota County.
Williams is a mixed-media artist who experiments in everything from clothing designs inspired by the seven deadly sins to performing arts. She took the opportunity
at the showcase to display four of her acrylic paintings, including a circus-centric clown portrait quartet titled “Circus Mirror.”
She is currently a student at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus, and she draws inspiration from the surrealist style of artists like Salvador Dalí.
“I love art in general, and I have such a broad appreciation for it,” she said.
Konsavage said attendees particularly gravitated toward her gold-flake coated piece, “Guilded Canopy,” which depicts the branches of a tree draped with blue gems.
“I’ve really enjoyed meeting all the people who have come in to explore the art we are sharing tonight and just seeing how they interpret each piece,” she said.
some of his works and said
strongly supports the promotion of local artists and buying local art.
Reflecting on her own art, Jaspan said she aims to evoke feelings of empowerment. She said empowerment is what drove her to organize the showcase, and she hopes to work with other businesses in the community to expand this outreach.
Considering she published her first book, “Dancing on the Edge of Normalcy: Poetry and Prose” at the age of 73, Zorzi was grateful for the opportunity to connect with others, and she looks forward to future showcases.
— DANA KAMPA
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to last weekend’s St. Armands Circle Art Festival found a multitude of ways to interact with their favorite artists.
The festival took place Saturday and Sunday, and welcomed more than 200 exhibitors.
Show Director Elaine Laurent labeled the festival one of the best she’s organized in a long time.
She said while last November’s festival was a valuable opportunity for artists to gain some community support in the immediate aftermath of the recent hurricanes, this weekend’s festival seemed to mark a full return to force, with attendance high on both Saturday and Sunday.
Attendees had one word for her about this year’s offerings: amazing.
“They have come up and said what an amazing show this is, and they are so happy to have it back and see the Circle alive again,” she said.
Laurent noted how this longrunning festival has provided regular opportunities for patrons to see and support their favorite artists, as well as surrounding businesses.
Visitors milled about the Circle, which was completely packed with exhibits set up gallery style.
About 15% of those artists were “hyperlocal,” based in Sarasota or close proximity, and about 50% were based in Florida. But the festival was also a venue for international and up-and-coming artists.
“It gives a nice variety,” she added. “Different regions bring different ideas and different styles.”
The vibrant animal ceramic sculptures of Scott Causey immediately greeted people entering the festival area from the John Ringling Causeway.
The artist is a graduate of Ringling College of Art and Design, and he has been showing his work at this particular festival for many years.
Causey said he most enjoys getting to directly interact with viewers, giving him an opportunity to explain how he carefully dissects his sculptures, allowing him more freedom to create pieces with otherwise adversely interactive glazes.
“I’ve been working in clay since I was just out of diapers,” he said. “My family encouraged me, and we were able to get it started.”
Other artists made the trip to St. Armands Circle from much farther away, including Arizona-based photographer Eugene Lagana. He combines the technical skills of high-quality macrophotography with the whimsy of his comical figurine-based scenes.
In one piece, miniature painters on scaffolding appear to be creating the portrait of Benjamin Franklin.
Organizers of this festival host art and craft events throughout the Sarasota area. For those looking to keep up with this year visit ArtFestival.com.
— DANA KAMPA
illy Lindsey has long been delighting audiences with his musical talents, particularly with his impression of Elvis Presley, the king of rock ’n’ roll. In fact, he is a previous winner of the Florida State Fair’s Elvis extravaganza contest.
The tribute artist graced the stage at Longboat Harbour Condominiums on Jan. 25, bringing residents to their feet with his electric rendition of “Blue Suede Shoes” and plenty of Presley’s other hits. Lindsey started off the evening with some classic country and other tunes. Listeners danced emphatically to Brooks and Dunn’s “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” and Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA.”
Halfway through his set, Lindsey disappeared, then returned as The King, wearing a white jumpsuit
with gold embellishments and scarlet pants cuffs that flashed when he kicked along to “Trouble.”
Attendees raved about his dance-inducing performance and said they look forward to a full calendar of events coming up in 2025.
— DANA KAMPA
The Education Center may be considerably far east from New Orleans, but passersby could be forgiven for thinking they were walking on Bourbon Street the evening of Jan. 21, as the sounds of classic jazz carried out from the halls.
Kid Dutch delighted listeners with a throwback to the days of speakeasies.
The set list had old-school tunes, including Johnny Mercer’s “Lazybones” and Jelly Roll Morton’s “Grandpa’s Spells,” known for its comedic collapsing on the keys by the band’s pianist.
Accompanying Dutch were Charles Bornemann on trombone, Lew Green on cornet, Mary Green on piano and Paul Scavarda on banjo.
Green shared several stories of navigating raucous night scenes, all in the pursuit of playing good music.
Despite the rainy weather, dozens of community members turned out for fun, pausing only to share slices of birthday cake for resident Ed Mikus.
Community members Barbara and Nelson Mishkin sponsored bringing artists for this night and one other scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 18. Attendance is $25 for members and $30 for nonmembers. Visit TBIEducationCenter to register ahead.
— DANA KAMPA
Creative minds behind fine art and ethereal music were lauded at this year’s Temple Beth Israel gala on Jan. 26.
The evening’s honorees were Ann Stephenson-Moe, the temple’s music director and organist, and Kei Sulhi, a longtime soloist with the choir. Both women have brought their musical talents to countless temple events, including a recent Shabbat service honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Jason Brandt, TBI’s vice president of development and gala host, lauded the honorees’ continued dedication to bringing residents together through song.
Central to the gala is the live auction, which supports educational, spiritual and community events throughout the year.
Local artist Jorge Blanco donated several pieces to the auction.
Sarasota residents are likely familiar with Blanco’s large-scale public sculpture work, which adorns several intersections in the downtown area.
The evening’s performing artists included Jazzmin Carson and Raleigh Mosely II from the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Also performing was The John Rinell Trio, which had nearly all galagoers up on their feet in the Sarasota Yacht Club ballroom by the end of the evening, bringing the 46th annual event to a close.
SATURDAY, FEB. 1
WAREHOUSE
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 1 at The Lord’s Warehouse Thriftshop, 6140 Gulf of Mexico Drive. The high-end shop, run by the Longboat Island Chapel, is having its grand reopening for the season, celebrating its comeback from the recent hurricanes. Visit LongboatIslandChapel.org for full details.
SUNDAY, FEB. 2
JONI MITCHELL TRIBUTE
2:30-4 p.m. at The Education Center, 567 Bay Isles Road. Musician Joni Adno and company offer a look at Joni Mitchell’s early folk roots to her masterpieces. Cost is $30 for members; $35 for nonmembers. Register online at TBIEducationCenter.org or call 941-383-8222.
MONDAY, FEB. 3
‘NEW TO YOU’ ART SALE
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 3 at All Angels by the Sea, 563 Bay Isles Road. The fifth annual art sale kicks off Monday and continues through Feb. 27. Proceeds benefit Turning Points. Call 941-383-8161 with questions.
TUESDAY, FEB. 4
AI LECTURE
3-4:30 p.m. at The Education Center, 567 Bay Isles Road. Ronald Levine leads a lecture on the evolving role of artificial intelligence. Cost for a single lecture is $20 for members; $25 for nonmembers. Cost for the full lecture series is $180 for members; $240 for nonmembers. Register at TBIEducationCenter.org or call 941-383-8222.
RECURRING EVENTS
MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS
LONGBOAT LIBRARY
10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 555 Bay Isles Road. Call 941-383-6493.
PUMPING THE PRIME
10 a.m. at Bayfront Recreation Center, 4052 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Led by Mirabai Holland, classes focus on low-impact cardio and strength exercises. Cost is $10 for members; $15 for nonmembers. Email Mirabai@ MovingFree.com or call 956-1466.
SATURDAY, FEB. 1
GULF DRIVE CLEANUP
9-11:30 a.m. at Longboat Key Chapel, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Community members are invited to join a volunteer cleanup of Longboat Key’s main road of remaining hurricane debris. Organizers will provide cleanup supplies, hydration and light snacks, but they recommend bringing a reusable water bottle, hat and protective clothing. Sign in at the Longboat Key Chapel. Call 883-8905 with questions or register in advance at Eventbrite.
MONDAYS STRETCH AND STRENGTHEN
10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. This class is mostly seated and great for all fitness levels. The focus is on strength training and flexibility for balance. Suzy Brenner leads the class. Fee is $20. Walk-ins welcome. Call 941383-6493.
TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS
PILATES SCULPT
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 $20. Walk-ins welcome. Call 941-383-6493.
YOGA
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 $20. Call 383-6493.
All Angels by the Sea is holding its 5th annual art sale, starting Feb. 3, to support the nonprofit Turning Points.
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
Linn Torres has been organizing the “New to You” art sale hosted by the All Angels Episcopal Church since its inception, and she anticipates it will be better than ever in its fifth year.
“We get some fabulous items,” she said. “They’re one of a kind, and you never know what you are going to get.”
She carefully curates the collection of unique, high-quality pieces throughout the year and is eager for buyers to search through this year’s 300 offerings to find whatever treasure speaks to them.
Pieces in this year’s sale include jewelry, paintings, prints, sculptures and much more. Family members of one parishioner who died this year allowed Torres to pick 50 special items from his estate to help raise funds.
As an antiquing expert, Torres said patrons are poised to get a steal considering the pieces are marked well below market value, all with the goal of raising as much funding as possible while providing residents with interesting art.
The church donates 100% of the proceeds to charity, supporting the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity in previous years. This year’s new nonprofit is Turning Points, which provides support for Manatee County families and individuals fac-
ing homelessness.
“They do great things for the community,” she added.
The organization provides support for those who need assistance with their rent and utility bills, helping ensure residents can stay in their homes. Turning Points also focuses on rapid rehousing to help families quickly find stability and particularly focuses on assisting veterans. Experts also offer advice on case management, budgeting education and referrals.
Torres encourages patrons to revisit the sale while it lasts, considering she adds new items every day.
The sale takes place at the church gallery, located at 563 Bay Isles Road. It starts on Feb. 3 and runs through Feb. 27. It is open at the church from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and noon to 3 p.m. on Sundays. It will also be open for special hours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 22 and noon to 4 p.m. on Feb. 23. For inquiries about the sale or how to donate, call 383-8161.
ADAM
HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Acondominium in Grand Bay top this week’s real estate.
Robert and Connie Zerden, of Atlanta, sold their Unit 343 condominium at 3030 Grand Bay Blvd. to Miles Kilcoin and Kristi Rabenberg, of Bloomington, Illinois, for $2.2 million.
Built in 1998, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,369 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,385,000 in 2022.
EMERALD HARBOR
Jeanne and Robert Musorofiti, trustees, of Longboat Key, sold the home at 650 Emerald Harbor Drive to David Allen Barnette and Cynthia Wegely Barnette, of Longboat Key, for $1.8 million. Built in 1969, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,039 square feet of living area. It sold for $350,000 in 1992.
L’ELEGANCE ON LIDO BEACH
Alexander and Irene Cass, trustees, of Seattle, sold the Unit B-810 condominium at 1800 Benjamin Franklin Drive to Nan Fein and Richard Fein, trustees, of Cincinnati, for $1.6 million. Built in 1996, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,700 square feet of living area. It sold for $330,000 in 1996.
GRAND BAY
Mitchell Sabshon and Joan Colmar, trustees, sold the Unit 112 condominium at 3060 Grand Bay Blvd. to Dona McMullen Schaaf and Frank Behle Schaaf, of Midlothian,
JAN. 13-17
Virginia, for $1.55 million. Built in 1994, it has three bedrooms, threeand-a-half baths and 2,143 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.4 million in 2022.
FAIRWAY BAY
Heather Doster Steven, trustee, of Wilmington, North Carolina, sold the Unit 557 condominium at 2110 Harbourside Drive to Austin Riess and Mason Riess, trustees, of Danbury, Wisconsin, for $999,000. Built in 1988, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,039 square feet of living area. It sold for $400,000 in 1993.
LIDO SHORES
Julie Ann Shroyer, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 303 condominium at 350 S. Polk Drive to MXP South Polk LLC for $535,000. Built in 1977, it has two bedrooms, two
for the week of Jan. 17-23 in order of dollar amounts.
baths and 1,036 square feet of
CASA MAR
Pamela Pelletier, trustee, of Plymouth, Massachusetts, sold the Unit 8-A condominium at 4621 Gulf of Mexico Drive to JAL 2018 Inc. for $500,000. Built in 1973, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 900 square feet of living area. It sold for $140,000 in 1983.
FRIDAY, JAN. 31
FEB. 1
SUNDAY, FEB. 2
Jan. 30 2:10p 7:52a 6:55p Friday, Jan. 31 12:23a
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