On Friday, March 28, town staff and officials gathered to celebrate Susan Phillips’ dedication to the town as she prepares to retire.
Staff and friends of Phillips enjoyed snacks and cake and shared well-wishes with Phillips at the get-together at the Longboat Key Town Hall commission chambers on the afternoon of March 28. Phillips is retiring from her position as assistant to the town manager after 27 years of employment with the town of Longboat Key.
Public Tennis
Center bids adieu Longboat Key’s Friends of Tennis bid farewell to the season by looking back at their accomplishments this year, not the least of which was working to refurbish the courts after the recent hurricanes.
Members celebrated with a party at the Longboat Key Public Tennis Center on Friday, enjoying a doubles exhibition with Robert Jendelund, Tomaz Borucki, Mark Riddell and Dave Pfister.
Tennis Center Manager Kay Thayer offered special commendations to the league captains, celebrated racket stringer Jay Morgan and others essential to the center’s success this year.
Canal tax swims upstream
Courtesy image
Susan Phillips and her husband, Steve Branham.
Dana Kampa Public Tennis Center Manager Kay Thayer gives special recognition to the league captains who helped make this season a success.
Dana Kampa
WEEK OF APRIL 3, 2025
BY THE NUMBERS
n
“We
need to really take a critical look at how we
will, in the future, plan for large and powerful storms that remain some distance off the coast.”
Town Manager Howard Tipton at the 2025 Disaster Preparedness Seminar Read more on pages 4A
Ringling College to debut environmental docs
The debut for the Ringling College of Art and Design environmental short films is here.
At noon on Sunday, April 6, Ringling College will host a screening for the six environmental short documentaries backed by the Rotary Club of Longboat Key. The six short documentaries feature local environmental organizations such as Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, Longboat Key Turtle Watch, Save Our Seabirds, Oyster River Ecology, Suncoast Urban ReFor-
esters and the effort to preserve Sister Keys.
Jeff Driver, a past president of the Rotary Club of Longboat Key, spearheaded the initial collaboration with Ringling College’s film department.
The genesis of the idea was to increase environmental outreach and awareness, which aligns with one of the key pillars of Rotary.
Patrick Alexander, the head of the Ringling film program, supported the idea. The films were produced by students as a part of the stu-
dents’ coursework that allows them to gain industry-like and professional experience working with clients.
The premiere of these films are a part of the 2025 Sarasota Short Film Festival and will take place from noon to 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 6, at the Ringling College Morganroth Auditorium, 2700 N. Tamiami Trail.
A panel discussion will follow the screening of the six short documentaries.
The event is free to the public.
Business loans available through April
27
The deadline to apply for one of the business loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration is April 27.
Business owners who experienced physical damage to business property can apply to the physical damage loan before the deadline date. This applies to Manatee and Sarasota counties for damages related to Hurricane Helene.
Applicable damage costs include property owned by the business, such as a building, supplies and machinery. Nonprofit organizations and churches also are eligible. Interest rates for the business loan vary from 4% to 8% and can be issued for up to $2 million. The April 27 deadline applies to the business physical disaster loan for Hurricane Helene, but other loan options exist through the SBA. For more information about the loans, visit the SBA website at Lending.SBA.gov or reach out via email at DisasterCustomerService@SBA. gov. Questions can also be taken via phone at 800-659-2955.
Accident caused road closure on March 27
A two-vehicle accident occurred around 5:15 a.m. on Thursday, March 27, which caused delays on Gulf of Mexico Drive. According to Tina Adams, the town’s fire administration manager and public information officer, a flatbed semi-truck heading north attempted to pull onto GMD and collided with a white pickup stopped near the roadway. The collision pinned the pickup against the concrete construction barrier and temporarily trapped the driver. Neither driver sustained injuries, and the trapped driver was able to be freed by responding Longboat Key Fire Rescue crews.
The accident caused delays on GMD near Sloop Lane until around 8:10 a.m. when both lanes of traffic were reopened.
Courtesy image
Ringling College students Celi Mitidieri and Ella Satterfield work on a film with Jeff and Terri Driver.
SEAGRASS SURVEY SIGNALS SUCCESS
The results showed a 19% increase in seagrass coverage from 2022 to 2024, and preliminary observations indicate the bay was resilient enough to withstand 2024 storms.
CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER
Dave Tomasko’s smile brimmed from ear to ear — it signified success. As he emerged from the water, somewhere in Upper Sarasota Bay, the executive director of the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program held a clump of seagrass — proof, he said, that the bay’s seagrasses are on the mend.
“This is a successful day. This is cool,” Tomasko said, holding the clump of seagrass. “We’re at the epicenter of a 1,900-acre increase in seagrass.”
The SBEP recently announced it received the 2024 seagrass maps, which were completed by the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
The maps showed an increase of 1,912 acres of seagrass across Sarasota Bay, an increase of 19%, from 2022 to 2024.
Seagrasses are an indicator of ecosystem health. The habitats can provide nursing grounds for juvenile fish and crustaceans, but also are a vital food source for animals like manatees and sea turtles.
When Tomasko and SBEP staff went out on Sarasota Bay on March 28 with Chris Anastasiou, chief water quality scientist with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, there was a big question looming: Did the 2024 hurricane season impact the seagrass recovery?
The surveys taken by the Southwest Florida Water Management District comprised images taken before the 2024 storms. Tomasko and others wondered if the heavy rainfall, increased nutrients and debris could have negatively impacted the seagrasses — impacts the images would not have represented.
The in-field results are what caused Tomasko’s wide smile. It appeared Sarasota Bay’s resiliency could withstand the impacts. It’s a testament, he said, that the investments in making the bay cleaner are creating a more sustainable system.
“A cleaner bay is a more resilient bay,” Tomasko said. “It looks like
we’ve been able to weather the 2024 hurricane season,” Tomasko said.
High-fives followed on board among SBEP staff and Anastasiou.
“I’m really excited,” said Tomasko. “This is the payoff from the hard work.”
IN RECOVERY Numbers don’t lie, and the 2024 seagrass mapping shows Sarasota Bay is recovering from a period of degradation.
“The reason we have a big increase is because we had a big decrease originally,” Tomasko said.
In 2018, the maps showed 12,853 of seagrass coverage in Sarasota Bay. That decreased to 10,539 in 2020 and 9,964 in 2022.
Now, there is an estimated 11,876 acres of seagrass.
Seeing shallow-area gains in just a couple feet is an example.
But the more impressive examples are further below the surface, at depths of five or six feet. Tomasko said that’s what shows a greater impact since it’s more difficult for seagrass to grow in deeper areas with less sunlight.
Some estimates state one acre of seagrass could support 40,000 small fish and 50 million small invertebrates.
The seagrass maps are one factor in the SBEP’s annual ecosystem health report card, which looks at the bigger picture of Sarasota Bay.
The report card looks at the bay’s health over a yearlong period rather than looking at what Tomasko called an episodic event, or a short-term event.
“An event that causes a problem for just a short period is not nearly as problematic as something that causes a problem for a long time,” Tomasko said. “An episodic event is not great, but it’s not going to be as problematic as a long-term issue.”
This year’s report card, like the seagrass maps, shows Sarasota Bay continues a positive recovery trend.
It’s broken up into periods, starting with the “reference period” from 2006 to 2012. The SBEP compares new data with the reference period and determines new scores for the
report card based on how much the data deviates from the reference.
Using that comparison, then, is how the SBEP determined the period from 2013 to 2019 is the “degrading period.” Scores for some of the bays reached “concerning” or “poor” conditions. But since then, the bay is in the “recovering” phase.
Tomasko chalked much of that recovery up to better wastewater and stormwater management.
In the lower parts of the bay, Tomasko said stormwater retrofit projects like those in Hudson Bayou and Phillippi Creek are prime examples.
Wastewater improvements continue in all parts of the bay, but Tomasko said the Upper Bay is an area to point out.
“What our model suggests is, the reason for that improvement in the Upper Bay is that Manatee County upgraded their wastewater treatment process at the southwest water reclamation facility and that is reducing the nutrient content,” Tomasko said.
Investing in projects like these in the future will be key to maintaining the recovery of Sarasota Bay.
Tomasko said continued public support for these projects can help emphasize the importance to local officials.
The recovery in Sarasota Bay is a positive that Tomasko said is unlike other parts of Florida.
“This is kind of unique,” Tomasko said. “And we think it’s because the investments are big enough to be able to make a difference and we’re really happy about that.”
HOW THE MAPPING WORKS
The Southwest Florida Water Management District publishes seagrass surveys every two years, time needed to produce such a report.
Chris Anastasiou said the organization will get ready for the 2026 survey by starting the mapping later this year.
The surveys compare data from year to year so organizations like the SBEP can use the data to show that change to the public, municipalities and state or federal governments.
“The intent of this program is to capture change,” said Anastasiou.
The district captures aerial images of the entire Sarasota Bay at 9,000 feet. Weather conditions have to be just right — not too much sun, light or no wind. The images need to be able to capture what’s going on beneath the surface.
Then, once the images are captured, skilled technicians analyze the images in segments. For each segment, a certain polygon, technicians determine that area’s signature.
The signature could be “patchy seagrass” or “continuous seagrass” and could represent gains or losses.
The focus, still, is on change throughout the quantitative analysis.
Seagrasses like turtle grass are important to marine ecosystems.
Photos by Carter Weinhofer
Chris Anastasiou and Dave Tomasko pull up clumps of seaweed to show the seagrass is still lush after an active 2024 storm season.
Courtesy image
One of the seagrass maps shows seagrass coverage gains and losses from 2022 to 2024.
Seminar presents lessons learned from hurricanes
Longboat Key’s 2025 Disaster Preparedness Seminar included insights into the town’s lessons learned as well as advice from local meteorologists and emergency coordinators.
and to heed those warnings when they come through.
his year’s disaster preparedness seminar on Longboat Key felt different from previous years.
The 2025 Longboat Key Disaster Preparedness Seminar included not only the best methods of preparation and communication around storms but also some key takeaways and lessons learned from Town Manager Howard Tipton.
Kim Verreault, president and CEO of the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce, opened the event by touching on how active the 2024 hurricane season was for Longboat Key and the resilience shown by the community.
“This experience has shown us that Longboat Key is more than just a place; it’s a community of people who take care of each other,” Verreault said. “Recovery takes a team, and that is exactly what we have.”
Mayor Ken Schneier also added to the opening remarks, emphasizing the impact Hurricanes Helene and Milton had on the island.
“The aftermath is still underway and will be for months, if not years,” he said. “The pain felt by many of our residents and businesses has been enormous and is continuing.”
PREPAREDNESS IS KEY
Matt Anderson, a science and operations officer with the National Weather Service, focused on how the National Weather Service acquires its data, then pushes out to citizens through various channels. He said it’s important to get weather data and warnings from trusted sources
Justin Mosley and Eric Kasunich, two meteorologists from News Channel 8 (WFLA), built on Anderson’s talk.
The pair talked about the importance of having a plan before a storm comes.
This includes building a hurricane kit with essential supplies and staying informed throughout the storm.
All three weather speakers said, although it may seem a little outdated, a weather radio is a reliable source of information, especially in times where you may not have a television or power on a cell phone.
Preparedness also means coming up with an evacuation plan — where to go, what to bring and who to tell. And don’t leave the pets behind.
That plan often starts with knowing what evacuation zone you are in. With issued evacuation orders, the meteorologists said it’s critical to follow those orders.
“If you’re in these red evacuation zones ... you have to have a plan for hurricane season to get out. We have these storms that are threatening, and the storm surge is the number one killer ... If you’re along the coastline, you really do have to have that plan to get out,” Mosley said.
COUNTY COLLABORATION
Though Longboat Key’s evacuation orders come only from Sarasota County, having collaboration with both Sarasota and Manatee counties is critical.
Much of the immediate storm response is up to the municipality itself, in this case, the town of Longboat Key.
But there is still collaboration with counties to assist with resources when they are available. Then, through this collaboration, the counties and municipalities can work to secure resources for the region from state and federal agencies.
Disaster resources vary with every event, but likely include things like food, water, comfort stations and debris removal, said Sandra Tapfumaneyi, the emergency management chief for Sarasota County.
Tapfumaneyi was joined by her Manatee County counterpart, Matt Myers, whose speeches emphasized why it’s important for Longboat Key to continue collaboration and relationships with the counties.
NEW REENTRY PROTOCOL
Interim Chief of Police Frank Rubino outlined the town’s new re-entry protocol at the seminar.
There is new protocol as one of the town’s lessons learned from the last hurricane season.
This year, the town will issue different colored decals before storms and throughout the year. The colors will correspond to different tiers and will change from year to year.
NEW ENTRY SYSTEM
Interim Chief of Police Frank Rubino talked about the new re-entry system after a storm.
Police, fire rescue and public works have to give the all clear first.
The town will issue different colored decals before storms and throughout the year.
GREEN: Relief workers and essential businesses Publix employees.
RED: Residents and nonessential businesses.
The new system, Rubino said, will hopefully accelerate the process when people reach the checkpoints at either end of the island after storms.
Rubino said the town wants to welcome residents back as quickly as possible after storms, but in a safe manner.
The decals are available at the Longboat Key Town Hall, police department, fire rescue stations, public works building and planning, zoning and building department.
Experts In Celebrating Life
Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton shared his lessons learned from firsthand experience. While Helene roared by well off the coast of Longboat Key, Tipton was in the Town Hall, trapped. He watched as water rushed through Bay Isles Road, totaling his townissued vehicle.
1. Storms don’t have to be close or involve high winds to cause a lot of damage. Helene, which was hundreds of miles off Longboat’s coast, yet caused a devastating impact with its storm surge. With the storm being so far off the coast, Tipton did not order the town’s fire rescue or police departments off of the island, nor did he leave.
“We need to really take a critical look at how we will, in
2. Set aside emergency funds.
The town has emergency reserves set aside to deal with these events, and Tipton said having reserve funds for storms could apply to a personal level, too.
“I encourage all of you to make sure that you’ve got something set aside to help with some of the cleanup repairs and costs that come with even a small weather event,” Tipton said.
3. Protect your vehicles and electronics. Electric vehicles, bicycles and wheelchairs, for example, do not mix well with saltwater and could quickly become fire hazards.
In preparing a plan, Tipton said it’s also important to know where to move
4. Evaluate your home before rebuilding.
Tipton emphasized the need to evaluate structures before rebuilding them at the same flood-level grade.
“If you are at an at-grade property and you are going to be renovating and staying at grade, I just urge you to
Carter Weinhofer
Guest speakers at the 2025 Disaster Preparedness Seminar spoke about the importance of preparedness and collaboration before and after storms.
Howard Tipton
LESSONS LEARNED
Canal tax refined toward equity
Town staff and consultants presented a new method, which gained more appeal from commissioners.
Several iterations and hours of public workshops later, town commissioners say the canal maintenance taxing method is heading in the right direction.
The new proposed method is close to an 80/20 split, 20% being ad valorem tax for the entire island and 80% of the revenue collected via non ad valorem assessments imposed on properties with direct access to canals.
The town’s consultant, First Line Coastal, joined Public Works Director Charlie Mopps in presenting the update to the Longboat Key Town Commission at its March 24 work-
shop. Mark Stroik, with First Line Coastal, agreed the last method was complex and needed more molding to reach the commission’s goal of making a program easier to evaluate and communicate to constituents.
After the last canal discussion held on Jan. 21, First Line Coastal and town staff furthered discussions to create a simpler and more equitable method based on the commission’s direction to use an 80/20 split as a baseline.
Despite the method, Stroik said there are two distinct groups of residents on the island, those with and without direct canal access.
“When we think about what’s fair, what we try to think about is: What are the different user groups that we have on the island?” Stroik said.
Aside from that general distinction, there are unique properties the team still has to figure out, like condominium or homeowner groups that share a few docks within the association.
“Much is the crux of our issue here,
which is trying to address every scenario,” Stroik told commissioners, adding these scenarios will be looked at further as the program progresses.
Stroik first presented a millageonly funding option, which would split the cost so that properties with direct waterway access would pay 80% while those without direct access would pay 20%.
Though this concept was the simplest to communicate, Stroik said this method created too many disparities.
For example, boat slip units would pay a lower cost at about $21-$79 per year, whereas condominiums with direct access would pay closer to $531 per year. Vacant lots with direct canal access would pay around $265.50 per year, low in relation to a condominium with similar access.
The official recommendation from First Line Coastal and Stroik came with the second method, a combination of millage and direct assessment. About 20% of the costs would come from an islandwide ad valorem tax and the remaining 80% derives from non ad valorem assessment.
Stroik said the reasoning behind an islandwide millage is the implied intrinsic value of living in an island community near the water.
“The concept here is that there is some basic value for being a part of having a waterway program on Longboat Key, it being a boating community,” he said.
In this method, properties with direct water access would pay into both the ad valorem and non-ad valorem assessments.
Given these assessments, slips would pay around $642-$649 per year, and vacant lots on canals would be similar, around $670.35 per year.
These costs are estimates and annual for the first five years of the program and, though marketed as an even 80/20 split in the presentation, Stroik cautioned the final iteration likely won’t be a perfect 80/20.
“We do think it’s more equitable than scenario one, but it is still a little bit complex,” Stroik said. “This is the recommendation from us to proceed with option two.”
Commissioners across the board seem to have better opinions about this method as opposed to its introduction in 2023. Previous iterations included splitting the town’s canals into different usage types on top of trying to solve the equity issue.
Vice Mayor Debra Williams had some clarifying questions but said the new method presented was a step in the right direction.
“It is a lot easier to understand, and I think that you’re really getting toward where we need to be,” Williams told Stroik at the end of his presentation.
Mayor Ken Schneier agreed with Williams, adding the consultants adequately listened to previous feedback.
“This is getting us right on the path of what we need,” Schneier said.
A simpler-to-understand method was the goal because one challenge the commission will face is public outreach when the time comes to implement a method.
Longtime Village resident Rusty Chinnis said he’s seen the canal dredge program discussion arise over the years and sees the need. He said he’ll put his trust in the commissioners.
“I think we have a really good commission and a great Public Works Department, so I’m confident they will do the right thing,” Chinnis said.
Lynn Larson, president of the Country Club Shores IV development, agreed there seems to be an understanding the dredging should happen, but feels residents oppose a taxing mechanism for the canal maintenance.
“I’m not aware of any residents that are in favor of that,” Larson said about a canal taxing method.
Longboaters sent $102 million across the bay in 2024. Susan Phillips will be missed. Mayor Schneier is setting records.
The late Guy Paschal, the Longboat Key civic leader who most led the effort for the town to incorporate in 1955, is probably turning in his grave. This is not the Longboat Key he promised when he was lobbying town residents to incorporate. At that time, many Longboat Key citizens were quite agitated with the way Sarasota County government was treating the island. In an article Paschal wrote for the Longboat Observer on the founding of the town, he said:
“The residents had nothing to say in decisions of zoning, taxation, roads, parks, beaches, subdivisions, businesses, liquor licenses, sewers, water, street lights, and many others.”
Here was the tipping point:
“When the Sarasota County Commission decided to put a public beach in front of the trailer parks, the Key rose up,” Paschal wrote. Despite this animus toward Sarasota County, opposition to incorporation was stiff. So at a townwide meeting on the subject before a referendum, Paschal handed out a sheet with six promises. He “solemnly swore that as a nominee for public office, if elected, I will, abide by the following:
■ “I will oppose any additional real estate taxes.
■ “I will oppose an occupational license tax.
■ “I will oppose the establishment of a public beach on Longboat
■ “I will oppose stringent subdivision requirements such as those
proposed by Manatee and Sarasota counties.
■ “I will oppose any type of deficit financing, or any other expenditure beyond the town’s income.
■ “I will oppose the payment of salaries to any municipal officials except to the town clerk, whose salary shall not exceed $1,200 per year.”
On Nov. 14, 1955, Longboaters voted 98-3 to incorporate.
But if you read Paschal’s pledges closely, everything he promised not to do the Town Commission has done, and then some, in 70 years.
Paschal likely would be beside himself if he saw the town’s annual spending budget, its debt and how much Longboat Key taxpayers send across the bay to Manatee and Sarasota counties and the two public school districts. (See tables above.)
Long-term debt is $47.5 million. And in 2024, for the first time, Longboaters “crossed the Rubicon:” They paid the counties and school districts more than $100 million in property taxes.
And the “ROI” on that? Ha.
SERVING, HELPING OTHERS IS HER DNA
How will Longboaters survive?
What? No Susan Phillips?
It was a pleasure watching Phillips as a newcomer 27 years ago
$102 MILLION IN LBK TAXES
For the first time, Longboat taxpayers’ property taxes to Manatee and Sarasota counties and the school districts topped $100 million in 2024.
MANATEE
County = $18,026,520
Schools = $18,667,847
Total = $36,694,367
SARASOTA
County = $27,584,899*
Schools = $38,197,447
Total = $65,782,346
Grand total = $102,476,713
* Does not include 1.042 mills, or $6,491,884, in Sarasota for Sarasota Public Hospital.
grow in time and become involved and ingrained in Longboat Key the way she has.
If there was something, anything, occurring on the island — town meetings, art shows, Friday night at the Movies, Garden Club fashion shows, Fourth of July Freedom Fests, Town Commission meetings, hurricanes, chamber of commerce events, you name it — Phillips was there … organizing, fixing, setting up, taking down.
To a great extent, you could say Phillips for the past two decades was the face of Town Hall. Call her a dedicated public servant, but truth is, serving and helping others is her DNA. She has exemplified the best of being an involved citizen and community leader.
Longboat citizens will miss Phillips’ touch on all things Longboat.
Even though she has retired, knowing her nature to be involved, our bet is we haven’t seen the last of Phillips’ involvement in Longboat affairs. Let’s hope that’s the case.
New College-USF: Hey, someone make the case
Ah, yes, the never-ending debate: What to do about New College of Florida and the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee. And now we have two more components — the Ringling Museum of Art and its boss, Florida State University. But don’t ask anyone inside these institutions what’s going on. They won’t tell you a thing. (We’ve asked.) Don’t ask anyone here in Sarasota and Manatee outside of the institutions — like, say, people who would be affected. They don’t know anything. And if you talk to our local legislators, they don’t know much either.
Sen. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton and incoming Senate president, told restaurateur John Horne last week in Tallahassee: “Let me tell you where we are. There are a lot of conversations going on. Nothing is decided right now.”
You know, back-room deals. That always gets us. Sunshine laws prevent local commissioners from meeting behind doors, but not state legislators. Rules for thee, but not for me.
Here’s the thing, perhaps the most annoying thing: No one at the top of the pyramids of the four institutions is being honest or open about anything related to this. No one is leveling with the people who pay them (uh, that would be taxpayers). Not one iota of explanation or answering questions. Why? What triggered and prompted Gov. Ron DeSantis to drop his grenade right before the legislative session to transfer stewardship of the Ringling Museum to
New College? Who prompted that? Richard Corcoran, president of New College? (Duh.)
The Tampa Bay Times quoted a spokeswoman for USF-Tampa saying the chair of the State University System of Florida Board of Trustees asked New College and USF in September “to look at how our two institutions can identify additional synergies in our partnership.”
Spare us the jargon. What did that mean? How extensive was this “looking at” to go? Who ordered that?
The questions go on and on and on — unanswered.
It’s also quite remarkable that when DeSantis filed his appropriations budget, which included the transfer of the Ringling Museum to New College, none of our local legislators had a clue that was coming. Indeed, the fact everyone in this community is in the dark about every detail — the whys, the objectives, the pluses, the minuses, the obstacles, the options — is engendering deep distrust for Gov. DeSantis and the chairs of the boards of trustees and presidents of the three universities.
It gets worse. On March 25, thanks to a Freedom of Information Act request, WUSF reporter Kerry Sheridan reported that New College had prepared a press release in January whose first sentence was the following:
“In a forward-thinking move that reflects the spirit of innovation and collaboration in Florida’s higher education system, Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced that New College
of Florida will begin integrating the University of South Florida’s Sarasota-Manatee campus.”
The release described in detail New College absorbing USF-Manatee and included a Q&A explaining the transaction.
Sheridan’s story further reported: “Asked for comment, a spokesman for USF said the documents were a ‘draft’ prepared by New College, and that USF ‘did not approve the proposal or communications, and there were no plans made to make any such announcement.’”
All of the people involved should know better. When you hide and obfuscate, you make things worse. For starters, it would not have been difficult for the governor or for Brian Lamb, chair of the State University System of Florida Board of Trustees, the overseer of all universities, to come to Sarasota and Manatee and make a case for combining the two schools. Show us the courtesy.
From a business perspective, it’s a no-brainer, to be sure. This region has always desired having a major university, and consolidating USF and New College into one campus, including the Ringling Museum of Art, makes sense. On paper.
Yet many people here remember the two schools tried combining once before. It didn’t work; in fact, it worked badly.
But if there is a compelling case to do it again, certainly there is a far better way to execute than what is being done now.
PR-Community Building 101: Step one — Build trust, support and
“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.” Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944
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A bow of gratitude to Susan Phillips.
SCHNEIER SETS RECORD AS MAYOR
Longboat Key Mayor Ken Schneier will soon be a record holder.
In March 2020, Schneier’s Town Commission colleagues chose him to serve as mayor. That was the first year that mayoral terms were extended from one to three years.
Schneier’s colleagues did it again in March 2023 — reelecting him to a second three-year term as mayor, which is to end in 2026.
When this second term expires, Schneier will have served as mayor longer than any commissioner in the town’s history. Altogether, Schneier will have served on the Town Commission for eight years, first being elected in 2018.
Remember, unlike most cities, our commissioners are unpaid. Now, that’s public service!
BTW: Longboat’s longest serving commissioner was Howard Ridyard — 22 years, first from 1955 to 1963, then from 1966 to 1979.
MOST YEARS AS LBK MAYOR
Ken Schneier 6/2020-26
Samuel Gibbon 5/1969-73
James P. Brown 4/1990-93
Jim Brown 4/2011-14
Hal Lenobel 3/1998-99, 2008
George Spoll 3/2010, 2018-19
William J. Kenney 3/1974-76
coalitions. Gauge community support quietly with key stakeholders, making a persuasive and compelling case before going public.
Even before that, the institutions should have compiled data showing the tangible benefits of consolidating and the tangible risks and troubles of not doing it.
DeSantis and the top trustees and presidents of each institution should have been making personal visits to present and, especially, to past lawmakers. The latter spent years of their terms persuading the Legislature to provide the funding necessary to build USF into what it is today ($40 million budget; 2,000 students; 40 accredited graduate and undergraduate programs).
Clearly, those former lawmakers could be a troubling source of resistance and undermining.
DeSantis and the university leaders should be engaging local business leaders. What’s in it for them? Laurey Stryker, former chancellor of the USF-Sarasota-Manatee campus and one of its key builders, told us the accounting and financial advisory firm of KerkeringBarberio has hired 30% of the firm’s professionals from the USF-Sarasota-Manatee campus.
Instead, the approach has been typical of the DeSantis and Corcoran modus operandi — do it and who cares what anyone thinks or how anyone is affected.
If the governor, House Speaker Danny Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton cobble a deal together in the dark of Tallahassee, as many think they will do, President Corcoran will rue the day. A local, public university should be an integrated partner in the community, not a closed, separate, personal fiefdom.
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MATT WALSH
‘Quite appalling’ to call Dr. Fauci ‘dishonest’
I read with interest but also curiosity your convictions that the RJK Jr. book should be regarded as the gospel on these subjects.
He titles it as well to garner interest in his agenda of retrospectively breaking down a fast-moving, complicated time to fit criticisms based on things/publications/opinions he brings together as “facts.”
Just amassing a like-minded group of followers does not authenticate information into the factual category of truth; studies with culled information from many individuals with like-agendas are not necessarily all reputable or with scientific merit.
This book was written years ago, and the reviews that really break it down are not very favorable.
Please have some open-mindedness.
The scientific community atlarge regards COVID vaccines as not perfect, but certainly contributing to saved lives.
Furthermore, I find it quite appalling to take in this trove of information hook, line and sinker and summarily label Fauci as irrefutably “dishonest.” That certainly tries to negate a long career in public service for world good regarded by most of his peers as outstanding and without reproach.
LARRY MENDELOW M.D.
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
Editor response:
RFK Jr.’s book can be taken as fact or full of inaccuracies and false statements, depending, most likely, on where you lined up during the pandemic.
Our questions essentially are asking Dr. Fauci to reply to or refute the evidence, facts, information and accusations that RFK presents.
As for Dr. Fauci’s dishonesty, there was ample evidence reported from all over the world of the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin on COVID during the pandemic.
The mainstream media overwhelmingly ignored it, but there were
plenty of physicians and other nonmainstream media outlets reporting on successful outcomes from the use of those two drugs.
Based on his recorded comments, Dr. Fauci was aware of this; and yet he consistently, dogmatically and persistently discredited them and said there was no evidence they worked. It wasn’t stupidity that made him say that.
What is the truth? If RFK is wrong, if the FLCCC doctors were wrong, show us, convince us. That’s what Americans want to know.
—MW
Don’t saddle ‘Doubters’ with ‘Doers’ debt
Matt Walsh’s Feb. 20 editorial troubled me because of his reliance on the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation’s consultants to justify some of the reasons for his opinion.
SPAF consultants are on record saying the total tax increment financing receipts will exceed $775 million compared to the published current city estimates of just more than $145 million.
Keep in mind that every billion dollars of new development in the TIF district yields about $2.5 million to $3 million per year in TIFbased contributions. Currently, the annual TIF contribution is less than $2 million per year, and the annual payment on a $225 million-plus bond issue will require annual payments of about $15 million a year.
So we need another $13 million in TIF receipts from new development to close the gap.
If you do the math, that means about $4 billion in new development will have to occur in the Quay and the Rosemary District. That is on top of the 10 to 15 condo and apartment projects that are already underway in the Quay and the Rosemary District that will add to the tax payrolls between now and 2030.
Walsh knows the SPAF has no financial liability should these numbers fail to materialize. The bond issuance will be undertaken by the city, and city residents will be on the hook for the debt.
Unless numbers are sourced from the city, SPAF estimates are soft at best and highly suspect at worst. If the sin of Doubters is that they are weak-kneed and lack the aspirational courage of Walsh, the sin of Doers is that they sometimes have a cavalier attitude about passing on debt to our children who will have to live with it long after the Doers pass away.
I want a new performing arts center, but that doesn’t mean I’m willing to give the SPAF a blank check and pray.
MIKE HASSETT SARASOTA
RFK Jr. is ‘a garbage human’
I’ve never ever had cause to use the term “garbage human.” Until your most recent editorial.
RFK Jr. is a garbage human. Dozens of extramarital affairs, his conquests carefully documented, to such an extent that it drove his wife to suicide. His own family, those who know him best, completely disavowed him. He was described as a predator, and given that history, who could disagree?
Not to mention his disturbing habit of using a blender to puree small chicks and mice for the birds of prey that he keeps putting on quite the show, it seems, for his younger cousins.
No wonder his family came to distance themselves.
But not you, Mr. Walsh. You’ve elevated this garbage human to the level of our esteemed Dr. Fauci, who was the trusted face of the U.S. response to COVID.
I remember COVID. Hundreds of thousands dying without any effective treatments or vaccines. Dr. Fauci almost single-handedly saw us through that darkness.
Meanwhile, the garbage human, no doubt, was notching another tryst.
ERIC CAPELLARI SARASOTA
Just say ‘sorry’ for the poster
Sarasota Film Festival President Mark Famiglio’s latest defense of the 2025 Sarasota Film Festival poster — “I guess sarcasm has been canceled” — smacks of the doubling down we often hear from the White House.
Let me be clear: Canadians relish sarcasm. What we don’t relish are the president’s recurring threats to annex the sovereign nation of Canada.
When Mr. Famiglio tells the media, “There are people who would think that calling Canada the 51st state is a compliment,” he demonstrates his inability to read the room — e.g., his film festival audience includes many Canadians, who are rightfully anxious and angry right now.
Famiglio’s insensitivity to the existential threat to Canada is astounding. Like a Canadian, he should learn to say “sorry.”
JULIA DRAKE SARASOTA/TORONTO
Geographic information goes public
New GIS databases give residents access to information about evacuation routes, zoning maps and sea level rise estimates.
CARTER WEINHOFER
STAFF WRITER
The town of Longboat Key recently unveiled new publicfacing geographic databases for residents and town employees.
IT Director Jason Keen presented the new tools at the Longboat Key Town Commission’s March 24 workshop and made the dashboards live after the workshop.
Residents can navigate the town’s website to access the databases made available through geographic information systems software.
GIS is a software using geographically referenced information and data specific to a location. That data is used to create layers applied to maps for visual data sharing.
The GIS technology is something the town has been working on to push out to the public for various applications like sea level rise estimates, property zoning and commission district boundaries.
“One of the things we’ve been working on for the last couple of years is to try and bring our GIS functionality up to where it should be,” Town Manager Howard Tipton said. “It’s a great tool.”
Now, with a foundation of GIS applications for the town, Keen said staff will continue developing potential applications.
“We are looking at expanding GIS over the next year or so to include some of our public safety and utilities,” Keen said.
Public Works and Planning, Zoning and Building Department officials could also use GIS databases for projects and in-field applications like locating underground utilities.
Keen said there could be a community reporting type of dashboard, where residents could input information about downed trees, downed power lines or damaged property, which would go directly to the appropriate department.
“We’re trying to expand and make the GIS more friendly for everybody,” Keen said.
At the same meeting, Director of Planning, Zoning and Building Allen Parsons showed commissioners another similar dashboard called Forerunner.
Forerunner allows users to input addresses and receive important information regarding flood risk and elevation certificates.
The software displays information like the property’s flood zone, base flood elevation, design flood elevation and if the property is within a
INFORMATION
ACCESS
Both the GIS dashboard and Forerunner are available to the public through the town’s website at LongboatKey.org.
To get there, head to the Longboat Key website home page and click “Popular Links.” There, users can access the links to “GIS Online” and “Forerunner (Flood Risk & Elevation Certificate Search).”
coastal barrier resources system. This software available to the public could be useful for residents currently looking to make improvements to their properties following the impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, as well.
“This will be, I think, a great tool for people to do their own research and then try to figure out how to harden their property,” Tipton said.
Courtesy image
The town of Longboat Key’s new GIS dashboard gives residents access to data on districts, zoning, condominium construction history and sea level rise. predictions.
ARTS APR L IN
Impaired
A Longboat Key officer noticed a vehicle start to gain speed and began to catch up to the vehicle, reaching 75 mph before the driver slowed to 65 mph in a posted 45 mph zone. The officer conducted a traffic stop and observed the driver showing signs of impairment like fumbling documents, slightly slurred speech and an alcohol odor. The driver admitted to having a few drinks over several hours and later consented to field sobriety testing. After the driver failed to meet the mark on the tests, the officer arrested the driver and transported him to the county jail.
SATURDAY, MARCH 22
HOA COUP AVERTED
10:20 a.m., 3700 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Disturbance: Dispatch sent officers to a reported disturbance at a homeowners’ association meeting. At the scene, the complainant told officers several people were instigating a coup on the HOA and had been talking loudly to prevent the meeting from starting. But by the time officers arrived, the individuals stopped talking, and the meeting pursued without issue. There was no crime or ordinance violation, so the officers closed the case.
TUESDAY, MARCH 25
NOT THE BEST TIME TO FISH
3:51 a.m., 6500 block of Gulfside Road
Suspicious Incident: An officer on patrol noticed two vehicles parked in the driveway of a residence that was left vacant after the hurricanes because of storm damage. Officers followed footsteps that led to the beach and found three fishermen walking toward the residence. The fishermen explained they had text messages with the property owner, who permitted them to use the property. All three returned to their vehicles and left the area after the interaction.
SNAKE SENT PACKING
12:13 p.m., 600 block of Rountree Drive Animal Problem: A resident called the police to help her remove a red
MONDAY, MARCH 24
SAVING A SEABIRD
3:07 p.m., 4700 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Animal Problem: While on beach patrol, an officer observed a crowd gathering around an injured cormorant. The officer used a blanket from his beach patrol unit to cover the injured bird and transported it to Save Our Seabirds for intake.
and black snake from her property. The responding officer determined it was a nonvenomous corn snake and safely relocated the snake from the resident’s property to a nearby wooded area.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26
CAN’T CAMP THERE
12:37 a.m., 6900 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Suspicious Vehicle: White patrolling Longboat Key, an officer noticed a vehicle parked in a lot after hours and saw condensation-covered windows, indicating someone could be inside. The officer spoke to the occupant, who said he was traveling the country and camping in his truck. The camper was advised of the town’s ordinance prohibiting such activity and sent on his way.
EARLY IT CALL
4:39 a.m., 3000 block of Grand Bay Boulevard
Citizen Assist: Dispatch sent officers to assist a citizen who said she was sure someone was listening to her phone calls. An officer explained to her that new phone updates changed certain things on her phone and offered to give her a tutorial on some of the new accessibility features. She thanked the officers for their assistance.
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IS AMARA.
Gotcha again this year
SRQ’s Rick Piccolo had to dispel a ‘rumor’ that SpaceX was going to build a spaceport at the airport.
It happens everywhere people will grab their newspaper the day they get it, glance at the headline and run out the door to a function.
With this time of year, be very cautious ... very cautious indeed of what you see in a headline in an Observer paper.
Upon glancing at the headline “SpaceX coming to SRQ” one reader took that line with him as he went to an event and ran into Rick Piccolo, who is the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport president and CEO. It was news to Piccolo. Well, actually non news to Piccolo.
Last week, with the annual April Fool’s edition of the Longboat Observer , Piccolo was a bit taken back, but cleared any rumor of space launches blasting off from SRQ and flying right over Bayfront Park on Longboat Key.
“We’re not a rocket launching site,” Piccolo said. “We don’t want to disturb our neighbors.”
But wait, there’s more. One reader saw their Sarasota Observer and posted his thoughts on a local social
media site against Gov. Ron DeSantis allowing for the Unconditional Surrender statue to be replaced by one of Donald and Melania.
The initial comment after his posting was someone who knew about The Observer’s annual April Fool’s edition. Despite that initial warning, several others continued with the “how can they change that statue” response?
One caller to our office acknowledged the joke of the statue and said, “Ya got me,” and continued, “I’m sure glad that was a joke.”
One gentleman from Canada who winters here in Sarasota said his eyes were popping out of his head when he saw the “statue swap” story, but breathed relief when he saw the “Gotcha” on the next page.
On Longboat, we had a message from someone who was calling for a group of friends and couldn’t wait for the opening of the Skyline Chili. We called him back and, yes, he thought it was our April Fool’s edition.
But, the changing — er, nonchanging — of the statue seemed to be the big winner of our shenanigan stories. There are always a few who get taken in by our stories, and we appreciate them. We work hard, and you all are not an easy bunch to fool.
For those who know about the April Fools’ issue, they are cautious. As Roger Daltry once sang, “We don’t get fooled again.” We’ll see about that.
Courtesy image SpaceX plans to open a launch site as part of a new expansion at the SarasotaBradenton International Airport — according to our April Fool’s story, anyway.
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Longboat Key Turtle Watch readies for season
Volunteers started by repainting about 500 stakes that will be used to mark nests this season.
WORSHIP directory
CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER
Friends of Longboat Key’s sea turtles started preparing for the nesting season, which officially starts on May 1.
Volunteers with Longboat Key Turtle Watch spent a few hours on March 25 and 26 repainting about 500 stakes used yearly to mark nests along Longboat’s beaches.
When turtles begin nesting, volunteers mark the nests with two or four stakes, depending on mechanically raked areas of the beach.
On the stakes, volunteers indicate information like the species of turtle, address, a date code given by Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, the zone and whether the Mote is monitoring the nest.
Marking off the nests is essential. Volunteers and Mote staff can identify the nest and it makes the public aware of area nests.
Vice President of Longboat Key Turtle Watch Cyndi Seamon said the group lost some stakes during Hurricane Debby. She said the group would assess during the upcoming nesting season to see if they need to purchase replacement stakes.
During Hurricane Helene, though, one of the large boxes holding the stakes washed away about a quartermile down from its location.
Luckily, a good samaritan found the box and contacted Longboat Key Turtle Watch, saving many of the stakes the organization repurposes every year.
Sea turtle nesting season and the town of Longboat Key’s related ordinances don’t officially start until May 1, but Longboat Key Turtle Watch volunteers will begin patrols in mid-April.
For the past several years, nests are popping up earlier than May 1, typically around mid-to-late April.
Though the town’s ordinances regarding turtle-friendly lighting don’t start until May 1, Seamon said
FOR MORE INFO
When nesting season is in full swing, Longboat Key Turtle Watch conducts free public beach walks in June and July.
Residents and guests can attend the beach walks starting at 6:45 a.m. at the public beach access located at 4795 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Visit LBKTurtleWatch.com.
she advises everyone to be cognizant of lights visible from the beach closer to mid-April.
“I always tell people to go take a walk on the beach at night and go look,” Seamon said. That way, she said, people can know what lights may be problems during the nesting season.
According to Seamon, the town’s code enforcement department will also start patrolling the beach around mid-April to note any changes from previous years or any potential issues.
This year, Seamon expects there may be some additional hurdles, given how much the beach face changed after the 2024 hurricane season.
“I think everybody is on high alert,” Seamon said. “There’s so much devastation, and it’s not a quick fix.”
For one, flatter beaches and a changed beach topography might alter nesting behaviors. Dunes often protect properties from storm surge but can also act as a natural barrier between the beach and busy roads.
“It’ll be interesting to see how high up (the beach) the turtles go,” Seamon said. “Our beach is pretty flat, lots of it.”
Additionally, Seamon said the loss of dunes and beach vegetation may create gaps that let in light that weren’t previously visible from the beach. Other issues may be places that may have pools but have not repaired fences around the pools yet, Seamon said.
SEA TURTLE ORDINANCES
Chapter 100 of the town of Longboat Key’s code outlines the town’s regulations for creating a safe environment for nesting and hatchling turtles during the nesting season from May 1 to Oct. 31. Simply put, lights visible from the beach must be turned off during nesting season or utilize turtle-friendly light fixtures. Properties must also use window treatments — like blinds, shutters, curtains or window tints — to shield light coming from inside residences that would be visible from the beach. Aside from lighting, property owners must remove temporary structures and items like beach chairs and umbrellas from the beach every night from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. so those objects do not obstruct sea turtles’ paths.
To learn more about our Temple and all our educational, cultural and social programs, please call us. We’d be delighted to talk with you. Questions? Email us at info@longboatkeytemple.org You are invited to join us in worship, song & friendship at Shabbat services every Friday evening at 5:30 pm and Saturdays at 10 am.
Courtesy image
Longboat Key Turtle Watch volunteers prepped about 500 stakes that will be used to mark sea turtle nests this nesting season.
2161
YOUR NEIGHBORS
FROM ACTOR TO CANTOR
Actress Riselle Bain brought her musical talents to Temple Beth Israel for a holiday service.
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
The cantor tradition hasn’t always been inclusive of women motivated to express their faith through this timehonored musical practice.
The year 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the ordination of the first female cantor, Barbara Ostfeld.
Local cantor Riselle Bain shared in an interview her appreciation for how the field has changed, providing an avenue for her to celebrate her beliefs through song.
“It means so much to me to be part of that change,” she said. “When I
was growing up, women were not cantors.”
Bain recently joined the women of Temple Beth Israel’s congregation as the ordained cantor leading a special Passover service on March 25. Last year was the first time the temple hosted a service specifically for the community’s women.
She earned her cantor certification through the Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music and the American Conference of Cantors, the same institution where Ostfeld earned her title.
“It’s definitely a commitment of time and energy and study,” Bain said.
From a young age, Bain felt motivated to express herself through music and acting. The Los Angelesborn starlet found one of her biggest roles as Miriam, Moses’ young sister, in Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments.”
She holds the memories of the experience dear, right from the beginning, when the associate director asked her to pull her sweater over her head as a scarf during auditions.
After gaining his approval for the character’s look, Bain faced one final task — impressing DeMille.
She recited poetry by William Wordsworth, and with that, secured her place in cinematic history.
Bain also played the role of Hodel in a Sacramento-based performance of “Fiddler on the Roof” and the title role of Eva Peron in the First National Tour of “Evita.”
Beyond the roles, Bain said what she most enjoyed from her acting career were the people she grew to know, fondly remembering the dance classes she took with Liza Minelli in Manhattan.
Her career as a cantor and actress have intertwined as interesting points. For example, she titled the Haggadah for the Longboat service
“Following in Miriam’s Footsteps.”
“I feel as if she put the seed there for me, as a little girl, to become a cantor,” Bain said.
She has held notable titles, including past president and founding member of the Bay Area Cantorial Association, a member of the Sarasota Manatee Rabbinical Association
“It
means so much to me to be part of that change. When I was growing up, women were not cantors.”
— Riselle Bain
and a committee member with the American Conference of Cantors.
However, it wasn’t enough to become an expert cantor. She wanted to contribute her own creation to the field she loves.
Bain crafted the original composition, “Tikkun Olam — A Song for Equality and Social Justice” in 2010.
The piece served as the opening spiritual anthem for an Israeli Embassy function, recognizing countries that helped Holocaust victims.
“‘Tikkun Olam’ means repairing the world,” she explained.
Now, one of her focuses is bringing together community members at the Sebring-based Temple Israel of Highlands County, where she has been the spiritual leader since 2015.
She hopes to continue offering her services to uplift Longboaters at the annual gathering.
“To share the Haggadah, and to every now and then infuse some of the things that are a part of me, is a great joy, an honor, something that fills my soul,” she said. “I feel like Miriam is with me.”
Courtesy image
Rising star Riselle Bain prepares for the role of Miriam in “The Ten Commandments.”
Riselle Bain, a voice for inclusion in the cantor tradition, joins Temple Beth Israel for a Passover Seder for women.
Photos by Dana Kampa
OPEN FLAME
With a hearty collective push, community and fire crew members drove one of the newest additions to the fleet into the bay at Station 92. The ceremonial launch of the paramedic vehicle was a highlight of this year’s open house hosted by the Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department.
The March 25 event invited members of the public to see inside the facility, which officially opened in 2021. Chief Paul Dezzi took particular pride in showing tour groups how the building design helps firefighters avoid tracking carcinogenic contaminants through the station.
“What we’ve done today is special, because not only is this the first open house for this fire station, but it’s the pushing in of the new fire apparatus,” Dezzi said.
He explained that this tradition symbolizes the united effort of the entire community in its protection. Once the vehicle is in the bay, it’s officially ready to respond to emergencies.
Families especially enjoyed the glimpse into firehouse operations that day. Children excitedly showed off their iconic red firefighter helmets, explored the big rigs and enjoyed complimentary hot dogs.
Two-year-old Apollo Plashkes, attending with father Simon Plashkes, demonstrated his in-depth knowledge of fire alarms and how they function.
Apollo quietly but confidently answered, “Go outside” when prompted by the question, “What do you do when a fire alarm goes off?”
Representatives of Sarasota Doctors Hospital provided attendees with free first aid kits and an opportunity to practice their skills with hands-only CPR.
“Hands only” refers to evolution in best practices for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. In the past, experts recommended alternating between chest compressions and giving breaths.
But now, as Emergency Services Manager Dana Szalbirak explained, experts know it is more important to keep up consistent compressions while awaiting responders. One of the go-to songs she
recommends to help people keep a steady rhythm is “Staying Alive.”
Practices differ slightly depending on a person’s age. For anyone seeking more in-depth training, the fire department is hosting free trainings on April 17 and 30, May 15 and 28, June 18, July 16 and Aug. 13. Registration is required.
Responders also offered demonstrations of how to pack a wound and other knowledge useful in an emergency.
Dezzi offered a tour of the station’s new $600,000 ambulance.
Events like the recent rooftop fire on St. Armands Circle highlight the need for the department to be outfitted for any crisis, as Dezzi noted their team was the first on the scene for the multidepartmental response.
“This is a rolling emergency room — that’s what this is,” he said while sitting in the new ambulance, pointing out the high-tech comms equipment and other resources. “This is going to make a real difference in what we do here.”
The vehicle’s equipment includes a state-of-the-art heart monitor and a hydraulic stretcher, protecting responders’ long-term health by reducing the strain of manually lifting heavy equipment.
The department also recently added a pumper truck to its fleet. It plans to cycle out older vehicles later this year, as the chief noted, front-line trucks typically start to wear out after seven years.
— DANA KAMPA
Photos by Dana Kampa
Andre Hoefer shows how to use a Lucas device, which automatically delivers chest compressions.
Elise Kidd Slansky takes in a fun day at the fire house with Blaire, 2 1/2 years old, and Brynn, 7 months old.
Chief Paul Dezzi offers a tour inside the new ambulance.
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Fashion twist
Spring has officially sprung, and local boutiques are bringing unapologetically vibrant colors to swimwear, athleisure and other outfits for the season.
Sarasota boutique T. Georgiano’s, home of True Blue Vibes, provided the looks for this year’s Sarasota Yacht Club fashion show on March 26, curated by owner and designer Tatyana Stewart.
Event Chair Karen Kent said she was eager to feature the store, which had never been the star of this annual fashion show.
“The clothes are fabulous — a little bit on the edgy side, which is fun,” she said.
Kent, who has organized the show for four years, hoped the innovative designs would encourage viewers to step out of their own fashion comfort zones.
She always aims to keep the show fresh, inviting new brands and models, guided by a pair of seasoned models.
While the bold colors are eye-catching, Kent said she thinks the accents, particularly with the athletic ensembles, are what sets the line apart.
“The beauty is that there are some dresses in the line that you could wear to go from the gym right to a cocktail hour,” she said.
The boutique has a permanent location at 1409-B First St., Suite B, in downtown Sarasota.
— DANA KAMPA
Event Chair Karen Kent
Wendy Feinstein
Photos by Dana Kampa
Amy Hoskins, Inna Snyder, Irina Barcomb, Patrice DiZebba and Galina von Kaszner attend the spring fashion show.
he Longboat Key Club Friars made an entrance that was anything but subtle as they exuberantly stormed the club ballroom, brandishing jewencrusted bottles of bubbly, wearing heavyweight champion belts, waving flags with their crest and singing along to Queen’s “We Are the Champions” on March 25. They did, however, change the lyric to “We are the Friars.”
Members of the golf-based social group — formed in 1993 — resoundingly agreed that their signature brand of camaraderie and friendly competition is what has helped it remain successful. They reflected on the past year of memory-making while enjoying an end-of-season dinner and award ceremony, with more than 175 people attending.
Commissioner Charles Eldridge commended organizers, especially Elaine Dabney and Carl Arentzen, for transforming the ballroom into the perfect jewel-themed extravaganza, complete with a curtained wall that delivered partygoers a piece of costume jewelry or glass of wine upon the ring of a bell.
After enjoying some socializing before many members depart the Key for the season, they got down to the business of honoring the peers who put in the hard work to keep the group running by coordinating matches and doing so much more.
They also reflected on the good a group like the Friars can do when community members go through difficult times.
Last year’s hurricanes left club staff members in a lurch. The Fri-
ars responded to the call, raising $15,000 in just 10 days to support those affected by storm damage.
Perhaps the most robustly applauded moment of the evening was when members Jeff Lenobel and Steve Mason presented Don Kreiss with the Friars Inspirational
Man of the Year Award.
The plaque recognized Kreiss for his “unwavering friendship, devotion and the inspiring spirit that embodies the very essence of the Friars.”
Kreiss said receiving the compliment meant everything as he navigates personal challenges.
“Being part of this club is what keeps me going, and I appreciate it so much,” he said. “It’s a wonderful, very special group.”
Fellow awardees included Bill Calpin and Tom Murphy, who received the Frank Sulzman Golf Genius Award.
“These guys work so hard every single day,” Eldridge said.
Frank Sulzman received the Bill Flinter Award, dedicated to the namesake member’s memory.
Eldridge said the award is “bestowed upon a distinguished friar whose unwavering dedication and meaningful contributions have significantly enriched and extended the cherished tradition of the friars.”
— DANA KAMPA
Don Kreiss, joined by his wife, Randi, receives the Friars Inspirational Man of the Year Award.
With costumed “friar” Rich Irr at the center of it all, members of the Longboat Key Club Friars ring in their annual dinner and awards ceremony.
Photos by Dana Kampa
Bill Calpin, Bill Flinter Award winner Frank Sulzman and Tom Murphy
Commissioner Charles Eldridge welcomes dinner attendees.
Carl Arentzen and Elaine Dabney take in their hard work coordinating this year’s annual Friars dinner.
TAKE A BOW
Key of Sea Choral closes out season with an uplifting message.
Wearing their iconic scarlet scarves and black clothes, Key of Sea choir members recently brought some extra cheer to community members with their upbeat tunes.
Members held their final two shows of the season, entertaining audiences at St. Armands Key Lutheran Church on March 26 and the Player’s Club on March 27. They began with a musical introduction, singing they were happy to be “bringing music and cheer, song by song.”
These final two performances held special meaning for the group, for several members are also part of the church choir, and the club has facilitated its practices.
The choir has a longstanding presence in the Longboat Key area, regularly delighting listeners since 2001 with beloved tunes from the ballpark all the way to where the hills are alive with the sound of music.
Members have overcome the challenges of losing members amid the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2024 storm recovery many residents still face. But the choral remains undeterred, drawing strength and joy from one another’s companionship.
Judie Lutsky, one of the founding members of the Key of Sea choir, still sings with the group every season. One of her favorites is the medley of Dick Van Dyke’s “Put On a Happy Face” and “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile” from the Broadway hit “Annie.”
“We like to build the setlist around happy songs of togetherness that bring people a smile,” she said, which they did with an earlier performance at Plymouth Harbor’s senior living facilities.
“They were just so enthralled while they sang,” she said. “It was wonderful.”
The choir endeavors to make the show interactive, encouraging attendees to sing along with “Do-ReMi” and other catchy songs.
The choir holds weekly meetings during the first months of the year, then holds its performances throughout March for residents in area nursing homes and condominiums, as well as other venues.
Anyone interested in joining the group when it restarts next January can email Goodman@oakland. edu.
— DANA KAMPA
Marilyn Bobrin, Jane Goodman and Jo Bellezza harmonize.
Photos by Dana Kampa
Sue Rinaldo introduces the setlist for the Key of Sea choir performance at the Player’s Club.
Back: Carol Whitfield Matthews, Sue Rinaldo, Jeanette Reeves, Margaret Chirgwin, Kathy Mosak, Lynda Menuez; Front: Judie Lutsky, Renate Krakauer, Marilyn Bobrin, Jane Goodman and Jo Bellezza; Not Pictured: Sue Nusbaum, Laura Berger and Carol Larsen
A show to end the season
he Polish word “żal” doesn’t have a direct translation to English, but it conveys a sense of melancholy, regret and longing that is relevant for composer Frederic Chopin, as musician Jessé Martins explained while cueing up to play “Waltz Op. 69 No. 1” for his Longboat Key audience.
“It’s known as the ‘Farewell Waltz,’ and he wrote it for Maria Wodzińska,” Martins told listeners. “He was briefly engaged to her, but apparently, she was already married.”
That waltz was part of the set he played with clarinetist Yurii Padkovskyi at The Education Center’s recent Kaleidoscope concert.
The classical artists offered an intimate and varied concert for attendees at the center’s penultimate music event for the season on March 30.
Padkovskyi and Martins played as though they’d been a duet for a lifetime, seamlessly intertwining the lilting dash of clarinet notes played at such a pace that almost defies logic with the soft power of the piano.
They each took the opportunity to highlight classical music from their cultures, with Martins showcasing the works of Brazilian composer Alberto Nepomuceno.
Padkovskyi played a waltz by Ukrainian composer and conductor Boris Lyatoshin-
IF YOU GO
‘MUSIC IN MOTION’
What: The Education Center is hosting its final concert of the season this weekend. Percussionist Scott Blum leads an interactive music experience featuring Sarasota Contemporary Dance.
When: 3-4:30 p.m. April 6
Where: The Education Center, 567 Bay Isles Road
Tickets: $30 for members; $35 for nonmembers
Info: Call 941-383-8222 or visit Admin@ TBIEducationCenter.org.
sky. The 20-year-old musician performs with the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, among a litany of accomplishments.
Attendees showed robust appreciation for the two musicians, especially after their performance of “Sholem-Alekhem, Rov Feidman!”
Those seeking more of Martins’ artistic vision can make plans to see Carlisle Floyd’s “Susannah,” which he is set to conduct for the Sarasota Opera in winter 2026.
— DANA KAMPA
Dana Kampa
Jessé Martins, a classic conductor, pianist and voice coach, introduces his counterpart for the evening, clarinetist Yurii Padkovskyi.
Jules Mackie | Tracey Stetler | Nicholle DiPinto McKiernan | Patrick DiPinto | Rene DiPinto | Steven Moore | Janet Coughlin
State and local commitments help preserve the timeless beauty and ecological
of the only Florida State-designated Wild and Scenic River.
Myakka Act protects wild and scenic river values
MIRI HARDY CONTRIBUTOR
The Myakka River is a cherished local natural gem. Recognizing the river’s outstandingly remarkable ecological, wildlife and recreational values, which are unique in Florida, in 1985 Senator Bob Johnson introduced a bill to protect the river.
Our state Legislature agreed these values give significance to the river as one that should be preserved and enhanced for the citizens of Florida, both present and future.
To that end, it designated the 34 miles of the Myakka in Sarasota County as Florida’s only state-designated wild and scenic river. Since, in accordance with the Myakka River Wild and Scenic Designation and Preservation Act of 1985, state and local commitments to protect the river help minimize adverse impacts to the river’s values. Preservation of large areas of land on the river’s banks help maintain its timeless beauty and ecological integrity. The act also resulted in restrictions of activities which would negatively impact its values. Prohibited activities include filling, excavation, disturbance of native vegetation, and storage of materials, as well as new coastal construction, such as bridges over
the river, retaining walls and roads. An important layer of protection for the river in Sarasota County is The Myakka River Protection Zone — an upland buffer extending 220 feet on each side of the river. Besides enhancing wild and scenic views, these buffers help preserve the edge between land and water, as well as the river itself.
Plants in the buffer zone can uptake and store nutrients, which reduces their transport to the river and potentially mitigates algal blooms. The roots of grasses, shrubs and trees provide bank stability, which helps prevent erosion.
Buffers also support a healthy ecosystem by providing habitat and food sources for a variety of species. And by slowing down runoff and absorbing excess water, wide buffers reduce the risk of flooding. Finally, buffers contribute to cleaner, healthier water in the river because they filter pollutants and regulate temperature. They therefore support not only our natural communities but human ones too.
Friends of Myakka River exists to support Myakka River State Park and the Wild and Scenic Myakka River. Together, we’re protecting and sharing Myakka’s Magic, to the benefit of future generations, and our own. Follow us @FriendsOfMyakkaRiver
Miri Hardy
integrity
The Titans of Wealth: From 19th Century Moguls to Today’s Tech
Billionaires
Though many of us don’t want to acknowledge it, the pursuit of wealth is an important part of what defines the American experience. The last 150 years have generated the greatest production of wealth in the United States, unparalleled anywhere else in the world.
On Thursday, April 10th University of Texas History Professor Jeremi Suri will present Wealth in America, as he examines the lives and careers of some of the most important men who launched the American economy. A small group of individuals drove this wealth-creation, who went on to benefit in remarkable ways that are hard for the rest of us to even imagine.
The presentation will trace the careers of some of the most celebrated (and sometimes despised) men who expanded the American economy and became super-rich. In fact, the individuals Professor Suri will discuss created sums of money that even the phrase superrich do not do justice! The focus will be primarily on Cornelius Vanderbilt, Andrew Carnegie, and John Rockefeller, comparing their remarkable drive and ingenuity as well as their often-questionable behavior. Participants come to understand their actions, their risk-taking, and even their values. Professor Suri will assess both their contributions and their crimes. Cornelius Vanderbilt was a self-made multi-millionaire who became one of the wealthiest Americans of the 19th century. After working on various steamships, Vanderbilt went into business for himself in the late 1820s, and eventually became one of the country’s largest steamship operators. In the 1860s, he shifted his focus to the railroad industry, where he built a far larger intercontinental empire and helped make railroad transportation more efficient, often to the detriment of other operators. He was the richest man in America when he died, but his wealth was soon eclipsed by someone else.
Andrew Carnegie made his fortune in the steel industry and controlled the most extensive integrated iron and steel operations ever owned by a single individual in the United States. He perfected the cheap and efficient mass production of steel by adopting and adapting the Bessemer process, which allowed the high carbon content of iron to be burnt away in a controlled and rapid way during steel production. Steel prices dropped as a result, and his steel was rapidly adopted for railways. In addition, Carnegie vertically integrated the entire industry. He came to own nearly a dozen different large steel companies, and then combined his assets and those of his associates in 1892 with the launching of the Carnegie Steel Company.
Carnegie spent his last years as a philanthropist and is often credited with developing the very concept of philanthropy to levels never even considered previously. He had written about his views on social subjects and the responsibilities of great wealth in an 1889 book titled The Gospel of Wealth, devoted the rest of his life to providing capital for purposes of public interest and social and educational advancement. He is best known for building Carnegie Hall in New York as well as the establishment of nearly 3,000 public libraries throughout the United States, Britain, Canada, and New Zealand, Professor Suri will then turn to the life of John D. Rockefeller, one of the wealthiest Americans of all time in fact one of the richest people in modern history. Beginning at age 20, he concentrates his business on oil refining. and eventually founded the Standard Oil Company in 1870. He ran it until 1897 and in retirement focused his energy and wealth on philanthropy as Carnegie had, but focusing instead on higher education and medicine.
The final section on of the presentation will focus on three modern ultra wealthy individuals: Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk. We will also see how earlier generations influenced these recent moguls. The presentation will conclude with some reflections on the historical role of wealth in our democracy.
This is your last chance to experience insights from one of the nation’s leading historians. Dive deep into American history as our expert speaker brings the past to life with captivating stories and fresh perspectives. Don’t miss out!
THURSDAY | APR. 10
JEREMI SURI
University of Texas Wealth in America: From Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, and Carnegie to Gates, Bezos, and Musk
a journey through America’s wealthiest figures—past and present—exploring how they shaped the nation’s economy and continue to impact society today.
Vizcaya condo tops week’s sales at $3 million
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Thomas Hecht, of Quebec, Canada, sold his Unit 2E3 condominium at 2377 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Katie Halley, of Siesta Key, for $3 million. Built in 1997, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 3,169 square feet of living area. It sold for $998,000 in 1997.
BIRD KEY
Jason Tackitt, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 600 Owl Way to Peter and Katherine Buchbinder, of Clarence Center, New York, for $2.3 million. Built in 1970, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 1,892 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,875,000 in 2024.
Mark and Paula Kramer, trustees, of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, sold the home at 523 N. Spoonbill Drive to Ray Franczak and David Franczak, of Palatine, Illinois, for $1.55 million. Built in 1965, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,932 square feet of living area. It sold for $687,500 in 2012.
THE WATER CLUB AT LONGBOAT KEY
Melissa Kotler Schwartz, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the Unit 303 condominium at 1241 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Nancy Kathryn Quinn, of Key Biscayne, for $2 million. Built in 1996, it has three bedrooms, four baths and 3,045 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,475,000 in 2018.
GRAND BAY
Brian and Louise McGuinness, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 124 condominium at 3060 Grand Bay Blvd. to Matthew Paul Vollrath and Wendy Christine Vollrath, of Lebanon, Ohio, for $1.53 million. Built in 1994, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,369 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,245,000 in 2021.
SANCTUARY AT LONGBOAT KEY CLUB
Ellen Berkowitz, of McLean, Virginia, sold the Unit B-405 condominium at 565 Sanctuary Drive to William Berkowitz and Gina
Pagonis, trustees, of Wellesley, Massachusetts, for $1,301,400. Built in 1989, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,580 square feet of living area. It sold for $765,000 in 1995.
LONGBOAT KEY TOWERS
Carolyn Judd, of Sarasota, sold the Unit N-903 condominium at 603 Longboat Club Road to Frederick and Melissa Ann Kleiman, of Flemington, New Jersey, for $1,255,000. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,458 square feet of living area. It sold for $298,500 in 1982.
FAIRWAY BAY
Anthony and Pamela Bevilacqua, of Longboat Key, sold their Unit 117 condominium at 1930 Harbourside Drive to Steven McGee and Colleen McGee, trustees, of Surf City, New Jersey, for $775,000. Built in 1982, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,442 square feet of living area. It sold for $472,000 in 2019.
Frank and Patricia Sulzman, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 232 condominium at 1932 Harbourside Drive to Choukri Ben Mamoun, of Longboat Key, for $510,000. Built in 1982, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,192 square feet of living area. It sold for $355,000 in 2009.
WINDWARD BAY
Robert and Sally Wilson, of Bradenton, sold their Unit PH-1 condominium at 4540 Gulf of Mexico Drive to
TOP BUILDING PERMITS
Department for the week of March 21-27 in order of dollar amounts.
Caroline Schultz, of Windham, New Hampshire, for $711,000. Built in 1975, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,337 square feet of living area. It sold for $837,500 in 2024.
LONGBOAT HARBOUR
John Harkness and Amy Lhote, of Adrian, Pennsylvania, sold their Unit 103 condominium at 4430
Exeter Drive to Gregory Adelson, trustee, of Village of Loch Lloyd, Missouri, for $705,000. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,152 square feet of living area. It sold for $400,000 in 2016.
Patrick and Brenda Yewell, of Georgetown, Kentucky, sold their Unit 104 condominium at 4430
Exeter Drive to Candice Lee Friday, of Longboat Key, for $450,000. Built in 1970, it has one bedroom, one
bath and 775 square feet of living area. It sold for $275,000 in 2019.
BEACH HARBOR CLUB
Frank Allen Puett, trustee, of Longboat Key, sold the Unit F-402 condominium at 3810 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Scott Joseph Cicciarelli and Diana Cicciarelli, of Peoria, Illinois, for $545,000. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, three baths and 1,361 square feet of living area. It sold for $250,000 in 2015.
ONLINE
See more transactions at YourObserver.com
Image courtesy of Dan Brown
The sale of the home at 523 N. Spoonbill Drive came in as one of the top deals this week at $1.55 million.
BEST BET SATURDAY, APRIL 5
FLIP FOR PANCAKES
8-11 a.m. at Lazy Lobster, 5350 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Join the Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key for the return of its pancake breakfast fundraiser. The breakfast includes endless pancakes, accompanied by breakfast meats, biscuits, fruit and beverages. Cost is $15 per adult; $10 per child. An additional $15 includes the bloody mary bar. Proceeds support club activities and local children’s charities. Call 941-383-0440 or visit LazyLobsterOfLongboat.com to reserve a table.
THURSDAY,
of Longboat Key, Longboat Garden Club, Longboat Island Chapel, the Resort at Longboat Key Club and others. The multiweek showcase includes an outdoor gallery showing at the chapel and a Town Hall exhibit on April 10, as well as a comedy night on April 17. It concludes with the Chamber of Commerce’s final Savor the Sounds concert on April 19. See YourObserver.com for more details.
SUNDAY, APRIL 6
MUSIC IN MOTION
3-4:30 p.m. at The Education Center, 567 Bay Isles Road. Percussionist
Scott Blum leads a jazz quartet in celebrating notable jazz greats like Duke Ellington. Sarasota Contemporary Dance director Leymis Bolanos Wilmott is also slated to perform. Cost is $30 for members; $35 for nonmembers. Call 941-383-8222, email Admin@TBIEducationCenter. org or visit TBIEducationCenter.org.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9
MEET, GREET, EAT
4-6 p.m. at the Longboat Key Club Ballroom, 3000 Harbourside Drive. The Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce invites community members to connect with local business owners over complimentary hors d’oeuvres by the Longboat Key Club. Visitors can also enjoy entertainment from teenage piano prodigy Timmy Phelan, a cash bar and raffle drawings. Call 941-383-2466 or visit LongboatKeyChamber.com.
THURSDAY, APRIL 10
TOWN HALL ART EXHIBITION & ARTISTS’ RECEPTION
5-6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road. As part of Arts in April, the Town of Longboat Key is hosting a special at exhibit and reception with local artists. Entry is free.
RECURRING EVENTS
WEEKDAYS LONGBOAT LIBRARY
10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 555 Bay Isles Road. Call 941-383-6493.
MONDAYS MARKET ON THE KEY
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. first and third Mondays at the Town Center Green, 600 Bay Isles Road. The outdoor market features local artists, vendors of all types and food. It continues through April. Call 941-289-4141.
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 3836493.
Susan Phillips pours batter at the 2019 Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast. The event will be held Saturday, April 5.
NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH
FORECAST
APRIL 4
APRIL 5
SUNDAY, APRIL 6
MOON PHASES
TIDES
BRACKETOLOGY by Desiree Penner & Jeff Sinnock, edited by Jared Goudsmit
By Luis Campos Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.
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