One of the largest mangrove habitats in Sarasota County borders the Landings neighborhood.
Jackie Massari, social chair of The Landings Management Association, said that was one reason the neighborhood hosted its second annual Nature Day by the Bay on March 30. Drawing what she said was about 250 attendees and run entirely by volunteers, the event brought together groups such as Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, Suncoast Beekeepers Association and the county’s mosquito control unit. It also included the building of a bat house by a Landings resident and the planting of a butterfly garden at The Landings.
It’s a Big Night Out in Laurel Park
With
County stands pat on rate
“This fun bi-annual event, Music in the Park, is a great way for neighbors to get together,” said Jolie McInnis, of the association. According to McInnis, it may be one of the last performances for the band because trombone player and band leader Bruce Glasberg is heading to Brazil for a couple months.
Courtesy image
A butterfly garden was planted at the event.
Michael Harris
WEEK OF APRIL 3, 2025
BY THE NUMBERS
3.30
Recommended flat millage rate for Sarasota County property tax entering the fiscal year 2026 budget season PAGE 5A
51 Applications received by an executive search firm for the Sarasota City Manager position PAGE 12A
100
The number of years for the Sarasota local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution PAGE 6B
CALENDAR
n Sarasota City Commission regular meeting — 9 a.m., Monday, April 7, Commission Chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St. n Downtown Master Plan Update Committee regular meeting — 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 8, Commission Chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St. n Sarasota Planning Board regular meeting — 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 9, Commission Chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St.
“I
really wanted to be torn over 10 great candidates. I am not there, and I may be if
I had shown on all of the applicants, maybe there would be 10 great candidates.”
City Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch. Read more on page 12A
Alta Vista school receives $50K FPL grant
Alta Vista Elementary has received a $50,000 STEM Classroom Makeover Grant from Florida Power & Light to transform a classroom into a space intended to bring innovative technologies to different subject areas.
The grant will promote subjects Science Technology, Engineering and Math but also include art, music, science and physical education.
“I have students who, as a Title 1 school, don’t always have access to the things that we wish they would have, and we’re going
to get them that access,” said science teacher Andrew Jaffee.
Provided through FPL’s charitable arm, NextEra Energy Foundation, the grants serve Title 1 public, charter or private schools, or schools serving a minimum of 40% economically disadvantaged students. For 2025, the grant program’s fourth year, FPL has quadrupled it in size, expanding it to 20 grants across the state for a total of $1 million. In a news release, FPL says the grants provide “cutting-edge
technological resources, modern equipment and hands-on learning materials.”
“This is an opportunity for students who have very little, to have so much more,” said Jaffee.
“Our goal was to think about what happens when they leave Alta Vista and are offered choices in middle school and high school. Are they going to be familiar with 3D printing? Are they going to be familiar with the tablets and the robotics and the programming enough to say, ‘Yeah, that’s what I want to do?’”
County schedules clean-up event
Residents are invited by Keep Sarasota County Beautiful to participate in the Great American Cleanup from 8-10 a.m. Saturday, April 12, at 11 locations across Sarasota County. The annual event helps beautify and protect the local environment by removing litter and debris from public spaces. Pre-registration is required.
Volunteers are encouraged to register early to secure their spot as availability will vary by location. Registration ends Wednesday, April 9. To find a location, register for the event and learn more, visit the Keep Sarasota County Beautiful page at SCGov.net.
Hansen to retire from Barancik Foundation
The leader of a Sarasota nonprofit announced her plans to retire after a decade of service. Teri Hansen, president and CEO of Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, will remain in her role as the organization searches for her successor and will assist in the leadership transition.
Hansen, who has led the Foundation since 2015, was its first employee. Previously, she was the president and CEO of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation.
Under Hansen’s leadership, the organization has grown to more than $700 million in assets, and it awards more than $30 million in grants each year.
Among the highlights achieved during Hansen’s tenure were developing several regional programs.
Those include:
• First 1,000 Days Suncoast, which provides free and affordable services for children’s first 1,000 days of life; the Barancik Early Learning Institute
• A teacher recruitment, recognition and retention initiative with Sarasota County Schools
• Funding the technological transformation of middle schools in Sarasota County in partnership with the Gulf Coast Community Foundation and others
In sum, Barancik Foundation has awarded more than $170 million in grants and initiatives since its founding in 2014.
Ian Swaby
Alta Vista Elementary was the a of a $50,000 grant from Florida Power & Light.
Developer going all-in on restoring the Mira Mar
The deteriorating condition of Sarasota’s early to midcentury past means saving it requires tens of millions of dollars ... and a zoning change.
ANDREW WARFIELD
STAFF WRITER
Inside space formerly leased by a hair salon at the north end of the Mira Mar building in downtown Sarasota, a steel column braces the partially collapsed ceiling that recently came crashing down on employees and customers.
Meanwhile, next to an outside wall, several more red poles hold the second floor in place.
In addition to physically supporting the structure, they metaphorically shore up the point the leadership of Seaward Development has been attempting to make for nearly three years: The 100-year-old Mira Mar must be rebuilt — quite literally from the ground up and from the inside out — or be taken down.
Other than maintaining it as is while it gradually deteriorates, there is no in-between.
One year after being denied a demolition permit by the Sarasota Historic Preservation Board, Seaward purchased the property from prominent developer Mark Kauffman for $17 million in May 2023 with a new plan: Recruit the foremost historic restoration expert in Florida in Rick Gonzalez to restore the Mira Mar to its original form and Igor Reyes, an architect with expertise in companion new construction, to provide the capital to pay for it.
Because of multiple additions to the building, mostly in the 1980s, the Mira Mar is not a historic structure in its current state, but identifies as a contributing structure to the Downtown Historic District, providing it limited protection from demolition.
Now two years and an investment of more than $4 million later, Seaward is approaching a crossroads that will determine whether it can save the Mira Mar and build two 18-story condo towers behind it or if it will instead pursue razing the building and build a 10-story apartment building covering the entire block.
To save it, Seaward first must secure an amendment to the city’s Comprehensive Plan to rezone the site from Downtown Core to Downtown Bayfront — which will allow it to build 18 stories to provide a view premium to pay for the restoration — and then approval of the rezoning itself.
The Planning Board continued a March 12 hearing to April 9; this hearing sought a recommendation to the City Commission. Once the Mira Mar does make it before the commission, it will need at least four votes to first approve transmittal of the Comprehensive Plan amend -
Seaward Development President Matthew Leake speaks before the Planning Board about the Mira Mar building plan.
ment to Tallahassee for review, and then another supermajority to amend the plan. The rezoning that would follow requires only a simple majority for approval.
All that is to say the process is a long way from completion. Meanwhile, Seaward Principal Patrick DiPinto and President Matthew Leake are
doing their best to hold together the wooden structure of nearly 400 feet in length built in along Palm Avenue in 60 days over a foundation of beach sand.
“Because the wood structure is so rotten and there’s no foundations, there are no pilings, there are no footings, there’s not only nothing to
attach it to,” DiPinto said. “We can’t stop the water. We can’t stop the termite infestation. It’s either a full remodel or this building has just met its life expectancy.”
“Sometimes, it scares the heck out of me because it’s such a massive undertaking. We’re up for it. We’ve got a great team. We’ve got great financial partners that are supporting us and our endeavors.”
Patrick DiPinto, Seaward Principal
That appears to be a race against time as crack measuring gauges show the building continuing to separate in multiple locations, wooden beams and studs are deteriorating, water damage is unstoppable and no roof repair because, as structural engineers have advised, the building cannot support the weight of new materials required.
With no pilings supporting the Mira Mar, DiPinto and Leake told the Observer during a recent tour of the building that restoring it will require removing and replacing the entire foundation and rebuilding all the walls.
The cost is estimated at about $30 million — at best, an educated guess.
“Sometimes, it scares the heck out of me because it’s such a massive undertaking,” DiPinto said. “We’re up for it. We’ve got a great team. We’ve got great financial partners that are supporting us and our endeavors.”
What is certain, they said, is the Mira Mar needs a feasible revenue source to restore it. DiPinto said they were told by an appraiser with expertise in the field that an investment in a restoration that would rely on rent to cover the capital is not financially feasible. Approximately 55 years, they were told, is when it would break even.
“She took a look at these numbers and said it’s the most financially unfeasible project she’s ever seen,” DiPinto said. Lack of feasibility is a key factor in securing a demolition permit.
But that, DiPinto and Leake said, is the last resort. They’re all in on restoring the Mira Mar — not just the façade, as with the Demarcay next door — and its entire structure.
“The structural engineers say tear it down. That’s the easy route,” DiPinto said. “Instead, I’ve spent three years trying to do the right thing for the city.”
And now, DiPinto and Leake say, it’s in the hands of the city to determine what the right thing is.
“We feel confident that we’ve done everything, that we’ve given the best effort to show how it could be feasible, how to make it work,” Leake said. “The city has the opportunity to agree with that or not. Whether it’s us or a future developer, the feasibility doesn’t change.”
Architect Igor Reyes speaks at a Mira Mar community workshop while Seagate Development President Matthew Leake (left) and Principal Patrick DiPinto look on.
Photos by Andrew Warfield
A contrast in scale with the new Demarcay 18-story condo tower only a few feet away from the Mira Mar Building.
Interior shoring of the ceiling is required in vacated office space on the southern end of the Mira Mar building.
This crack meter shows movement from the center point of the device, which has occurred in recent months.
Longtime Sarasota real estate leader, environmental advocate dies
ELIZABETH KING BUSINESS OBSERVER
Sarasota has lost a longtime civic and environmental advocate as well as a business leader. Robert Allen Richardson died March 29. He was 86.
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Richardson was born in Hamilton, Ohio, north of Cincinnati, on Aug. 18, 1938.
He moved to Sarasota in 1962 and worked in concrete, then had a traveling job selling boats. Since 1972, he had been involved in the sale and development of commercial real estate in the area, founding Richardson Realty. In the 1980s, he became one of the principals of Richardson Kleiber Walter.
Among the projects he helped develop during his real estate career are the Northgate Business Center, Sarasota Commerce Center, Clark Road Industrial Park, Sarasota County Interstate Business Center, Tallevast Business Center, Gateway, Mission Estates and Ashton Road Industrial Park.
“He was a powerhouse. Everybody in business knew him or of him,” business partner and friend Bill Kleiber says. “Somebody told me that Bob had ‘maze vision.’ You could put an issue or problem in front of him, and he could see how to solve it.”
Richardson’s vision drove him to choose to develop areas like Northgate and the Clark Road Industrial Park, Kleiber says.
“Bob was a super achiever,” Kleiber says, describing Richardson as a mentor and visionary who was forever dedicated to self-improvement.
Richardson’s role in shaping the Sarasota area extended beyond commercial real estate into nonprofits. He was past chair of the Downtown Partnership, Goodwill Industries Manasota and Manatee Sarasota Sierra Club.
At Goodwill Industries Manasota, Richardson helped “provide leadership to Goodwill’s fledgling real
estate investment strategy as a way of serving the most people,” recalls the Rev. Don Roberts, CEO of the nonprofit from 1997 to 2012.
Richardson was a charter member of the Argus Foundation and helped found Sarasota County Openly Plans for Excellence. In 2006, he won SCOPE’s Boundary Crossers award, given to citizen leaders who transcend their familiar territories to become community builders.
SCOPE honored Richardson for putting the “community agenda first,” noting he was “instrumental” in raising funds for the Environmentally Sensitive Lands tax to protect natural habitats. “He is also passionate about providing youth with the opportunities that could change their lives and has led backpacking trips for Inner City Outings and helped organize a trip to Peru for Boys & Girls Clubs and Girls Inc.,” according to SCOPE.
Richardson is survived by his three children: Renee Kling, James Frederick and Jennifer Shafer; grandchildren Danielle Kling Burke and Sydney Grehl; great-grandbaby Addison Grehl; and his longtime companion, Kathy Schersten.
According to his obituary, Richardson raised his children to be selfreliant and adventurous with the mantra: “Life’s tough — get your butt on the ball.”
Courtesy image
Robert Allen Richardson
County begins fiscal year 2026 budget cycle
Sarasota County staff predicts a slowdown in property value escalation as it factors revenue based on no millage
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
At the onset of last week’s initial County Commission budget workshop for fiscal year 2026, Sarasota County Administrator Jonathan Lewis said the staff’s assumption is to maintain the current property tax millage rate of 3.30 mils.
That’s the rate set by commissioners in 2024 for the current fiscal year, the lowest in 37 years. Another expectation is the assessed tax value across all property types throughout the county will not increase as much as it had for the current fiscal year.
Such will provide the basis of the calculations for the spending plan as the March 27 opening session of budget season was a part of the overview of the current fiscal year, update of the state legislative agenda and review of county’s capital improvement projects.
For the current fiscal year, the
county forecasts collecting nearly $330 million in ad valorem taxes from various property types, a growth of 58% over fiscal year 2021. Lewis cautioned the slowdown of tax value increases doesn’t mean less collected revenue in fiscal year 2026.
“Don’t misunderstand. It’s not a decrease from the assumption, not a decrease in property values,” Lewis said. “I can just see somebody hearing this and saying, ‘Oh my gosh, they’re saying property values are in a decrease.’ We’re saying that it’s not going to be as much of an increase as we projected last year.” What it does mean is the commission and staff will have to factor less revenue than projected with future spending plans. Last budget season’s reduction in the countywide millage rate from 3.35 mils — which was Lewis’ recommendation at the outset — to 3.30 resulted in a $4 million impact on the budget, which, if held steady, imposes a compounding effect going forward.
According to the Sarasota Tax Collector’s office, a millage rate is the rate of tax per thousand dollars of taxable value. To determine the ad valorem tax, divide the taxable value by 1,000 and multiply by the millage rate. For example, $100,000 in taxable value with a millage rate of 5
AND EXPENSE
would generate $500 in taxes.
Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Rob Lewis reported state legislative possibilities commissioners may face in the current and future budget cycles. Among them are proposing increases in the state’s Homestead Exemption tax benefit.
Not imminent but a prospect that could significantly impact future county and municipal budgeting is the potential elimination of property taxes, an initiative being pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis that Rob Lewis said is gaining traction in the halls of Tallahassee.
“There is legislation introduced in the Senate that would ask for a study that would be reported back to the Legislature by Oct. 1 of 2025 that would study the impacts of the complete elimination of the property taxes and would place it on the 2026 general election ballot,” Rob Lewis said.
SALE END OF SEASON
That prompted Commissioner Ron Cutsinger to ask if there is a plan to offset lost revenue in the event of eliminated property taxes via statewide referendum.
“There’s been a lot of discussion. There’s not been a lot of proposals,” Lewis said. “There will be a lot of attention on this, but I think it’s probably more serious than we’ve heard in the past. We are paying very close attention.”
For now, though, it’s business as usual for the budgeting process, which, besides planning for the next fiscal year, also projects several years into the future. Assuming the current millage rate remains flat, revenues project at $544.8 million in fiscal year 2030, nearly $100 million more than the current fiscal year. General fund expenditures, though, forecast at $587.9 million, resulting in deficit spending of $43.1 million.
Andrew Warfield
Sarasota County Administrator Jonathan Lewis (center) speaks during the commission’s budget workshop. He is flanked by Director of Intergovernmental Relations Rob Lewis and Financial Management Director Kim Radke.
Orchestra reveals plan for new music center
The concept of Sarasota Orchestra’s new hall features three distinct spaces.
As it continues with its design work for the Sarasota Orchestra Music Center, architecture firm William Rawn Associates on Wednesday unveiled its conceptual design for the project on Fruitville Road just west of Interstate 75.
Evoking the Sarasota School of Architecture’s midcentury style, the concept shows gradually sloping rooflines, high glass walls and an open courtyard connecting separate entrances to the 1,800-seat main performance hall, 700-seat recital hall/flex space and the education center.
“The courtyard is really the heart of this campus,” Rawn Associates Principal Doug Johnston told the Observer. “Each of those venues — the main hall, the recital hall and the education wing — has lobbies that have front doors on that courtyard. It’s almost as if each of their lobbies is like a front porch that opens onto the courtyard and creates a connectedness to the three distinct pieces; separate but very much connected.”
Located on the Orchestra’s 32-acre site at 5701 Fruitville Road, the project’s cost estimate is between $375 million and $425 million.
The conceptual rendering shows the common entry point set behind a reflective pond, part of the surface water management system of the entire site. Upon approaching, the main theater is to the left and the education building to the right, book-ending the recital hall.
The concert hall is the principal attraction, and although the schematic design phase remains in its infancy, Rawn Associates Principal Cliff Gayley offered a detailed description of the patron experience upon entering the lobby outside the
LEARN MORE
For more information about the Sarasota Orchestra Music center, visit SarasotaOrchestra. org/MusicCenter.
“There will be multiple ways in and, depending on where your seat is, it will be quite intuitive how you get from the front door to where you want to go,” Gayley sad. “We want to make sure that your passageway to your seat is not only intuitive, but very accessible. When you do have to change levels, we’ve got a robust number of elevators. And then once you go into the hall, we will have aisles and cross aisles so you don’t have to cross over and apologize to 30 people to get to your seat.”
According to a news release, the juxtaposition of the spaces is symbolic. “Natural light plays a key role in the design, visually connecting the
Orchestra’s dual pillars of education and performance,” it reads. “Educational spaces are bathed in morning light of the east, while performance spaces glow in the evening, symbolizing the evolution from student to professional.”
“It’s very purposeful that the courtyard has three parts of the program fronting it,” Rawn Associate Principal Kevin Bergeron told the Observer. “It’s really important to elevate the education wing an equal status and make the connection between the growth of young musicians and the performance spaces.”
Based in Boston, Rawn Associates is partnering on the music center with executive architect HKS of Orlando, acoustician and theatre planner Stages Consultants of Highland Park, New Jersey, and Houstonbased OJB Landscape Architecture.
While now having the conceptual design will aid in its music center capital campaign, Orchestra CEO Joe McKenna said fundraising is well underway, including $60 million spread among two gifts from a
single anonymous donor.
The timeline for the new facility is to break ground in early 2027 and opening in time for the 2029-2030 season.
First will come multiple stages of schematic design refinement.
“The next stage is really where a lot more definition starts to come in terms of textures, materials, colors and the like,” said Johnston. “The basic forms are taking shape now and over the course of the next stages of design you’ll start to see more detail come into this and really a sharper focus on what all the experiences, both inside and outside the hall, will be.”
In April 2023, the Orchestra acquired its site on Fruitville Road from Walmart Stores East LP for $14 million.
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The music center will be the first acoustic concert hall on the Gulf Coast and one of only four acoustic concert halls in Florida, joining New World Center in Miami Beach, Knight Concert Hall in Miami and Steinmetz Hall in Orlando.
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Courtesy image
The conceptual design of the new Sarasota Orchestra Music Center was created by Rawn Associates.
The attractions of Amara, diverse and extraordinary, know no equal. This begins with its Golden Gate address — for the Point is one of those rarest of natural wonders — an enclave that looks across the bay and back to the city — once-in-a-lifetime views that are yours every day. Now accepting reservations. SOMETIMES, LOOKING BACK IS THE BEST WAY TO LOOK AHEAD.
IS AMARA.
The other side of Hi Hat
Who is trying to rip off whom? Tom Knight fueled outrage with incorrect statements. Follow the history. It’s a totally different story.
You know the saying: “No good deed goes unpunished.”
Ask the Turner family, owners of Hi Hat Ranch in east Sarasota County, about that.
Ever since 1943 and 1945, when Herman Turner purchased Hi Hat’s 26,000 acres, you cannot argue that the family has been judicious stewards of its property.
Turner and his heirs — son Latimer and now his grandsons (and two generations of their offspring) — have worked the ranch. They raised cattle, operated a pine and timber nursery, grew sod, citrus and vegetables. Along the way, they sold parts of the ranch to accommodate Sarasota’s population growth.
Sitting on what was once Hi Hat ranch land are the residents and homes of Lake Sarasota, Bent Tree, Heritage Oaks, Misty Creek, Gator Creek, Saddle Creek, Saddle Oak Estates, The Forest and Oak Forest. After all that, the Turners still owned 10,000 acres, property the family knew would one day be in the path of Sarasota’s growth.
Indeed, from 1996 to now — 29 years — Hi Hat Ranch has been identified for residential development on all Sarasota County future growth maps. And ever since the county adopted its 2050 plan in 2002, the Turner family has spent close to $2 million with planners, architects, engineers and lawyers mapping out exactly how those 10,000 acres would be developed over a 40-year timeline — where the villages and hamlets would go, the road network, infrastructure, retention ponds, future public schools, parks, including 55% of the property set aside as open space and native habitat.
Four years ago, in fact, when the Turners submitted their master development plan, the Sarasota County Planning Commission first, and then the Sarasota County Commission each unanimously approved and praised at Hi Hat’s plans and conscientious attention to detail.
Which bring us to no good deed going unpunished and a controversy that will be addressed at the April 9 Sarasota County Commission meeting.
FOLLOW THE CHRONOLOGY
It’s a controversy Commissioner Tom Knight, the Venice Gondolier Sun and Sarasota Herald-Tribune fueled with erroneous statements that painted the Turners as trying to rip off taxpayers out of $14 million to extend Bee Ridge Road east for the Turners’ benefit.
But the crux of issue actually is this: The case can be made that the county, out of nowhere, surprised the Turners by halting the start of development so the county could extract — extort? — concessions from the Turners to address two traffic problems of the county’s making.
Knight made matters worse. He sparked a public outcry.
Follow the chronology.
In every iteration of the county’s future land-use maps, starting with the 2050 plan in 2002, then 2005, 2007, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and up to Hi Hat Ranch filing for a master development plan for the entire ranch in 2022, the county’s maps, documentation and communication with the Turners showed Bee Ridge Road being extended into the center
of Hi Hat Ranch.
For reference, Hi Hat goes from Fruitville Road on the north down to Clark Road on the south. Bee Ridge Road is just about dead center, although Bee Ridge essentially stops at the Lorraine Road roundabout west of Hi Hat.
To the east of the roundabout, Bee Ridge turns into a short paved road that leads to a county-owned animal services center, a public works maintenance yard and the entrance to Rothenbach Park.
For more than two decades, county documentation repeatedly showed Bee Ridge Road being extended east to go through the county-owned right of way. There is also an long-established policy in the county’s comprehensive plan stating the county “shall provide for the protection and acquisition of existing and future rights of way for all modes of transportation.” Which means the county has committed itself to protecting right-of-way access for all future roads.
The Turners always implicitly understood this policy to mean they would be able to extend Bee Ridge Road through the county property to the entrance of Hi Hat Ranch.
What’s more, the Turners also say they have always expected they, not taxpayers, would bear the cost of building that Bee Ridge Road extension. Jim Turner told us the family expects to spend some $50 million to construct a four-lane extension from the Bee Ridge and Lorraine Road roundabout to the entrance of Hi Hat, plus whatever improvements might be needed for the roundabout.
This is also important: Turner told us that never in the 29 years of the planning and design of Hi Hat’s future villages and hamlets has the county ever mentioned that it would demand concessions to extend Bee Ridge through the county right of way.
COUNTY PULLS A SURPRISE
Consider this timeline:
In 2022, Sarasota County initiated a comprehensive plan amendment to permit the Bee Ridge Road extension and other east-west arterial roads east of Lorraine Road to be four lanes.
If you look at the map above, the one-mile blue strip between Bent Tree Boulevard and the Lorraine Road-Bee Ridge roundabout is only two lanes. It frequently becomes congested, in part because of cars going into and out of the Classical Academy and nearby Publix. Clearly, it needs to be widened, and county officials know it. That’s problem No. 1 for the county.
After the County Commission approved that comp plan amendment, the Turners throughout 2022 and early 2023 prepared a 1,500page application for a required rezoning for the Hi Hat central village, its first site of construction and which, presumably, would have access at the Bee Ridge Road extension.
But when the Turners submitted the application in the fall of 2023, much to their surprise, Planning
mobility fee credits.
■ Split 50%-50% the cost of widening the two-lane section of Bee Ridge Road from the Bent Trend entrance to the Lorraine roundabout. Turner estimates the cost will be $28 million, although the project hasn’t been engineered. No mobility fee credits will be given.
■ Pay 100% of the cost to widen the Lorraine Road roundabout to four lanes — with no mobility fee credits.
In exchange for those contributions and concessions, the Turners would get a temporary construction easement to spend about $50 million on four lanes of the Bee Ridge extension from the Lorraine roundabout through the county right of way to the entrance of Hi Hat Ranch.
After the extension is completed, Hi Hat agreed to turn those improvements over to the county’s ownership. Hi Hat would receive no mobility fee credits.
Hi Hat still is expected to pay its other mobility fee obligations, estimated for the first village to be about $14 million.
STAFF WANTS MORE
Services Director Matt Osterhoudt would not accept it. He sent an email to the Turners saying the county had other needs for the county’s right-of-way corridor and would not allow Hi Hat to use it. Therefore, he said, the Turners did not have legal access and could not file for the rezoning.
Osterhoudt made that declaration even though 23 years of county maps, documentation and comp plan policy indicated otherwise.
From that point on and through all of 2024, the county repeatedly raised new issues, blocking the Turners’ rezoning application. It requested additional conceptual master plans. It wanted proof of creditworthiness.
In discussions about the alignment of the Bee Ridge Road extension through the county right of way, county staff presented the Turners with a 28-point wish list relative to their facilities in the corridor. And yet, county staff knew that two of the facilities will soon be moved from that right-of-way property.
Turner said he and his colleagues eventually saw what was going on. The county staff was stalling to frustrate the Turners to the point of going to the county with concessions in exchange for its rezoning. Governments are forbade from demanding concessions.
So that’s what the Turners did — began a year-and-a-half of proposing millions of dollars worth of concessions — concessions that had never been mentioned for the previous two decades.
CONCESSIONS REACHED
For the latter part of 2023 and all of 2024, the county repeatedly rejected the Turners’ offers. “They wouldn’t tell us what they wanted,” Turner recalls. “They accused us of continuing to change our offers. We kept changing to try to find something they would accept.”
Those terms finally came in December 2024. In January 2025, the County Commission voted 4-1 to accept the following terms:
■ Hi Hat would donate 10 to 17 acres of Hi Hat right of way along the southern side of Fruitville Road so the road can be widened. That was the county’s traffic problem No. 2. It’s a stretch of Fruitville also under severe strain.
In exchange for this donation of acreage, Hi Hat would receive no
Even though the commission voted 4-1 to accept the terms, Knight’s Facebook posts and two newspapers’ articles, in which he and they incorrectly said Hi Hat asked the county to pay $14 million to extend Bee Ridge, sparked public outrage.
In response, the commission decided it needed a workshop to revisit the matter.
The county staff appears still determined to extract more from the Turners.
In preparation for the April 9 meeting, county staff has sent 637 pages of documentation covering the history of Hi Hat’s development plans.
When you reach the staff’s conclusion, you can see county staff wants the Turners to pay more — more. It wants the commission to approve selling the county right of way land to the Turners — just as a private owner would.
This had never been suggested in two decades until now.
AVOIDING A DISASTER
That is the punishment for abiding by the county’s rules for 29 years.
What’s more, if you step back from the tit-for-tat over concessions and think about the bigger picture, it should be clear that by proposing to extend Bee Ridge, Hi Hat is taking steps to thwart an obvious future traffic disaster.
Hi Hat is proposing to build infrastructure ahead of inevitable growth — a step citizens constantly demand. But county staff appears adamantly opposed to Hi Hat’s long-discussed plan.
County staff has said the Bee Ridge extension is not needed now. They say Hi Hat’s residents and traffic should use the ranch’s two entrances — on Fruitville and Clark Roads.
“Take that to its illogical conclusion,” Turner told us. “If we’re never allowed to come through Rothenbach Park and have that third east-west access to the village areas, and all we have is Fruitville and Clark, basically, you have, for the indefinite future, doomed Fruitville and Clark to total failure.
“Here we are trying to get ahead of the infrastructure, and they’re potentially dooming this entire network to failure, which is inconsistent with their policy,” Turner said. “What good is long-range planning if you don’t preserve those transportation legs?”
NEW COLLEGE, RINGLING, USF: HEY, SOMEONE MAKE THE CASE
The fact everyone in this community is in the dark about talks of mergers and takeovers — the whys, the objectives, the pluses, the minuses, the obstacles, the options — is engendering distrust for Gov. DeSantis and the chairs of the boards of trustees and presidents of the universities.
To read the full editorial, go to YourObserver.com/Opinion. Also online:
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Office and Accounting Coordinator / Donna Condon, DCondon @YourObserver.com
■ A never-released press release announcing New College’s takeover of USF-Sarasota-Manatee. Go to: YourObserver.com/ Opinion.
■ Fourteen former USF-Sarasota-Manatee board members, chancellors and community leaders signed a letter urging legislators to reject a New College takeover of USF. Go to YourObserver.com/Opinion
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MATT WALSH
Top white rectangle: Hi Hat is donating 10 to 17 acres of its property so the county can widen Fruitville. Bottom rectangle: Hi Hat has agreed to pay half the cost of widening Bee Ridge along the blue line; it will pay 100% of widening the green strip, as well as the road leading into Hi Hat Ranch.
Planning Board rejects Saravela alley vacation
18 stories and one 11 that includes structured parking.
f the proposed Saravela multifamily development is to be built as currently designed, it will require the Sarasota City Commission to reject the Planning Board’s recommendation to deny vacation of the western portion of Fourth Way, an alley between Fourth and Fifth streets from North Tamiami Trail to Cocoanut Avenue.
The 271-unit project, which will include 30 priced as affordable per city bonus density guidelines, is deep in the staff development review process. The 1.7-acre site straddles the city’s Downtown Bayfront and Downtown Core zone districts and, as such, would be two towers — one
Developer GSP Sarasota is seeking approval of the vacation of the alley, whose primary use was delivery and sanitation collection of the now-vacant properties prior to further investing in a final site plan. The absence of a site plan, though, was the rub among most of the Planning Board, which voted 3-2 to recommend denial with Daniel Deleo, Terrill Salem and alternate member Alexander Niehaus opposed. Dan Clermont and Shane LaMay supported the alley vacation. Besides no site plan, Salem said the 30 affordable units were not enough to convince him to give up public property. Deleo lectured that too often, developers seek consider-
ations and then fail to deliver on-site plans, and Niehaus felt there were no assurances the final design would match current renderings.
Project consultant Bill Waddill of Kimley-Horne said Saravela was too far along in the Development Review Committee process, beginning last fall, for any material changes to be made at this point. Even under normal circumstances, there are never 100% such assurances until the city approves a final site plan.
“Getting a site plan approved is the next level of assurance, but that could be modified. The next step is getting a building permit and building something, and even that can be modified,” Waddill said. “If there’s some sort of a stipulation to include something that’s already been going
The two-tower Saravela application moves on to the City Commission.
through since late last fall, by all means, I don’t see why we wouldn’t. It’s already going through the site plan approval process.”
No matter.
“How can we know if vacating this alley is a good idea without a site plan?” asked Deleo. “I think we can’t know, and I actually believe that it’s unreasonable to have us look at this issue in this fashion, to give us this to decide. “We clearly don’t have sufficient information to be able to make this decision, and it’s unreasonable to ask us to do so now without the site plan.”
At its current state of planning, Saravela would have its point of vehicle access off Fifth Street. Rather than a high wall along Fourth Street, townhomes will line the
street. In exchange for the lost alley, Saravela would offer 3,000-squarefoot publicly accessible green space. The remainder of Fourth Way would remain open with ingress and egress midblock at Fourth Street. There will also be 11,402 square feet of streetlevel space.
Renderings by SKA Architecture show an outdoor amenity including a pool atop the 11-story portion of the building. The 18-story portion will also have an amenity rooftop deck. Per code, the developer will distribute the affordable units throughout the buildings. Salem is dissatisfied, since there was no guarantee any would come with a bay view.
The debate over the absence of a final site plan set off a post-vote discussion over the appropriateness of the Planning Board’s task of determining if vacating the alley serves the public interest. Urban Planner Rebecca Webster had earlier explained the staff’s affirmation in the project provides a public benefit in the attainable housing units, an enhanced sidewalk system, increased setbacks and accessible park space.
“We want to have enough information if we’re going to make a decision about a public benefit and giving it away to third parties,” said Deleo, who is an attorney.
Salem, who is a general contractor, said in the future he wants more proof of a developer’s plans.
“For me, I want to go inside the building a little bit. I want to walk around. I want to look at things. I want to know what the mix is and that type of stuff,” he said. “That serves me, because they could just tell us that they’re giving us something and then don’t do it.”
Clermont, one of two architects on the panel, warned the Planning Board may be inadvertently signaling a negative message to other developers on the process if members are unwilling to entertain applications for alley vacations and other adjustments in advance of a final site plan.
“I understand that it’s much easier to make that decision when you get the plan in front of you,” Clermont said. “You’re basically throwing the brakes on anything being changed or new projects because developers can say, ‘Well the heck was Sarasota. I’m going to go somewhere else.’”
The SKA Architecture rendering of Saravela shows two towers of varying heights.
Sarasota takes a longer look
Dissatisfied with the culled city manager list, the City Commission has asked the recruiting firm for background on applicants.
ANDREW WARFIELD
STAFF WRITER
When Sarasota city commissioners met last week to begin in earnest selecting a new city manager, the task was to choose five or so candidates from a list of eight finalists provided by professional search firm Daytona Beach Shores-based Colin Benzinger and Associates.
Instead, the meeting ended with the commission asking Rick Conner, who is spearheading the consulting effort, to just provide the dossiers of all 51 candidates — now minus one who has already accepted another post — and doing the whittling work themselves.
That was mostly driven by the few semifinalists commissioners found acceptable. Mayor Liz Alpert said she saw some positives among all eight of the firm’s recommendations. Vice Mayor Debbie Trice said she was enthusiastic over three, Jen Ahearn-Koch said she could take a closer look at six of the applicants and Kyle Battie was baffled by the fact there were only 51 applications given Sarasota’s high livability rankings and numerous accolades. Conner said the reason is twofold. One is the numbers of qualified candidates are symptomatic of a national trend of fewer people entering the profession, leaving a depleted talent pool.
“There has been a significant drop in the people who are entering this field,” Conner said. “I made a presentation to the state Association of City Management two years ago at their state convention trying to
encourage younger people to get into the process, to learn and then just keep moving up the ladder. We’re just not seeing it the way we did several years ago.”
The other factor is the same challenge many other employers in the city and county are facing — the cost of living here.
“It is expensive to live here, and these people, the people that you want — the good people — they do their homework and they understand,” Conner said. “I had a couple of candidates say to us, ‘I’d love it. I can’t afford it.’”
This despite the salary range for the job, which requires residency within the city limits, at $225,000 to $315,000.
The commission was warned that because many of the candidates are actively in the job market, any delays in the process will likely deplete the field.
The recruitment period to replace Marlon Brown, who retired from the city in October 2024, began Jan. 9 and ended Feb. 7. The search firm then embarked on screening and reference checking the pool, which was completed March 18. Of the nine chosen to present to the city, one has since withdrawn.
“I had requested to have all of the backup material for all of the candidates,” said Ahearn-Koch. “Just on a cursory look, some of them seem more qualified than others, and when you look at the backup material, some of them seem more and less qualified. I would have appreciated having all of the backup material for all 51 that applied.
“I really wanted to be torn over 10
great candidates. I am not there, and I may be if I had been shown all of the applicants there would be 10 great candidates.”
Ahearn-Koch will get her wish along with the rest of the commissioners.
Sometime by early April, they will receive all of the backup material to be studied prior to April 11. That’s when a workshop is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon, when each will submit a list of up to 10 candidates to be discussed.
Following a lunch break, they will reconvene, providing the can agree, to select the finalists who will be invited to attend a multiday public process to be evaluated by commissioners.
The in-person sessions will include an opportunity for public questioning and input.
And if that process doesn’t yield the desired results?
“If none of these people are a good fit or meet our needs, then we’ll start all over again,” Trice said.
Personnel recruiter
Rick Conner speaks to the Sarasota City Commission as city Human Resources Director
Stacie Mason looks on.
Sarasota City Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch
Photos by Andrew Warfield
THURSDAY, MARCH 20
THE SPICE OF STRIFE
3:58 p.m., 2700 block of Gillespie
Avenue
Disturbance: Two women were reported as standing outside of a church building smoking crack and being violent toward passersby. As it turns out, it was one sister badly behaving and the other attempting to stop her.
One of two responding officers noted the subject turning away from them as they arrived, attempting to conceal something within that most coveted of vessels, a purple Crown Royal bag.
The woman was speaking incoherently and moving about in an “abnormal ways,” according to the incident report, and the officer observed a white, chalky substance around her mouth. Legal consumption of a powdered doughnut was not suspected.
The other woman said she was driving past when she observed her sister lying on and rolling about the ground. Becoming agitated at her sister’s sense of family duty, the subject began yelling at her while using a lighter to light the end of a crack pot and began smoking. That’s when the concerned sister called SPD for assistance.
When interviewed, the subject advised she “takes an abundance of prescribed drugs and smokes spice,” the report reads.
The officer searched the Crown Royal bag finding a plastic pipe, a shredded steel wool pad, metal push rod, burned socket head and a small plastic bag containing a reddish/green leafy substance. A female officer arrived on the scene to search the subject, where another bag containing a similar leafy substance was concealed within the foundation garment.
After being assisted into the officer’s vehicle, the subject began to kick the rear door and window, causing the top of the door to bend, an action that added the charges.
SATURDAY, MARCH 22
ONE OFFICER NOT ENOUGH
9:31 p.m., 2000 block of 29th Street Noise complaint: A man com-
MONDAY, MARCH 24
POSTAL
GOING
10:32 p.m., 1600 block of Ringling Boulevard
Criminal mischief: Two suspects were taken into custody on charges related to throwing a brick through a glass entry door at the United States Post Office building.
An arriving officer spoke to witnesses who reported seeing one male vandalizing the USPS building and a second, for an unexplained attack against the fourth estate, strewing about newspapers.
The officer observed the glass of entry door was shattered with a brick-like object lying inside. Additionally, a newspaper stand outside the building had been emptied, and multiple newspapers scattered across the street.
Thanks to the eyewitness accounts and descriptions of the perpetrators, they were soon apprehended.
One was charged with criminal mischief for property damage greater than $1,000 and disorderly conduct.
The other was charged similarly for disorderly conduct.
plaining about noise emanating from a nearby street became dissatisfied with the officer’s assessment after hearing no noise upon arrival. Expressing frustration the officer arrived alone, the man insisted a supervisor be called.
Despite the officer’s often repeated assurance of being capable of handling the call solo, the complaint continued to insist on a supervisor, which he reiterated after agreeing the officer canvassing the area to locate the source of the noise, which was in apparent at the time, was sufficient.
The officer canceled any request for a supervisor and found no noise.
CAC predicts active hurricane season
The forecast is ranked the most accurate in the nation, the center says.
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
Although held April 1, the Climate Adaptation Center emphasized its 2025 Hurricane Season Forecast Day was “no joke.”
Bob Bunting, chairman and CEO of the Climate Adaptation Center, noted that for the past two years, the forecast, which he says ranks most accurate in the nation, only missed the total number of hurricanes and major hurricanes by one.
This year, as he addressed attendees in the Selby Auditorium at University of South Florida SarasotaManatee, he revealed a prediction of 17 named storms, 10 hurricanes and five major hurricanes.
“That doesn’t mean we’re going to have three hurricanes in Sarasota, but I don’t see a big decrease coming,” he said.
Bunting, a meteorologist, said although the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration doesn’t issue its forecast until May, the Climate Adaptation Center wants to give the public time to prepare.
“It’s actionable information to understand that we’re living in the age of major hurricanes,” he said as he described the increasing trend toward severe storms.
He said while the hurricane season may get off to a slow start, he expects it to see significant activity later on, while it could also be a long season, lasting into November.
He said the two months of the forecast that most concern him are July and October.
Bunting said last year that ocean temperatures were at record highs not seen in human history, while this year was below that record, but “not by much.”
“We’ve had a cold winter here, relatively speaking, but the water
Bob Bunting delivers the forecast.
is warming up fast,” he said.
He noted the current temperature of the Loop Current, a warm ocean current that is an important contributor to the formation of hurricanes.
“We don’t get super hurricanes unless they’re 26 degrees centigrade or more, but ... it’s already reaching that level right now,” he said, also noting record-high temperatures in the Caribbean.
He noted the current warm phase of the Atlantic Multi-Decadal Oscillation, which he said will possibly be weaker, but with only a 60% probability.
He placed the probability of an El Niño–Southern Oscillation with low wind shear as “very high,” at 80%.
“It’s a lot worse now, because the oceans have warmed up so much since 1990, so I count neutral the same way I used to count La Niña in the 1990s,” he said. The warming phase of the sea surface temperature is known as “El Niño” and the cooling phase as “La Niña.”
Bunting said in the La Niña or neutral phases, which decrease wind shear, clouds can stack up vertically. He compared this situation to an ice skater spinning more quickly as she straightens her arms.
Bunting noted Florida was in the potential path of storms once again, voicing concern about July and October, the latter of which he noted is the month the community worries about most.
“Whereas July last year was very calm, July may be a month where we have more activity than we would like,” he said.
Bunting said he hopes knowing the forecast so far in advance, people will take the opportunity to be prepared. “I really don’t like it when we get hit, but I think the alternative of not knowing is not okay in this day and age where we know so much,” he said. “We have to share it with the community, and hope the community uses this information to inform their own decisions, whether they’re in government or in their own personal lives, or building new buildings or rehabbing old ones.”
Ian Swaby
GRAND OPENING
Join us for the grand opening of the 13-acre Midway Sports Park, where outdoor fun awaits the whole family. Watch exciting tennis, pickleball, and outdoor fitness demonstrations, and enjoy lawn games in a lively outdoor setting. Live music will set the mood while local food trucks serve up delicious complimentary refreshments. Explore this award-winning waterfront community by Stock Development featuring 15 designer-decorated models by the region’s premier builders. Discover our innovative residential offerings, stunning surroundings, and vibrant lifestyle—and find the home of your dreams!
TRIBUTES
Charles Edward “Charlie” Stottlemyer
Charles Edward “Charlie” Stottlemyer, devoted husband, loving dad and “Poppi”, faithful friend, successful businessman, and generous community leader, was called home to his Lord on March 20, 2025.
He was 95 years old. Born on November 19, 1929, in Anderson, Indiana, just days before the stock market crash and the start of the Great Depression, Charlie was the second of six children and the eldest son of Garnet and Maggie Dee “Peggy” Stottlemyer. Raised on rural Ridge Road and surrounded by an extended family, his upbringing was humble but rich in resourcefulness, hard work, and a deep commitment to family and faith. His lifelong love for Sarasota, Florida, began on a family vacation in 1946 when he was just 16. Charlie graduated from Anderson High School and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Indiana University in 1951. A member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, he served as its President his senior year. A gifted athlete, he excelled in football, baseball, and basketball, playing on Anderson High School’s 1946 Indiana State Championship Basketball Team. His talent as a fast-pitch softball pitcher made him a
valuable asset for any team, whether church league, fraternity or military intramurals, or semi-pro. Charlie attended Officer Candidate School and served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army during the Korean War, 1952-1953. “One of the best decisions of his life” was his courtship and marriage to his beloved Dee in 1952. Two years later, they made Sarasota their permanent home. In 1954, Charlie, with the help of his Dad, founded Stottlemyer Lumber Company. His brother-in-law, John Shoemaker (married to sister, Jean), joined him in 1956, and the business was renamed Stottlemyer and Shoemaker Lumber Company. Known for their integrity, commitment to quality, and dedication to both customers and employees, the business flourished for 34 years until its sale in 1988. Charlie’s leadership in the industry earned him recognition as President of the Florida Lumber and Building Materials Dealers Association and “Lumberman of the Year”, induction into the Florida Lumber Hall of Fame, and designation as an Honorary Member of the Gulf Coast Builders Exchange. He was also honored as “Business Man of the Year” by the Chamber of Commerce and Sarasota Herald Tribune in 1984. Beyond the lumber business, Charlie was involved in various commercial real estate ventures in the Sarasota area. Deeply committed to his community, Charlie invested his time, wisdom, leadership, and resources to
1929-2025 444036-1
make Sarasota a better place. He served as President of the Sarasota County Chamber of Commerce, Founder and President of the Argus Foundation, President of the Selby Foundation, Chairman of the Sarasota Memorial Hospital Foundation, Director of the FCCI Insurance Group for 40 years, Commodore of the Field Club, President of the Sarasota University Club, and Trustee of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Van Wezel Foundation, and Frank Berlin Foundation. He played a key role in local banking, serving on the boards of Palmer Bank, Southeast Bank, United First Federal, and
Barnett Bank. In recognition of his lifelong dedication to Sarasota, he received the Argus Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award. A man of quiet and steadfast faith and a follower of Jesus, Charlie was an Elder and member of First Presbyterian Church for 70 years. He lived his faith through a life of integrity, love, generosity, wisdom, and kindness. Charlie’s friendships were wide and deep, and spanned generations. He was a mentor to many, known for his wise counsel, fair treatment of others, and strong moral compass. He was an avid reader, loved playing golf and watching sports, and
enjoyed traveling with Dee, friends, and family. Perhaps, more than anything, Charlie Stottlemyer was proud of his family. He recently celebrated 73 years of marriage with Dee. He was devoted to his four children and their spouses, and cherished his 15 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. Family gatherings were a priority for him and Dee. Holidays drew the large, extended family together, including grandparents, aunts, uncles, and many cousins. Charlie is survived by his loving wife, Delores “Dee” (Ryan) Stottlemyer; daughters, Peggy LaRochelle (Peter) and Karen Eastmoore (Ted);
sons, Kent (Kathy) and Joe (Laurie); grandchildren, Patrick LaRochelle (Anna), Ryan LeBlanc (Allan), Rachel Moore (Alex), Maggie Richards (Adam), Emily Weitekamp (Todd), Rebecca Walther (Eric), Evan Eastmoore, Marshall Eastmoore, Matthew Eastmoore, Brennan Johnson (Matt), Rydell Stottlemyer, Joseph LaRochelle (Julia), Susanna LaRochelle (Wes), Emmett Stottlemyer, and Saylor Stottlemyer; 19 great-grandchildren (Abbie, Lilly, Zander, Luke, Charlie Mae, Miriam, Evelyn, Virginia, Mabel, Marguerite, Lily, Wells, Vivian, Emily Rose, Ted, Isaiah, Charlie, Emery, and Kinsley; brother, Stephen Stottlemyer (Terry); and dozens of Stottlemyer and Ryan nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Garnet and Peggy Stottlemyer, and siblings, Jean Shoemaker (John), Patricia Seybert, David Stottlemyer (Mary), and Michael Stottlemyer..
SERVICE:
A Celebration of Life is planned for Friday, April 11, 1 pm, at First Presbyterian Church. A graveside service for the family will be held on Saturday, April 12.
DONATIONS:
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to First Presbyterian Church, the Congo Health and Development Fund (give.serge. org, Project 19145), Sarasota Library Foundation, or Affinity Care of Sarasota (hospice). The family is deeply grateful for caregivers, Joycelyn Shipe, Lourdes Camarero, and Kim Gonzalez, and Affinity Hospice Care
“We’ve had our challenging times refining that chemistry, but we’ve done a great job with sophomores and freshmen stepping up and helping fill those roles collectively.”
FAST BREAK
Sarasota softball (12-4) has been on fire at the plate of late. The Sailors have won eight of their last nine games, averaging 10.9 runs per game. Ashlan Guengerich (.519 average, 31 RBIs), a junior, and Sommer Speers (.521 average, 26 runs), a senior, have led the offense.
... Riverview softball (13-0) stayed undefeated with wins over Palmetto, Charlotte and Lemon Bay from March 25-31. The Rams rank No. 15 in Florida and No. 5 in Class 7A. Senior Allison Cole is now 11-0 with a 0.36 ERA and 164 strikeouts in 78 1/3 innings.
... An explosive offense has powered Cardinal Mooney softball (7-3) this season. The Cougars have six players batting .345 or better, led by sophomore shortstop Olivia Lockhart with a .548 batting average, 15 runs and 10 RBIs.
... Sarasota baseball (16-31) pushed its winning streak to 11 games with three wins from March 25-28. The Sailors defeated The Out-of-Door Academy, Lakewood Ranch and Bartow and are now ranked No. 125 in the state.
... The Riverview girls track and field team beat out 23 other teams to win the North Port Invitational on March 28. The Rams were led by senior Kyrsten Montas, who placed first in the triple jump (11.16 meters) and third in the long jump (4.94 meters).
... Former Sarasota High baseball player Lance Trippel had a breakout at the plate with USF from March 22-30. Trippel went 9-for-18 with two walks, eight runs, five RBIs, two doubles and two home runs over a five-game stretch.
... Former Cardinal Mooney swimmer Michaela Mattes had a career-best day with the University of Florida at the NCAA Division I Championships on March 22. Mattes, a redshirt freshman, posted a personal-best time of 15:54.98 in the 1,650-meter freestyle to place 11th overall, earning her All-American honors for the first time.
Local 9-year-old golfer advances to Augusta
Joey Wolf will compete in the national finals of the Drive, Chip and Putt competition on April 6 before the Masters begins.
VINNIE PORTELL STAFF WRITER
Joey Wolf became a Scottie Scheffler fan while watching him win the Masters Tournament twice in the past three years. When Masters week arrives starting April 6, the 9-year-old golfer will compete at the same course as her golf hero.
Wolf, a member of Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club and a Sarasota resident, has advanced to the national round of the Drive, Chip and Putt competition in the 7- to9-year-old age division at Augusta National Golf Club.
The road to get there wasn’t easy.
THE PATH TO AUGUSTA
Wolf’s parents, Lissy Skolnick and Scott Wolf, didn’t consider putting their three children — Joey, Zander and TT — into golf until COVID-19 happened.
Gymnastics, soccer and tennis were their main sports. However, with most sports shut down indefinitely, golf became one of the few options for them to stay active.
Scott found a free golf class at Laurel Oak Country Club through U.S. Kids Golf, and the sport stuck.
“I think it’s an open sport, and I like competing against my brother because he’s the most competitive,”
Joey said of her twin brother Zander. Through U.S. Kids Golf, the family found the Drive, Chip and Putt Competition — a free development program — and have been competing in it for the past three years.
The Drive, Chip and Putt competition includes three drives, three chips and three putts, with a maximum of 25 points awarded for each shot in the qualifying rounds.
Wolf had little trouble winning her local qualifier at Bonita Bay Club East in Bonita Springs — beating out the field by 22 points.
Though she didn’t win her subregional competition at Olde Flori-
DRIVE, CHIP AND PUTT NATIONAL FINALS SCORING
Drives: The contestant with the longest drive that lands within a 40-yard fairway will receive 10 points. Second place will receive nine points, and so on throughout the 10 competitors. Each contestant will have two drives, using the best of the two.
Chips: The contestant with the closest cumulative distance to the pin after two chips will receive 10 points, with points decreasing for the further distance between each competitor.
Putts: Each contestant will putt once from 30 feet and once from 15 feet. The competitor with the closest cumulative distance will receive 10 points, with points decreasing based on distance.
Winner: The golfer with the most cumulative points will be the national Drive, Chip and Putt champion.
‘TINY BUT MIGHTY’ Dubbed “tiny but mighty” by her friends on the Florida youth golf circuit, the 4-foot-1, 56-pound Wolf knows she can’t win with long drives.
That’s forced her to focus on what she can control.
“My short game is usually what I can do the best,” Wolf said. “In driving, I’m probably going to hit the shortest out of everybody, so I have to be saved by my short game.”
Another advantage Wolf has is the mental edge she’s honed by competing with Zander on a near-daily basis.
Skolnick said Joey isn’t naturally competitive, but Zander brings that side out in her. Anything is a challenge between them, from reading books to hitting balls closer to the pin on the golf course.
da Golf Club in Naples, her secondplace finish was good enough for her to be one of two finalists to advance to the Southeast regional qualifier at Sea Island Golf Club in St. Simons Island, Georgia.
Facing her stiffest competition in the regional round, Wolf scored a 99 — her highest score of the three rounds — which brought her to a tie with Greta Golden.
Wolf, who said her best skill is putting, faced a 15-foot, one-putt tiebreaker to advance to the finals.
“I was the most nervous I’ve ever been,” said Wolf, whose putt settled closer to the hole than Golden’s. “I was just focusing and praying that I would win it. When I did win it, all of my friends came over and hugged me. It was so fun.”
“I was just focusing and praying that I would win it. When I did win it, all of my friends came over and hugged me. It was so fun.”
“If he loses, he starts melting down,” Wolf said of her brother. “When I win tournaments, he’s sad because he wanted to win it.”
After being nervous during qualifying events the past two years, seeing one of her friends advance to the finals changed Wolf’s perspective about competing in Drive, Chip and Putt this past year.
“They cheered for their friends on television and they loved it,” Skolnick said. “They were like, ‘I’m going to work hard and try to get there because I want to do that.’ Then they weren’t as nervous because they were just trying their hardest.”
Wolf and her family will make an expenses-paid trip to Augusta, Georgia. The weekend begins with a dinner for the Drive, Chip and Putt families on April 5.
Wolf will then compete against nine other girls in the 7 to 9 age bracket in the national finals on the morning of April 6, and have the chance to watch her favorite player during a practice round on April 7.
Though she said she’s looking forward to the national finals, the competition itself isn’t what she’s most excited about.
“I want to see Scottie Scheffler,” she said.
— Riverview High’s Caroline Steinwachs SEE PAGE 19A
Vinnie Portell
Sarasota softball senior Mady Pint has provided some pop this year with four home runs and 17 RBIs.
Joey Wolf
Photos by Vinnie Portell
Joey Wolf, a 9-year-old member at Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club, said she is best at putting when it comes to golf.
The Wolf siblings, TT, Joey and Zander, have grown to love golf after it was one of their only options for activity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Riverview’s beach volleyball investment pays off
The Rams are a top 20 team in the state after adding sand courts and a college coach.
Beach volleyball is a most fitting sport for Florida, but it has yet to catch on the way other sports have.
The Florida High School Athletic Association sanctioned the sport ahead of the 2021-22 school year, and it’s taken some time for schools to build up their programs since then.
Riverview High has been a prime example of the potential the sport has in the Sunshine State.
The Rams started their team in the 2021-22 school year. Though they went just 4-8 that season, it hasn’t taken them long to build a burgeoning powerhouse program.
Riverview invested in the sport.
The school added sand volleyball courts to its campus ahead of this school year and hired David McFatrich, a former Division I and pro volleyball coach, to lead their team in 2024.
Following some middling success the past two years, Riverview is having a breakthrough season this year.
The Rams are 6-0 as of April 1 and have won 27 of 30 matches among their five pairings. That has them ranked as the No. 19 team overall in Florida and seventh in Class 3A.
That success is important to the Rams, but the growth of the sport is the paramount focus for McFatrich and his players.
“Some of these girls, if they played year-round, could play beach in college and moms and dads don’t know it,” McFatrich said. “I have to tell them, ‘Well, she loves indoor. Well, I’m just telling you, she could play beach in college or sit on the bench and cheer in indoor.’”
GROWING THE GAME
It would be difficult for Riverview to find a better leader for its beach volleyball program than McFatrich.
McFatrich was recently hired to coach the indoor volleyball team at New College for the 2025-26 season following a career coaching the sport at Central Arkansas, Mississippi State and Charleston Southern, along with coaching professionals and Olympians.
Following his most recent stint at Charleston Southern, McFatrich said he moved back to the area to help train some local professional players.
Riverview caught wind of McFatrich coming back to the area, and he eventually relented to their requests to also coach the beach volleyball team.
McFatrich said he enjoyed coaching at the high school level to an unexpected degree last season, and
that’s given him a purpose to give more young women opportunities.
“There are a lot of players around here who should be focusing on beach volleyball,” he said. “There are 575,000 high school volleyball players in the country. There’s only 4,500 NCAA Division I indoor players. It has places to grow.”
McFatrich said beach volleyball can be more beneficial than indoor volleyball even without the potential to earn a collegiate scholarship.
Unlike indoor volleyball, beach volleyball players are constantly touching the ball and learning the game since there are just two players on the court at a time.
“You get more touches and you’re more involved in the game rather than maybe the ball is coming to me,” said senior Courtney Parrish, who grew up playing indoor volleyball but has now played beach volleyball for four years at Riverview.
LIFE ON THE BEACH
The setting of beach volleyball — outdoors in sunshine — makes for a more laid-back environment than indoor volleyball, but McFatrich brings a fun element, too.
The second-year coach has given each of his players nicknames, such as Cavegirl (Kate Grosso), H-Town (Harper Hayworth), Bro (Brooke Rogers), Crack-a-Lack (Lyla Bailey) and Golden Tongs (Mia Wolfe).
McFatrich has instituted other fun quirks to keep the energy enjoyable.
H-Town awards “points” to players — and takes them away — for arbitrary reasons and players celebrate them as if they’re legitimate.
McFatrich also lightens the mood by having players tell a joke of the day during water breaks at practice and have players talk about how their day went.
“He’s very intentional with all of the players,” sophomore Daisey
HISTORY OF COLLEGIATE BEACH VOLLEYBALL
2011: Division I schools classify beach volleyball — then called sand volleyball — as an emerging sport.
2015: Beach volleyball is officially sanctioned as an NCAA Championship sport.
2016: University of Southern California wins the first Division I NCAA Beach Volleyball championship. The Trojans have won six of the eight Division I NCAA championships since the sport was introduced.
2025: There are now 187 colleges — in all divisions — that offer beach volleyball.
Troyer said. “He makes a relationship with everybody, so it makes practice and everything more fun.”
That’s not to say that the Rams don’t take the game seriously.
Parrish and Troyer said they’re proud of their team’s undefeated record and are hoping to win their district tournament.
However, that’s not something McFatrich is too concerned about yet.
“I don’t worry about that,” he said of the postseason, which begins with district tournaments on April 21. “I only worry about our side of the net, because, to be honest with you, we’re nowhere near as good as we’re gonna be. It might not be this year, but it’s coming.”
Vinnie Portell is the sports reporter for the Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer. Contact him at VPortell@ YourObserver.com.
Vinnie Portell
Riverview beach volleyball is now ranked among the top 20 teams in the state after the school invested resources into its program.
Caroline Steinwachs
Riverview High senior Caroline Steinwachs has stepped up to lead the Rams girls lacrosse team this season.
Riverview (7-9) has lost six of its last seven matches, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. The Rams are ranked No. 38 overall in Florida out of 204 teams and are undefeated in district play.
Steinwachs has been a major factor in that success.
She’s paced the team with 55 goals (3.4 goals per game) and 12 assists, while also providing senior leadership. Steinwachs scored four times and added an assist to help Riverview break a six-game losing streak in an 18-6 win over Naples Barron Collier on March 26.
When and why did you start playing lacrosse?
I started playing lacrosse in the third grade for the Sarasota Seahawks, and I was actually coached by Ashley McCleod, my current high school coach. I started playing because one of my best friends at the time, Camille Johnson, was playing lacrosse. I was looking for a new sport to play, so I decided to play lacrosse.
What’s been the most memorable moment for you this season?
We beat Saint Stephen’s this year and we hadn’t beaten them while I’ve been here, so that was exciting to win that game.
What’s gone right for Riverview this year?
I was super close with Susan (Lowther) last year, and it’s definitely been different because she and I used to play off of each other all the time. I’ve had to take a different role and look for different people. We’ve had our challenging times refining that chemistry, but we’ve done a great job with sophomores and freshmen stepping up and helping fill those roles collectively.
If you would like to make a recommendation for the Sarasota Observer’s Athlete of the Week feature, send it to Vinnie Portell at VPortell@ YourObserver.com.
What’s gone right for you this year?
I was definitely nervous. Last year, Susan was the primary draw-taker, so I was nervous to step into that role. We have other girls who will take it, but a lot of times I’ll take every single draw in a game, so that was different for me but I think we’ve done a great job learning how to do that.
What’s your favorite meal?
Caesar salad with steak and truffle fries. I’m a big pre-game meal with steak person.
What’s your favorite TV show or movie?
I watch a lot of “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Criminal Minds.” I kind of like the classics.
What’s your go-to warm-up song?
I listen to a lot of things. Right now I listen to a lot of “Mr. Brightside.”
That’s a good one.
If you’re not playing lacrosse, what are you doing?
Well I’m usually playing lacrosse, but hanging out with my friends. We usually go to the beach, do some workout classes together or go for a walk together.
What does your ideal weekend look like?
Wake up, go workout, play lacrosse or go for a run and then go get food and go to the beach with my friends.
The Gallery: Thoughtfully Designed, Distinctively Sarasota
The corner of Fourth & Cocoanut in downtown Sarasota is being redefined by The Gallery Sarasota, a flawless fusion of art and world-class architecture. This luxury condominium development features 60 exquisite residences across five levels, topped by a stunning sixth-floor rooftop. Currently under construction, the project—designed by Halflants + Pichette and developed by Sarasota-based Palm One Group—has achieved remarkable sales velocity in a short time. Coldwell Banker Realty leads the sales team, with Matthew Day, Teresa Tyrrell, and Chad Fonder exclusively representing sales.
“The demand for high-end, well-located condos under $2M in downtown Sarasota
is evident in our sales success,” says Matthew Day, Managing Broker of Coldwell Banker Realty.
The Gallery attracts individuals not just for what it offers, but also for what it thought-
fully avoids. It’s not another high-rise, nor is it located in a flood zone. With six collec-
striking addition, plans are underway to further enhance the city’s landscape. “The key to creating an exceptional residential and community experience is a constant commitment to detail, both inside and out,” said Tim Tyrrell, President of Palm One Group. “Improvements include new paver sidewalks and streetlights, the repaving of 4th Street and 4th Way, updated curbs and gutters, perimeter landscaping with builtin planters and flowering trees, and a sixfoot wall adorned with lush greenery and palms along 4th Way.”
tions of residences, offering Private Courtyards, Penthouses, Open Staircases, and more—it steers clear of the cookie-cutter living experience. The amenities are equally remarkable, featuring a rooftop terrace with a pool and social lounge, as well as a state-of-the-art two-room fitness center.
Intentionally designed to fit within the neighborhood’s five-story zoning at 4th and Cocoanut, The Gallery blends seamlessly into its surroundings. Its proximity to The Bay Park, just three blocks away, was a deliberate choice. The development was timed to follow the park’s first phase, giving residents easy access to Sarasota’s walkable waterfront.
The community will appreciate The Gallery’s mid-rise design, which seamlessly complements the natural scale of the Rosemary District while contributing to its ongoing growth and vibrancy. Beyond this
At The Gallery Sarasota, every detail is a masterpiece, where elegance and comfort intertwine effortlessly. Living here is more than just homeownership—it’s about embracing a lifestyle filled with culture, convenience, and connection. While Sarasota offers many options, The Gallery Sarasota stands out for its luxury and location. We encourage you to contact our sales team to discover everything this exceptional property has to offer.
Construction of The Gallery Sarasota is on schedule for completion in the second quarter of 2026.
The key to creating an exceptional residential and community experience is a constant commitment to detail, both inside and out.
The Private Courtyard Collection - just one of the curated Collections available at The Gallery features 620 sq. ft. of luxurious outdoor living space.
The centerpiece of The Gallery is the westfacing rooftop terrace pool and lounge, a serene escape above the city with breathtaking views of downtown and the water beyond.
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.
Sarasota resident 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
Scottish-style centennial
Gillespie Park recently received the honor of a historical marker, which was dedicated by Sarasota County on March 7.
However, on March 29, it celebrated an additional milestone — its 100th anniversary.
Event Chair Lynn Elkes said the Gillespie Park Centennial Celebration showed the park and neighborhood had stood the test of time.
The event, organized by the Gillespie Park Neighborhood Association, honored Sarasota’s Scottish roots and the city’s founding of a Scottish community led by John Hamilton Gillespie, who served as its first mayor.
Held at the park, the celebration included live performances by the Riverview High School Kiltie Band and Lion Rampart Pipe and Drum. There also were stations offering projects, activities, displays and more, as well as a free tree giveaway by the City of Sarasota.
It also drew 25 volunteers, said Kelly Brown, president of the neighborhood association.
— IAN SWABY
Paul O’Connell and Holland’s sister Trish Schunney,
A landmark honor
Climate change and coastal resilience are routinely involved in daily conversation, said Architecture Sarasota Board Chair Anne Essner.
However, she said the work of architecture and urban design firm OLIN, one company involved in the master plan of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, helped the facility of the Downtown Sarasota Campus withstand last year’s storms.
Architecture Sarasota presented the firm with the Philip Hanson Hiss award during a ceremony held at Selby Gardens on March 28.
Philip Hanson Hiss III, who influenced the Sarasota School of Architecture and helped found New College of Florida, is the namesake of the award, which honors current architectural pioneers.
Chief Purpose Officer Richard Roark, of OLIN, accepted the award.
Phase One of the project, completed in 2024, includes 188,030 square feet of facilities, such as the Morganroth Family Living Energy Access Facility, which includes the world’s first net-positive energy restaurant entirely utilizing solar power.
Phase Two will include a conservatory complex, a learning pavilion and key landscape features. Selby Gardens announced on March 25 that it had raised $50 million toward Phase Two, which is 82% of its goal.
— IAN SWABY
WM
Photos by Ian Swaby Architecture Sarasota President Marty Hylton, Project Manager Marni Burns and Chief Purpose Officer Richard Roark of OLIN pose as Roark holds the award.
Lauren Schinnow of Architecture
Sarasota and original Sarasota School of Architecture mem-
ber Carl Abbott
Brittany Perrone and her husband, Ryan Perrone, and Don Cooper and his wife, Hyun Cooper
Kelly Brown, president of the neighborhood association, poses with Jerry Fogle, director of parks and recreation with the City of Sarasota.
Photos by Ian Swaby
Gregory Pech, a 12th grader in the Riverview High School Kiltie Band, plays the bagpipes.
Lynn Elkes, event chair; Linda Holland, vice president of the Gillespie Park Neighborhood Association; Kelly Brown, president of the neighborhood association; residents Steve Suau and
gather together.
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The number of people in the local community has increased, said Nelle Miller, president and CEO of All Faiths Food Bank.
She said the food bank increased its outreach by 14% last year and plans to do so further this year, while there are roughly 35,000 to 40,000 children who will need help getting food during the summer months.
On March 30, the food bank’s annual Walk to End Summer Hunger kicked off its annual Campaign Against Summer Hunger, which lasts from April 1 to May 15, at Nathan Benderson Park.
Campaign Chair Lisa Krouse told attendees Florida opted out of the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children for the second year, which she said “takes away about $250 billion out of feeding our kids this summer.”
Miller also told the Observer, “There are a lot of unknowns, and we’re proactively planning for what could happen to the supply of food and the cost of food over the next 12 months, especially.”
The event included the announcement of $1 million in matching funds, which Miller called “about as high as it’s ever been.”
“I think people anticipate this,” Miller said of the walk. “It’s a really uplifting action that people can take in support. They can come out and show what they care about.”
— IAN SWABY
Photos by Ian Swaby
Participants in the walk head down the path at Nathan Benderson Park.
Gabriela Gorka arrives back at the park’s Finish Tower with her son, Isaac Freeman, 4.
Addison Kibel, 9, and her grandmother, Diane Crawford, walk together.
Charles Swigard walks with his dog, Beau.
100 years of history
Daughters of the American Revolution is a service organization open only to women descended from someone involved in aiding the American Revolution.
Yet, its Sara De Soto chapter is itself a part of Sarasota’s local history.
Regent Patricia Rook said the organization, which has a focus that includes patriotism, education and history preservation, has been serving the local community since 1925, including through awards and scholarships.
On March 28 at Marina Jack, the chapter held a celebration of its centennial anniversary, which was attended by State Regent Cindy Addison.
“Do you know how hard it is to keep a chapter going for 100 years? It is no easy
feat,” said Addison. “It requires generations of dedicated women who are willing to share their gifts as a chapter officer, a chapter chairman or simply someone willing to give their time every day of every year of every decade until we get to today.”
Addison said the chapter first met on March 25, 1925, the 1,669th chapter to organize in the United States and the 12th in Florida. She also said one of its most illustrious members was Princess Julia Grant Cantacuzene, the second granddaughter of President Ulysses S. Grant. Rook said the chapter is the only one in Florida to have a dedicated house. This is located next to the historic Whitaker Cemetery, which members help maintain.
“Not all chapters last that long, and I just think if we had the founding ladies that started Sara De Soto, what they would think of all this, I’m sure they would be very proud,” Rook said.
— IAN SWABY
Photos by Ian Swaby
Members dressed in attire from across decades to celebrate the anniversary, including Mary Beth McLeod and Shawna Smith (1920s), Mary Lou McFate (circa 1920s), Diane Kingery Gentsch, Angela DeForest and Cynthia Flynn (1920s), Ronelle Ashby (1930s), Peggy Torgerson (1940s), State Registrar Jennifer Lawton Marks (1950s) and Clarissa Thomasson (1990s).
Chaplain Diane Kingery Gentsch, Florida State Regent Cindy Addison and chapter Regent Patricia Rook gather together.
Reveling in reggae beats
Tonya Laughlin and Michael Goodrow had just met a few minutes ago, but they were already enjoying sitting together and “experiencing the vibes” of the music around them on March 28. They were attending the Sarasota Reggae & Food Festival held March 28-30 at the Sarasota Fairgrounds.
The event brought out performers that included Undercover Rasta, Greg Roy and The Pressure Band and Temporary Setback and featured food vendors and a market selling souvenirs and other products.
“It’s very good,” said attendee Elaine Ripstein. “Great music. The weather’s hot, but it’s good, you know? It’s Florida.”
Festival Director Bill Kinney created the event in response to what he said was a need for more reggae festivals in the area.
“We love the response from the community ... The buzz is all over the place. We’re delighted that we’re bringing this Caribbean culture to Sarasota,” he said.
He said he anticipated the event being “completely jammed” for the big acts that night.
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King Tappa and Brett Sharbaugh perform on stage.
Natasha and Jimmie Simpson enjoy the event.
Photos by Ian Swaby
Darlene Quiala enjoyed the experience with her friend, Areana Thompson.
Gotcha again this year
SRQ’s Rick Piccolo had to dispel a ‘rumor’ that SpaceX was going to build a spaceport at the airport.
MICHAEL HARRIS
t happens everywhere people will grab their newspaper the
it, glance at the
out the door to a
and
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 to 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.
Myakka Act protects wild and scenic river values
he 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, Sen. 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
BEST BET
FRIDAY, APRIL 4
BACK TO THE ’80S BLOCK PARTY
7 to 10 p.m. on Main Street. Free. Step back into the ’80s with live music by Scarlet Drive, a female-fronted band known for its mixes of ’80s hits, and enjoy some lite bites. Attendees are invited to come dressed in ’80s’ attire. Visit DowntownSarasotaDID.com.
SATURDAY, APRIL 5
NAMASTE AT THE BAY
WITH RYAN WESTON
YOUR CALENDAR
9 to 10 a.m. at Common Ground, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Registration required. Practice mindful yoga with Ryan Weston, a USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame inductee, 2000 Olympic Alternate, Cirque du Soleil performer for 15 years and eight-time national trampoline champion. Bring your own mat and water. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
ASTRONOMY AT THE BAY
8 to 10 p.m. at Common Ground, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Join Suncoast Stargazers and Sidewalk Science Center to view Mars, Jupiter, a first-quarter moon and more. This event is part of Good to Be Green Months at The Bay. Visit TheBaySarsota.org.
GULF GATE LIBRARY’S
10TH ANNIVERSARY
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Ave. Free. Join Gulf Gate Library for a day of celebrating 10 years in its current location, with this luau-themed event. Enjoy Kona Ice, live entertainment, activities, a drum circle in the Teen Zone with Giving Tree Music and dancing. Instruments will be provided or attendees can bring their own. Attendees are invited to embrace the Hawaiian theme by wearing Hawaiian prints, leis or traditional clothing like aloha shirts. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.
SATURDAY, APRIL 5 TO SUNDAY, APRIL 6
SPIRIT FEST
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday. $12 per day; $18 per weekend; free for kids 12 and younger. Meet psychic readers, wellness practitioners, artists authors, with all-day speakers and vendors selling merchandise, including crystals, skin care and candles, aura photography and more. Visit SpiritFestUSA.com.
THURSDAY, APRIL 10
CINEMA AT THE BAY: THE MARTIAN
7 to 9:20 p.m. at The Nest, The Bay, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Enjoy “The Martian” (PG-13), starring Matt Damon, on the 62nd anniversary of the discovery of water vapor in Mars’ atmosphere. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
UKRAINIAN PYSANKA (EASTER EGG) DEMO AND LECTURE
2 to 3:30 p.m. at Selby Library, 1331 First St. Free. Join Bohdana Puzyk from the Ukrainian National Women’s League for a demonstration of the traditional Ukrainian art of egg-dyeing. Learn how pysanka are created with geometric and floral designs, using wax and dye. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.
TAI CHI
12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library, 2801 Newtown Blvd. Free. Learn Tai Chi, a low-impact exercise for your mind and body. Visit SCGovLibrary. LibraryMarket.com.
A Casey Key home tops sales at $9,196,000
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Pretiola Sands LLC sold the home at 1776 Casey Key Road to Barbara Devers and David Handel, trustees, of Boardman, Ohio, for $9,196,000. Built in 2002, it has five bedrooms, five-and-two-half baths, a pool and 5,794 square feet of living area.
SARASOTA AVONDALE
Lisa Rooks Morris, of Sarasota, sold her home at 1950 Alta Vista St. to Antony Darrin Wilkinson and Karen Wilkinson, of Sarasota, for $2.3 million. Built in 1940, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,501 square feet of living area. It sold for $800,000 in 2018.
Linda Butler, trustee, sold the home at 1821 Lincoln Drive to Dockside Homes LLC for $1,725,000. Built in 1957, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,576 square feet of living area.
FLOYD AND CAMERON
Gregg Kaplan sold his home at 1886 Prospect St. to Garrett and Kathryn Alcock, of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, for $2,125,000. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,444 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,377,000 in 2020.
GOLDEN BAY
Rebecca Jamieson, of Ontario, Canada, sold her Unit 21 condominium at 166 Golden Gate Point to Karen and Robert Hiden, of Sarasota, for $2 million. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,130 square feet of living area. It sold for $930,000 in 2005.
1350 MAIN RESIDENTIAL
William Levine, trustee, sold the Unit 1410 condominium at 1350 Main St. to Lisa Anderson, trustee, of Minneapolis, for $1.9 million. Built in 2007, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,288 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.3 million in 2020.
THE CONDOMINIUM ON THE BAY
Ralph Anthony Nicosia, trustee, of Denver, sold the Unit 1512 condominium at 988 Boulevard of the Arts to Megan Satchell and Christopher John Satchell, of Greenwich, Connecticut, for $1.3 million. Built in 1982, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,729 square feet of living area. It sold for $415,000 in 2001.
James Mark Weston and Linda Lynn Richichi, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 915 condominium at 988 Boulevard of the Arts to John Losurdo and Edyta Trzeciak, of South Barrington, Illinois, for $1.1 million. Built in 1982, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,555 square feet of living area. It sold for $780,000 in 2020.
SHORELAND WOODS
Thomas and Nancy Sarosi, of Sarasota, sold their home at 1766 Shore-
land Drive to Barry and Sandra Friter, of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, for $1,204,000. Built in 1952, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,732 square feet of living area. It sold for $415,000 in 2012.
MEMORY LANE
Anthony Grenville Douglas Illingworth and Susan Joan Illingworth, of the United Kingdom, sold their home at 1655 Memory Lane to Christopher and Amanda Thornton, of Sarasota, for $1,025,000. Built in 1957, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 2,149 square feet of living area. It sold for $360,000 in 2016.
LOMA LINDA PARK
Robert Hansbrough and Linda Walker, of Sarasota, sold two properties at 2364 Floyd St. to Michael and Renee Sher, of Orlando, for $920,000. The first property was built in 1954 and has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,786 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 2015 and has one bedroom, one bath and 462 square feet of living area. They sold for $569,000 in 2017.
HUNTINGTON POINTE
Edward and B. Jane Hooey sold their home at 4245 Hearthstone Drive to Carol and Joseph Sarrosick, of Smithtown, New York, for $675,000. Built in 1993, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,570 square feet of living area. It sold for $320,000 in 2011.
GULF GATE EAST
Cody Smith and Brooke Chapman, of Sarasota, sold their home at 3744 Kingston Blvd. to Elizabeth Lemay and Joseph Harrell, of Sarasota, for $645,000. Built in 1986, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,483 square feet of living area. It sold for $615,000 in 2023.
SOUTH GATE
Rachel Toomim and Mark Youngblood, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, sold their home at 2708 Siesta Drive to Juan Arrascue, of Sarasota, for $620,000. Built in 1954, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 1,810 square feet of living area. It sold for $103,900 in 2015.
Hassan Hamdar, of Tampa, sold his home at 3037 Goldenrod St. to Kathryn King, of Parkesburg, Pennsylvania, for $581,400. Built in 1963, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,675 square feet of living area. It sold for $445,000 in 2023.
TOP BUILDING PERMITS
SAN MARCO
Eileen Halbrook, trustee, sold the Unit 502 condominium at 1188 N. Tamiami Trail to Philippa Felicity Maroney, trustee, of Sarasota, for $575,000. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,843 square feet of living area. It sold for $305,000 in 2012.
POMS PARK
Joseph and Jessica Donaldson, of Brooklyn, New York, sold their home at 2335 Novus St. to 2335 Novus LLC for $535,000. Built in 1957, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,096 square feet of living area. It sold for $249,900 in 2016.
Other top sales by area ONLINE
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SARASOTA: $7,648,000
Harbor Acres
Teresa Cecelia Lee, of Sarasota, sold her home at 1430 Harbor Drive to Blake Snider, trustee, of Sarasota, for $7,648,000. Built in 2002, it has four bedrooms, four-anda-half baths, a pool and 6,631 square feet of living area.
SIESTA KEY: $2.21 MILLION
Siesta Cove
Alexandra Cynthia Miller and Jonathan Whitney, of Sarasota, sold their home at 5235 Siesta Cove Drive to Teresa Chiocca and Michele Chiocca and Hunt Whitehead, of Richmond, Virginia, for $2.21 million. Built in 1979, it has four bedrooms, five baths, a pool and 5,011 square feet of living area. It sold for $985,000 in 2017.
PALMER RANCH: $1.46 MILLION
Legacy Estates on Palmer Ranch
Srinivas Murali and Marie Baldisseri, of Sarasota, sold their home at 5389 Trails Bend Court to Donald Feuerstein, trustee, of Sarasota, for $1.46 million. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,380 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.45 million in 2023.
OSPREY: $937,300
Edgewater at Hidden Bay
XM HBH Waterview LLC sold the Unit C-503 condominium at 280 Hidden Bay Drive to Mark and Maureen Tackley, of Syracuse, New York, for $937,300. Built in 2024, it has three bedrooms, two-and-ahalf baths and 1,937 square feet of living area.
photo
The home at 1430 Harbor Drive was built in 2002 and has four bedrooms, fourand-a-half
A connecting tapestry
The Embracing Our Differences art exhibition features 50 works and quotations by artists, writers and students from around the world.
Many of those individuals were in attendance at Embracing Our Community: A Celebration of Kindness on March 30, including Aashna Parsa, a seventh grader from San Jose, California.
“A lot of people try to stay in their own worlds, and ... when you stay in your own world, you’re limiting yourself to not experiencing the joys of being with others,” she said.
She said her quote, “We can choose to build bridges or spend a lifetime lost on our own islands,” was also inspired by the desire to learn about other places, and the neurodiversity in her community.
Held at Bayfront Park, amid the exhibition, the event featured live music by Shelby Sol, booths and activities by different organizations and food trucks.
Gulf Coast Community Foundation partnered with Embracing Our Differences to continue its “You Matter” kindness campaign at the event, where the foundation announced it was covering the first 300 cups of ice cream sold.
“We are here to work together to build a community where kind-
ness, respect and inclusion are not just ideals, but local realities, and that is exactly what our exhibition represents,” said Linda Poteat-Brown, a board member of Embracing Our Differences. “This exhibition is a celebration of the extraordinary artists and writers whose talent and dedicate and dedication illuminate the path to a more compassionate world.”
— IAN SWABY
Tim O’Brien, Rachel Denton of Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Deb Benson and Tim’s wife, Deb O’Brien, hold the foundation’s “You Matter” cards.
It was a hot afternoon, and Penny Lesnick, 7, takes a rest on Oreo.
Thiago Mauri, 10, adds to a collective art piece.
Photos by Ian Swaby Moses Faboyede, 3, tries a fishing activity with his mother, Rachel Faboyede.
Hearing connects us. It makes us feel a part of our world. Whether it’s laughter at the family dinner table, a rousing debate at work, the eclectic energy of a live concert or even the quiet rustling of leaves on a warm summer night, hearing is so much more than a simple sense. It is simply part of who you are.
At AudioNova, we want to restore your sense of hearing so that you can get back what you’ve been missing. So you can feel like you again. If you’ve been putting off getting your hearing checked for another day, there’s never been a better time to take that important first step.
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