The first strands of lights decorating South Palm Avenue were purchased at Walmart and donated by Eileen Hampshire of Palm Avenue Merchants Association.
But a check of $50,000 provided by developer Greg Kveton to the association will allow for improvements to the block of his project, The DeMarcay Residences.
The funds had been agreed upon due to potential construction disruptions from the condominium, although Hampshire said those ultimately did not occur.
The association is now installing new permanent lights, with brighter bulbs and thinner wires with the help of Sarasota Holiday Lighting.
A golden opportunity
Ronnique Hawkins said the first thing she remembers painting as a young child is Nefertiti, the queen of the 18th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt.
“She looked beautiful, regal,” she said. She decided to return to the subject when she auctioned off paintings, including many of Nefertiti, at “Ro’cuperate Art Auction,” held at Creative Liberties on Nov. 22 and set to be continued on Black Friday.
The funds will go toward her breast cancer recovery.
However, her thoughts are always on her nonprofit, Learn My History Foundation, which offers multicultural-themed creative activities, mentorship opportunities and video production education.
$1.00
The Circle of light returns
Ian Swaby
husband
Courtesy image
Grahm Burton of Sarasota Holiday Lighting, and Eileen Hampshire
Ian Swaby
Andrew Warfield
International Airport President and CEO Rick Piccolo has guided the airport
WEEK OF NOV. 28, 2024
BY THE NUMBERS
$18 MILLION
“The staff here is just outstanding and really talented. This is not just a job. It’s
a personal interest they have, ownership of it. It’s their place.”
SRQ President and CEO Rick Piccolo. Read more on page 3A
CALENDAR
n Sarasota City Commission regular meeting — 9 a.m., Monday, Dec. 2, Commission Chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St.
n Sarasota County School Board regular meeting — 6 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 10, Board Chambers, Landings Administration Complex, 1980 Landings Blvd. (black awning entrance).
n Sarasota Planning Board regular meeting — 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 11, Commission Chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St.
Sarasota Memorial Health Care System has announced plans to replace its electronic health records systems with a single, integrated platform by industry leader Epic.
When fully implemented during the next two years, the new platform will replace multiple standalone and ancillary systems, streamline processes for care providers and provide tools to optimize the delivery of patient care. The total investment in the new technology is $160 million.
According to a news release, Epic will allow the seamless exchange of patients’ health information using one EHR platform across all Sarasota Memorial providers and facilities, providing care teams with the ability to better coordinate patient care regardless of location. Epic’s technology includes artificial intelligence and predictive modeling to provide clinicians with timely insights to enhance care.
“This investment represents a significant step we are taking to ensure our patients receive the
best care possible now and well into the future,” said Sarasota Memorial Health Care System CEO David Verinder in the release. “Epic’s secure, patient-focused platform has become the top-ranked EHR system used by health care organizations across the nation.”
Patients will notice changes including My Chart, a patient portal that will provide improved access to their complete medical record in one location and securely exchange information with their care teams.
School board cuts meeting schedule to once monthly
The number of Sarasota County school board meetings has been changed from two monthly gatherings to one, effective Nov. 19. Historically, the meeting schedule included one monthly meeting at 3 p.m. and another at 6 p.m.
Most meetings will now be held at 6 p.m.
School board members voted 3-2 to make the change, with Tim Enos, Bridget Ziegler and Robyn Marinelli in support, and Liz Barker and Tom Edwards opposed.
Superintendent of Schools Terry Connor said the idea was brought to him by the board in relation to the efficiency it had established. However, it faced criticism from public commenters regarding the reduction in opportunities for time to address the board, as well as concerns about the managing the month’s business in a single meeting.
Connor said he understood the concerns around public comment, but said the idea took into consideration that the board recently split its public comments into two sections, one for agenda-related items and another for general comments, which increased the total comment time from three to five minutes. He also said board members can request an additional meeting if needed.
Barker said while the idea did present the advantage of agenda items being able to receive more equal attention, as the 6 p.m. meetings are more widely attended, the point regarding public comment is “well taken.”
Ziegler suggested implementing specific office hours for board members, while Enos posited holding special meetings and town halls. Marinelli supported the schedule change with the caveat that it would be evaluated for its effectiveness. Earlier in the meeting, Ziegler had proposed reducing the time of public commenters one minute. Marinelli supported that proposal, which Ziegler said would “afford the opportunity for everyone to speak, but also to allow us to continue on with the other items.” That vote failed 3-2.
Courtesy photo
upgraded patient records management system.
SRQ’s clean-up man
From janitor’s closet to executive suite, Rick Piccolo made a career of mopping up at airports.
ANDREW WARFIELD | STAFF WRITER
When Rick Piccolo arrived here 30 years ago as a freshfaced 43-year-old, Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport was something of a mess.
As a rising star in the world of airport administration, though, he’d had plenty of experience in cleaning things up. Now entering his final seven months as president and CEO of SRQ, Piccolo looks back on a 53-year career entirely devoted to airport operations — starting in 1970 as a janitor at Buffalo Niagara International Airport.
It’s a career that took Piccolo from the janitor’s closet to airfield operations and maintenance to labor union boss to upper management, matriculating up the ladder at four airports and culminating in a threedecade stint he initially expected was just another stop along the way.
He will leave behind an airport solvent with $25 million in restricted reserves that is growing in both commercial airlines operations as well as industrial and private aviation activities around the airfield and has commercial planned development on more than 100 acres it owns in its southwestern quadrant of the property.
Three decades ago, though, SRQ was mired in debt and losing passengers in no small part because of its proximity to Tampa International Airport to the north and Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers to the south. It was also regularly embroiled in controversy, Piccolo said, as the eight-member board of directors was elected by the voters, four from Sarasota County and four from Manatee County, each serving four-year terms with half of them up for election every two years. Airport oversight was, to say the least, politically motivated rather than business oriented.
“The Sarasota airport had a terrible reputation in our industry, and the reason for that at the time was the board was one of only two boards in the country directly elected by the populace,” Piccolo said. “Every two years the airport director was spending time fending off criticism from its own board, regardless of performance.”
While working as assistant director of operations at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, the opportunity to come to SRQ as the top executive was appealing. Although he considered it a long shot, he applied anyway, but not without warning from his contemporaries.
“Airport directors were saying, ‘You don’t want to go there. You’ll
last three or four years. You’ll be aggravated as hell, and they have a terrible reputation,’” Piccolo said. “I got some advice from a colleague in West Palm who had been in the business a long time who said, ‘Everybody knows it’s a zoo down there. If you fail, it’s not going to hurt your career.’”
A CHALLENGING START
When Piccolo arrived, SRQ was $115 million in debt and was losing passengers and flights, the debt from investment in the current terminal under the expectation of growing to 3 million passengers annually by 1995, never reaching more than half that number. It had built the current passenger terminal in anticipation of that growth.
“It was beautiful, and it still is,” Piccolo said.
But with no taxing authority to make up the difference, it was an onerous beginning.
“I had to lay off some people, cut expenses, etc., and we started working our way back from there,” Piccolo said.
Working the way back began with voter approval of a public referendum in both counties that changed the composition of the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority Board of Directors from elected representatives to governor appointees.
“The governor appointed bigbusiness people, and they started to look at things from a business standpoint, and all I had to do was make the financial and business case for whatever we were doing,” Piccolo said. “I wasn’t fighting with the board. They understood the balance sheet. Pretty soon we started recovering faster. Eventually we wiped out our debt.”
The strategy included greater diversification of the airport’s revenue stream with a greater emphasis on leasing commercial property around the airfield. Meanwhile, regional growth made Sarasota more convenient for travelers rather than
said. “I applied for an opening out there after that winter, and in the spring, I got promoted to what they called a field person at that time, basically airfield maintenance guy.”
A few months later, he received his draft notice, and at a surprise party hosted by friends before reporting to boot camp, he met Sally, now his wife of 50 years.
After a two-year hitch in the Army during the Vietnam war — he was never deployed — he returned to his airport job as law at the time required employers to rehire drafted veterans whether there were openings or not.
Not only was a job waiting for him — even though there were no openings at the time — so was Sally.
“We got married, and I went back to work,” Piccolo said. “She was working at the University of Buffalo, and after a year or so of me working at the airport, she said, ‘You have too much talent to be driving a truck.’ She wanted me to go back to school, and one day, she came home with a completed application for the University of Buffalo, and she said, ‘Sign here.’”
The GI Bill paid his tuition and it took five-and-half years to graduate, going to school at night, working full time during the day and, along the way, having three children.
He was elected president of the local Longshoreman’s Union — at age 25. His opportunity to move into management came while attending a retirement party for an airport executive.
driving to Tampa or Fort Myers in heavy traffic to catch flights.
“We only had about $200,000 a year of revenue that was not related to anything happening with aviation,” Piccolo said. “Today, we do $3.5 million a year of nonaviation revenue.”
That will continue to grow when aircraft manufacturers Elixer and Pilatus complete their facilities and begin operations, in addition to fixed-based operator Sheltair Aviation and more. Before Piccolo’s arrival, there were no “T-hangars” for private aircraft lease. Now there are 163. The primary runway was only 7,000 feet long and has since been lengthened to 9,500 feet to accommodate all commercial airliners.
In addition, thousands of feet of taxiway were added to the north and east sides of the airfield, part of the millions in infrastructure investment needed to grow the aviation ecosystem that now contributes to the airport’s $3.2 billion economic impact on the Sarasota region, according to the latest Florida Aviation Economic Impact Study.
FROM THE GROUND UP
From scrubbing toilets to managing a team of 186, Piccolo has performed nearly every job in airport operations.
“It was a good education. I’m very happy that I got to work just about every job there is from a maintenance standpoint,” Piccolo said
Raised in a family of modest means, he took the janitor’s job in Buffalo out of high school to pay his own way through community college, earning $4,800 per year. He eventually decided to leave school, staying on the job until he found something better.
He found that something looking out the windows of the terminal during a Buffalo winter.
“There were all these big snow plows out there plowing snow on the ramp and it looked like more fun,” he
“I had negotiated two labor agreements by this time, so I was known in the management levels,” Piccolo said. “At the party, the head of the authority that ran the seaport, two airports and the mass transit approached me and said, ‘I heard you got your degree. Would you like to get into management?’ I said, ‘‘That’s why I went to school.’”
The first rung up the executive ladder was a six-month stint as a foreman at the seaport before returning to the airport as assistant to the airport manager, where he became the resident troubleshooter while learning all aspects of airport management.
His trek south began when his inlaws moved to St. Petersburg and wanted Rick, Sally and the kids to move as well. On a whim, he sent his resume to Tampa International Airport, thinking nothing would come of it. In 1984, he was named assistant director of operations there. By 1988 he was hired as assistant airport director at St. Pete-Clearwater.
On Dec. 1, 1995, he landed the job at SRQ that he would keep for 30 years and found the home where he will remain in retirement.
“We’ll live here in Sarasota. I’ll go see the grandkids more in Texas and hopefully improve my golf game,” Piccolo said. “I’ll stay on six months as an advisor — I don’t expect they’ll need a lot of advice — and I have an LLC that if I feel like doing some consulting work or something after that, I can pick and choose what I want.
“But it really was the time, and I was ready for it.”
“We only had about $200,000 a year of revenue that was not related to anything happening with aviation. Today, we do $3.5 million a year of nonaviation revenue.”
Rick Piccolo, Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport President and CEO
Photos by Andrew Warfield
Rick Piccolo has spent 30 of his 53-year airport career at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.
BLINDS | SHADES | SHUTTERS
Hurricanes make the case for high-fund balance
Deputy city manager estimates cost of damage repairs and citywide cleanup at $18 million.
The annual budget debate on whether the city of Sarasota should keep a general fund balance higher than the recommended amount may have been settled in the wake of the 2024 hurricane season.
During the Nov. 18 City Commission meeting, Deputy City Manager Patrick Robinson estimated the damage repair and clean-up operations from Hurricanes Helene and Milton to come in at about $18 million, which will reduce the fund balance from $28.7 million to $10.7 million, at least temporarily.
“FEMA does reimburse 100% to 75% in the first 90 days,” Robinson said. “If that actually happens in a timely fashion, we will be basically made whole or, worst case scenario and it all came in at 75%, that would be about $12.7 million we get back.”
That would leave the fund balance at about 19.7% of the general fund, Robinson told commissioners.
The Government Finance Officers Association, which sets the standard for government accounting, recommends a municipality maintain a fund balance of 22% of the general fund, enough for about three months of operations in the event of emergency. The city’s pre-hurricane fund balance was 26.8%, the argument for keeping that amount in reserve being that Sarasota is a coastal city.
In addition to clean-up operations, the city is dealing with widespread damage to municipal properties such as parks and even at City Hall, where a massive downed live oak remains. There is also the estimated $7 million to $10 million in restoration costs for
flooding at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, which resulted in the cancellation of the first half of the season’s performances.
Some of damage sustained by the building, but not all, will be covered by insurance. That’s because the commission previously decided to drop nonflood-related insurance coverage for the period of April 2024 through March 2025.
“The first year we decided not to cover the Van Wezel,” lamented Mayor Liz Alpert.
“We do continue to have flood insurance, which will pay out a portion of the damage caused by the water intrusion related to the storms,” Robinson said. “A decision was made by the City Commission not to renew the property coverage on the Van Wezel. However when we do our insurance presentation, that decision will be readdressed.”
As for the debris collection, so far, Robinson reported the city and its contractors have removed 280,260 cubic yards, which is approximately 392,364 tons of construction and demolition. That comes to 8,370 truckloads out of an initially estimated 12,000.
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Andrew Warfield
A massive live oak at Sarasota City Hall was toppled by Hurricane Milton, falling away from the building toward First Street.
School counselor wins national award
hen
greeted with confetti, students, a performance by the school band, teachers and family members. Larson was revealed as the recipient of the 2025 School Counselor of the Year Award by the American
School Counselor Association, being chosen among all 50 U.S. states and three territories.
“I’m elated, thrilled,” she said. “It’s just unbelievably — just the biggest honor that I’ve ever been bestowed, quite frankly. I love this profession, and I love this work. I’m so passion-
ate about this work, so to be recognized for something that I love so much means all the much more.”
Attendees, including Principal Jennifer Nzeza, praised Larson’s passion for her work.
“We are so proud of you for achieving this incredible accolade, but it
could not be more well deserved,” Nzeza said. “As I’ve said to you before, you form strong bonds with your students, you are an advocate for school counseling like nobody’s ever seen before. You are a master problem solver, which I so love; you make my job so much easier. And, your passion for all you do is palpable. It’s truly an honor to work with you, and to know you, and to learn from you every day.”
Larson, who has a Ph.D. in school counseling from the University of Florida, served twice as chair of the Florida School Counselor Association. She was also named the association’s 2024 Florida School Counselor of the Year in October 2023, which allowed her to advance to a finalist at the national level.
Nzeza said Larson is extremely dedicated to her work, as well as the students she serves.
“She is such a hard worker,” Nzeza said. “She’s here early in the morning, late in the afternoon, she spends time going above and beyond, getting to know all of her kids.”
She said Larson forms relationships with kids’ friend groups and families, and is able to head off issues before they start, performing lots of peer mediation.
She also called Larson “so involved in our district as a whole,” noting she creates a data and goal-based counseling plan for Sarasota Middle School each year, something she has now implemented districtwide, with the district’s support.
Her family said at home, her passion for the role is evident.
“I know that she works so hard and she loves her job so much ... ” said Larson’s daughter Ava Larson, 17.
“She always tells me the only thing that she could talk about is school counseling. She could talk about it for hours, and she just loves it so much.”
Indeed, as Nzeza said, the significance of the award goes beyond Larson herself, but also extends to the school and the district as a whole.
“It’s just really special, because, obviously, it’s an accolade for her, but it’s also an accolade for our school and our district, so to have somebody so well respected and such a valued member in her own field and giving back to so many, we just feel so fortunate.”
Carmen Larson was recognized as the country’s counselor of the year by the American School Counselor Association.
Photos by Ian Swaby
Carmen Larson reacts as Principal Jennifer Nzeza announces her as the 2024 school counselor of the year.
Eighth grade students Zach Peterson and Elizabeth Ngo help provide music for the surprise event.
Dec. 4 | 7pm
Holiday Night of Lights set for Dec. 6
activities.
The event will be the third held in St. Armands Circle since the storm surges brought by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
6.
The event begins with a special performance from 5:30 to 6 p.m. followed by the annual sing-a-long.
After Santa arrives, the countdown will be underway to light the 60-foot Christmas tree in Circle Park.
“St. Armands Circle businesses are excited to welcome guests to the annual Holiday Night of Lights,” said St. Armands Circle Association Director of Sales and Marketing Rachel Burns. “Enjoy caroling led by the St. Armands Key Lutheran church and help us count down to illuminate the Christmas tree.”
Through 9 p.m., visitors can stroll the Circle and enjoy the live musical performances and family crafts and
It follows the road to recovery for most of the barrier islands as Longboat Key held its first event since the hurricanes with Light Up Longboat on Nov. 23. Most of the St. Armands restaurants have reopened and retailers have been busy restoring and restocking their stores. Dining reservations are recommended.
Holiday Night of Lights is sponsored by Opal Properties (The Longboat Key Club, Lido Beach Resort, Cirque-St. Armands, Sandcastle Resort, and the Zota Beach Resort), Crab & Fin, Lynches Pub, Binjara Traders, Ivory Coast, Sahara, St. Armands Antiques, the city of Sarasota, the St. Armands Residents Association, and the St. Armands Circle Association.
The city of Sarasota granted the Circle Association nearly $400,000 to replace the tree in 2022, the grant was secured with the assistance of the St. Armands Business Improvement District board.
‘Poly’ installation begins
After taking a circular five-year route, work begins to install the public sculpture in the 14th Street roundabout.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
Five years after it was selected to grace the center of the roundabout at U.S. 41 and 14th Street, construction of the concrete foundation for “Poly” is finally underway.
Contractor Spectrum Underground Inc. is prepping the site for the anticipated January 2025 installation of the public art sculpture by New York artist Nancy Hou, created specifically for that location. It almost wasn’t installed there, though, as the price of post-COVID construction materials and labor inflation well exceeded the budget, halting the process in 2023.
The City Commission approved the 14th Street roundabout project as part of a consent agenda during its July 15, 2024, meeting.
Recommended by the Public Art Committee as the winning entry for that location of the city’s Art in the Roundabouts program, the City Commission unanimously approved the piece, which cost $208,066, in September 2019.
Then came COVID, and the subsequent supply chain shortages that halted fabrication of the piece. That was followed by the installation delay because of cost overruns, the only bid received by the city at $389,738. Combined with a bid of $743,652 for the 10th Street Roundabout, the proposed home of “Seagrass,” that came to more than $1.33 million, more than double the $514,000 the city budgeted for both.
The total cost for the concrete pad and construction is $340,906.50. Spectrum Underground had submitted a bid of $319,931.70, but the Florida Department of Transportation did not approve of the proposed materials, which increased the final price by $20,974.80.
Other bids received were from Jon
F. Swift Construction at $354,850.10, Wessel Construction at $415,194, and Halfacre Construction at $482,539.20 — all prior to the staterequired materials adjustment.
The project involves structural and aesthetic enhancements designed to improve the visual appeal and functionality of the roundabout. Spectrum Underground will be responsible for the installation the sculpture, landscaping, irrigation and lighting improvements.
After the City Commission declined to accept the original bid for the two roundabouts, former Public Art Coordinator Mary Davis Wallace led city’s Public Art Committee in selecting alternate locations for the sculptures. Included in the committee’s recommendations was moving Poly out of the roundabout and into Whitaker Gateway Park in the northwest quadrant of the circle.
The committee proposed moving all roundabout sculptures from state right of way on U.S. 41 onto city property, where it was presumed the price would be considerably less because the installation could employ less expensive materials than required by the FDOT and the process is open to more potential bids. Contractors working in state right of way must be sanctioned by the FDOT, which limits the field of candidates.
The cost difference, it turns out, was negligible.
As it was discussing alternative locations, the Public Art Commission was told the cost to install pads in locations outside the FDOT right of way could range between $350,000 and $750,000 each, depending on a variety of factors such as availability of electricity for lighting.
“We’re all in shock with what the pre-2020 prices were to pour a 15-foot foundation,” Wallace said at the time.” It was under $100,000.”
With the matter of Poly settled,
the city has two more roundabout sculptures to address — Seagrass at 10th Street and “Sun Always Shines” at Fruitville Road. Installation of Seagrass has yet to be publicly addressed.
And Sun Always Shines, which the committee selected in May 2023, has yet to be considered for approval by
the City Commission.
Also looming is the newest roundabout at U.S. 41 and Gulfstream Avenue, which was intended to be part of the Art in the Roundabouts program. All of that has been put on hold, a city spokesperson told the Observer, until a new public art coordinator is hired.
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Andrew Warfield Construction is underway in the roundabout at U.S. 41 and 14th Street for the installation of Poly, a sculpture selected by the city in 2019.
Courtesy image
A daytime and nighttime rendering of Poly, which will be installed at the roundabout on U.S. 41 at 14th Street.
THE BEDROCKS OF AMERICA
Thanksgiving is much more than remembering the Pilgrims’ and Native Americans’ first feast and being thankful for what we have. It reminds us why the Pilgrims came to America: for the freedom to worship.
Editor’s note: These two editorials originally appeared Nov. 23, 2017.
Kirsten Hazelton, a second grade teacher at Southside Elementary School in Sarasota, gave her students an assignment for Veterans Day. One of those students, Rhys Parry, 7, wrote a letter to his uncle, a captain in the Marine Corps Raiders, its special forces division.
Parry thanked his uncle for serving. And by way of every child’s uncanny ability to state simple, direct truths and profound common sense, young Parry wrote: “Freedom is the best thing in the world.”
If only every American took that to heart. Especially today. What a tragedy that so many don’t appreciate that truth. They take their freedom for granted, oblivious to this extraordinary gift.
So be thankful today. Block out the noise, the national politics, the cultural strife and the depravity that has consumed us. As you gather with family and friends for your traditional Thanksgiving feast, we take this space this week to urge our readers to take stock, at least for a few minutes.
If you think deeply enough about the meaning of Thanksgiving, there is so much more to this day than being thankful for the bounty on our tables. So much more to Thanksgiving than the story of the Plymouth Colony Pilgrims celebrating the harvest with the Wampanoag Native Americans in 1621, or thanking God for the end of the drought in 1622. To a great extent, the first Thanksgivings were the celebratory culminations of the miraculous journey of a small band of Europeans in search of a place to be free — to escape persecution and be free to practice their religion and their way of life. That was their raison d’être — freedom of religion. And today, you can say that principle is the fundamental rock, the bedrock, the perpetual birthstone of America.
And yet, here we are, 400 years later, continuing to fight for that right and principle. And if you think about that, consider also what it will require to preserve that right — and the other rights granted to us in the Constitution.
Take inspiration from the courage of the Pilgrims and how they persevered through the long, harrowing journey from England to Holland to Plymouth Rock. Freedom will always be a difficult journey. We’ve made a tradition each year of retelling the story and roots of Thanksgiving because the story of the Pilgrims helps reset our compass. It reminds us how we came to be — the New Hope in the New World. It reminds us of why we came to be. It reminds us of the price our ancestors paid to be free and to be free to worship as they wished. It reminds us to be thankful for all the blessings we have. And it reminds us that Rhys Parry is right: “Freedom is the best thing in the world.” Happy Thanksgiving.
What drove the Pilgrims to America
The roots of Thanksgiving Day go far deeper than the story of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony in 1621. Yes, they were thankful to God for their bountiful harvest and their newfound Native American friends.
But if you can imagine yourself in the shoes of any of the original 102 Pilgrims who sailed from Leiden, Holland, for America, a land unknown, and who survived that tumultuous journey, followed by two years of near starvation, your gratitude simply for being alive would put a whole new perspective on Thanksgiving. It was far more than being thankful for a big fall harvest and feast.
Seldom, if ever, do we focus in our history texts on the details that compelled the Pilgrims — also known as separatists, Puritans and Calvinists — to set sail. The textbooks typically mention they fled religious persecution. But especially today, in this world of widespread and horrific religious persecutions, it’s instructive to remember the details of why the Pilgrims mustered the courage to cross the Unknown Ocean for freedom: for religious freedom.
In his 500-page account of Plymouth Plantation, Gov. William Bradford wrote how his fellow Calvinists in England became “hunted and persecuted on every side, so as their former afflictions were but as flea-bitings in comparison of these which now came upon them.
“For some were taken and clapped up in prison; others had their houses beset and watched night and day, and hardly escaped their hands; and most were fain to flee and leave their houses and habitations, and the means of their livelihood,” Bradford wrote.
After a year of this and meeting in secret to practice their worship of God, they saw “they could no longer continue in this condition,” and “resolved to get over into Holland.”
The people of Amsterdam, they had heard, accepted the free practice of religion.
MISERY WORSE THAN DEATH
But sailing 200 miles to the Netherlands was no small matter. It was a monumental ordeal. Bradford describes the fear many of the separatists had of leaving England, as bad as it was, as “a misery worse than death.”
“But these things did not dismay them — for their desires were set on the ways of God and to enjoy his
ordinances,” Bradford wrote.
The trip to Holland was horrible for many. Chartered ship operators, once at sea with the separatists, robbed them, ransacked their belongings, molested many of the women and then sailed back into the original port and turned over the separatists to local authorities, who then imprisoned them.
Amazingly, the separatists didn’t give up. “Some few shrunk at these first conflicts and sharp beginnings,” Bradford wrote, “yet many more came on with fresh courage and greatly animated others. And in the end, notwithstanding all these storms of opposition, they all got over at length.”
For 12 years, the Calvinist-separatist-Pilgrims lived and practiced their religion in freedom and peace in Leiden, an area within Holland where many of them became weavers.
And then the trouble began again.
Bradford wrote of “Arminians, who greatly molested the whole state” and university professors and other preachers who began to slander the Pilgrims’ religious practices.
The tormenting rose to such a level that Bradford said some of his neighbors preferred being in prison in England than “this liberty in Holland, with these afflictions.”
Distressed by the increasing abuse, the separatists’ elders began to look ahead. They believed within a few years they “were fearful either to be entrapped or surrounded by their enemies” and unable to flee.
What’s more, they worried about their children. It was common for children to labor long hours in the
mills, “their bodies bowed under the weight.” Many children also were falling to the temptations of youthful “licentiousness” and being drawn into “extravagant and dangerous courses,” Bradford wrote. Parents saw “their posterity would be in danger to degenerate and be corrupted.”
At the same time, many of the separatists looked outward and spoke among their neighbors of “advancing the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in those remote parts of the world,” Bradford wrote.
DIFFICULT, BUT NOT INVINCIBLE
All three of these influences — persecution, the well-being of their families’ future generations and spreading God’s word — combined to motivate the Pilgrims to seek a new beginning. As they discussed their options, Bradford wrote, “It was answered … The difficulties were many, but not invincible.”
So they set sail to a land unknown. Bradford wrote of “winds so fierce and the seas so high” and the Mayflower “shroudly shaken” and leaky, raising the constant fear the ship would sink and that they would perish at sea.
When they finally stepped on land in the Cape Cod harbor, Bradford wrote, the Pilgrims “fell upon their knees and blessed the God of heaven, who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof.”
Freedom and freedom of religion — these are the bedrocks of America.
— MW
Wisdom on liberty, then and now
“Someone once said: It isn’t that Christianity has been tried and found wanting; it has been tried and found difficult — and abandoned.
“Perhaps the same running away from righteousness is responsible for freedom’s plight for, plainly, the American people are becoming more and more afraid of and are running away from — abandoning — their very own freedom revolution.”
— Leonard Read
“Anything That’s Peaceful” 1964
“The United States is the highest achievement of the millennia of Western civilization’s struggle toward individualism and its last, precarious remnant.
“With the obliteration of the United States — i.e. of capitalism — there will be nothing left to deal with on the face of the globe but collectivized tribes.”
— Ayn Rand
“Requiem for Man,” 1967
“The right to life is the source of all rights — and the right to property is their only implementation. Without property rights, no other rights are possible.
“Since man has to sustain his life by his own effort, the man who has
no right to the product of his effort has no means to sustain his life. The man who produces while others dispose of his product is a slave.”
— Ayn Rand
“Man’s Rights,” 1964
“Liberty looks upon religion as its companion in its struggles and triumphs, as the cradle of its young life, as the divine source of its claims. It considers religion as the guardian of morality, morality as the guarantee of law and the security that freedom will last.
— Alexis de Tocqueville
“Democracy in America,” 1831
“The reduction of the citizen to an object of propaganda, private and public, is one of the greatest dangers to democracy.
“The reiteration of slogans, the distortion of the news, the great storm of propaganda that beats upon the citizen 24 hours a day all his life long mean either that democracy must fall prey to the loudest and most persistent propagandists or that the people must save themselves by strengthening their minds so that they can appraise the issues for themselves.”
— Robert M. Hutchins
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“The Great Conversation,” 1951
“Equality before the law and material equality are therefore not only different but are in conflict with each other; we can achieve either the one or the other, but not both at the same time.
“The equality before the law that freedom requires leads to material inequality. Where the state must use coercion for other reasons, it should treat all people alike. The desire of making people more alike in their condition cannot be accepted in a free society as justification for further and discriminatory coercion.”
— Friedrich Hayek
“Constitution of Liberty, 1960
“Socialism will reduce your freedom. Higher taxes mean that you have less control over your spending.
“… Free markets are the source of most of our freedom; government generally restricts freedom, and socialism increases the power of government.
“Finally, whenever socialism has been tried, it has failed.”
— Paul H. Rubin
“A Student’s Guide to Socialism; How It Will Trash Your Lives,” 2021
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MATT WALSH
British artist Bernard Gribble’s painting of the Pilgrims boarding the Mayflower.
Sarasota School Board swears in newly elected members
Meeting includes a reorganization with the selection of new chair and vice chair.
IAN
SWABY STAFF WRITER
Prior to the Sarasota County School Board meeting on Nov. 19, new board member Liz Barker, and returning member Tom Edwards were sworn in. Barker, a former school psychologist and current PTO member, represents District 2, while Tom Edwards, a business entrepreneur, represents District 3.
The swearing-in of the new board members was accompanied by a reorganizational meeting, which saw the positions of chair and vice chair selected.
Board member Bridget Ziegler nominated Tim Enos for chair, with the board unanimously voting in approval. Barker nominated Edwards for vice chair, while Ziegler nominated Robyn Marinelli, with Marinelli being selected at 3-1.
The two newly sworn-in members represent a change in the ideological makeup of the board, with Barker and Edwards being more liberal than the board’s conservative majority of Ziegler, Marinelli and Enos.
“It is a privilege to serve and to contribute to the important work we do together to shape the future of our schools,” Barker said. “As I take on this responsibility, I’m mindful of the commitment that we all share to ensure that every student receives the best possible education, one that equips them with the skills, knowledge and values to thrive in an ever-changing world, whether we’re discussing academic excellence, student well-being or creating a safe and inclusive environment for learning.”
She said she was eager to work
together with board members and the community.
“It’s about the collective strength of our community. We all have a stake in our students’ success, and the best solutions will always come when we listen to one another, share ideas openly and work together with mutual respect. In that spirit, I want you to know that my door is open. We don’t have to agree, to have a conversation.”
“I’m honored that the county of Sarasota sent me back to continue the work that I started,” Edwards said. “Many of you know that I’ve been saying since I’ve been a school board member, that every student should graduate with a plan. They should be enrolled, enlisted or employed.”
He also noted the overwhelming passing of the district’s property tax referendum.
“The good news for me about that is that we really care, in spite of all of our difference, we really care about our next generation and our students, and we want the very, very best for them.”
He said his priorities would be academics and critical thinking.
“You cannot have critical thinking without controversy, without the arts, without sports and without high quality leadership and academic instruction. And we have that in here, here in Sarasota. Congratulations, Sarasota County,” he said.
Ian Swaby
Judge Charles Wil-
liams swears in Tom Edwards
School boundary change draws opposition
The school board unanimously approved a proposal that would redistrict 1,187 students from Ashton Elementary, Lakeview Elementary and Sarasota Middle School to the new K-8 Skye Ranch School.
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
School staff and parents voiced opposition before the Sarasota County School Board voted unanimously on Nov. 22 to set a new boundary that will relocate 1,187 students from Ashton Elementary, Lakeview Elementary and Sarasota Middle School to the new Skye Ranch School.
District staff said the rezoning was a needed change to free up capacity at schools that are over capacity or nearing capacity, while school board members expressed sympathy for the difficulty of relocation.
Extending as far as Legacy Trail to the west, the new boundary was among three options created through the input of a Boundary Advisory Committee involving principals, teachers and parents, and the district’s planning team.
The other two options set the boundary at I-75 and Honore Ave.
A K-8 school, Skye Ranch School is located at 9501 Lorraine Road, just south of State Road 72 east of I-75. It will serve students up to sixth grade starting in August 2025, with seventh grade coming in 2026 and eighth grade in 2027.
Numerous members of the public spoke about resolution during a Nov. 19 meeting, with most opposed.
“This is a very inequitable divide, with little room for change,” said Ashton Elementary teacher Melissa Walters. “If Scenario 1 occurs, Ashton’s free and reduced lunch rate will be at 45%, a 15% increase ... Sarasota sets the Title I threshold much higher, but typically, by state standards, over 40% is considered a Title 1 school.”
Shannon Haddad, ESE instructional facilitator at the school, praised the work on the difficult decision.
She also said, “However, as much as I respect the work that has been done, I stand before you today feeling devastated by the impact that this redistricting will have on the Ashton community, our culture, our family,” while stating she was “deeply” disappointed, saying the impact on teachers had not been given the attention other factors had.
School board member Liz Barker, who served on the Boundary Advisory Committee, has children who attend Lakeview and will be affected by the change. “Please understand that just on a personal note, as a parent, I deeply understand the challenges of switching schools and the upheaval that that brings,” she said.
“That said, it’s my responsibility to make a decision that’s in the best interest not just of my family, but of the district as a whole … ”
PROJECTED IMPACTS OF REZONE
District staff also said the redistricting was a necessary move.
“Keep in mind Ashton was at 139% capacity, quite frankly shouldn’t have really got that high, and we shouldn’t have allowed it to get that high,” said district COO Michael Kemp, noting the redistricting would create a more manageable level of service.
Deputy Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer Rachael O’Dea said the district’s policy did not allow it to immediately offer the option for people to choose a school outside their district, as the limit for doing so was 90% capacity, which Ashton
and Lakeview are still projected to exceed.
District documents list a twominute increase in bus times, from 23 minutes to 25 minutes.
Little said bus routes are being evaluated by drivers, and his goal with the district is routing and planning for traffic throughout the year, rather than only during the less busy season.
He also said buses have kids separated by age, and the “vast majority” have five cameras.
Kemp said projections are based on the assumption that all students over two miles from the school will ride the bus, stating that “we under promise, we over-deliver.”
AVENUES OF COMMUNICATION
The public also voiced concerns regarding what they said was a lack of communication on the proposal, stating they had not known it was being put forward.
Board member Bridget Ziegler said she has prioritized communication, but that the board needed to pursue
other avenues.
“People did not try to slip it under the radar,” board member Tom Edwards said. “They thought they were communicating, they thought they were getting the word out, but everywhere I turn, including my own self, it wasn’t appropriately communicated, and we should own that.” Board member Robyn Marinelli said it was important to recognize the effects of the redistricting, although the majority of emails she received were supportive.
She said a previous redistricting affecting Brentwood Elementary had been “traumatic,” but she was sure families and kids would be provided with the needed resources.
Before noting the many families seeking to attend Ashton, board member Tom Edwards discussed the promising qualities of Skye Ranch School.
“It’s an amazing school; I’ve been there,” he said. “It’s going to be state of the art; it’s unbelievable, and if you can go, go,” Edwards said.
The scenario the school board approved will redistrict 1,187 students from three existing schools to Skye Ranch.
Selby Gardens embarks on Master Plan Phase 2
The capital campaign for the second phase of building the second phase of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens has reached 66% of its $60.9 million goal.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
Having reached 66% of its capital campaign goal, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens announced it is moving ahead with Phase 2 of its master plan for the downtown campus.
The capital goal for Phase 2 is $60.9 million, of which $40.3 million has been raised. Selby Gardens has so far raised $103 million toward both the recently completed Phase 1 and Phase 2, including nearly $8 million for endowment, with 99% of all funds from private philanthropy.
The total includes a $15 million commitment from an anonymous donor.
“We are extremely grateful to everyone who has supported the new realization of Selby Gardens thus far, making our vision a reality,” said Selby Gardens Board Chairman Joel Morganroth. “Together, we are cultivating vital green space in Downtown Sarasota that will inspire
future generations and celebrate the wonders of nature.”
Morganroth and his wife, Gail, a capital campaign co-chair, have themselves made a new commitment of $5 million to Phase 2, bringing their total Master Plan commitment to $10.5 million.
Phase 2 is expected to break ground by the end of 2025, with an opening date anticipated by the end of 2027. It will include a new Conservatory Complex, a Learning Pavilion and key landscape features.
The planned hurricane-resilient Conservatory Complex is described as a “stunning crystal palace filled with more than 20,000 plants from
“We have tremendous gratitude for everyone who believes in the mission and dynamic future of Selby Gardens, and we are excited to embark on this next phase of our Master Plan.”
Jennifer Rominiecki, Selby Gardens president and CEO
Selby Gardens’ living research collections, including the best scientifically documented collections of orchids and bromeliads in the world.”
Currently, the public can view fewer than 5% of Selby Gardens’ research collections. The new Conservatory Complex will make public nearly 100% of the collection.
A new indoor/outdoor Learning Pavilion will offer enhanced learning opportunities and accommodate expanded school programs and lifelong learning, and the expanded garden features will include Taras Stone Garden, Live Oak Grove and improved walkways and pathways within Selby Gardens’ existing footprint along Sarasota Bay.
“We have tremendous gratitude for everyone who believes in the mission and dynamic future of Selby Gardens, and we are excited to embark on this next phase of our Master Plan,” said Selby Gardens President and CEO Jennifer Rominiecki. “By investing in resilience measures, we ensure that this invaluable collection can continue to thrive and contribute to important research even in the face of extreme weather.”
In addition to the Morganroths, leadership donors, which start at $500,000, include Andrew Economos, The Gardener Foundation, Gutenstein Legacy Foundation, Marcy and Michael Klein, Katherine and Frank Martucci, Cornelia and Richard Matson, Keith Monda and Veronica Brady, Audrey Robbins, Jean Russell, Richard and Ellen Sandor, Steinwachs Family Foundation, The Stone Foundation, Hobart and Janis Swan, Martin and Zelia Trueb, and Judy Zuckerberg and family.
File image
Selby Gardens President and CEO Jennifer Rominiecki speaks at the opening ceremony of the first phase of the Master Plan.
DIAMONDS & FINE JEWELRY
SATURDAY, NOV. 9
ANGER MANAGEMENT
10:42 a.m., 700 block of Apricot Avenue
Criminal mischief: A vintage pickup truck parked for four days outside a business was damaged overnight. The victim advised his son and told him that at about 3 a.m. his son awoke to loud fireworks and crashing sounds but went back to sleep.
He stepped outside several hours later to discover a shattered window and approximately a dozen small rocks on the ground by the driver’s side door, which had several dents and scratches apparently caused by the rocks. Other damage included chips in the windshield.
According to the report, it appears the perpetrator climbed up on the lifted truck’s tires to access the hood and throw rocks at the windshield. An officer attempted to lift latent prints from the vehicle to no avail. The officer contacted the truck owner by phone to discuss the matter.
Later that afternoon, the officer was contacted by the victim’s son who said he identified the suspect, a juvenile who confessed to the vandalism because he is unable to control his anger. Throwing rocks, he said, is the only way he can calm himself down if counting to 10 or doing pushups doesn’t help. The boy’s mother was referred to a service to help with troubled youths.
Washington Boulevard Civil dispute: The manager of an auto service business called law enforcement after being out several hundred dollars after overpaying a fired employee in his final check.
The ex-employee, the complainant advised, was given a check in the amount of $738.09. However, the fired worker failed to return his uniforms as directed, which are valued at $441.18. The manager said the check total was a mistake and the value of the uniforms should have been deducted.
The subject did have a friend deliver $141.18 in cash to the business, but he still owes $300 for the uniforms. The manager was informed that the matter is a civil in nature and no further action was taken.
SUNDAY, NOV. 10 THAT SINKING FEELING
8:39 p.m., 0 block of Bayfront Drive
Dispute: A visiting couple out on the town met up with the owner of a boat at a local popular waterfront restaurant and bar who invited them to hang out on his boat anchored in the mooring field in Sarasota Bay. After more drinking on the boat, the man advised their host that they wished to leave because they had a flight to catch the next morning. That’s when the sequence of events took a peculiar turn. After boarding the boat owner’s dinghy, he was unable to start it and, for reasons not described in the incident report, it began to sink. After
tumbling over each other in the tiny vessel, the three fell into the water, the couple swimming to a nearby boat to seek refuge. The woman said she believed the boat owner intentionally flooded the motor so it would not start.
Reads the report: “(Woman) stated while (the boat owner) was attempting to start the dinghy he hit her in the face. (She) stated while the dinghy was sinking (the boat owner) fell on her, touching her breast with his hands and face.”
The boat owner told officers he had advised the couple could stay on his boat for the night due to not being able to get the dinghy started, adding they had been hanging out all night and there was no dispute between anyone. As for the couple, they just wanted their eventful evening to end and return to their hotel after returning to dry land. No further action was taken.
Enjoy the thrill of the find! Our inventory is always on the move, so visit us weekly to explore new deals and shop often!
Shore to close; Tommy Bahama to lease its space
Shore, a long-time mainstay of St. Armands Circle, has announced it is leaving Sarasota, saying flooding issues from this year’s hurricanes forced its owners to make hard decisions.
“It’s been a challenging time for us, especially given the extended recovery process after the storm,”
Tom Leonard, co-founder of Shore, said in a news release.
“The lack of urgency from the city in addressing the infrastructure issues — particularly the malfunctioning pumps that led to standing water remaining in the store for days after the storm — forced us to reevaluate our future here.”
The Leonard family will lease the building, which has housed its retail shop and upstairs restaurant since 2012, to Tommy Bahama, which recently announced it plans to open a new combined restaurant and retail space at the Shore location, at 465 John Ringling Blvd., in February.
Leonard said the aging infrastruc-
ture on St. Armands Circle made staying untenable. “While we love this community, it’s clear that the city has a long way to go in terms of modernizing its streets, sidewalks and drainage systems,” he said in the release. “We experienced firsthand the frustration of waiting for repairs that should have been prioritized much sooner.”
Shore’s locations in Longboat Key and Lake Buena Vista will remain open.
As Shore prepares to leave, Tommy Bahama prepares to move.
In the wake of hurricanes Helene and Milton, its retail store on the Circle was able to reopen. However, the restaurant and bar suffered considerable damage and will be unable to reopen.
CEO Doug Wood said in a news release that the new location will reunite the restaurant and retail under one space, as it was when Tommy Bahama opened on the Circle in 1996.
The existing separate retail store at 371 St. Armands Circle will remain open.
A giving grand slam
All Faiths Food Bank distributes 904 turkeys at Ed Smith Stadium.
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
Nelle Miller, CEO of All Faiths Food Bank, called the turnout “unbelievable” at this year’s distribution of turkeys and sides at Ed Smith Stadium on Nov. 20.
With the help of volunteers from the Baltimore Orioles, who use the stadium as their spring training home, the food bank handed out 904 turkeys by the time the distribution wrapped up.
“There were people lined up two hours before we even opened,” said Kaelynn Miller of the Orioles. “But it makes sense. It’s a good thing to do for people, and I’m glad that we can do it.”
Miller said at present, the hurricanes have changed the food situation in the community.
“The amount of food that’s been required by the community has increased exponentially over the last few months, so we’ve had a lot of big pop ups, and new neighbors coming to see us who’ve never been to us before, and it might be temporary, and it might be permanent. We’ll know in three to six months how many more people we’re serving.”
The food bank had previously given out 657 turkeys on Nov. 16 at Booker Middle School, and its goal is to give out a total of 13,500 for Thanksgiving this year.
A CHANGED SITUATION
All Faiths Food Bank started the initiative of providing thousands of turkeys during the holiday season in 1989.
It begins preparing a year in advance, seeking the turkeys and whatever sides it wants to provide, using extra refrigerators to store the surplus food.
The distribution is funded through the food bank’s ThankFULL Tum-
mies and Hearts campaign, which also helps provide 3.6 million holiday meals in December.
“This is very nice. They don’t have anything like this were I’m from,” said recipient Andrés Mendoza, whose words were roughly translated by Jackson McDonnell, the Orioles’ head of player development.
Melinda Scheb said as a single parent, the distributions were extremely helpful for her and her four children.
“Between expenses, working, no assistance, it helps out quite a bit,” she said. “It’s another means between jobs and everything, that I can just support my family.”
She said about once a week, she also uses the food bank’s food drives.
“It allows our neighbors to have a festive meal, something extra that they wouldn’t normally have,” Miller said. “They can still get all their regular groceries and supplies from us that they do, but this is really a special thing, and it allows a family to take a break, have a special meal and have a moment.”
JIM DE LA
DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER
Ian Swaby
Linda Jones and Jackson McDonnell place food items in a pickup.
Courtesy image
Tommy Bahama has been a presence on St. Armands for 28 years.
SPORTS
Fast Break
Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School alum
Zy’marion Lang has been making his presence known in his first season on the University of Toledo football team (7-4). Lang, a 6-foot-3 wide receiver, has accumulated 60 receiving yards on four receptions with two touchdown catches on the season. Lang’s best game came on Nov. 12 against Central Michigan, when he recorded two catches for 38 yards, including a 27-yard touchdown reception.
... Former Sarasota High and Braden River High basketball star Cheyenne Stubbs has been dominating in her senior season at Utah State University. Stubbs, a 5-foot-5 guard who transferred from Canisius College in 2023, led the Aggies (1-4) in points per game last season with 16.1. Through five games this season Stubbs is averaging 15.1 points per game and scored 19 in Utah State’s most recent game, a 9565 loss to Colorado (5-1). Utah State will next play at the University of Omaha (1-4) on Nov. 26 at 7 p.m.
... Sarasota High boys varsity basketball defeated Alachua Santa Fe Catholic (1-1) 54-53 on Nov. 22 to boost its record to 2-1 on the year. The Sailors will next play the Community School of Naples (1-1) on Nov. 29 at 10:40 a.m. The girls varsity basketball team lost to Charlotte High (2-0) 69-31 to fall to 1-1 on the year. The Sailors will next play Fort Pierce Central on Nov. 29 at 1:30 p.m. at the Dr. Phillips Feast Weekend Classic tournament at the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts in Orlando. ... Riverview High girls varsity soccer (5-0) rattled off its fifth straight win on Nov. 22 when it defeated Tampa Berkeley Prep (4-1) 3-1 at home. Junior Olivia Shkorupa, freshman Sophia Oszlanczi and junior Sofia Sepulveda scored in the victory. Riverview will next play at Cape Coral Mariner High (5-0) at 6 p.m.
“... Getting hyped up with your team is one of my favorite parts.”
Booker High hopes for ‘twice as nice’ outcome
The Tornadoes will square off against Boca Ciega for the second time this year in the Class 3A in region finals.
DYLAN CAMPBELL SPORTS REPORTER
“It’s ignorant to think that it’s easy to beat the same team twice,” shouted Booker High head coach Scottie Littles. Booker (9-3) had just routed Nature Coast Tech 43-7 at home in the regional semifinals of the class 3A state championship tournament. Littles’ players, kneeling in front of him in the end zone, could barely contain their excitement for their next game.
The Tornadoes knew what was in front of them — a shot at the regional title and a berth into the final four of the state tournament, this time at home against St. Pete Boca Ciega (7-5), whom they beat 48-12 on Oct. 25. Behind Booker laid a series of ravaged opponents, all beaten by a margin of 36 or more. Even still, however, the team knew that it couldn’t underestimate its upcoming rematch with Boca Ciega, a 5-seed in the tournament. After all, Booker had been the underdog before, when it entered the state championship tournament as the seventh seed in 2023 and surprised everyone by winning their region and advancing to the final four.
“It’s tough to beat the same team twice. Really tough,” said senior quarterback Ryan Downes, who transferred from Venice High this year. “We had some good moments in that game, but there’s a lot of things that we got lucky with and a lot of things that they maybe got unlucky with. I don’t think that the score reflects how good of a football team that was.”
BECOMING A TEAM
To watch Booker’s offense, which averaged more than 50 points a game in the regular season, is to see a highly synchronized unit, armed to the teeth with Division I talent. That talent, however, took time to come together. With multiple transfers, the locker room struggled to jell early on. With so many new faces, trust had to be earned through hard work, sacrifice and even defeat.
Back-to-back losses against Riverview High and Sebring High — Downes didn’t play against Sebring due to a flare up of a compound leg fracture he suffered this past year
— showed Booker that something needed to change. The talent was there, but the chemistry and buy-in from each and every player was not. “In the beginning of the season, we weren’t really a team,” said senior running back Rashawn Peterson. “Everybody was arguing and fighting in the locker room. We weren’t brothers, but we became brothers and that’s what’s gotten us here.”
OFFENSIVE APPROACH
Players like Peterson, who had a 26-yard touchdown rush on Friday night, exemplify the versatility of Booker’s high-powered offense. Sharing the backfield with Peterson is Riverview High transfer DJ Johnson. Johnson, who rushed for two touchdowns and a two-point conversion against Nature Coast, leads the team in both rushing yards and touchdowns. Together, Peterson and Johnson make up a classic thunder and lightning combination — Peterson is the speed back, ripping off big gains in the open field while Peterson does much of the dirty work, slamming into defenders down after down.
It’s an offense that has found ways to win in a multitude of ways. In Friday night’s game against Nature Coast, Booker dominated the line of scrimmage to the point where Downes only attempted three passes in the first quarter, one of which was a dump-off to junior wide receiver Tyren Wortham, who accelerated past defenders for a 69-yard score. Booker’s offensive game plan can vary widely week to week, said Downes. While the run-pass-option has been part of the Tornadoes’ offense in past games, Book er did not rely heavily on it against Nature Coast, instead allowing its guards and tackles to open up holes for its running backs with pulling motions.
The run, like any bal anced offense, sets up the passing attack for Booker. Under the cere bral Downes — who views himself as more of a game manager than gunslinger — Booker’s passing game has excelled. With 1:07 left in the first half on Friday night, Booker marched up the field
from its own 9-yard line to Nature Coast’s 6-yard line with four consecutive passes: a 36-yard go-ball to Wortham, a 12-yard slant to freshman phenom Tyree Mannings Jr., an 18-yard sideline shot to Mannings Jr. and an 11-yard pass to junior Dylan Wester. While Booker failed to score, it displayed an ability to move down the field with ease when necessary.
For the Tornadoes, what makes them great, their talent, is also what threatens their state title chances.
With players like Downes, Wortham and Mannings Jr. — who Littles calls a “generational talent” — on the offensive side of the ball and fourstar recruit Chauncey Kennon and Dylan Wester on the defensive side, Booker matches up well with any team in its class.
The harnessing of that talent, however, remains a work in progress. On Nature Coast’s lone scoring drive, the Tornadoes sacrificed four first downs due to penalties. Throughout the night, Littles and his staff worked to manage the emotions of their team. “It’s an emotional game. It’s an emotional time of the year, but we’ve got to understand that those kinds of things will cost us in a 17-14 game, in a 21-21 game,” said Littles. “They’re kids at the end of the day, though, and we’re in the kid business. We don’t throw kids away because they make mistakes.”
Littles’ Tornadoes are like a mad science experiment — dangerous, exciting and volatile. One misstep
REASONS TO WATCH
Booker will square off against Boca Ciega High at home in the regional finals on Nov. 29 at 7:30 p.m.
n Freshman wide receiver Tyree Mannings Jr. has been hailed as a “generational talent” by head coach Scottie Littles. n Senior quarterback Ryan Downes has been perfect on the year with 30 touchdown passes to 0 interceptions. n Booker last played Boca Ciega on Oct. 25, when they won 48-12.
— Izzy Russell, senior, Cardinal Mooney volleyball. SEE PAGE 19A
File image
Mooney senior Zy’marion Lang (7)
outruns NFC senior Zeke Ackerman for a touchdown.
Booker High two-way player Dylan Wester (left) and wide receiver Tyren Wortham warm up before Booker’s regional semifinal game against Nature Coast Tech.
Photos by Dylan Campbell Booker High head coach Scottie Littles addresses his team after defeating Nature Coast High 43-7 in the class 3A regional semifinal.
HOLY WAR
If one was ever to question the culture that permeates through the Cardinal Mooney Catholic High football team, just look down field during a run play, said head coach Jared Clark. There, you’ll find star receivers like Kymistrii Young blocking defenders, opening up holes for Cardinal Mooney’s devastating rushing attack. That willingness to run block — the buy-in from the entire roster, whether it be star player or bench warmer — is part of what makes Cardinal Mooney a complete team. In late November, the Cougars know what’s at stake. On Friday night, Cardinal Mooney (11-0) defeated the King’s Academy Lions 56-28 in the regional semifinals of the class 2A state football tournament. A win next Friday night at home against Bishop Verot (9-3), which Cardinal Mooney defeated 49-28 on Sept. 20, would crown the Cougars regional champions and punch their ticket to the final four of the state championship tournament.
For Cardinal Mooney, which has won every game this season by a margin of 20 points or more, the trick is staying focused on the task at hand. Even though a second state title is just three wins away, the path to get there is not an easy one. Its matchup against Bishop Verot, which is in the midst of a five-game win streak, will likely be its tough-
For Cardinal Mooney, which has won every game this season by a margin of 20 points or more, the trick is staying focused on the task at hand.
Cardinal Mooney is set to face Bishop Verot in the regional final game of the class 2A state tournament.
est of the season. “The biggest thing for us is just staying present. It’s so difficult to not think about the game you’re playing on Friday when you’re in practice on Monday or to not think about the state championship game when you’re in the first round of the playoffs,” Clark admitted. “I think these guys do a really good job of taking care of the moment in front of them, which is key for us moving forward.”
What is also essential for Cardinal Mooney as it makes its way through the playoffs is the upkeep of its offense, a unit that has averaged a hair over 48 points per game this season. Powering that unit is an indomitable offensive line. While the Cougars have the talent at quarterback and receiver to effectively push the ball down field, they much prefer to run, gashing defenses with the legs of sophomore running back Connail Jackson and junior quarterback Devin Mignery.
It’s an offensive line — led by former Palmetto head coach Dave Marino — that is as big as it is mean. Nearly all of its starters are listed at or above 300 pounds. The Cougars starting left tackle, junior Da’Ron Parks, a three-star recruit who fields an offer from Alabama, is listed at 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds. Senior Chase Polivchak stands 6-foot-5 and is close to 300 pounds — his brother Max, a junior, lists himself as 6-foot-3, 315 pounds on his social media bio. “Having Coach Marino here with his experience working with this unit is priceless for us,” said Clark. “When you’ve got a big old O-line that’s talented and a coach that can get the most out of them so that they’re working together in unison, then good things can happen.”
The offensive line suffered a blow before the playoffs when senior right tackle Jakob Stewart, a transfer from Palmetto High School,
went down with an injury. Filling the role has been a tandem of Max Polivchak and 6-foot-5, 310-pound junior Ethan Salata. Both, Clark said, have stepped up their games to help the team in Stewart’s absence. Behind that massive line stands Mignery, who has blossomed into one of the area’s top quarterbacks in his first full season as the starter. More than just a dual-threat athlete — he logged 927 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns leading into the matchup with King’s Academy — Mignery has impressed Clark with his attitude and football IQ. Cardinal Mooney runs an option-heavy offense, with at times three or even four options for Mignery to choose from on a single play. The choice to hand the ball off, tuck and run himself or drop back and read the defense falls on the shoulders of the 6-foot junior.
While Mignery’s unrelenting competitiveness is his greatest attribute, said Clark, his ability to let the play unfold and make the correct decisions in the passing game is where the quarterback has grown the most this year. “He’s learned to have trust in the play that’s called and in what he sees post-snap to get the ball out on time,” said Clark. “On some of our deep shots our receivers are still covered when he lets the ball go, but he just trusts that our guys will go out there and get it.”
The Cougars will likely have their paws full on Friday night when they battle Bishop Verot for the regional championship. Bishop Verot’s offense runs on the same premium fuel as Cardinal Mooney’s, averaging 37 points a game. Bishop Verot’s four-star quarterback, Carter Smith, just committed to play at the University of Wisconsin in 2025. Verot’s running back, Deshon Jenkins Jr., averages over 135 rushing yards per game.
It’s a matchup that should test Cardinal Mooney on both sides of the ball — can the Cougars vaunted defense, which features junior Elijah Golden, the no.1 defensive lineman in the nation per 247 Sports and three-star cornerback Chris McCorkle, hold up against Verot’s dynamic offense? Can Cardinal Mooney’s triple-option offense outgun a defense that’s given up just 12 points a game in its last five games played?
It’s a test that Clark welcomes with open arms.
Last year, coming off a 4-7 season in 2022, Cardinal Mooney shocked the football world by winning its first state championship in 51 years. This year, the Cougars don’t have the element of surprise on their side. “I don’t think we’re sneaking up on anyone this year. So I do believe that the target is on our back, but when you’ve got the type of character that we have in our locker room, we’re OK with that,” said Clark. “It’s not really about anything that’s going on outside, it’s about us and what we do on a daily basis and our effort and execution on Friday night.”
Dylan Campbell
Cardinal Mooney junior quarterback Devin Mignery dons his helmet during Cardinal Mooney’s regional quarterfinal game against Somerset Academy.
Dylan Campbell is the sports reporter for the East County Observer. Contact him at DCampbell@ YourObserver.com.
Izzy Russell
Izzy Russell is a senior outside hitter on the Cardinal Mooney volleyball team. This season, Russell lead the Cougars in kills (208) and serving aces (39). Russell was foundational to Cardinal Mooney’s success under first-year head coach Allan Knight, which ended in a loss to Tampa Berkeley Prep in the regional finals of the class 3A state championship tournament. Russell is also a mainstay on Cardinal Mooney’s beach volleyball team and is committed to play beach volleyball at Austin Peay State University in 2025.
When and why did you start playing volleyball?
I started playing volleyball when I was 13. I’d just switched over from tennis and was trying to find a new sport. I was going to do cheerleading, but my friend told me to come to this volleyball camp and that it’d be super fun. So I went and I absolutely hated it. All of the girls knew each other and learning a new sport was difficult. I decided to come the next day, though, and I kept coming back. The more I started to understand the game, the more I fell in love with it.
What is the appeal to you?
I love that you can always come back. Every point is a restart and there’s always an opportunity to make up for any mistakes made. Plus, I love the team aspect of it and how competitive it is. Getting hyped up with your team is one of my fa-
If you would like to make a recommendation for the Sarasota Observer’s Athlete of the Week feature, send it to Dylan Campbell at DCampbell@ YourObserver.com.
What is your favorite volleyball memory?
Last year in my 17-U club season, we played our very first tournament in the Open division, which is the highest division for club volleyball. We were supposed to get absolutely smoked in this tournament, but we ended up beating a team that we lost to on the first day. A lot of the girls on that team (Sarasota Juniors Elite) are also on the school team here, we all play together year-round to some degree. That was the first sign that not only is this club team going to be good, but our school team was going to work hard for each other as well.
What went right for your team this season? We did a really good job adjusting to new coaching. It was a drastic change, especially at the beginning of the season, getting used to all new drills for a lot of the girls from the new coaching staff.
What is your favorite school subject?
I love English. I want to be a journalist one day. I’m not quite sure what I want to cover, but I like writing.
What is your favorite food?
Spaghetti. I love any kind of pasta.
What is your favorite movie or show?
I love all of the classic cartoon Disney movies. My mom and I watch them together all the time.
What are your hobbies?
I like to do athletic things. When I’m not in season I like to go play pickleball with my friends or play spike ball at the beach. I also like to read.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Growingnew farmers
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
College graduate Igor Pertile sought the resources to establish a farm of his own, but he didn’t know where to look.
However, when he met Rod Greder of UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County, who was starting a new agricultural class, he was intrigued.
Although Greder emphasizes the Beginning Farmer Education Program, hosted at Mote Aquaculture Research Park and incorporating Mote’s staff, is still in its early stages and in need of funding, it nonetheless is a valuable opportunity for those like Pertile.
Giving up-and-coming farmers the hands-on experience and resources to establish themselves in a career, it is the only program of its type in Florida, Greder says, drawing people from “probably eight other counties” as far away as MiamiDade and Jacksonville.
“It’s just a really unique program, and I think it’s a program that should be replicated throughout other parts of Florida and throughout the U.S., so we can really feed that pipeline of the aging farmers with new beginner farmers,” Pertile said.
THE SEED OF AN IDEA
When Greder started the program around 16 months ago, he didn’t have final approval and decided to draw on funds from his own programs.
“You’ve just got to get out there and do something,” he said. “You can’t talk about it forever. You’ll never do it.”
After convincing his manager, he was also able to use about $10,000
The Beginning Farmer Education Program gives aspiring farmers a head start in the field.
in leftover funds for the extension office.
Then, he came upon Mote Aquaculture Research Park, which he calls a fortuitous find.
Not only did the 200-acre park, a former cattle ranch, have available property and soil that worked with the right fertilization, but through its aquaculture practices, staff also work with entrepreneurs trying to enter the fisheries business.
With its recirculating aquaculture system, or RAS, the park is one of the world’s few aquaculture facilities to produce no waste, fully recycling all of its water and incorporating the natural filtration of the saltwater plants grown there.
“It’s already part of their DNA to want to help with business development and do technology transfer and get more entrepreneurs out in aquaculture and aquaponics, and that just matched up perfectly with what we want to do from a land-based standpoint,” Greder said.
Nonetheless, agriculture is also an
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information on the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences: Visit Sfyl.IFAS.UFL. edu/Agriculture.
For more information on Mote Aquaculture Research Park: Visit Mote.org/Location/ Sarasota-Aquaculture-Park.
“Phase 2” of the project.
grow at Mote Aquaculture Research Park.
important need in the community, he said, noting the number of farms is decreasing and the age of farmers rising.
“It’s clear we need to refill that pipeline. And people get that. They see that,” he said.
Greder said while people who go through the program tend to open farms in other counties, the program is working with larger ranches through Sarasota County’s conservation easement program.
He also said contrary to what people expect, Sarasota County still has available agricultural land.
“We’ve got 71,000 acres still designated as agricultural lands in Sarasota County, so it’s not like everybody wants to believe, that it’s all got a house on it now; it doesn’t,” he said.
THE BUSINESS OF FARMING
Sarasota County has also lent the use of about 30 acres of Albritton Fruit Farms, which it purchased in October to provide soil for its landfill site, for use as a livestock incubator and
Meanwhile, Greder looks to expand the site at Mote, which is a little over half-an-acre, although it is a fit for the handful of students that currently farm there.
Greder calls the incubator a “lowrisk, low-cost, high-learning environment” for students. But before students can land a spot there, they must complete the Small Farm Startup School, a hybrid online and in-person eight-week course that requires them to set a business plan.
A total of 49 students, and about nine this fall, have completed the course, while about three this fall plan to enter the incubator.
Once they begin to grow their plants, they must learn to market and sell their products, which gives the opportunity to form relationships they can use later or where they can use as they transition into a business.
“You’re forced to get involved,” Pertile said. “You’re forced to work during June and July when you have 100-degree heat.”
Students are encouraged to experiment, with a current student focusing on Asian plants.
“We had someone out here that grew 15 varieties of garlic last year, and she was able to plant a few that worked really well,” Pertile said.
After finishing the incubator, or sometimes simultaneously, students will work with successful farms and ranches in Sarasota County to learn about farming at a full scale.
Yet Greder doesn’t want anyone to get too romantic an idea of what farming offers.
“This isn’t about indulging someone’s fantasy. It’s about turning it into a business,” he said.
Greder said little funding for the farming efforts comes from students, with the program providing
most funds. To reach the current point with the program, he said, has cost about $100,000.
Donors to the project include Red Cross, Green Gene Foundation, Florida Farm Bureau and even $40,000 from a private donor, while the county has expressed interest in providing funding if a public-private partnership can be produced. However, the program’s benefits are communitywide and do not end with students, for the surplus produce goes toward fighting the food insecurity prevalent in Sarasota.
The program provided 300 pounds of food to underserved families during the Back to School Bash event at CenterPlace Health and supplemented offerings at Mote’s annual Farm to Fillet event.
It is now in talks with Sarasota County Schools for purposes including supplying food to its Title I schools, the Newtown Farmer’s Market and The Market on Dearborn in Englewood.
AQUACULTURE
Greder said farmers are always looking to diversify their assets, and that aquaculture, or the farming of marine life and aquatic plants, offers a major way of doing so.
Pertile said the United States is currently seeing a large push for more aquaponics and aquaculture farms.
“The footprint that you need to grow fish as opposed to cattle is way smaller,” he said.
A 300-foot by about 20-foot facility, Pertile said, can grow several thousand pounds of fish, while these facilities might also better withstand hurricanes and droughts.
Currently, evidence is already available of the head start Mote’s facility can provide, with Megan Sorby, a former intern at the park, and her husband, Tom Sorby, operating their Pine Island Redfish business there.
The land-based recirculating aquaculture company, which farms red drum, is based on the concept of using the salty waste it produces to fertilize mangroves for coastal restoration. Once their facility in Pine Island is completed, it will fertilize about 25 acres of mangroves that can be transported to other sites.
“We are culturing redfish for the seafood market, but more than that, we are tackling one of the biggest stakeholder concerns in aquaculture, which is waste, and really that applies across all types of farming,” Megan Sorby said.
She said so far, the aquaculture park has been an ideal environment for pursuing the project.
“What it means for us, is that both for my partner and I get to work a farm that we are really a part of from the ground up, and being here at Mote, amongst such a supportive environment for regenerative aquaculture and regenerative agriculture like the UF program, you just are around people that are all working toward the same goal.”
Mangroves
A plant begins to grow.
Rod Greder and Igor Pertile
Photos by Ian Swaby
In times of distress, we show our resilience
In the aftermath of the hurricanes, it’s in all of our nature to look and find the light at the end of the tunnel. Discarded
MIRABAI HOLLAND CONTRIBUTOR
esilience.
RThe American Psychological Association says resilience is successfully adapting to difficult or challenging experiences. Of course, we know all about that here.
For a lot of us, that’s all we have left of our lives after Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Even if we didn’t lose everything as so many did.
We’re still traumatized by the realization that it can and did happen here.
So, what is it about us that makes us just keep going?
I think it’s because it’s our nature to look for the light at the end of the tunnel. In our case, we remember what life was like just two months ago.
We built that life, and we want it back. It’s our nature to adapt.
It’s what allowed us to evolve from the caves to where we are now. We’re problem solvers. We’re compassionate, empathetic, we want to help each other and ourselves. We want to be back in control. So, we’re taking control of the situation as much as we can.
Some say that resilient people were born that way. They just naturally handle stuff better.
There may be some truth to that but mostly, becoming resilient is a lifelong process. It starts with our survival instinct and through a series of experiences, mistakes and events in our lives, we develop poise and clear thinking in a traumatic situation.
Whether it’s the death of a loved one or losing everything in a hurricane, bouncing back is what we do.
If you think you’re not resilient, think again. You can do this. Sometimes the shock and sadness of an event is so strong that maybe we have to just lay there for a while. That’s perfectly natural. We eventually get up and carry on because we know deep inside that we must if we’re going to survive. Humans are survivors. We have a deep desire to thrive and be happy again. We all feel stress. Whether it’s a sudden big event or life’s daily grind. Stress is the price we pay for being alive. Science tells us
that resilience, how we handle that stress, has a tremendous effect on our health, the quality of our daily life and how long we live. Resilient people have a stronger immune system. They have fewer chronic health issues like heart disease. They tend to live a healthier lifestyle by not smoking, eating healthy foods and exercising regularly. All that adds to their ability to be resilient in times of major stress.
Trying to take a small step back so we can calm down and see the big picture, thinking positively, looking for any good we can find in a situation — these are the building blocks of resilience. It’s hard. So don’t go it alone.
The compassion of family, friends and even strangers who’ve been through it too, can give us the strength to stay positive and rebuild ourselves and our lives.
On a personal note, we had some damage to our home from both hurricanes. It was traumatic as it happened and continues to be stressful.
But as we began to sort out what to do, neighbors gave us some disaster relief information. It looks like there’s more help out there than we initially thought. FEMA takes disaster relief applications over the phone at 800621-4FEMA and online.
We did ours over the phone. It took about 20 minutes, and it was
comforting to hear an empathetic voice walk us through the process.
FEMA also gave us the link to the Small Business Administration disaster relief website that handles disruption of business claims.
Our insurance company urged us to get an insurance inspector out to the property ASAP cause the line is getting longer by the minute.
Some of us have lost loved ones or sustained irreparable damage and their resilience is the only thing that they have to rely on. Let’s give them all the help we can to find their new place in life. As for the rest of us, we’ll be back, we’re human and we’re resilient.
PET PICS
Have photos of your four-legged family members? We want to see them! Share them at YourObserver.com/contests/pet-pics to be published online and for a chance to see them in print!
FLORIDA LIFE!: Kayla enjoys a day floating in the pool in Sarasota.
Exclusive Dinner, Wine for Four at the famous Maison Blanche
Hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer, soft drinks Thursday, Jan. 16 | 5 to 7 p.m. at The Resort at Longboat Key Spike ‘n’ Tees, Islandside
Friday, Jan. 17 through Sunday, Jan. 19
Longboat Key Public Tennis Center
Four Players per Team at Comparable Levels (2 women, 2 men)
Two doubles pro sets (men vs. men; women vs. women)
Two mixed doubles matches; tie breaker if necessary
Includes reception, trophies, balls, refreshments
Pre-tournament reception: $40/person for non-players
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A TIMELESS SOUND
The choral society carries on the annual tradition of performing the Christmas portion of Handel’s ‘Messiah.’
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
During the early 2000s, Joseph Hochadel would participate in the annual performance of “Messiah” by the Sarasota Choral Society, along with his mother, and his two daughters, who were teenagers at the time.
However, the choral society’s tradition of performing the Christmas portion of the nearly 300-year-old oratorio by George Frideric Handel extends across still more generations.
Sarasota’s oldest all-volunteer choral group, the Sarasota Choral Society, founded in 1944, is now celebrating its 80th birthday.
IF YOU GO
When: Thursday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m.
Where: Church of the Palms, 3224 Bee Ridge Road
Tickets: $25
Visit: Eventbrite.com or SarasotaChoralSociety.org.
Seminary.
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Nonetheless, said Artistic Director Geneviève Beauchamp, the organization is going strong, with roughly 130 members involved in the performance this year and tickets nearly sold out as of press time.
No auditions are needed to participate, with membership open to all those who wish to sing, although the event will feature four professional operatic soloists and members of the Sarasota Orchestra, including its resident pianist Jonathan Spivey as organ accompanist.
“What I love the most is the fact that you just come and you sing, and everybody tries their best, and our director is one of these people that makes you feel uplifted each time,” said member Marta Calabrese.
Indeed, members say Beauchamp, who has been artistic director of the organization for 15 years, is helping it thrive.
Also director of music ministry at Church of the Palms where the performance is held, Beauchamp brings a master’s degree in piano performance from University of South Florida and a Master of Divinity from University of Dubuque Theological
Robert Jones performed “Messiah” in the Hartford area before ever moving to Sarasota, and said he enjoys performing religious music.
“It does something for me, and that’s why I do it. I just love it,” he said. “I sang probably for 35 years as a tenor, and then I lost the voice and had to drop down. So the last three or four years, it’s been a new learning experience. I do it by pretty much by heart, so I’ve had to work harder now, but that’s all right. I like it.”
Beauchamp said the choir has emerged from the challenges of events like COVID-19 and hurricanes, although storm damage to the Van Wezel did alter the schedule of the Sarasota Orchestra.
That means the performance will be the first to take place Thursday evening instead of Saturday afternoon, however, members say the timing has not impacted ticket sales.
Beauchamp also said the presence of singers who have been participating for as long as 50 years, along with the new ones each year, strengthens performances.
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Members Rosemary Miller and Jeanette Brainerd sing during a rehearsal.
For 50 Years This “Family Business” Mission Extends to Employees, Their Families, Other
Bob and Barbara Tiffany started Manasota Flooring over 50 years ago in 1973, just 6 years after they were married. They always intended it to be a family business. However, they didn’t realize the impact their small family business would have on its employees and the community. The company grew from one location in Manatee County to three, expanding to Sarasota and Venice. This makes Manasota Flooring one of the largest flooring companies in our area, servicing Palmetto to Venice, Longboat Key to Lakewood Ranch. Today, Manasota Flooring provides a career and steady income for over 100 employees.
AT MANASOTA FLOORING, INTEGRITY STARTS AT THE TOP
Manasota Flooring’s Mission Statement includes words like ‘honesty’, ‘loyalty’, and ‘integrity’, which starts at the top with Bob and Barbara Tiffany.
Chris Quattlebaum, Bob’s son-in-law and General Manager of Manasota Flooring, adds, “They are the founders and the foundation of Manasota Flooring, and now [my wife] Valerie and I, our boys, and other family members are continuing the legacy.” FOR OVER 50 YEARS, THEY HAVE BEEN A PART OF MANY NONPROFITS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES
The legacy doesn’t stop with the Tiffany family. Bob and Barbara’s passion for the community is epic, and for over 50 years, they have been a part of many nonprofits and local businesses.
Local Businesses and Non-Profits
Their philanthropic support includes an annual turkey giveaway, producing hundreds of holiday meals for local first responders and their families. It also includes Flight to the North Pole - a nonprofit organization that helps over 400 terminally ill children have an incredible Christmas Wonderland filled with snow, elves, lunch, choir singers, and of course Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus. This yearly event gives the children and families a stress-free holiday to take some time away from their illness or disease, and to surround them with love and joy.
“THEY WANT TO HELP AS MUCH AS THEY CAN,” SAYS CHRIS. “THAT’S JUST WHAT WE DO.”
Chris was a part of the Boys and Girls Club Palmetto when he was a young kid. It was a nostalgic moment when the Sarasota Boys and Girls Club contacted Manasota Flooring to help install new flooring in one of their newly renovated buildings. He took that opportunity to teach the kids, and to give them a hands-on experience. The kids learned how to measure, mix, and lay flooring. This was an impact-
ful moment because it gave the kids a chance to learn part of a trade skill, and also to one day look back and be able to tell their friends, family, or children that they helped build a part of that branch of the Boys and Girls Club. This was such a successful learning experience for the girls and boys that they are looking to bring an even more curtailed educational lesson plan to the Palmetto Boys and Girls Club this summer.
THE COMPANY HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF MANATEE COUNTY
Manasota Flooring’s community impact doesn’t stop there. They have supported Girls Inc., and installed a new flooring as part of a non-profit community give-back contest. The company has been an integral part of the Manatee County 4H Club, where Chris and his wife Valerie have spent 16 years hosting and teaching young students. Manasota Flooring has also been a major contributor in helping the Manatee County Fair continue to bring the community together with a week of fun-filled entertainment of rides, games, and food.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
At Manasota Flooring, our mission is to provide exceptional flooring and cabinetry solutions with a steadfast commitment to honesty, and integrity. We prioritize lasting relationships with our customers, partners, and team members by delivering quality craftsmanship and transparent service. Rooted in our dedication to community support, we aim to enhance the spaces we touch while giving back to the communities we proudly service. Together, we create foundations that last a lifetime. Together we create foundations that last a lifetime.
MANASOTA FLOORING TRULY BELIEVES IN BUILDING A STRONG COMMUNITY
Manasota Flooring truly believes in building a strong community. When you do business with Manasota Flooring, you aren’t just buying flooring, cabinetry, or pavers, you are contributing to the legacy that Manasota Flooring has built.
As Chris Quattlebaum says, it all starts with Bob. “He is where the integrity of the company started, and we follow in his footsteps.”
Chris Quattlebaum, General Manager of Manasota Flooring, poses with first responders at the annual Turkey Giveaway.
Savoy on Palm sells
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Acondominium in Savoy on Palm tops all transactions in this week’s real estate.
Charles Sidney Boren and Kathleen Margaret Boren sold their Unit 1003 condominium at 410 S. Palm Ave. to William Hall Roe and Elizabeth Cole Roe, of Sarasota, for $3.2 million. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths and 2,975 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.35 million in 2018.
SARASOTA
MATHENY’S
Lee Anne Swor, of Sarasota, sold her home at 1426 S. Osprey Ave. to Francis Norman Burzik and Catherine Marie Burzik, trustees, of Sarasota, for $2.95 million. Built in 2023, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,915 square feet of living area.
BATTLE AND TURNER
James Callahan and Carol Stepien, of Castle Hayne, North Carolina, sold their home at 2311 Hyde Park St. to Richard Lyle Michaels and Bonnie Bingham Michaels, of Sarasota, for $1,325,000. Built in 2019, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,289 square feet of living area. It sold for $842,500 in 2020.
BAY PLAZA
Leah Vartanian, of Sarasota, sold her Unit 1106 condominium at 1255 N. Gulfstream Ave. to Maryanne Maier, trustee, of Sarasota, for $1,295,000. Built in 1982, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,654 square feet of living area. It sold for $306,000 in 1999.
AQUALANE ESTATES
Harry Soward, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 1533 Shelburne Lane to Benjamin Weinberger and Kevin Hannabery, of Sarasota, for $1,025,000. Built in 1969, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,716 square feet of living area.
RIVER FOREST
Lucien Clark, of Annapolis, Maryland, sold his home at 5377 Palos Verdes Drive to Home Buyers Plus LLC for $727,000. Built in 1958, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,842 square feet of living area. It sold for $629,000 in 2017.
BELLEVUE TERRACE
David Allen Sommers and Melodie Marie Sommers, of Hartville, Ohio, sold their home at 3029 Bahia Vista St. to Inversiones Knightley LLC for $660,000. Built in 1956, it has five bedrooms, three baths and 2,046 square feet of living area. It sold for $250,000 in 2021.
JACKSON COURT
Michael Hastings, of Oceanside, New York, sold the home at 2147 S. Jefferson Ave. to Jacqueline Adno Baumann and Michael Wayne Baumann, of Sarasota, for $645,000. Built in 1973, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,940 square feet of living area. It sold for $416,000 in 2021.
SIESTA KEY
SARASOTA BEACH
Julie Kahn Brown, trustee, of New Haven, Connecticut, sold the home at 5208 Calle De Rio to Jeffrey Hans Welker and Jeannie Marie Welker, of Highland, Michigan, for $795,000. Built in 1948, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,614 square feet of living area. It sold for $555,000 in 2015.
THE PALM BAY CLUB OF SARASOTA
Judith Ann Schulte, of Walton, Kentucky, sold the Unit 344 condominium at 5963 Midnight Pass Road to Matthew and Mallory Morris, of Parkersburg, Iowa, for $600,000. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,000 square feet of living area. It sold for $375,000 in 2008.
SIESTA HARBOR
Harry Shafer, trustee, of Livingston, Montana, sold the Unit 301 condominium at 1300 N. Portofino Drive to George Gregory Hazel and Kimberly Lynn Hazel, trustees, of Champaign, Illinois, for $580,000. Built in 1969, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 991 square feet of living area. It sold for $145,000 in 2010.
PALMER RANCH
ESPLANADE ON PALMER RANCH
John and Diane Ferrari, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the home at 5432 Bartolomeo St. to Vladimir
Turkeltaub and Valentina Kogan, of Bradenton, for $1,335,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 3,107 square feet of living area. It sold for $782,800 in 2020.
Other top sales by area
SIESTA KEY:
$1,325,000
Sara Sands
Thomas Pellegrino Jr., trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 5062 Sandy Cove Ave. to Jan and Malgorzata Pacut, of Sarasota, for $1,325,000. Built in 1967, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,709 square feet of living area. It sold for $135,000 in 1986.
PALMER RANCH:
$1.37 MILLION
Silver Oak
Horace and Lorrie Liang, of Atlanta, sold their home at 8937 Wildlife Loop to Rebecca Morrow, of Sarasota, for $1.37 million. Built in 2002, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 5,042 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.22 million in 2015.
OSPREY: $770,000
Park Trace Estates
James and Geri Montel, of Columbus, Ohio, sold their home at 463 Park Trace Blvd. to Jan Chrostowski and Cate Kalkhoven Chrostowski, trustees, of Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey, for $770,000. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, two-anda-half baths, a pool and 2,153 square feet of living area.
YOUR CALENDAR
FRIDAY, NOV. 29
SEAFOOD AND MUSIC FESTIVAL
4-10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at Sarasota Fairgrounds, 3000 Ringling Blvd. Free. Enjoy entrees from various vendors, as well as side dishes, alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, and desserts, listen to live musical performances and browse a marketplace of arts and crafts. Visit ParagonFestivals.com.
BLACK FRIDAY BLOCK PARTY
2-9 p.m. at 99 Bottles Taproom & Bottle Shop, 1445 Second St. Free. Celebrate with live music, performances by Kettle of Fish Duo (2-4 p.m., Dirty Byrd (4-6 p.m.) and Al Donadi & Friends (6-9 p.m.), as well as corn hole tournaments at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., a draft beer truck and wine tent and bites from Clean Plate Club SRQ and Vesuvius Wood Fired Pizza. Visit 99Bottles.net.
SATURDAY, NOV. 30
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA
JL Bainbridge has experienced a remarkable year with assets under management reaching over 1 billion as of June 30th, 2024. It is our opinion that our equity program has benefitted from two growth trends in the equities market. While not all areas in the portfolio have performed well, a measurable portion of the portfolio is impacted by ongoing trends in Artificial Intelligence and Energy. Artificial Intelligence and Global Electrification will continue to be thematic for the investment committee into 2025.
or repurchase shares, signaling judgment strength and long-term potential growth.
• Aim for Double-Digit Returns: Our analysis targets companies with potential 18-month returns in double-digits. Returns are never guaranteed.
• Stay Fully Invested: We advocate staying fully invested in growth assets to harness the power of compounding and avoid market timing attempts.
• Maintain Cash Assets: Holding sufficient cash provides stability during market volatility and prevents panic selling. We remain committed to delivering value and personalized service to our clients.
As we continue to grow, we look forward to supporting you in reaching your financial objectives while upholding the values that have guided us for over four decades.
COMMITTED TO PERSONALIZED SERVICE
As we expand, JL Bainbridge remains steadfast in delivering the personalized, boutique experience that has defined our firm for over 43 years. Located in the heart of downtown Sarasota, we are committed to helping you meet your financial goals with tailored advice and dedicated service. Over the years, many of our clients have grown alongside us, and we take pride in fostering long-term relationships and nurturing the growth of your financial portfolio.
10-11 a.m. at The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime, 821 Apricot Ave. Free to attend. Have breakfast with Santa at The Bazaar on Small Business Saturday. Kids receive a free book and can color with Bazaar artists. Hamlet’s Eatery will be offering food, and visitors can browse the selection of gift items available at The Bazaar. Visit BazaaronApricotAndLime.com.
NAMASTE AT THE BAY
9-10 a.m. at The Oval, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. A group of Sarasota’s beloved yogis share their unique individual practices at The Bay. Bring your own mat and water. Advance registration requested. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
SUNDAY, DEC. 1
SUNDAYS AT THE BAY FEATURING THE WHITE CROWE BAND
4:30-5:30 p.m. at The Oval, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. As part of a series featuring a talented local performer at The Bay each week, experience The White Crowe Band. Started by Ron White and BK Crowe at a Florida pool party one evening, the band plays songs from current hits, to the hits of the past. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
BEST BET
SATURDAY, NOV. 30
SIESTA KEY HOLIDAY PARADE
5:30 p.m., beginning at Avenida del Mare and Beach Road and traveling to Siesta Key Village; Free photos with Santa from 2-4 p.m. at Chamber office, 5223 Avenida Navarra. Free. Celebrate the season in Siesta Key with the annual holiday parade held by the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce. Visit SiestaKeyChamber.com.
SIESTA KEY FARMERS MARKET 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 5211 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key. Free to attend. Enjoy fresh produce, tacos, coffee and more. Visit Facebook.com/SiestaKeyFarmersMarket.
TUESDAY, DEC. 3 THE CHICK PEAS ERAS TOUR: THE AMERICAN SONGBOOK
2-3 p.m. at Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Ave. Free. Ukulele and violin duo The Chick Peas, both former teachers, present the “Eras Tour: American Songbook Concert,” featuring historical facts about songs, composers and time periods. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.
THURSDAY, DEC. 5
CINEMA AT THE BAY: ‘McFARLAND USA’
7-9:09 p.m. at The Oval, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Enjoy an outdoor screening of “McFarland USA” (PG), the true story of a group of high school runners in McFarland, an economically disadvantaged town in California, and their coach Jim White (Kevin Costner) who leads them to a state championship. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
JL Bainbridge will continue to monitor market trends as we strive to adhere to our longtime company investment principles. Client retention, client referrals and the conversion of prospects to new clients as well as growth in the equities market have all contributed to reaching a milestone of having $1 billion in assets under management (as of June 30, 2024).
GUIDING INVESTMENT PRINCIPLES
At JL Bainbridge, our investment principles for the growth portfolio remain steadfast:
• Invest in Great Businesses: We prioritize investing in exceptional businesses managed by outstanding leaders.
• Focus on Cash Flow and Shareholder Returns: We emphasize businesses with strong cash flow that can pay dividends
This past year has been a notable success for JL Bainbridge. We are proud of our achievements and remain committed to providing exceptional value and personalized service to our clients. As we look to the future, we are excited to continue supporting you in achieving your financial objectives, while upholding the core values that have guided us for more than four decades.
- John B. Leeming,
Santa Claus arrives on the Key Life Charters float.
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