The dollar-bill décor that guests leave on the walls of Siesta Key Oyster Bar is taken down each year and typically given to charity.
This year, management saw the greatest need right at home, with the hurricanes having left employees out of work for nearly a month or longer, having impacted their homes.
The $14,000, which equals the highest past amount, will go to the 83 employees.
“It’s very meaningful and touching, it really is — and needed,” said employee Laurie Buckel. “We appreciate it so much because our guests are the ones who put the money on the walls ... so we’re grateful for everyone who walks through these doors.”
King of crafts
Ryan Stanberry says he’s far from skilled at chess.
Yet his handmade chess board took first place in crafting and fiber arts in the Best of MakerPlace Awards in November. MakerPlace by Michaels, with which Stanberry and his woodworking business Electric Llama Designs are involved, is the only marketplace dedicated to U.S. makers and artisans.
“Woodworking, to me, is just something that’s really made me personally fulfilled, and the company side of that is just an outlet so that I don’t have 70 projects sitting around my house … ” he said. See him and his crafts at the Annual Holiday Psychic Fair and Vendor Market at The Crystal Cave on Dec. 13.
$1.00
No rest for the
Swaby
Ian Swaby
Manager Samantha Lemmer and employee Laurie Buckel
Courtesy image
Ryan Stanberry sells his chess boards.
WEEK OF DEC. 12, 2024
BY THE NUMBERS
“We understand the point of a 12-foot floor at the front of the building where the actual stuff is happening, but for mechanical rooms and stuff in the back of the house it’s pretty absurd to do that.”
Chris Gallagher of Hoyt Architects. Read more on page 10A
To introduce the draft concepts for the Main Street Complete Streets visioning project, the city of Sarasota will hold a community meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, at the Selby Public Library at 1331 First St.
The meeting will be an open house format. Attendees will have the opportunity to view the draft concepts, provide feedback and talk with the project team. The concepts were created based on public engagement sessions in spring 2024, including a visioning workshop, open house,
one-on-one conversations with merchants and an online survey with more than 1,500 responses.
Initial survey feedback indicated the top five priorities for Main Street should be additional outdoor dining and shopping spaces; lush landscaping; attractive, inviting public spaces; enhanced lighting; and additional shade.
The project will transform Main Street between U.S. 41 and School Avenue into a vibrant, more attractive corridor fostering improved safety for walking,
cycling and driving, according to a news release.
“Residents, business owners and visitors can help shape the look, feel and functionality of Main Street by participating in the visioning phase,” said Chief Transportation Planner Alvimarie Corales in the release.
In addition to the public meeting, a brief online survey for input on priorities and visual preferences for Main Street is open through Friday, Dec. 20. The survey is available at Sarasotafl.gov/ MainStreetCompleteStreets.
Bay Runner resumes South Lido route
With continued recovery of Lido Beach, Sarasota’s Bay Runner trolley service to South Lido Key will resume Wednesday, Dec. 11, after being suspended since late September because of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
To accommodate the regular route, parking safety enforcement will resume along Benjamin Franklin Drive from Lido Beach Pavilion to South Lido Key. The enforcement is necessary to keep Benjamin Franklin Drive clear of illegal parking and ensure the trolley is able to turn around at Ted Sperling Park.
Parking enforcement will continue to be suspended from St. Armands Circle to the Lido Beach Pavilion. Bay Runner runs Sunday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Michael Saunders joins Forbes network
A Sarasota-based real estate firm partnered with Forbes Global Properties, an exclusive network that supports independent agencies at the top of their markets. Michael Saunders & Co. made the official announcement that it was selected to be part of the Forbes network during a Dec. 4 event at the Sarasota Art Museum.
“At Michael Saunders & Company, we see the added value, prestige and credibility of network partners who are selective in choosing their members,” said founder and CEO Michael Saunders in a news release. “Aligning with a globally recognized brand like Forbes Global Properties further enhances our global reach while providing additional access to a network of top-tier real estate firms worldwide.” Forbes Global Properties markets itself as creating a “curated consumer marketplace” showcasing a “coveted collection of properties and the stories behind them” online. Member firms are provided with a dedicated page on Forbes.com as well as editorial and social media content as well as analytics. Forbes reports it has more than 100 million monthly visitors to its website from around the world.
Andrew Warfield
The Main Street Complete Street will transform Main Street from U.S. 41 to School Avenue.
From stepping back to stepping up
Marlon Brown has found his retirement home in Sarasota. The former city manager is now weighing how to influence public policy from the outside looking in.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
Sitting table side in a coffee shop
one block away from his former office, retired City Manager Marlon Brown is a world removed from Sarasota City Hall, all that is astride with managing a city with some 800 employees melting away like sugar in a steaming cup of fresh brewed coffee.
Shedding his workday suit, Brown appears relaxed while clad in shorts and a polo shirt, his fit, slender frame forged in part by both professional and personal stresses of the past year.
Those include the death of his exwife, a health scare of his own now behind him and a rigorous fitness regimen.
After 31 years working in local government, all of them in Florida and the last 15 in Sarasota, the 60-yearold Brown, whose next birthday is Jan. 1, is embracing this next phase of life, enthusiastic about the prospects of what he may do next.
For now, though, it’s all about him and his two sons Devon, who lives in Gainesville, and Matthew, who is preparing to pursue a master’s degree at Florida State University.
“I don’t know how to describe the feeling. It’s like an indescribable freedom that it is really hard to explain, but such a relief that someone really has to experience for themselves,” Brown said. “I wake up in the morning and I can walk six to nine miles some days if I don’t work out at the gym. What I’m realizing is there’s so much to do around the house, the things that you can find to do that were ignored for so long.”
He has no problem describing what he is not missing — a 24/7 obligation to the city.
“One of the things that I realized is not having two phones and not having to check that phone to see what emails have been coming in, getting the calls at two o’clock in the morning because of something that happened and people coming into the office first thing in the morning,” Brown said. “You fire up your computer and you look at all the emails that you have to respond to. It’s indescribable what I’m experiencing right now.”
As he takes his regular long walks throughout the city, Brown no longer feels compelled to observe and report anything he may see that needs addressed. That’s not a reflection of his newfound detachment, but rather in his confidence in the staff he has left behind.
DON’T LIKE A STRONG CITY MANAGER? CHANGE THE GOVERNMENT
He’s been called an emperor, a dictator and a sixth commissioner by some who say Marlon Brown wielded too much power at City Hall. That power, though, lies in the city’s form of government.
Sarasota is a managercouncil form of government with what is known as a weak mayor. That’s a mayor who has no operational authority, but is largely ceremonial with no more voting power than any other city commissioner.
Several recent attempts to change Sarasota to a mayorcouncil form of government, in which an elected mayor is effectively the full-time chief executive, have failed. Until that changes, the city manager will hold the power to implement, but not make, policy and to influence, but not dictate, that policy.
“We have a good government. We have a good organization. The quality of service in this community is so high that I know it will be taken care of and I don’t have to be one of those individuals who has to call the minute I see something wrong,” Brown said. “I know it will be taken care of.”
THE ‘SIXTH COMMISSIONER?’
Brown had 16 years of city and county government experience when he arrived in Sarasota as deputy city manager in 2009. He was named city manager in January 2021, replacing Tom Barwin at a tumultuous time when, in the midst of COVID-19, the City Commission accepted the resignations of Barwin, former Police Chief Bernadette DiPino and former Assistant City Manager John Lege. City leadership was stabilized under Brown.
He brought Patrick Robinson from the Sarasota Police Department to serve as deputy city manager and promoted Jim Rieser to chief of police, who served in that role until 2022, when he resigned and was replaced by Rex Troche. Brown also eliminated the position of assistant city manager. It also came when the city was
MARLON BROWN’S SUCCESSOR ADVICE
When Marlon Brown was asked what advice he would give to the next Sarasota city manager, he replied:
“Number one, rely on the staff. Don’t be a micromanager, but do be a critical thinker. Look beyond what the solution may be; the long-term impact of some of the policy decisions that are being made. Be a city manager for all. Don’t be pigeonholed into trying to please one group. Listen to everything everyone has to say, including your elected officials, and be as helpful to them as you can be.
“Be creative in terms of your solutions. Don’t fear ideas and don’t fear being fired because you’re doing the right thing. There is not a Monday that I went in fearing that I’m going to be fired because of doing the right thing. That’s what I tried to impart on my department directors.
Don’t try to be a people pleaser by saying yes to something that is not the right decision.
“I don’t want them to replicate anything I’ve done, but be their own person and lead according to the things that they have brought through their own experiences.”
grappling with an affordable and workforce housing crisis — in part accelerated by the sudden influx of new residents fleeing northern lockdown states and driving up costs — as the city embarked on crafting solutions that met resistance from some residents concerned about overdevelopment resulting from the bonus density incentives.
Looking back, Brown said the pressures of this and other political decisions were incorrectly foisted upon himself and the staff, some resident activists portraying him as a “sixth commissioner” or a dictator.
“Because you’re on the losing side of a vote doesn’t mean that I have influenced the commission majority in terms of taking a position,” Brown said. “I may advocate for affordable housing. I may say this is something that’s good for the city, but I don’t get a vote. If someone who came up to the dais is incorrect about the facts, I may call somebody out because of that. Because I called you out doesn’t mean that I am trying to influence. I am not doing my job if I don’t correct the record.
“I’ll give my position, but at the end of the day, I will say you have to make an informed decision based on the facts given to you.”
A PUBLIC POLICY PERSONNA
A constant barrage from what Brown refers to as a “vocal minority” in the city was one factor in his retirement, although the timing did dovetail with his long-time career plans.
“I actually said when I started this I was only going to do 30 years,” Brown said.
As he approached his 31st year in the fall of 2023, Brown first had conversations with key staff about his impending departure. In spring of 2024, he informed the city commissioners of his intention to retire this year. Then in July he gave his requisite 60-day notice to the commissioners in writing.
“A lot of that had to do with what I was starting to see around myself in terms of my personal life, my exwife passing away, friends of mine not fulfilling their lifelong dreams,” Brown said. “So whether it’s more time with family, more time traveling, more time experiencing a different job, or the case might be a heart
attack or all sorts of physical and mental situations, I didn’t want to do that. The stress level of the job was getting to a point where my health was more important.”
When he retired became a matter of appropriate timing. He had considered leaving before the City Commission’s break in May, or July, once commissioners adopt the tentative millage rate, or on his anniversary date in July, or after the November election.
“I decided to just split the difference in between,” he said of his announcement.
In his wake he leaves in process two of the potentially highest-cost capital projects in the city’s history: The proposed Sarasota Performing Arts Center and a city-owned workforce housing apartment development across First Street from City Hall.
In the tradition of naming city assets after former city managers, perhaps the apartments will be named Marlon Brown Towers?
“I’ve never craved the spotlight,” Brown shrugged at that suggestion.
“I prefer to let the commissioners talk to the media. I let staff talk to media. If you look back over the years, you can see how many times I have done an interview. It is so rare compared to some city managers who crave that, so having my name affixed to a building, that’s something I don’t really think about.”
As for what is next on his professional agenda, wherever it leads him won’t take him out of Sarasota.
“I love this city,” he said. “I love the progress the city has made.”
He also loves public policy.
“I love the ingredients and the making of the stew,” he said. “I see myself somewhere in that role, whether it’s with a nonprofit or a nongovernment type of organization. Maybe consulting, but more in a public policy-type position. Maybe by the end of the end of December, I’ll start thinking about what role could be to really help the city.”
Help in what way?
“I want to help the city continue to progress to a place that people continue to enjoy, whether they live here, whether they work here, whether they recreate here, or whether they retire here.”
Retired Sarasota City Manager Marlon Brown has waved goodbye to municipal government but not necessarily to local public policy influence.
File photos
Among Marlon Brown’s key hires were Police Chief Rex Troche (center) and Deputy City Manager Patrick Robinson.
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Café L’Europe becomes The Café on St. Armands
The St. Armands Circle staple will reopen in January 2025 with a reimagined dining theme and new name following damage from Hurricane Helene.
CARTER WEINHOFER
When the restaurant reopens in January 2025, it will no longer be Café L’Europe.
Oysters Rock Hospitality announced via press release that the St. Armands Circle restaurant will reopen as The Café on St. Armands, also changing its menu theme.
Oysters Rock Hospitality purchased the 51-year-old restaurant in February 2022. Now, the hospitality group is ready to start a new era of the St. Armands staple.
The Café on St. Armands will feature a Mediterranean-inspired menu with small plates and a seafood focus. The inspiration will draw from meals from places like Spain, Greece, Italy, South Africa and the Middle East.
“The Café brings the flavors of the Mediterranean coast to life in the heart of St. Armands Circle,” the release said.
Along with the new menu, The
Café will feature The Wet Bar, which the release calls a “Gatsby-inspired lounge with creative cocktails.” Café Soleil, a coffee bar with morning cocktails, will be another addition. The new restaurant will include other “unique services.”
“Our hospitality will extend to-go liquor sales, bespoke picnic baskets and third-party delivery services,” the release said.
During Hurricane Helene, Café L’Europe sustained about five feet of water throughout the restaurant. The flooding also damaged sliding glass doors and ruined all of the restaurant’s equipment.
At the time, the restaurant needed to lay off staff for unemployment benefits and focus on recovering the restaurant.
Previously, Oysters Rock Hospitality Executive Vice President Eleni Sokos said the group was taking time to reimagine Café L’Europe.
With the reopening as The Café, the restaurant’s appearance will match the new vision of a Mediterranean dining experience.
According to the release, the restaurant group will start a grand reopening campaign in January 2025. The Café on St. Armands will be located in the same spot: 431 St. Armands Circle.
Cafe L’Europe owner John Horne and his wife, Amanda, purchased the restaurant in 2022.
Sarasota Orchestra completes design ensemble for new Music Center
The orchestra selected Houstonbased OJB Landscape Architects to work with the design firm to create the Music Center’s ‘sense.’
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
The Sarasota Orchestra has selected the final key player for its symphony of designers of its planned new facilities at its 32-acre site at 5701 Fruitville Road near I-75.
The orchestra has announced Houston-based OJB Landscape Architecture will join the ensemble of design architect William Rawn Associates of Boston, executive architect HKS of Orlando, acoustician and theater planner Stages Consultants of Highland Park, New Jersey, and civil engineer George F. Young of St. Petersburg to bring its new Music Center to life.
Founded in 1989, OJB is a nationally recognized landscape architecture firm with six offices across the U.S. It is dedicated to enhancing the human experience, specializing in transforming public spaces to create meaningful connections between people and nature, according to a news release.
“Our board has always envisioned the Music Center as more than just a building. It is about the entire site,” said Sarasota Orchestra Board Chair Tom Koski in a news release. “With OJB on board, our project team can work together to create thoughtfully designed spaces that fully support the mission and programs of the Music Center, making it a true community destination for residents and visitors alike.”
OJB has won more than 150 national and international awards, including four Urban Land Institute Open Space Awards, in a global competition of the best public spaces.
Notable projects include Klyde Warren Park, home of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s Symphony
Sundays; and Gene Leahy Mall at The RiverFront, where the Omaha Symphony frequently performs, which was named Fast Company’s “Best Urban Design Project for 2024.”
The firm’s work at the Music Center site will be essential in creating a sense of place, particularly on such a large site.
“There are three legs to this really important stool,” Sarasota Orchestra CEO Joe McKenna told the Observer. “One is the design architect. And then, also named recently, was the civil engineer. And then the third leg of that stool is the landscape architect. Together, they look at the site, they interpret the site, they think about designs, they think about water mitigation and access and sidewalks and plantings.
“They make up that nucleus of what the entire project will evolve into both from a building as well as a site and a landscape and a sense of place.”
OJB has already begun collaborating with the other project partners on its role in shaping the overall architectural vision, which includes the integration of natural elements such as plants, water and terrain to create an environment that complements the architecture.
“We are thrilled to be part of this project, which embodies a forwardthinking vision for Sarasota-Manatee, focused on long-term growth and sustainability,” said OJB partner Chip Trageser in the news release. “By creating a space that evolves with the community, we are aiming to establish a lasting destination that enriches the region for generations.
The integration of music and landscape also offers a unique opportunity to enhance emotional well being and strengthen human connections across the community.”
OJB will be responsible for creating that sense of place among the large property that will include a large parking lot, stormwater management facilities, buffering between adjacent properties including a single-family neighborhood bordering the property to the north, all com-
plimenting the design of the building itself.
McKenna likened the collaboration to that of building a fine automobile.
“It needs to look good. It needs to ride well. It needs to be comfortable,” he said. “It has to create a sense of place of anything with respect to access from sidewalks or parking and stormwater, canopies over parking lots for shade, all of those kinds of things. It’s really going about it in a way to make sure that every person who will use the facility — whether a musician, an audience member, an education parent, a music festival or a participant — that they’re all having the maximum experience. Much like a really fine piece of music, it’s well composed and has the desired impact.”
With the design team complete, the orchestra has an ambitious time line to present a concept in spring 2025. That’s a crucial step in determining the project budget and in launching a capital campaign to raise
funds for the construction cost. The Orchestra paid $14 million in cash to acquire the site from Walmart Stores East LP in May 2023.
While working with Rawn Associations on designs to complement the building, OJB will embark on a site assessment to guide the landscape design, evaluating the soil, vegetation and regional history, with a particular focus on water management. According to the news release, the firm will prioritize sustainability and functionality to create a flexible environment that can evolve with the community’s changing needs. Because the company is based in Houston, McKenna said OJB is deeply familiar with creating designs that flourish in tropical climates.
“The environment in Houston is not so different than Sarasota,” McKenna said. “They bring that expertise, and because they have multiple offices around the country they have a really rich and deep bench of talent to help us imagine this site.”
The Cornell Pavilion is a safe, welcoming place for those struggling with mental health issues. With evidence-based programs and services, and the most experienced clinicians, lives are transformed, smiles return and our community grows stronger.
Courtesy image
The Sarasota Orchestra plans to build a new music center on the 32-acre parcel at 5701 Fruitville Road.
FST expansion group has first city meeting
With design and construction of a new Arts Plaza, artistic ambitions met with municipal government reality on Dec. 4 as an expansion of Florida Studio Theatre’s campus had its first appearance before the city’s Development Review Committee.
Consultant Joel Freedman, a veteran of dealing with technical and political approval of projects throughout Sarasota, presented the plans for FST’s Arts Plaza, which were met with a significant amount of “comments” — government speak for clarification requests and code conflicts — during its initial sub
mittal.
Florida Studio Theatre plans to develop two parcels adjacent to its current main building at 1221 and 1233 First St., which currently serves as an unpaved parking lot, into a multiuse addition that includes 24 apartments and a 33-room hotel atop structured parking. The intent is to consolidate FST’s housing program, which is scattered throughout downtown, for short- and long-term performers’ residences.
“The thought is by bringing all that into one building, it’s going to be much easier and much more cost effective,” Freedman said. “That’s
both the apartment group that will be for the longer-term people, but also the hotel will serve actors who are there for a couple weeks, and it’ll be open to the public.”
In total, that expense is estimated at $57 million. More than residential space and parking, though, the Arts Plaza will include a second main stage theater and two new cabaret theaters occupying the first two floors below the 150-space parking deck with apartments and hotel rooms above.
Because it is in the Downtown Core zone district, the FST Arts Plaza will need only administrative approval. However, the design of the parking levels, which will be accessed by an alley running between First Street and Fruitville Road, will need a curb cut in Cocoanut Avenue. That will require an adjustment approval by the Planning Board. So will FST’s desire for multiple signs including vertical building identification signs on the west, south and east elevations of the building. An architectural feature proposed at the top of the building will require an adjustment as well.
In May, Florida Studio Theatre CEO Richard Hopkins said he anticipates residences to open by mid-2026 with the new cabaret spaces opening one year later and, by mid-2028, the new main stage theater.
Purple Ribbon Committee starts last phase
Philosophical differences emerge as members tasked to recommend repurposing the Van Wezel begin to share thoughts about its report to the City Commission.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
With a new chairman now in place, the city of Sarasota’s Purple Ribbon Committee is embarking on a new phase of its work to recommend a repurposing of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.
At its Dec. 5 meeting, the committee elected Charles Cosler to replace Lee-En Chung, who announced at its prior meeting on Nov. 25 her intention to resign to address family matters raised by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. It was damage left in the wake of Hurricane Milton, ironically, that has also expanded the committee’s thoughts to include the reality that the Van Wezel in its current form lies in the path of future flood events.
Since the committee began its work, whether the Van Wezel might suffer flood damage shifted to how often it may happen as Hurricane Milton storm surge pushed Sarasota Bay into the building, inundating much of the basement level, orchestra pit, kitchen and the Grand Foyer. This while the committee is awaiting the Karins Engineering report on the overall health of the building.
“Since we started, facts have changed. I don’t think any of us thought the Van Wezel would be shut down and lose shows in the fall, and I certainly agree that Van Wezel has to maintain itself as a performing arts center and not shut down,” said committee member David Rovine. “This is where the Karins report falls short if the only mission is a perspective from an engineering point of view how this building can exist for the next 30, 40, 50 years —
the
whatever the long-term solution is — because we’re dealing with a potential short-term situation.”
That situation is how much should be invested in the Van Wezel now if it is to serve its current purpose until its replacement, how to protect it in the interim and how much investment should be made only to have it wasted by future adaptive reuse.
All that runs afield of the committee’s task, facilitator Jim Shirley reminded.
“We have to keep ourselves focused on our job, which is recommendations on the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall going forward,” Shirley said.
With its report due to the City Commission by the end of June 2025, the committee will double its meeting schedule to twice monthly beginning in January, the first on Jan. 17 when expectations to receive the final report on the state of the building from Karins Engineering.
The committee will heavily rely on that report to recommend a new use for the Van Wezel, should the proposed Sarasota Performing Arts Center be built.
As information gathering turned toward discussion, philosophical differences were emerging for the first time among the committee members selected based on specific disciplines they bring. Bob Bunting
is a climatologist, Cosler a professional in theater design. Bunting asked Chung, the construction engineer of the group, to provide her thoughts based on her 18 months on the panel, a suggestion opposed by Selma Goker Wilson, an architect and interior designer.
Goker Wilson objected because that phase of the process is to occur in a January meeting. Her concern about the premature input by Chung could influence others’ thoughts prior to receiving the Karins study and the start of drafting their own report.
“I think we’ve all been very careful not to be judgmental up to this point,” Wilson said. “We’ve been careful to always talk about what we’re doing in terms of gathering information until we assess it.”
Responded Bunting, “We’ve been here for more than a year. Lee-En has been thinking about it like all of us have, and what’s the big whoop? It’s input, just like anything else, and we’re making a recommendation. We’re not making any decisions, so I think we should hear from her.” Shirley ended the debate by inviting Chung to return to one of the two January meetings to share her thoughts with the committee.
Following the Jan. 17 meeting, the next Purple Ribbon Committee meeting is Jan. 27.
Courtesy image
saturated carpet in
Grand Foyer at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall has been replaced with polished concrete.
Andrew Warfield
How to fight hurricanes
Research has demonstrated that turbine-driven wind farms in the gulf and ocean can produce energy and dramatically reduce hurricane damage.
It’s an accepted bromide that you can’t fool with Mother Nature. She’ll do whatever she wants. Indeed, that is pretty much the thought process when it comes to hurricanes coming near and through Florida. You can’t stop her. Longtime Floridians know the drill: Get ready. Get water. Get food. Get out of town. Secure your property. Take cover.
Then face the grim aftermath. We also know these storms ebb and roar inconsistently and unpredictably.
Yes, the trifecta of Debby, Helene and Milton was a rarity, especially for this area. But let’s not also forget 2004. That was a doozy of a late summer: Hurricanes Charley (Aug. 13), Frances (Sept. 5), Ivan (Sept. 16) and Jeanne (Sept. 25) all affected this area, albeit on the fringes, coming at us seemingly one week after another. It was exhausting.
As the table above shows, all of the storms were deadly and costly in property damage:
2004: 106 deaths in Florida; $37.3 billion in losses.
2024: 56 deaths in Florida; close to $100 billion in property losses.
It’s difficult to grasp the scope of death and destruction. But the total property losses from this year’s three storms essentially are the equivalent of wiping out the entire taxable value of all real estate in Sarasota County. Picture that.
All of which prompts the thought: There must be a better way, a better way to protect against and mitigate hurricane damage than just letting Mother Nature take her course.
Observer reporter Carter Weinhofer has quoted Bob Bunting, CEO of the Climate Adaptation Center, saying: “We have to change the way we do business.”
The most obvious way is to build better resistant buildings and refurbish, renovate and harden existing buildings. Those steps have been occurring with improved construction and stricter building codes.
One simple illustration is the level of building destruction throughout the region. As we reported previously, asked where the worst damage occurred along the coast from Helene and Milton, one insurance executive told us Palmetto had worse damage comparatively, largely because of the age of its buildings. Few, if any, of the recently built high-rise condominiums suffered physical damage; it was on the ground levels from Helene’s surge. So, duh, hurricane-resistant construction — while far more costly than bolting together an aluminum trailer home — makes sense. And no doubt insurers will continue to urge their policyholders to harden their homes, while Florida lawmakers will continue to use your tax dollars to subsidize home improvements. Realistically, however, think of the massive amounts of money, materials, labor and time it would take to rehab all of the 30-, 40and 50-year-old single-family homes and apartments throughout Florida.
Is there a better, more economical, more efficient way to protect and mitigate?
Turbines in the Gulf of Mexico.
Ten years ago, Mark Z. Jacobson, a Stanford University professor of civil and environmental engineering, and two colleagues developed computer simulations showing how wind turbines actually can reduce the force of hurricanes.
In a 2014 paper in Nature Climate Change, Jacobson his two associates from the University of Dela-
PROPERTY, HUMAN COSTS OF HURRICANES
The data below is a sampling of recent major hurricanes in Florida in terms of Florida deaths and property damage unadjusted for inflation. (Dollars in billions) Deaths Damage
STATE POPULATION RAISES DILEMMAS FOR INSURANCE
In the wake of disasters, there always are the doom-and-gloomers who rattle us with the “I told you so’s” and that whatever the disaster, that thing is getting worse. We hear it all the time now — that climate change is causing hurricanes to come more frequently and with more intensity and speeds; and that there is more catastrophic destruction than ever before.
5 $.121
27 $30-$47 Milton 24* $50
*1 death in Sarasota County Sources: CoreLogic, Morningstar DBRS, President Biden, National Hurricane Center
ware — Christina Archer, an earth, ocean and environment professor, and Willett Kempton, an electrical and computer engineering professor — posed the following: Can offshore wind turbines mitigate hurricane damage while avoiding damage to themselves?
The conclusion (as published):
“(L)arge turbine arrays (300+ gigawatt installed capacity) may diminish peak near-surface hurricane wind speeds by 56 to 92 mph and storm surge by 6% to 79%.
“Benefits occur whether turbine arrays are placed immediately upstream of a city or along an expanse of coastline. The reduction in wind speed due to large arrays increases the probability of survival of even present turbine designs,” their study concluded.”
In their models simulating Hurricanes Sandy in the Northeast and Katrina in New Orleans, the three professors determined “Offshore wind turbine arrays reduced storm surge by up to 34% for Sandy and 79% for Katrina, mainly owing to the average wind speed decreasing by up to 14% and 58% upwind of New York and New Orleans, respectively.”
As for cost, they concluded: “The net cost of turbine arrays (capital plus operation cost less cost reduction from electricity generation and from health, climate and hurricane damage avoidance) is estimated to be less than today’s fossil fuel electricity generation net cost in these regions and less than the net cost of sea walls used solely to avoid storm surge damage.”
In a phone interview this week, Jacobson said the cost of wind-farm energy is dropping below that of fossil fuels — 7.5 cents per kilowatthour for wind versus 10 cents for fossil fuels.
“In sum,” the professors wrote, “large arrays of offshore wind turbines seem to diminish hurricane risk cost-effectively while reducing air pollution and global warming and providing energy supply at a lower net cost than conventional fuels.
“Turbines pay for themselves from the sale of electricity they produce and other non-market benefits, but seawalls have no other function than to reduce storm surge (They do not reduce damaging hurricane wind speeds.), so society bears their full cost.”
Asked where his research stands today, Jacobson said he hasn’t pursued since 2014 in large part because: “The physics doesn’t change. It still stands.”
One thing that has changed is the strength and technology of
Maybe, maybe not. Perusing a list on Wikipedia (OK, not the most authoritative source, but useful nevertheless.) of 42 Category 3 or above hurricanes that have hit Florida since 1851, there have been two Category 5 storms (Andrew, 1992, and Michael, 2018); 13 Category 4 storms and 24 Category 3.)
Based on the table, it looks likely the claim of greater frequency will prove true, given the 11 storms that have hit since 2000.
But you never know. After the 10-storm streak from the 1940s through the 1960s, there were only two major hurricanes in the 1970s and 1980s and two in the 1990s. No one knows what will happen going forward.
Are the storms more deadly and destructive? On the former, again referring to Wikipedia, they’re not more deadly. “Collectively, cyclones that hit the region have resulted in more than 10,000 deaths (in Florida), most of which occurred prior to the start of hurricane hunter flights in 1943.” In the 32 years since Andrew, storms directly account for 511 deaths.
Proportionately, it’s obvious the deaths per capita have dropped dramatically. In the century from 1880 to 1980, Florida’s population grew from 270,000 to 9.7 million. In the past 44 years, it has mushroomed to 23 million. The fewer deaths can be attributed to far better protective conditions —
turbines. Today, there are turbines that can withstand Category 5 hurricanes.
What’s more, they’re more powerful. When Jacobson and his colleagues did their simulations, they based them on 7.5 megawatt turbines. At that size, it could take a wind farm or farms of 80,000 offshore turbines to make a significant difference. You can imagine how Florida’s dolphin lovers and fishing industry would respond to 80,000 turbines offshore.
But now, Jacobson said, turbine technology has advanced to 20 megawatts, thus requiring onethird the number of turbines to have maximum mitigating effects.
“It’s not like you need 100,000; one turbine would actually help,” Jacobson said.
How they would work: As a Category 5 hurricane approaches, the turbines would extract energy from the wind and turn it into electricity and send the power to shore through an underwater cable. That process would slow down the hurricane winds, which in turn would slow down the storm’s wave heights.
Asked why his research hasn’t been put into practice, Jacobson acknowledged large-scale wind farms
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FLORIDA HURRICANES BY DECADE
Category 3 or above to hit Florida as recorded by the National Hurricane Center and Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. 1850-59 1 1870-79 3 1880-89 2 1890-99
1900-09
1910-19
Source: Wikipedia
more resistant buildings and better access to evacuation routes.
It’s no surprise that property damage now and over the past 50 years has grown increasingly worse. With 23 million people in Florida, the density of buildings — homes, stores, offices and warehouses — is astronomical comparatively.
So, of course, as the chart above shows, property damage hereon is almost always likely to be in the billions of dollars. And that triggers the obvious questions about the cost and availability of insurance: Are there enough businesses and investors willing to put up the required capital to cover the astronomical losses? And, can the price of insurance be affordable for the 23 millionplus million, plus the millions more who will move here over the next decades?
The challenge is how best and economically to protect, minimize and mitigate against future death and destruction.
are only now starting to percolate.
“They are starting to put some in Asia where they have typhoons,” he said.
In Florida, no surprise, Jacobson said there is a moratorium. Any time someone suggests erecting oil rigs or, now, wind farms off the coasts of Florida, the environmentalists and tourism lobbies go bananas, and the short-sighted lawmakers (driven to be reelected) jump on the anti-rig wagons.
In the words of economistphilosopher Thomas Sowell, everything is a tradeoff. Likewise with energy-producing, hurricanemitigating turbines. In the context of the three storms that ravaged our region — plus all of the historical damage and deaths that have occurred over the decades, what makes sense? To let Mother Nature continue to destroy people and property unabated? Or to embrace human ingenuity and technology that has demonstrated Florida could have its cake and eat it, too? Wind-farm turbines can produce year-round clean energy and, as a bonus, serve as protection and mitigation against Mother Nature’s destructive winds and surges.
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MATT WALSH
Sarasota County closes deal on orchards
The Albritton Groves sells land for $19 million; county plans to use the soil for waste complex.
ELIZABETH KING BUSINESS OBSERVER
The former Albritton fruit orchards east of Interstate 75 near Clark Road are now owned by Sarasota County, which purchased the land this fall for $19 million. The seller was Albritton Groves, which previously operated fields there for blueberry picking from mid-March through the end of May.
Sarasota County will use the land for soil needed to cover waste at the Central County Solid Waste Disposal Complex, which is also on property the county bought from the Albritton family. When the county purchased the land 20 years ago for its landfill, it negotiated a first right to purchase option of any adjacent lands, according to a memo from County Administrator Jonathan Lewis in July, when commissioners approved the issuance of revenue bonds to finance the new land acquisition.
According to Lewis, the Albrittons notified the county in August 2022 that they planned to sell 341 acres at 9665 State Road 72.
Because of the “substantial growth of the county and projected additional growth,” the Solid Waste Department determined it would be “both necessary and in the public interest” to acquire the property to provide “future borrow soils” for intermediate, daily and final cover of waste at the Central County Solid Waste Disposal Complex, Lewis said in his memo. After evaluating alternative sites, impacts and costs, he noted, the county “determined that the property is necessary for solid waste and county needs.”
Sarasota County let Albritton Groves know in September 2022 that it planned to make an offer, and in April 2023, county commission-
ers approved a contract for the sale and purchase of the property for $19 million. Contract amendments were filed to extend the time for surveying the property and for the owner to clear out of the premises.
County commissioners authorized the county in July to issue Solid Waste System Revenue Bonds to fund the acquisition over a 15-year period.
Repayment of the bonds will be from tipping fees and other revenues in the Solid Waste System Operating
Dr. Keyur Kurani brings to Intercoastal Medical Group at the Cattleridge office a wealth of
and experience in Internal Medicine.
Affiliations: Sarasota Memorial Hospital; Doctors Hospital
and Maintenance Fund. The sale was completed Oct. 8, according to Sarasota County property records.
Now owned by Sarasota County, the land on State Road 72 that was once used for blueberry picking will instead be a source of soil to cover the county landfill nearby.
“Soil is a vital component of landfill operations as it’s used to prevent odors, deter pests and wildlife, control litter and divert rainfall from waste,” Sarasota County spokesper-
“This purchase is a proactive project that will result in $50 million in savings for county residents, remove dump truck trips from our roadways and provide opportunities for generations to come.”
son Genevieve Judge says in an email to sister publication, the Business Observer
“Our community needs to know that this property is not an extension of the county’s existing landfill,” Judge says. “This purchase is a proactive project that will result in $50 million in savings for county residents, remove dump truck trips from our roadways and provide opportunities for generations to come.”
The Albrittons did not respond to a request for comment regarding any potential future plans. According to the Albritton Fruit Farms website, a new pick-your-own blueberry location may be coming soon.
Albritton Groves Ltd. sold its property off State Road 72 to Sarasota County.
Genevieve Judge, Sarasota County spokesperson
Fruitville Road going up-Tempo
A Tempo Hotel by Hilton is proposed for three parcels in the 1500 block.
“The zoning code acknowledges that narrow conditions exist for many parcels in the downtown. Parcels with a depth of less than 135 feet may request a Planning Board adjustment to allow for the parking to be in the second layer. We are requesting this adjustment.”
Developer Florida Holdings LLC, which lists an address in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, plans to build a nine-story Tempo Hotel, a Hilton brand, on parcels at 1524, 1534 and 1542 Fruitville Road. Those parcels currently have single-story businesses with a combined floor area of 9,919 square feet.
The project had its first appearance before the city’s Development Review Committee on Dec. 4. The 0.46-acre site is narrow, located between Fruitville Road and an alley to the rear, presenting multiple challenges that will require approval of adjustments from both the Planning Board and the city’s director of Development Services. Because the property is in the Downtown Core zone district, it will not require approval of the City Commission.
In his application to the staff project consultant Joel Freedman wrote,
The application also requests two administrative adjustments. They include a 25% reduction in the 12-foot setback for the building at 9 feet above the third story. The second is a 13% reduction of 3.6 feet in the depth of habitable space on the ground floor along Fruitville Road. Both administrative adjustments are necessary to create a 12-foot wide pedestrian zone along Fruitville. Freedman and architect Chris Gallagher of Hoyt Architects learned during their presentation further adjustments might be necessary if code conflicts remain unaddressed in later submissions. That includes a 12-foot first-floor limit applied to the rear of the building that will be uninhabitable and out of view of the public. Leaving that back room space at 12 feet in height would mean another requested adjustment, in addition to a restricted signage height of 14 feet in the front that Gallagher said he had never seen before.
The project, Freedman and Gallagher were advised, will require a resubmittal to the DRC.
Andrew Warfield
A Tempo Hotel by Hilton is proposed to be built on Fruitville Road from the Downtown Hair Studio to the left through the end of the block.
SUNDAY, NOV. 17 NO JUSTICE FOR JERK
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3:58 p.m., 2900 block of Bay Street Family dispute: Frustrated that his partner of 13 years was attempting to keep their home tidy while he was watching football, a man began yelling at her, threw an ashtray at his TV and broke the screen. Then, for an unexplained reason, he called law enforcement to “try to get her in trouble” according to the incident report.
An officer spoke with the man — who admitted to his actions — and observed he appeared to be intoxicated and that a vodka bottle was at his feet. When the officer explained the crime of house cleaning during an NFL Sunday was a civil matter, the man stated, “‘Police don’t care about men anymore,’ and asked me to close the door and leave,” according to the report.
The officer then advised that he refrain from interacting with the woman for the remainder of the day and advised her that if she wished to have him removed from the home, she would need to take the proper steps through civil court.
SATURDAY, NOV. 16
HE WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS
11:03 p.m., 3800 block of Badger Street
Dispute: A woman told an officer she was followed by her ex-boyfriend to her current boyfriend’s house and he began persistently knocking on her car window demanding to speak to her. She said she had stopped dating the subject male one month prior, and told the officer he has also shown up at her children’s school attempting to speak with her.
A resident of the county, she advised she has filed a complaint with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.
The complainant said the man has been seeking greater clarification of why they broke up, to which she told him “God told her to,” according to the incident report.
The subject told officers that, in addition to being told that he was left behind via instruction from a higher power, the woman owes him $3,000 from when they resided together and he wants her to pay him back.
Meanwhile, when the current boyfriend was interviewed, he advised it was only the pair’s second date, and he knows little about the history of the former couple.
The incident concluded when the subject was told not to contact the complainant and, regarding the claim of money owed, he needs to
file civil action. The woman was also notified of the process of obtaining a restraining order. She said she did not want to pursue any charges.
SUNDAY, NOV. 17
HEARTBROKEN WINDOW BREAKER
7 a.m., 500 block of Gillespie Avenue
Property damage: Yet another case of conflict between ex-lovers resulted in a broken window at a woman’s apartment. The complainant said around 6 a.m. her ex-girlfriend began texting her and accusing her of having a new girlfriend, which, if true, might seem reasonable given their relationship ended six months prior.
During the text exchange, the subject told the complainant she was going to her apartment for an unspecified reason, prompting her to leave work. When she arrived, she told an officer she witnessed the subject hit her window and then leave.
The investigation continued when the officer contacted the subject by phone, then met at a neutral address. She admitted to losing control and causing the damage. She was issued a criminal notice to appear for criminal mischief, was informed that she was trespassed from the apartment building and that she was to cease contact with the victim.
Ocean Prime is ready to open
The $10 million, two-story restaurant featuring waterfront views will debut on Dec. 21.
ELIZABETH KING BUSINESS OBSERVER
rominent national restaurateur
PCameron Mitchell says he broke a big unwritten industry rule in building Ocean Prime in Sarasota, his new high-end steak, seafood and sushi restaurant.
“Typically, a restaurateur would think of themselves as crazy, building a restaurant where we are here — you can’t see it from the road,” says Mitchell, the founder and CEO of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, which operates nearly 50 restaurants nationwide. “But it’s such a great location.”
Ocean Prime Sarasota is one of four establishments Mitchell’s company is opening in Florida before the end of 2025. Despite challenges from labor costs and inflation, he is “very optimistic” about the future of the business, particularly in the Sunshine State.
Mitchell recently spoke with the Business Observer about a host of topics, including the company’s Florida strategy and the state of the industry.
Mitchell describes the rule-breaking location in The Quay in Sarasota as “ground zero,” within walking
distance of downtown and a short drive from Lido, Bird, Longboat and Siesta keys. He says he specifically worked with a broker to get a space there so he could build. (The Quay is a long-anticipated mixed-use project on the Sarasota Bay, with plans dating back in some form more than a decade.)
The Ocean Prime at The Quay is scheduled to open Dec. 21 — a milestone Mitchell says he is looking forward to for several reasons.
“Sarasota is like a second home,” says Mitchell, who has owned a beach house on Siesta Key for 20 years. He lives in Columbus, Ohio, where his company is headquartered. “I love Sarasota. So to build Ocean Prime and finally get the opportunity to do it ... at The Quay ... I’m excited about it.”
On the menu are steaks from filet mignon to Wagyu with options such as a blue-cheese crust, black truffle butter or Oscar style as well as seafood like teriyaki salmon in soy butter sauce and sea scallops in a citrus vinaigrette with Parmesan risotto.
“When I look at the Ocean Prime brand and this restaurant, there is nothing like it in Sarasota,” Mitchell says. “The cost we put into it, the finishes, everything, the menu and so forth.”
Sarasota’s Ocean Prime cost $10 million to construct. It spans 9,500 square feet in a brand-new building wrapping up construction along Quay Commons. Near The Ritz-
Carlton Residences, the two-story restaurant will feature waterfront views with terraces on each floor and include more than 350 seats, two bars and two private dining rooms.
Ocean Prime Sarasota will mark the 19th location for the brand and the fourth in Florida; the others are in Orlando, Naples and Tampa.
“It’s our horse; it’s our national brand,” Mitchell says of Ocean Prime, which has a presence nationwide, from Beverly Hills to New York City.
The market on the Gulf Coast appears to be eating up the Ocean Prime concept, based on the performance of already existing restaurants. Ocean Prime in Tampa, says Mitchell, is the top restaurant in sales volume across the Cameron Mitchell Restaurants portfolio. (The company, in total, he says, does “a little under $500 million” a year in revenue.) Plus, he adds: “Our Ocean Prime in Naples does phenomenally well.”
Courtesy image
Prominent national restaurateur Cameron Mitchell is opening Ocean Prime at The Quay on Dec. 21.
Samuel Anderson
“Andy” Reasoner, 69, of Bradenton, FL passed away quietly on Wednesday, November 27 in hospice care at Sarasota Memorial Hospital after a short hospital stay. A (long-winded) storyteller and generous soul ‘til the end, he will be missed by all who knew him.
Andy was a fifth-generation nurseryman born in Bradenton, FL on November 28, 1954, to Rae Ferguson and Egbert “Bud” Reasoner. He went to high school at the Culver Military Academy in northern Indiana where he played football and polo and was a proud member of the Black Horse Troop. He went on to earn a BS in Tropical Horticulture from the University of FL and served as the class spokesman of the first Leadership Manatee class sponsored by the Manatee County Chamber of Commerce. He did his part to carry on the rich Reasoner family history in Manatee County as owner of Andy Reasoner’s Royal Palm Nurseries. After years of wrangling with county government about property taxes for historic structures, Andy grudgingly sold Beth Salem, the iconic 2-story green Victorian family homestead built in 1896 that had been converted to his business offices located
on SR 70 next to the Sam’s Club near 301. With the sale of that property, which has since been developed as a Racetrac, Andy reluctantly closed Royal Palm Nurseries and finished that chapter of Manatee County’s agricultural history. He worked tirelessly with the Smathers Library at the University of FL to provide old nursery catalogs, ledgers and family communications to offer the public one-of-a-kind research resources for native FL and exotic plants as well as some of the early history of Manatee County. Rather than retire after his horticultural career was over, Andy turned his energies to real estate development and built a 220-unit apartment complex, Royal Palm Terrace in Bradenton. He would often
say that the early years of that project took a decade off his life, but the now-thriving complex was a source of great personal pride and is the legacy he leaves his family.
Outside of work Andy was a Commissioner of the Cedar Hammock Fire Control District, had served as secretary/treasurer of the Southeast HS Athletic Boosters while his son was a student-athlete, was the President and member emeritus of the Southeast HS IB Parent Alliance, loved his time as a volunteer with the Youth Group at First Presbyterian, Sarasota, Bay Haven Odyssey of the Mind and Southeast High School TSA when his children were participants, supported the Manatee County Ag
Museum, the Palma Sola Botanical Park, Yellowstone National Park and every dance school and troupe his daughter performed with. And lest we forget, he was a life-long avid Gator fan. Andy is survived by his wife, Beth Byron-Reasoner, his sons Ryan “Addison” (Holmes Beach, FL) and Byron “Tyler” (Los Angeles, CA), his daughter, Lauren who is currently attending the University of South Carolina, and daughter-in-law, Maya. He also leaves behind his brother, Alan “Ward” Reasoner, a sister, Elizabeth Rae Reasoner, sisters inlaw Theresa Reasoner and Laura Pfender and nieces and nephews including Justin and Jesse Reasoner, Evan Reasoner Pfender, and Aidan and Priya Sharma. He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, father-in-law, and family dogs Roxy and T-Bow – all of whom he plans on seeking out in heaven.
SERVICE:
Friends and family are invited to a celebration of life with a catered reception following at 3:00pm on Sunday, December 15th at First Presbyterian Church of Sarasota. Andy will be cremated, and his ashes will spend eternity throughout Yellowstone National Park.
DONATIONS:
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Manatee County Ag Museum (1015 6th St W, Palmetto, FL 34221 or www. manateecountyagmuseum. com/donate or the Palma Sola Botanical Park (P.O. Box 14214, Bradenton, FL 34280 or https://palmasolabp.org/ donate/).
Jack Rohner 1922-2024
Jack Rohner, 101, of Sarasota, FL, formerly of Inverness, IL passed away peacefully on December 2, 2024. Born December 22, 1922, to Katherine Engenhart and Frank Rohner, he was raised in Chicago, IL. Jack served his country with honor in the Army Air Corps during WWII, stationed in North Africa and Italy.
Jack is preceded in death by Helen, his cherished wife of 70 years. He is survived by a loving family who will forever cherish his memory: his daughter Barbara (Tony) Franke, his grandchildren Peter Franke (Karen), Katherine Holland (John), and his great-grandchildren Caroline, Matthew,
Jack will be remembered for his unwavering work ethic, generosity, quick wit, and steadfast devotion to his family and loved ones.
SERVICE: Visitation and funeral mass was held on Saturday, December 7, 2024, at 9:30 am, at Holy Family Catholic Church, 2515 W. Palatine Road, Inverness, IL. Interment St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery
DONATIONS: In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Geneva Lake Conservancy Helen Rohner Children’s Fishing Park.
Arrangements entrusted to Smith-Corcoran Funeral Home. For info, 847-359-8020. www.smithcorcoran.com
Ryan, George, and Avery.
“It felt like I was back to where I was supposed to be, doing what I loved doing and it just felt great to be back with the team.”
Fast Break
The Sarasota High girls varsity basketball team ended a three-game skid when it defeated Manatee (2-4) 48-33 at home on Dec. 9. The Sailors (4-4) head to Riverview to face the Rams (3-1) on Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m. As of Dec. 7, the boys varsity team is on a roll (6-1) after defeating Cape Coral Mariner (0-7) 76-45.
... As of Dec. 6, the Riverview girls varsity soccer team (7-1) has been perfect at home this season, winning six straight, including its 3-2 defeat of Naples Gulf Coast (3-7-1) that day. Senior strikers Rachel Paule and Bailey Springman both scored once and junior midfielder Oliva Shkorupa added in an assist and a goal of her own in the win. Paule and Springman are tied atop the Rams’ leaderboard for most goals scored on the year with five apiece. On the boys’ side, the Rams fell to 3-4 when they lost 5-2 to Gulf Coast (4-5-1) on Dec. 6.
... As of Dec. 6, the Booker boys varsity basketball team brought its record to 2-2 after defeating Venice 55-45.
... Stanford freshman swimmer and Riverview alum Addison Sauickie posted a personal best time of 22.93 in the 50-yard freestyle prelims of the Texas Hall of Fame Invitational in Austin, Texas on Nov. 20. Sauickie, who helped lead Riverview to three consecutive 4A state titles in 2021, 2022 and 2023, is next set to face off against UCLA at home on Jan. 17, 2025.
... The Riverview girls varsity weightlifting team traveled to Sarasota High to square off against the Sailors on Dec. 5. The Rams defeated Sarasota 55-26 in the Olympic classification and 5235 in the Traditional classification.
THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
THE END OF THE ROAD
Cardinal Mooney, Booker High football both fall in the semifinals of state tournaments.
DYLAN CAMPBELL SPORTS REPORTER
For the first time all season, Cardinal Mooney High football appeared to be mortal. It’s evident its opponent, the Cocoa High Tigers, was a different animal from the first time Cocoa’s offense took the field.
After forcing a Cardinal Mooney three-and-out to open the game, Cocoa found itself buried on a third and 20 on its own 39-yard line.
The Cougars seemed primed to pounce, until Cocoa junior quarterback Brady Hart read the pass rush, stepped up in the pocket and delivered a strike to senior wide receiver Jayvan Boggs, who broke through for a 61-yard touchdown.
Suddenly, Cardinal Mooney, which hadn’t lost a game since Oct. 20, 2023, found itself in trouble. That trouble continued until the final whistle, when Mooney lost to Cocoa 31-21 in the semifinals of the Class 2A FHSAA Football State Championship tournament.
What Cardinal Mooney displayed in the defeat, however, goes beyond the box score, said head coach Jared Clark. The Cougars were down by multiple touchdowns twice in the first half — Cardinal Mooney entered the second quarter down 14-0, before junior quarterback Devin Mignery ran in a 9-yard touchdown.
Down 21-7 with 8:39 left in the second quarter, Cardinal Mooney immediately answered with a 78-yard touchdown pass on the first play on its next drive.
“Our guys love each other and they weren’t going to stop fighting,” said Clark. “It was so good to see them get in a battle like this and just not quit. I couldn’t be more proud of the way they fought. They’re playing against an extremely talented team that’s run through everybody as well — we were in a dogfight and thought we responded really well, we just came up a couple of plays short.”
As devastating a loss as it is for Cardinal Mooney, it still is an encouraging sign of what’s coming. The Cougars more than held their own against a Cocoa team that was by far the most talented Cardinal Mooney had played all year.
The Tigers’ roster is littered with high-end Division 1 talent. Cocoa’s four-star quarterback, Hart, committed to play at Texas A&M. Boggs, who had three touchdown receptions, is a four-star recruit by 247 Sports Composite and committed to Florida State University. Senior edge rusher Javion Hilson and senior safety Clifton Hester are both four-
star recruits.
Cocoa did not outclass Cardinal Mooney, only beaten. The Cougars were clearly battered from a long season — sophomore running back Connail Jackson returned after leaving the previous game with an injury and Mignery, though hobbled on the sideline, never showed it on the field. While the Cougars are losing several key seniors, they will return in 2025 with much of the roster that has made the team a powerhouse in the region. For Cardinal Mooney, that alone is a reason for hope.
BOOKER HIGH
Booker was here last year. On the doorstep of a state title game, a regional champion with everything to prove. Last year, however, Booker had nothing to lose.
The Tornadoes snuck into the state championship tournament as a seven seed, surprising the world as regional champions. Losing to the eventual state champions, Cocoa, was a letdown, but not a disappointment.
This year, Booker had everything to lose. A two seed in the Class 3A state championship tournament, Booker had run roughshod over its opponents all season with a 10-3 record, thanks to a bevy of transfer talent on its star-studded roster.
So when the Tornadoes lost to Jacksonville’s Raines 28-23 in the state semifinal after leading 23-14 at the half, it felt different.
“I have to find a way for us to get back to the drawing board and say, ‘OK, this is what went wrong’,” said head coach Scottie Littles, who was ejected from the game in the third quarter after a dispute with the officials. “We lost to a top-15 team in the
state and we were leading for most of the game. What I’ve got to figure out as a coach is how do we find a way to get our players to finish?”
That question will linger into the offseason as Littles and his staff look to build off Booker’s recent success, despite the departure of key seniors.
Some of the offense’s biggest stars, like quarterback Ryan Downes, running backs DJ Johnson and Rashawn Peterson, will graduate in 2025.
So too will some of Booker’s top defenders, including defensive lineman Jordan Radkey, who totaled 10 sacks and outside linebacker Dajien Walton with nine sacks. Cornerback Abraham Brown III, who holds multiple Division 1 offers, will also graduate.
Littles is confident in Booker’s ability to bounce back, however. Still returning are many of the team’s top skill position players — wide receiver Tyren Wortham, the team’s leader, will be a senior in 2025 and wideout
Tyree Mannings Jr., who had 11 touchdowns in the regular season, will be a sophomore next season. Four-star, two-way player Chauncey Kennon will return next season as will two-way athlete Dylan Wester. Stepping into Downes’ role as quarterback will be Joel Morris, a 6-foot-3 junior who already holds multiple Division 1 offers, according to Littles and 247sports.com.
“As a staff, we’re excited to continue to build on what we have and see where it takes us,” said Littles. “One thing I know for sure is the entire state of Florida knows about Booker. Our goal will not change from year to year — it’s to win a state championship and that’s what we plan on doing.”
— Talia Busser, junior, Cardinal Mooney High varsity basketball. SEE PAGE 19A
File photo
Former Riverview swimmer Addison Sauickie made her freshman debut for Stanford last month.
Photos by Dylan Campbell Booker senior defensive lineman Jordan Radkey (55) celebrates with his teammates during Booker’s 43-7 win over Nature Coast Tech on Nov. 22.
Cardinal Mooney junior quarterback Devin Mignery reacts his team’s 31-21 loss to Cocoa High in the semifinal game of the Class 2A FHSAA State Championship tournament. Mignery had one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown in the loss.
Sarasota boys basketball seeks consecutive district titles
Third-year head coach BJ Ivey has high hopes for his team this season.
Sarasota High boys varsity basketball head coach BJ Ivey is an artist. Not in the literal sense — Ivey is the athletic director at Sarasota High, not the art teacher — but in the basketball sense.
Everything at the Sailors practice on Dec. 3 is color coded, from the jerseys the players wear — orange for much of the starting lineup and black for the rest of the team — to the practice schedule, timed out with militaristic efficiency, to the effort level of his players.
While orange and black might be Sarasota High’s colors, green, gray and red are the colors that matter most in Ivey’s gym.
These colors indicate a player’s
intensity level — green is for a player that exceeds the expectations of the team’s five standards, gray is for the players that meet the bare minimum of what Ivey expects from his team and red signifies a glaring issue in the player’s behavior. Prior to the practice, 11 members of the team voted that three players were green 90% of the time. The trick, Ivey said, is turning every gray player into a green one.
“The guys come up with what they feel our green standards are and we hold them accountable to that all year,” said Ivey. “The standards should help us accomplish our goals that we’ve set. This season, our five standards are EGBS, or having energy generating behaviors, staying positive with one another, being diligent in our work every day, holding each other accountable for our actions and being selfless as teammates.”
So far, Ivey’s system of standards has worked. In 2022, his first year with the team, Ivey led the Sailors to a 21-6 record before losing the Class 7A-District 12 title game 52-49 to Riverview. Last season, Sarasota ran the table, posting a 24-3 record en route to a dominant 63-36 victory over North Port in the district championship game. As of Dec. 8, Sarasota has a 5-1 record, with its only loss to IMG Academy on Nov. 19.
This year, Ivey’s team looks a little different in its quest for backto-back district titles. Gone are several of the key seniors that made the Sailors’ run possible. Franklin Liriano, who led Sarasota in assists per game with 3.2 and was third in points per game at 10.3, has graduated. Michael Drayton, a 6-foot-3 forward who averaged 12.9 points per game, good for second on the
team, has moved on, and 6-foot-6 Danny Munn, the team’s secondleading rebounding at 3.8 per game, is also gone.
Despite the departure of his key seniors, Ivey believes in the strengths of his team.
“I think that our culture is really close to what we had last year, but I’d say that this season our guys’ skill sets complement each other a little more than last year,” said Ivey. “Last year, I felt like we had a couple of guys that were really good at a certain style that not everyone else was good at. There was a little more to be done in finding that balance between styles whereas this year it seems like everybody’s natural way of playing meshes together.”
Stepping into larger roles this season for Sarasota are sophomore guard Johnny Lackaff and senior forward Oliver Boyle. Lackaff, who led the team in scoring last season with 13.0 points per game, remains the focal point of the Sailors offense.
His growth — Lackaff put on roughly 10 pounds of muscle in the offense to jump from 165 to 175 pounds — has been more than just a physical maturation, said Ivey.
“He’s matured a lot as a leader and in understanding how to lead,” said Ivey. “Last season, he did a great job of leading by example — he’s in the gym every morning at 6 a.m. working his tail off. Everybody knows how hard he works. This year, he’s doing a much better job of being an encourager and also an enforcer, holding his teammates accountable when he needs to.”
Boyle, who led the Sailors in rebounds per game last season with 6.7, is a tenacious 6-foot-3 small forward who transferred to Sarasota from Riverview as a sophomore, the
same year Ivey took over as head coach.
Now in his third year with the program, Boyle’s experience has allowed him to function as a coach on the court, he said. While knocking down shots with his midrange jump shot is important, his ability to rebound and get his other teammates involved is tantamount to the team’s success. It’s a style of play that resembles Sarasota’s teamfirst attitude.
“We really try to instill the values of you have to be a star in your role,” said Boyle. “No matter if you’re a practice player or a starter, your role is just as important as the guy next to you. Without you, this team isn’t complete.”
BRINGING THE HEAT
Every practice at Sarasota ends with the same ritual: sugar and hot sauce. The players gather around in a circle at center court and hold one another accountable. It starts off sweet — members of the team tell each other what the others did
well — Lackaff praises transfer junior forward David Young for his rebounding, before it turns spicy. Boyle tells a teammate to increase his effort on the pick and roll. None of it is personal, the teammates embrace afterwards, but all of it is integral to the team’s success. Last season, Boyle said, the team readily gave out sugar, but struggled to dish out the hot sauce. This year, that’s far from the case.
“We were scared of conflict,” said Boyle. “We understand that to be the team we want to be, we have to have uncomfortable conversations. We have to have conflict and if we can make it through that, we’re going to be stronger for it.”
Photos by Dylan Campbell
Junior forward David Young rises up for a layup during the Sarasota High boys varsity basketball practice on Dec. 3.
Dylan Campbell is the sports reporter for the Sarasota/ Siesta Key Observer Contact him at DCampbell@ Your Observer.com.
Sarasota High boys varsity basketball head coach BJ Ivey holds his players to a high standard.
Talia Busser
Talia Busser is a junior guard for the Cardinal Mooney High girls’ varsity basketball team. Busser, who transferred to Cardinal Mooney from Parrish Community High after her freshman year, is a viable threat for the Cougars from beyond the arc. Busser scored a season high 22 points against Fort Myers Evangelical Christian, going six for nine from the three point line.
When did you start playing basketball and why?
I started playing basketball in kindergarten. Both of my parents played basketball in high school, so it’s just something that I’ve always done.
What’s the appeal?
I like all the movement and getting to run up and down the court. I’m not a fan of the slow game, so playing a high-paced sport and using explosive moments is probably what I like most about it.
What’s your best skill on the court?
Definitely my shooting. I’ve put a lot of hard work into it and it’s always one of my higher statistical areas.
What’s your favorite basketball memory?
My favorite basketball memory is probably the first day of practice after I came back from my injury.
I broke my foot in two places and came back a month after the state championship game. It felt like I was back to where I was supposed to be, doing what I loved doing, and it just felt great to be back with the team.
What’s going right for Cardinal Mooney this season?
Our chemistry is improving. We’ve had a lot of transfers and we’re learning how to play together a
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.
little bit better than in the beginning of the year. We’re getting a lot of ball movement and scoring from all areas on the floor.
What’s your favorite food?
Most definitely pizza. I like sausage and pepperoni or meat lovers.
What’s your favorite movie or television show?
“Grey’s Anatomy” is one of my favorites. I’ve watched it three times over.
What are your hobbies? I love to go to the beach. I just lay out in the sun.
What’s the best advice that you’ve received?
To always keep shooting the ball. Sometimes, it’s hard to keep shooting when you’ve missed a couple, but my coaches always remind me to just keep shooting and that they’ll fall down eventually.
Finish this sentence. Talia Busser is ... A hard worker.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
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Holiday and community spirit
The Sarasota Holiday Parade Dec. 7 featured the man in the red suit — Santa Claus.
Yet it was also a showcase of Sarasota, with organizations and businesses in the area having the chance to put their community spirit on display.
For instance, Terry Deshaies, riding with The Dark Side — Comics & Games, enjoys dressing as Freddie Mercury and leading the crowds in chants of “Ay-Oh!” each year.
Among the many participants featured were animals from the Humane Society of Sarasota County, talented students from organizations, including Sailor Circus Academy and the giant puppets of CreArte Latino.
Monarch Tom Davie of Samoor Grotto, a Masonic organization that helps special needs children with dental issues, said the parade was important for making the community aware of the organization’s presence.
“We’ve been here quite a number of years, over and over and over again,” he said. “They finally recognize who we are. You’ve got to continue. You can’t show up once and not go do it again. We like it. It’s our hometown, so why wouldn’t we?
We’re part of the community.”
Katlyn Turner of Acro Fit Gymnastics called the parade a “really good team bonding experience” for the organization’s young gymnasts.
“We love the holiday parade,” she said. “The Sarasota Holiday Parade organization does such an amazing job every year. We have a really good time.”
— IAN SWABY
Santa Claus offers gifts to the kids on the Big Cat Habitat float, including Elijah Frey, 8 (second from left).
Photos by Ian Swaby
Samoor Grotto members Jon and Sandy Lewis, Monarch Tom Davie, Clara Rojas and Debbie Maust
A Santa’s Workshop vehicle approaches.
Hans Ocampo, Oliver Ocampo, 2, Yahoira Ocampo and Dominic Ocampo, 4, meet Santa Claus.
Emilia Wilson, 9, and Rocket, walked with the Humane Society of Sarasota County.
Tasman Henry, a senior with Sailor Circus Academy, was a stilt walker in the parade.
Despite the challenges posed by two major hurricanes, flowers and holiday lights are still in bloom at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
During a Wednesday evening preview event, attendees had the chance to explore the display Lights in Bloom, which opened to visitors Dec. 6.
Created by Phil and Carolyn Babas of the Bradenton company Affairs in the Air, Lights in Bloom has been ranked by USA Today as one of the nation’s best botanical garden holiday shows.
“This year, our team had the herculean effort of installing Lights in Bloom in the wake of two major hurricanes,” Jennifer Rominiecki, president and CEO of Selby Gardens, told crowds. “On behalf of the board, we are so thrilled that our entire Downtown Sarasota Campus has reopened and will be aglow shortly with 2 million lights.”
The foundation teams with Selby Gardens for the Family Togetherness program, allowing families who would not otherwise have the chance to do so, the opportunity to visit the site.
Lights in Bloom features over 2 million lights.
Shak Teymuri and his daughter, Celine Teymuri, 2, enjoy the festive scene.
Photos by Ian Swaby
Selby Gardens President and CEO Jennifer Rominiecki, Cecelia Grove and her daughter, Aria Grove, 7, and Linda Carson of ABC7 Sarasota lead the flipping of the switch.
Holiday sounds and sculpture
Third grader Gwyneth Crawford said she felt welcomed by the audience’s applause, as her choir from Phillippi Shores Elementary performed in the courtyard of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art on Dec. 5. She called the experience of Holiday Splendor at The Ringling “wonderful.”
“I don’t know what to say, because, honestly, it was pretty fun,” she said. “It really just blew my mind that it was my first time here, and I did really well.”
While showcasing student performances and offering families the chance for free photos with Santa, the event drove donations to Toys for Tots, a U.S. Marine Corps Reserve organization, which were present on-site.
Admission fees were not required for attendees bringing an unwrapped toy. Last year, the event brought in about $40,000 worth of toys, according to Marci Boland, director of events at The Ringling. Students and organizations appreciated the chance for more community exposure.
IAN SWABY
Students from Phillippi Shores Elementary School, including fifth graders Matthew Vinson and Kadence Butler, and fourth grader Genevieve Stickley, offer a performance.
Sarasota Middle School freshman Eric Glushonkov performs on saxophone with the Southside Elementary band led by his father, Sergei Glushonkov.
IF YOU GO
5 p.m., Dec. 12, at John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Road. Free with one unwrapped toy per person. Without a toy donation: adults, $15; kids. $5. Visit Ringling. org.
Photos by Ian Swaby
Kay Wygal and George Hein meet Santa Claus.
Holiday spectacle with a purpose
The 50th Annual Singing Christmas Tree Spectacular featured a nativity scene with live animals, a former Broadway performer and more.
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
Even for those who already can picture a singing Christmas tree, there was something they wouldn’t have anticipated seeing during the 50th Annual Singing Christmas Tree Spectacular.
The performance, featuring a large centerpiece styled as a Christmas tree adorned with over 10,000 lights that holds church choir members, has grown in scale in its 50 years.
For the third year in a row, a segment of the performance depicting the Nativity featured live animals, including camels and sheep, walking the church aisles, while the show also welcomed former Broadway performer J. Mark McVey.
Yet, Senior Pastor Dr. John Cross believes what defines the appeal of the singing tree is its focal point.
“I believe it’s the star, not the star that we might think of, but the star is Jesus, and Jesus promised that if we lift him up, then he would draw people to Himself,” he said.
Since the tradition began at the 122-year-old church, it has been reimagined with a more elaborate production. The experience brings together church members, from dancers to soloists, while depicting scenes that include the Nativity and the arrival of Santa Claus.
Cross said they are grateful to their staff team that begins planning months in advance, including volunteers in various roles, attendants who serve roles from ushers to parking attendants, and the performers themselves, with about 250 people being involved.
Courtney West, the church’s director of modern worship and a
soloist in the performance, shared his gratitude.
“There’s a great spirit amongst all of those involved, who truly love this city and who want their friends, their family, their co-workers, who maybe aren’t as familiar with the Christmas story to come and experience it for themselves,” she said. “And so that’s why they put forth all the months of effort.”
One committed member of First Sarasota’s community is Melva Hipps, 80, who has sung in all 50 shows. She was raised in the church, joining the adult choir as soon as she was old enough to do so.
“I think it just helps keep me stay grounded in what Christmas is all about and celebrating Jesus’ birth and what it means to the world … ” she said. “It just seems unreal that it’s been 50 years, but it’s been so enjoyable, and things every year have been different, and it’s just been a special time to see all the different people and how it affects their lives and their celebration of Christmas too.”
J. Mark McVey said he enjoys the welcoming community of First Sarasota
The Bonita Springs resident performed in “Les Miserables” on Broadway, in the role of Jean Valjean, thousands of times, but ultimately gave up theater in 2012 to focus on concert work, including church performances around the country.
Ian Swaby
The 50th Annual Singing Christmas Tree Spectacular begins with a solo by Walter Godfrey.
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First flight
The
a little higher on Dec. 6 and 7. The Balloon Glow & Laser Show had hot air balloons and kites hovering above the Sarasota Fairgrounds, giving attendees the chance to marvel and enjoy tethered hot air balloon rides. It may have been a rare sight in Sarasota, but there was still a community interested in the experience.
Sarasota’s Ken Junkins had crewed hot air balloons with his parents Alan and Betty Junkins in the late 1980s, while his godfather, Chuck Beczk, was a weather reporter for a balloon festival in Albuquerque for many years.
“I loved ballooning, but I haven’t done it in years, and I saw this opportunity and decided to come out and volunteer for it,” he said. The event, managed by a Georgiabased company, is most often held across the southern part of the country’s east coast.
“Our primary mission is to bring balloon shows to areas where people don’t normally see a lot of balloons,” said Jeremy Kwaterski, its executive director.
Kwaterski said one of the most popular parts of the show is the tethered balloon ride, which costs $35, in contrast to untethered, which can cost $400 to $500.
Despite some initial challenges with high winds, conditions improved and the festival could offer over 1,000 tethered rides.
It also offered a chance for balloonists to showcase their passion.
“I’ve always been fascinated by flight, and something about getting into a little airplane and closing myself in just never felt right,” said Fred Vereb, operator of GottaFly.Fun.
— IAN SWABY
Sarasota volunteer Ken Junkins helps stabilize the RE/MAX balloon.
Mike Gee gives Vicky Canales a chance to try flying a kite.
Anne Parker admires balloon-inspired decorations at one of the vendor booths.
Photos by Ian Swaby
Various hot air balloons fill the event space.
Tess Schmitt of Maverick Balloon Adventures fires up the propane.
Brightening spirits
As they stood in front of the newly illuminated Christmas tree, Debra Ashby and David Collins saw their first year in Sarasota concluding in a positive final chapter, even with the challenges the community had endured earlier in the year.
Light Up the Night, held Dec. 6, was the latest in the series of Fresh Fridays block parties in Downtown Sarasota, but this month, it brought a special focus, featuring the lighting of the Downtown Improvement District’s new, much larger Christmas tree at Selby Five Points Park.
Stepping onto the stage for the lighting were board members of the DID, City Commissioner Kyle Battie and Joseph Grano, president of NextMark.
Chris Voelker, chair of the Downtown Improvement District, said she wanted the event to be the start of a custom of going downtown each year to watch the lighting of the tree, which she calls “the most spectacular tree in town” at about three times the size of the original tree, which was around 20 feet in height.
“We’re very thankful to everybody who came out tonight and that the city helped us to create the magical night that we had tonight,” she said.
The evening also featured live music by The Rockefellers, a giant inflatable snow globe that allowed attendees to climb inside for photos, a snow machine and high-end food and drink vendors.
Joseph Grano, president of NextMark, which collaborates with the DID for the events, said he thinks the city should create a sense of place, and said the company wanted to offer a holiday event like none before it.
“We’ve been so excited to have a top-notch band, along with incredible entertainment opportunities and food choices as well, but I think most importantly, it’s all about gathering friends, gathering family, gathering your new neighbors, and being part of the city,” he said.
AND
“I love it,” said attendee Kendal
love the togetherness of the community. All the support really makes it a great place to live.”
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Gerard, regarding the new tree. “I just moved here a week ago. I
Photos by Ian Swaby Lauren and Kim Smith, visitors from Pennsylvania, pose for a selfie in front of the tree.
Autumn Tselios leads the band The Rockefellers.
Reagan Gabbard, 8, enjoys the snow.
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The Terrace condominium sells
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Acondominium in The Terrace tops all transactions in this week’s real estate.
Bruce and Elsie Appleton, trustees, of Quebec, Canada, sold the Unit 113 condominium at 5400 Ocean Blvd. to Karen Jean Dunne and Donald Dunne, of Hudson, Ohio, for $1,482,000. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,187 square feet of living area. It sold for $340,000 in 1997.
SARASOTA
BAYVIEW
John and Lesley Gallagher, of United Kingdom, sold their home at 1617 Siesta Drive to Robert Bartlett, of Sarasota, for $775,000. Built in 1948, it has two bedrooms, oneand-a-half baths, a pool and 1,110 square feet of living area. It sold for $220,000 in 2013.
POINSETTIA PARK
Paula Clemow, trustee, of Blue Spring, Missouri, sold two properties at 1863 Bougainvillea St. to Rachel Katherine McAree, of Sarasota, for $965,000. The first property was built in 1938 and has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,481 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 1958 and has one bath and 288 square feet of living area. They sold for $432,500 in 2016.
ALINARI
Seema Gupta, trustee, of Burlington, Massachusetts, sold the Unit 806 condominium at 800 N. Tamiami Trail to JMK 522 LLC for $620,000. Built in 2007, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,310 square feet of living area. It sold for $525,000 in 2021.
ALMERIA ON THE BAY
Edward Akers, of Crown Point, Indiana, sold his Unit 303 condominium at 6470 Hollywood Blvd. to Robert Locker and Cheri Locker, trustees, of Grand Ledge, Michigan, for $510,000. Built in 1978, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 910 square feet of living area. It sold for $345,000 in 2021.
PALMER RANCH
VILLAS AT DEER CREEK
Ingrid Petri, trustee, of Venice, sold the home at 4571 Deer Trail Blvd. to Melanie Wright, of Sarasota, for $510,000. Built in 1993, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,912 square feet of living area. It sold for $265,000 in 2013.
Other top sales by area
SARASOTA: $1.4 MILLION
Weber
Fred Michael Gerigery sold his home at 940 Caloosa Drive to Max and Haley Vincent, of Sarasota, for $1.4 million. Built in 1957, it has two bedrooms, three baths and 2,700 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,175,000 in 2022.
PALMER RANCH: $956,000
Deer Creek
Martin Karl Stiegmann and Shawna Michele Stiegmann, of Glen Allen, Virginia, sold their home at 8338 Cypress Hollow Drive to Hunter Stevens, of Sarasota, for $956,000. Built in 1990, it has three bedrooms, two-and-ahalf baths, a pool and 3,078 square feet of living area. It sold for $687,000 in 2021.
OSPREY: $1,225,000
Meridian at the Oaks
Preserve
B. Walter and Marcia Rosen, of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, sold their Unit 601 condominium at 3621 N. Point Road to Mark Taylor, of Osprey, for $1,225,000. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,680 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,175,000 in 2023.
TOP BUILDING PERMITS
OSPREY THE WOODLANDS AT RIVENDELL
Valerie Lynne Bond and Joseph Eastman Bond, of Osprey, sold their home at 1031 Scherer Way to Jason and Julie Morgan, of Osprey, for $845,000. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,408 square feet of living area. It sold for $527,500 in 2020.
Thomas Cassidy, of Venice, Susan Ford, of Baltimore, and John Cassidy, of Osprey, sold their Unit 304 condominium at 385 N. Point Road to George Mueller Jr. and Judit Mueller, trustees, of Osprey, for $535,000. Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,778 square feet of living area. It sold for $499,000 in 2021.
Source: Sarasota County, city of Sarasota
MERIDIAN AT THE OAKS PRESERVE
File photo
The Unit 113 condominium at The Terrace, 5400 Ocean Blvd., was built in 1970 and has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,187 square feet of living area.
Dec.
THURSDAY, DEC. 12
Saturday, Dec. 4 | 7pm
Come
community tradition.
Arrive early, bring your lawn chairs and get ready for a festive evening.
Saturday, Dec. 4 | 7pm
YOUR CALENDAR
TO SUNDAY, DEC. 15 THE LIVING NATIVITY
7:30 p.m. (Gates open at 6:30 p.m.) at The Tabernacle Church, 1414 DeSoto Road. Free. This 45-minute performance of the Nativity scene involves live animals and flying angels. There will be a petting zoo for children, hot chocolate and cookies. Reservations required. Visit TabSarasota.org.
PLEIN AIR PAINTING AT THE BAY: JOSEPH MELANCON
10-11 a.m. at The Nest, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Learn the skills of plein air painting, or painting in the open air. With the help of artist Joseph Melancon, you will capture the coastal scenery of The Bay. Registration required. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
FRIDAY, DEC. 13 AND SATURDAY, DEC. 14
CHRISTMAS TOWN
BEST BET SATURDAY, DEC. 14
HOLIDAY BOAT PARADE OF LIGHTS
7 p.m at Bayfront Park, 5 Bayfront Drive and Marina Jack, 2 Marina Plaza. Free at Bayfront Park; reservations required for Marina Jack. Elaborately decorated boats parade through Sarasota Bay in this annual event presented by Suncoast Charities for Children and Marina Jack. Visit SuncoastCharitiesForChildren.org.
Start: Main St. & Washington Blvd.
Gulfstream Ave.
Christmas Christmas
Chicken Dumpling Lobster Bisque & Salad Buffet
| Honey Glazed Ham | Leg of Lamb Baked Flounder | Beef Burgundy Bacon Mashed Potatoes | Green Beans Carrots | Port Wine Shitake Mushroom Gravy ...And More!
New Year's Eve New Year's Eve
5-8 p.m. at Southside Baptist Church, 2035 Magnolia St. Free. The seventh annual Christmas Town at Southside Baptist Church includes a lights maze, snow machines, pictures with Santa Claus and the Grinch, a “Journey to Bethlehem” and holiday treats. Reservations required. Visit EventBrite.com.
SATURDAY, DEC. 14
SANDY CLAWS BEACH RUN
8:20 a.m. at Siesta Beach Park, 948 Beach Road. Adult 5K, $40; youth (18 and under) 5K, $30; one-mile fun run and walk, $25. This staple of area running events, which brings runners to the sands of Siesta Key Beach, is now in its 48th year. Visit RunSignUp.com.
WINTER WONDERLAND AT THE ROBERT L. TAYLOR COMMUNITY COMPLEX
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Robert L. Taylor Community Complex, 1845 34th St. Free. Engage in holiday fun including arts and crafts, cookie decorating, a toy giveaway, and a visit from Santa. Pizza will be provided. Reservations required. Visit EventBrite.com.
SARASOTA UGLY SWEATER BAR CRAWL
Check-in from 3-5 p.m. at Rafferty’s, 1888 Main St. Regular tickets $19.99
($3.71 Fee). Wear an ugly sweater to this bar crawl covering over five bars. You will receive a bag of swag, an official lanyard, drink deals and DJ entertainment, with an after-party and a holiday-themed giveaway. Visit EventBrite.com.
NATIONAL WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA DAY AT SARASOTA NATIONAL CEMETERY
11:30 a.m. at Sarasota National Cemetery, 9810 State Road 72. Free. Volunteer to lay wreaths on the graves at Sarasota National Cemetery. Volunteer entry is at 11:30 a.m., ceremony at noon and wreath laying at 1 p.m. Attendees must obtain parking passes. Visit WreathsAcrossAmerica.org.
HOLIDAYS AT THE BAY COMMUNITY CELEBRATION
4-7:30 p.m. at Common Ground, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Family photos with Santa, a holiday craft project by Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation teaching artists, dancing and a “Sounds of The Season” story read by Mr. Stevey. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
File image
Brown Eyed Girl, captained by Cooper Tholmes, gives a wave to the audience.
NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH
“WAVK, SMOVO SO FVO SVATH, PFNO ZR SLWWLTH IA GMFTHO; SMOVO SO FVO VLHMI, PFNO ZR OFRE IA WLXO
IT’LL MAKE YOUR HEAD SPIN! by Shaun Phillips, edited by Jeff Chen
By Luis Campos
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