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Raw Sugar sweetens livesLongboaters Donda Mullis and Ronnie Shugar, owners of natural beauty brand Raw Sugar, back up their mes-sage with actions, recently donating dozens of full-sized products to Sarasota and Bradenton charities.

They brought the prod-ucts to Longboat Island Chapel, where they will be passed on to women’s chari-ties and places that offer shelter, housing and show-ers, including Resurrection House, Harvest House and Turning Point.

“We’re really about feeling good in your own skin and celebrating ourselves,” Mullis said. "This serves the inner meaning of our business."

Beneficial boothBeing a good citizen of Longboat Key just got even easier with the installation of a new kiosk at Town Hall.Next to the also-new county library kiosk is a town infor-mation kiosk, where resi-dents can digitally pay utility bills, check out the minutes from the recent town meet-ings, take the 2020 Citizens Survey, look at employment opportunities and search public records, as well as explore all the information on the town's website, Long-boatKey.org.

Courtesy photo

Ronnie Shugar and Donda Mullis with their donation.

Nat Kaemmerer

Nat Kaemmerer

Ellen Day serves in a singles match during the finals Jan. 12 as part of the 20th annual Observer Challenge Tennis Tournament at the Longboat Key Public Tennis Center.

COURTINGLOTS OF FUN

How would you solve traffic?Pedestrians and a new bridge form the basis of readers’ solutions.SEE PAGE 9A

LONGBOAT

YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

Longboat Key’s weekly newspaper since 1978

ObserverVOLUME 42, NO. 23 FREE • THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2020

Circus greats honoredPAGE 6B

Eric Garwood

St. Armands Circle is often mentioned as a hot spot for traffic congestion.

Could GMD be safer?

A+E

Fantasygetsreal.

INSIDE

Town leaders look at what can be done on the state highway after five fatalities since May 2018.

ERIC GARWOOD MANAGING EDITOR

Four traffic crashes that killed five people since May 2018 on Gulf of Mexico Drive bear little in com-mon but have the town think-ing about the safety of drivers and pedestrians along the state-maintained highway and what can be done.

A pedestrian crossing the road early in the morning, a cyclist rid-ing in the bike lane, a truck driver tending to his rig on the side of the road, and the driver and passen-ger of a sedan pulling into traffic from a driveway have been killed in the past 19 months. The only thread running through each of the incidents, which took place in daylight, night and before dawn, is the 11-mile-long road itself.

Most recently, Charles and Marjory Barancik, who left their home at the En Provence condo-minium community around dusk, died in a collision with a police car that was responding to a fire alarm with a firetruck Dec. 18. Sarasota Police are investigating

SEE SAFETY, PAGE 3A

20th Observer Challenge delivers tennis, camaraderie and a surprise or two. SEE PAGES 1-2B

2A LONGBOAT OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2020 YourObserver.com

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There’s less “weasel” language in town rules regarding dock con-struction these days.

Completing a process that started in early 2019 when town officials began identifying indi-vidual areas of the zoning code to address and modify, town

commissioners this month gave final approval to changes in rules regarding the size of boat docks, their placement and how much space they can occupy in canals. Along the way, they deleted pre-viously existing caveats.

In some cases, especially in Bay Isles, Country Club Shores and some other neighborhoods, canals present little problem with the passage of vessels. Elsewhere, navigable space is as tight as 12 feet. The town requires docks to be no more than 30 feet in width or 30% of the total width of the canal, whichever is less.

Key to the discussion was how to best encourage staggered con-

struction of docks on opposing sides of a canal to allow for maxi-mum navigable space. “These are existing conditions on our canals, which are challenging to be able to navigate through. As you get into wider canals, that’s less of an issue,” said Allen Parsons, the town’s director of Planning, Zon-ing and Building.

The town previously relied on the phrase “to the extent pos-sible” to help work with property owners to encourage offsetting without hard-and-fast require-ments for such layouts.

Commissioner Ken Schneier pointed to a phrase in the rules he saw as providing sufficient

flexibility: “a new dock shall not be located directly across from existing structures over water in a manner that creates a naviga-tional hazard or interference with another vessel.”

“That is an absolute, and you won’t be allowed any fudge room on that,” he said. “There should be an absolute: You cannot create a navigational hazard. Period. So we shouldn’t have ‘to the extent possible’ at the beginning, nor should we have ‘unless it is unfea-sible’ at the end. We don’t need either one of those.”

Town attorney Maggie Mooney said the reason for the flexible phraseology was to allow land-owners the means to preserve constitutionally protected access rights to the waterfront.

“I don’t think we want to allow someone to build a dock that would block other boats from going up and down a canal,” Com-missioner Mike Haycock said.

Parsons ultimately agreed with changes to the rules, leading to the vote to approve.

“I think we probably can lose the weasel language and still have some ability for staff to be able to accept there isn’t an alternative under certain conditions,” he said.

As part of the same process of identifying areas of code to address, commissioners also offered final and unanimous approval to a measure that treats rules on construction of racket-sport courts that same by elimi-nating the word “tennis.” This allows facilities for pickleball, tennis or other sports to follow uniform standards.

Restrictions on sounds related to pickleball, which had been a concern early in the discussion, were not added.

Eric Garwood

Neighborhoods with wider canals pose less of a problem with navigation and the widths of backyard docks.

With 7-0 vote, leaders revise wording for more ‘absolute’ language in regulations.

Commissioners sign off on final dock rules

SURVEY SAYS …

Longboat Key residents are receiving postcards this week heralding the begin-ning of the town’s Citizen Satisfaction Survey.

The cards, which were to begin arriving Monday in every residential mailbox in town, are a heads-up to expect a follow-up postcard next week. That follow-up postcard will include de-tailed instructions on how to complete the online survey and a unique ID number to ensure one survey is taken per household.

Surveys can be completed on a connected computer, tablet or smartphone or the town’s kiosk in Town Hall. Expect to take about 10-15 minutes with the questions. Most are multiple choice.

Questions will cover quality of life and overall sat-isfaction with town services. Also, specific questions will address key issues in town, such as county library services, opinions on the Bayfront Park Recreation Center and the arts, culture and education center.

The town is expecting a report from the survey, conducted by the University of South Florida, by April.

LONGBOAT OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2020 3AYourObserver.com

GU

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May 8, 20186900 blockPedestrian killed crossing.

April 22, 20195800 blockCyclist killed in collision with truck parked in bike lane.

Aug. 31, 20191400 blockTruck driver killed, auto driver injured in collision with truck parked partially on the road

Dec. 18, 20192100 blockDriver and passenger killed, police officer injured in collision.

Sept. 4, 20194000 block

Sept. 4, 20191300 block

Sept. 5, 2019, Nov. 23, 20196800 block

Sept. 5, 20191950 block

Sept. 5, 20194400 block

Oct. 27, 20193000 block

Oct. 30, 20191000 block

Nov. 14, 20191200 block

Nov. 24, 20194200 block

Dec. 2, 2019, Dec. 16, 20191100 block

Dec. 17, 20193100 block

Dec. 23, 20192400 block

Dec. 26, 20192600 block

Dec. 30, 20192400 block

KEYFatalitiesfrom collisions since 2018

Improperly parked trucks reported since September

and have not released any details beyond a basic description.

While the inquiry into the December crash continues, Town Manager Tom Harmer, Police Chief Pete Cumming and other town leaders have begun examin-ing what the town can accomplish on its own and acknowledged the road is under state jurisdiction.

Among the first consider-ations: the possibility of some local controls over vehicles that are permitted by state agencies to park and work in Gulf of Mexico Drive’s right of way and eliminat-ing instances of vehicles improp-erly parking on the highway’s center turn lanes, in adjacent cycling lanes or anywhere else sight lines might be obstructed. The town has also sought a safety review of the highway from the state and has begun working with county emergency-management officials on how non-emergency citizen reports of vehicles parked along Gulf of Mexico Drive can be relayed to police officers fast enough to make a difference.

“I’ve asked the staff to research and let me know what we can do that may or may not be beyond what the state may require,” Harmer said. “For instance, like the driveways, can we put a dis-tance there to say within a drive-way that exits onto GMD, you have to have X amount of feet of clearance? Can we do that?”

Cumming said officers are seri-ous about taking action to rectify dangerous situations that arise on GMD, such as when the driver of a car-hauling tractor-trailer or other vehicle parks in a turn lane to load or unload — a violation of state law. Or, in a more informal way, simply asking someone to move a vehicle from a dicey loca-tion, even if it’s parked legally.

Cumming said the variety of trucking companies and driv-ers makes it hard for word to get through about the danger of parking on the road. Little by lit-tle, though, he said he hopes the message builds in understanding, both with service providers and their local clients.

“Our philosophy, if you want to put it that way, it’s always been compliance over punishment,” he said. “However, some people only respond to punish. But again, we’re seeing different drivers all the time. It’s not like, ‘I just told you last week.’ Now clearly, if that happens, there’s a citation.”

Sarasota police, investigat-ing the Aug. 31, 2019, crash that killed a New York City truck

driver in the 1400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive, came to the conclusion that Kryzstof Troya-nowski was to blame for his own death. The report of the crash says Troyanowski parked his car-hauling rig partially in the road-way to begin unloading a vehicle and was struck from behind by a northbound car. The investigator also cited poor roadway lighting conditions, the lack of reflective safety gear worn by Troyanowski or set up, as required, behind the truck, and a generally darkened tractor-trailer.

Both Harmer and Cumming noted Gulf of Mexico Drive is something of an unusual thor-oughfare, with its residential and commercial traffic, mixed with cyclists and pedestrians, new-comers, visitors and longtime permanent residents. Of late, the town’s underground-utility con-tractors have been at work with heavy equipment along the road, as have other communications companies working on under-ground facilities of their own. Work also has progressed along GMD, under a state permit, to replace natural gas lines.

Harmer said Florida Depart-ment of Transportation officials were generally receptive to some kind of safety review, predicated by the fatality rate since May 2018. The most recent fatality on GMD previous to 2018 took place in 2012.

“I think having them as the responsible party to come in and look at visibility and viewsheds and the type of conflicts we’ve had here to see if that warrants any other state rules or regu-lations or maybe even permit conditions when they’re doing work,” Harmer said. “But we just thought we needed to raise our hand and say: ‘Hey, you know, we’re concerned, and it’s your road. We think you should come in and do a safety review.’”

Harmer and members of the police department also recently visited the county’s emergency communications center to learn more about how non-emergency calls of possibly dangerous road situations are handled and pri-oritized by county call-takers and dispatchers.

“We’re all concerned, and I know that we’re looking at this thing through a different lens,” Cumming said.

“We’re trying to see it from a different perspective. How can we either create something to enforce or get compliance for things that are not so statutory, but they’re safety issues. This tends to be a state issue boiling down to a community issue. And I think all players have to get in the game.”

SafetyFROM PAGE 1A

MOVING VIOLATIONS

Between July and December 2019, police officers filed reports on these traffic incidents on Gulf of Mexico Drive.

3Crosswalk violations 5 Move over/slow down violations

1Speeding (70+ mph)

7Speeding (50+ mph)

5Other speeding

2Red light violations

4Passing in safety lane

2Passing school bus

2Reckless driving

MAKEA CALL

Police and town officials encour-age residents to report possibly dangerous situ-ations by calling the Longboat Key Police's non-emer-gency number. Be prepared with as detailed informa-tion about the situ-ation and location and possible. The number to call is 316-1977.

File photo

Police and fire units shut down Gulf of Mexico Drive in April when a cyclist was killed.


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Savor the Sounds launch delayedIn 2020, the Longboat Key Cham-ber of Commerce is bringing back a town favorite: the Savor the Sounds concert series. But music fans will have to wait an extra month for performances to begin.

An illness with January’s per-former and scheduling conflicts with the remainder of the series’ bands has prompted the cham-ber to delay the launch until February. The event was planned to make its debut Jan. 25.

“Life happens, and there’s nothing you can do about it,” Chamber President Gail Loefgren said. “We tried to move other bands up into the January spot, but they’re booked.”

Savor the Sounds will still go on at the new Town Center Green, at the site of the demolished Amore restaurant building.

Originally, the concert series was scheduled to be on the final Saturday of the month, begin-ning in January and ending in April. Instead, the first concert in the series will be Feb. 29 and run March 28, April 25 and May 30.

Town commissioners last week approved a routine waiving of the $100 application fees for special events in town.

First responders distribute informationIf you see someone in uniform walking up to your front door this week, don’t fret. Your house prob-ably isn’t on fire, you’re not in trouble with the law, and — per-haps most importantly — you’re not about to be scammed.

The Longboat Key fire and po-lice departments are distributing

door hangers in residential areas this week. The hangers contain safety tips and information, such as a reminder to keep doors locked and a suggestion to make your house number easier to spot from the street.

Pickleball work gets startedWork is underway on the town’s newest recreational facilities: two regulation pickleball courts laid out on an expanded concrete pad originally home to a full-sized basketball court.

A 15-foot concrete extension was poured around New Year’s and is curing before basketball goals and fence posts can be re-configured and the entire surface recoated and lined to create a half-court basketball site along with the new pickleball courts.

When complete, which officials anticipate by late this month, the town will have three regulation courts available, along with a pair of courts on a combination-lined tennis court.

Two separate contracts and contractors are involved with this project: n C-Squared was hired to exca-vate, build the forms and pour concrete to extend the basketball court 15 feet to the north. Cost: $8,300. n Sport Surfaces was hired to remove and relocate the basket-ball goals, fix seams and cracks and resurface the entire swath for pickleball and basketball play. Cost: $18,000 to set up and surface the new courts and resur-face the existing court; $18,775 for basketball court work and about $4,200 for contingencies that might come up during work.

NAT KAEMMERERSTAFF WRITER

The Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce is looking to the new decade with a desire to be part of something bigger. That mis-sion will begin at the 61st annual chamber meeting and awards luncheon, held this year from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Lido Beach Resort.

As usual, the chamber will give six awards based on a point system: Ambassador of the Year; Newbie of the Year for members who got involved right away; Ed and Marge Moran Memorial Award for mem-bers involved in the community’s greater good; Chamber Member of the Year; Chairman’s Award for impactful, longtime members; and Eager Beaver.

“[Eager Beaver] is someone who’s really eager to do whatever he or she thinks we might need,” Chamber President Gail Loefgren said.

At last year’s event, they intro-duced the Each One, Reach One campaign, an endeavor to increase the chamber’s member-ship. Each member was supposed to try to reach a new member to bring into the chamber. Although that campaign ended with 2019, the chamber is always focused on bringing in new members, espe-cially younger members of the business community.

“This year, we’re going to con-

centrate on the chamber giving back,” Loefgren said. “There are some younger members joining, and if you’re going to attract a new generation, you have to do things to reinvent yourself.”

In 2020, the chamber wants to organize a roundtable of its non-profit members and match them with other members of the busi-ness community for the greater good of both.

“I think that the younger gen-eration especially all wants to be a part of something greater than themselves,” Loefgren said.

Elsewhere in the chamber’s business plan for 2020 are plans to refurbish and repurpose its monthly networking events and to explore the possibilities of dig-ital marketing and social media.

Chamber of Commerce has big plans for 2020

File photo

2018 Chairman Mark Meador and 2019 Chairwoman Tonya Atchison at the 2019 Chamber Awards Luncheon.


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ERIC GARWOODMANAGING EDITOR

The lawsuit involving the former Colony Beach & Tennis Resort, its condominium association, its prospective redeveloper and the owner of dozens of units marks its second anniversary this month.

By April, though, the proceed-ings are scheduled to advance to

a non-jury trial before Circuit Judge Hunter Carroll, which is expected to result in a ruling on how the once-iconic resort prop-erty — now a 17-acre beachfront lot — can be sold and built upon.

Unicorp National Develop-ments Inc., the prospective rede-veloper that has gained town permission to build a 166-room luxury hotel with 78 adjoining

luxury condominiums under the St. Regis brand banner, hopes for a decision paving the way for a private sale. Once in control of the property, CEO Chuck Whit-tall can pursue clearances from the town to begin construction.

Andy Adams, the owner of 74 of 244 units and now the sole oppo-nent to the Unicorp development plan, is pushing for a public auc-tion and a ruling allowing for multiple owners.

The non-jury trial is planned to begin April 4.

The 154-page complaint, filed in the 12th Circuit Court on Jan. 16, 2018, by Unicorp National Developments Inc. attorney Megan Costa Devault, seeks a judicial termination to the condo-minium association to facilitate the sale, permission for which has been granted. The lawsuit claims holdout owners (except Adams, they’ve all joined Unicorp on the “supporting parties” side) pre-vented a conventional end to the association by vote, prompting the legal action.

Since last summer, when Car-roll ruled the termination of the condo association could proceed, both Adams’ legal team and the team representing Unicorp, the association and the remainder of the unit owners, have been mov-ing toward the trial.

Monthly sessions take place on Fridays in Courtroom 6A of the Sarasota County Courthouse, dealing with issues that arise.

Most recently, on Jan. 10, law-yers for both sides met for about 45 minutes. Among the topics:■ No intermediate trial is to be held to determine if the land can be broken into more than one par-cel. The so-called Phase Alpha trial (so named to avoid confu-sion with other labels attached

to other phases of the case) had been discussed as a possibility for late January. Carroll, in court last week, said both sides had not come to an agreement on how that would proceed. “Sounded like you all were close but couldn’t get over the finish line, so it will stay as it is,” Carroll said. ■ Hunter made clear the court retains a “panoply” of options on how the property will ultimately be sold. In October, attorneys for Breakpointe LLC filed a motion for a summary judgment to sell the property at a public auc-tion, with minimum bids set by the court. Attorneys for Unicorp Colony Units LLC also filed a request for a summary judg-ment in seeking an order that the condominium parcel be sold as a whole and to appoint a special magistrate to evaluate a private sale and make a recommendation to the court on whether a private sale could be achieved or a pub-lic auction would generate more value for owners. Both requests were denied in December.■ Attorneys said no claims, pro-tected by lien or otherwise, have been filed yet against the Colony Beach & Tennis Club Association, though at least one is anticipated. A deadline of Feb. 21 has been set for lien-protected proof of claims and May 1 for others. Using a pro-cess based on probate, the two sides are “very, very close” to an agreement on the process for handling claims and how to pay them through a trustee after a sale goes through.■ On Jan. 21, members of the con-do association board are expected to vote on a voluntary dissolution of the organization, in advance of the judicial dissolution.

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Feb. 21.

Trial scheduled for April in the proceedings that ultimately will decide how oceanfront acreage will be sold.

Colony case nears its second anniversary

Nat Kaemmerer

Unicorp National Developments Inc. has proposed a luxury hotel and condo at 1620 Gulf of Mexico Drive.


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BRYNN MECHEMSTAFF WRITER

A Hawaii-based company is hop-ing to establish an aquaculture project 45 miles off the coast of Sarasota but would need a dis-charge permit to do so, which is causing many Sarasota residents to worry about the threat of red tide.

Kampachi Farms wants to host 20,000 longfin yellowtail, or Almaco jack, in a pen suspended below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico.

The facility would include a supporting vessel and a single cage in a water depth of 130 feet, according to the permit draft. The 20,000 Almaco jack would pro-duce a maximum annual harvest of 88,000 pounds.

“The primary goal of the dem-onstration project is to help the local communities in the Gulf of Mexico to understand the ancil-lary benefits that offshore aqua-culture can bring to fisheries and to recreational tourism,” Kam-pachi Farms CEO Neil Anthony Sims said in a blog on the organi-zation’s website.

However, antibiotics and other chemicals that might be used in the farm cause the company to need a discharge permit.

Because of this, the Environ-

mental Protection Agency will host a public hearing at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 28 at Mote Marine Lab and Aquarium.

Ahead of the hearing, the EPA Region 4 published a draft of the permit in August that would allow the discharge of industrial waste-water from the net-pen facility.

The permit would require Kampachi to monitor several fac-tors, such as medicinal products used on the fish and discharges of pollutants including chlorophyll, copper, phosphorus, sulfide and nitrogen.

It is these types of discharges that have organizations includ-

ing Friends of the Earth and the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alli-ance and residents like Ron Kash-den worried.

“There seems to be a relation-ship between algae growth and the fisheries,” Kashden said. “Like all the other residents in Sarasota over the past two years, just being devastated by red tide, at some point, you start to wonder, ‘What is causing this, and how can we prevent it?’”

Kashden said that not only did the last bout of red tide cause a dip in tourism economy, but he also knew several people who expe-rienced issues with asthma and

decreased fishing profit.A Friends of the Earth report

states that a fish farm of 20,000 would release fecal matter equiv-alent to that of 6,300 people. Similar fisheries have been halted in Denmark to protect the Danish environment.

Larry Brand, a researcher and professor of marine biology of Miami Rosentiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, has found that when the Gulf’s phos-phorus-rich water mixes with nitrogen — one of the pen’s dis-charges — conditions are ripe for an algae bloom.

“Scientists start arguing wheth-

er the combination of chemicals cause red tide or just prolong red tide,” Kashden said. “But to me, as a citizen, I didn’t really care. If this is exacerbating red tide, why in the world would the U.S. try an experiment off this coast?”

The permit would prohibit the discharge of floating solids, visible foam, surfactants, dis-persants, detergents and toxic chemicals. Additionally, the facil-ity and anchoring system will be placed at least 500 meters away from any hard bottom habitat on the seafloor.

Kampachi Farms has already conducted two trials in its home state of Hawaii, which have prov-en successful.

A 2012 test that allowed an aquapod holding 2,000 fish to drive between 2 and 75 miles off-shore was named one of Time Magazine’s 25 best inventions of the year. A second test placed an aquapod 6,000 feet deep off the coast of Kona.

The proposal for the Gulf of Mexico is funded through Florida Sea Grant and is planned to be a one-year demonstration project. Mote Marine is also a stakeholder in the project and will provide fingerling Almaco jack raised at the Mote Aquaculture Research Park for the project.

The fish in the aquapod will be fed from a barge that would be tethered to the side of the pen. The fish are expected to grow to market size within 12 months.

If the project proves success-ful, Kampachi officials will begin discussions on how to move the fishing industry forward.

Hawaii company seeks permission to raise 20,000 fish in a pen 45 miles off Sarasota coast.

Offshore fish farm proposal raises concerns

Courtesy photo

Kampachi Farms hopes to place a pen that would hold 20,000 fish off the coast of Sarasota.


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Rare is the community that doesn’t strive to create some type of small-town town

center like St. Armands Circle, where residents and visitors stroll the sidewalks, dine in the restaurants and shop in the boutiques.

“The Truman Show” always comes to mind — the quaint little town where everything was perfect. (It wasn’t really.) In any case, city elected leaders just about everywhere all seem to crave that idyllic vision.

Longboat Key is no different. If you have lived here the past

five years or so, you probably are familiar with the many discus-sions at Town Commission meetings and the many news stories in the Longboat Observer about town commissioners’ and others’ desires to create a town center in that area between Pub-lix and the Longboat Key Public Tennis Center.

That’s what the above illustra-tion depicts. Sarasota architect Gary Hoyt created the above overhead rendering of what could be in much of that unused and underutilized property.

As we’ve said before: It’s a great idea. The challenge is fig-uring out how to pull it off.

ONE OWNER IS THE KEYIt’s all about ownership — who owns the land and the buildings. Consider these examples:n South Beach and downtown St. Petersburg: In the 1980s, the city commissions of Miami Beach and St. Petersburg had blocks and blocks of dilapidated, in some cases, slumlike proper-ties from the bygone eras. Their cities were dying.

The elected leaders in both cities decided to amass the large blocks of properties into a single development zone and put out

requests for a master developer to transform them.

The two commissions, sepa-rately, spent years examining and rejecting proposals, never sign-ing on with anyone who had the financial wherewithal to pull off the projects. Not only that, but even if they did find a developer, the developer faced major chal-lenges assembling properties to make it work.

Neither worked. The com-missions wasted nearly a decade from beginning discussions to giving up.

But we also know both of those areas became some of the most vibrant urban areas in Florida. South Beach became interna-tionally famous, and down-town St. Petersburg is the most vibrant large-city downtown in Florida.

How did that happen? In essence, property val-ues dropped so low that they attracted multiple individual investors and developers, not just one master developer.

That’s one lesson: If you want

development, the costs to do so need to make sense.n Downtown Lakewood Ranch and St. Armands Circle: If you’ve been to Main Street in Lakewood Ranch, it has that “Truman Show” quaintness, just the kind of look, feel and vibe that commissioners want on Longboat Key.

Here’s the key to that success: One landowner, one developer — Schroeder-Manatee Ranch Inc.

SMR controls everything. It’s not like Main Street Sarasota where you have a different land-owner for almost every build-ing and just as many different tenants. That’s why downtown Sarasota looks the way it does (not that it’s bad).

St. Armands Circle has 76 properties and almost as many owners. It’s almost impossible to get them to agree on anything collectively. But two ways St. Armands Circle businesses have been able to maintain the Circle to the degree it has is with two organizations: the St. Armands Business Improvement District,

a taxing authority governed by three elected landowners (or their representative) and the St. Armands Circle Association, which consists of Circle mer-chants, landowners, city officials and others.

Lesson two: The property owners must be willing to work together. Or, it’s best when there’s only one property owner.

INCENTIVES: WRONG, NEEDEDIt’s all about incentives.

Every community does it, and it’s the wrong thing to do: Give tax breaks and subsidies to pri-vate companies to spur develop-ment. But if Longboat Key town commissioners are convinced the type of town center that architect Hoyt designed is the right thing for the town, they will have to provide incentives.

One developer told us the town should be ready (and/or will-ing) to give the 4 acres the town bought for the cultural center to a developer.

That’s not all. This developer said commissioners also should be ready to create a zoning dis-trict that will allow mixed uses and heights — e.g., residences on the second and third floors of buildings.

Everyone knows why retailers and others struggle on the Key. There aren’t enough people to sustain them.

And that’s the multimillion-dollar conundrum: residential density.

Residential density is capped on Longboat. Voters must approve any increase in den-sity. And voters typically have rejected any increases.

So if Longboat Key residents want a town center, they must be willing to let more people live on the Key. And that would mean more traffic — but also more choices for dining and shopping.

OPINION / OUR VIEW

Keys to a town centerIf Longboat Key commissioners are convinced the town needs a town center, they face two tough decisions: giving subsidies to developers and what to do about density.

Sarasota architect Gary Hoyt created this rendering of a town center parkway, including the much-discussed center for the arts, culture and education (Nos. 40 and 41) and a new road that would extend from Bay Isles Road to Bay Isles Parkway, with commercial/retail buildings, the existing SunTrust and adjacent office building and a park fronting the new road (Nos. 36, 37, 5, 6, 38, 39 and 9).

Hoyt Architects of Sarasota created this rendering of “Town Center Park,” site of the former Amore restaurant near Publix.


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Kings of the road: What if you wore the crown?

Pedestrian bridges are a mustFirst off, it will take all hands on deck to solve this problem. The present situation is unaccept-able and will have far-reaching negative impacts on government revenues as tourist abandon Sarasota. Secondly, I believe the planners who decided to insanely disrupt traffic during the busy season should be held accountable, and they should go sit in traffic starting at the Publix on Longboat Key and drive to downtown at 5 p.m. for a week straight.

While traffic decision-making is being done both locally and at the state level, the true decision-makers should all be local as they know the reality and can be held more accountable.

One of the first things that needs to be done is to elevate all pedestrian crossways over U.S. 41 in downtown Sarasota as skybridges. Years ago, a tireless Sarasota city planner designed a beautiful skybridge over U.S. 41, and it was a piece of art.

Presently, traffic stops at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota as tourists cross the street to get to downtown Sarasota. Secondly, they have to reinstate the third left turn lane (eastbound from North Gulfstream Avenue to northbound U.S. 41) until the season is over.

The solution with the big-gest impact would be a mid-key bridge; it would ration traffic extremely well as people would put their destinations into Google Maps, and traffic routes would be selected based on fast-est times.

PATRICK GAUGHANLONGBOAT KEY

Control the pedestriansOne of the problems is off our Key and is St. Armands Circle and the backup it causes.

The problem is not the cars but the pedestrians who are uncon-trolled. They can and do cross the traffic whenever they want and sometimes where they want. To control them and give a freer flow to the circle would ease the problem. This can be done by installing pedestrian crossing lights at each crossing. They are simple and inexpensive and are elsewhere on the Key.

There should be a law forbid-ding crossing anywhere else, and the police should enforce the correct use of the lights. With a regular flow of traffic while the pedestrians have to learn to wait, the traffic leaving the Circle will get more movement.

I have seen this work in cities much more congested.

Traffic traveling only on Longboat cannot be solved with two bottlenecks at the bridges. Even widening them would solve nothing, unless you want to widen GMD (yes, there is room). A ferry to Sarasota might sound great, but are we really expected to drive to a dock, park there and take a ferry to Sarasota a find onward transport? And lug our shopping around with us?

IAN SPOFFORTHLONGBOAT KEY

Police officers could helpIf the city would have a police officer directing traffic at the intersection of U.S. 41 and the Ringling Causeway from 4-6 p.m., it would alleviate cars blocking the box and prevent cars that have a green light from turning.

GERRY LUBLINSARASOTA

No need to use Big Pass as drawbridgeLast week I was returning to Longboat Key and was held up a long time because the New Pass Bridge was up. After the bridge was back down, the traffic was backed up all the way to Publix.

This all because a sailboat was being towed in from the gulf.

I have been a boater on Longboat Key for the past 23 years using New Pass to get to the Gulf. The pass can be very difficult because the route out to avoid grounding is constantly changing. Also, New Pass is not considered a navigable pass by the Coast Guard, and no markers to guide boaters safely through are in place. One permanent marker buoy is in place at what used to be the entrance from the Gulf. But if anybody unfa-miliar with the pass relied on that marker, they would almost certainly run aground.

There are two excellent passes to get to the Gulf from the bay. Longboat Pass to the north and Big Pass to the south. Both of these passes are conveniently located.

Closing the opening of the New Pass Bridge would sig-nificantly improve traffic flow in both directions on Gulf of Mexico Drive, with minimal impact on boaters.

DAVE WALKERLONGBOAT KEY

A new bridge could be the answerThe best solution is a bridge from City Island to 10th Street.

If that can’t be accomplished, a bridge from City Island to Bird Key.

Otherwise, control pedestri-ans in St. Armands Circle with walk/don’t walk signals. Enforce pedestrian activity by eliminat-ing crossing away from cross-walks, and get rid of the speed humps.

Traffic is killing our property values and making Longboat Key uninhabitable for this 23-year resident.

WILLIAM E CHAPMAN, IILONGBOAT KEY

Don’t forget the pedestriansFine all drivers seen texting or looking at phones while not watching road. How many countless times are people slow to respond to red/green light changes, blocking lanes and keeping traffic stalled?

The city must teach all driv-ers, even snowbirds and tour-ists, how to follow rules of right of way in traffic circles. People blow through traffic circles without ceding right of way. It’s very dangerous.

Fine cars not giving right of way to pedestrians. Enact laws favoring pedestrians. Fix cross-walk and turn-light signs to be compatible.

Make city planning in Sarasota and on the keys more conscious-ly sustainable.

Stop overbuilding downtown without adequate sidewalks and shade.

Buildings put up decades ago make road-widening impossible. Make better decisions for future development.

Make Sarasota and the keys known for safety rather than tragic accidents. I know of too many such accidents.

SARA SINAIKOSARASOTA

Little things will workThis came to me while sitting in nearly standstill eastbound traffic over the big bridge while joggers and uphill bicyclists passed me, and westbound traf-fic zipped along. Of course, it was 4:45 p.m.

The extra turn lane at U.S. 41 solved a big problem, but now it’s coned off as work begins on the traffic circle at Fruitville. Temporary but silly. Let’s do work when it makes sense to do work, not when the biggest demands are placed on our traf-fic system.

Let’s also make a bus system that really works, not one that requires an hour wait. Sure it will lose money. It’s not a business; it’s not supposed to be profit-able.

Let’s also stop every Tom, Dick and Harriet from crossing St. Armands Circle at whim. Funnel them into a few controlled loca-tions, and make it clear this is how you cross a street.

TOM SQUIERSARASOTA

Pedestrian light signals are the answerSt. Armands Circle is always busy, but it really gets to be a huge logjam during the busy season and at peak times.Because pedestrians have the right of way to cross the streets around and through the Circle, the cars can really get backed up waiting for the walkers to cross.

I would recommend pedestri-an crossing lights at St. Armands Circle, so that a group of walkers can cross at one time, then allow vehicles to go while the next set of walkers wait for their light. I’m not advocating traffic light signals, just pedestrian light signals.

SUE HARTSARASOTA

We asked readers a few weeks ago to imagine wearing

the crown of power when it comes to traffic, and let us

know your no-holds-barred solutions to sitting for a

hour behind a rusty Toyota Camry waiting to drive to

the mainland. Here’s what you said:

File photo

Readers frequently pointed out the traffic bottlenecks in St. Armands Circle as something they’d like to fix — if they had the power to do so.


nce their home search is underway, Sarasota-area homebuyers often feel the pull toward the water. Perhaps

it’s soft, powdery white-sand beaches, or the lull of the waves, or the watercolor sunsets that make them feel as though they’ve found their home. With three decades of experience building luxury waterfront estates, London Bay Homes understands the appeal and serves as the perfect partner in designing dream homes that capitalize on the truly magical location of Siesta Key. Within the exclusive gated waterfront neighborhood of Spice Bay, London Bay offers a pair of desirable homesites along Sarasota Bay. Perfectly blending prime waterfront access in an intimate setting in close proximity to both the beaches and cultural activities of St. Armands Square, Spice Bay is a private eight-acre gated community of just 14 homesites. London Bay’s four-bedroom Somerset model at 1202 Sharswood Lane is one of the two remaining options available for purchase at Spice Bay. The four-bedroom home features more than 5,000 square feet of air-conditioned living space over two floors, three bedrooms, four baths and an optional furnishings package for discerning buyers. The home is priced at $3,450,000. French oak flooring, detailed millwork and other designer finishes accent indoor living spaces in the Somerset’s open-concept plan. An oversized freestanding island creates a focal point in the gourmet kitchen, which conveniently links to a wine room, butler’s pantry and office that offer an array of storage options. The dining area and great room provide easy connections to the outdoors, opening onto a covered alfresco living room with a full kitchen, custom linear pool and raised spa. An outdoor fireplace provides the ideal spot for s’mores and stargazing. All homes in Spice Bay have dock access, with 11 boat slips available to residents that lead directly to the Intracoastal Waterway. Tropical foliage and cobblestone roads create a lush setting for the idyllic community. Two additional models planned on Siesta Key showcase London Bay Homes’ mastery of waterfront living design. With distinctive coastal contemporary architecture that complements its private cul-de-sac location and spectacular sunrises over Little Sarasota Bay, the two-story, 4,693-square-foot Celadon at 1254 Sea Plume Way will feature three bedrooms, four baths, an expansive loft with balcony, a custom infinity-edge pool and a new seawall and boat dock.

Situated within a private gated subdivision with spectacular sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico, the four bedroom, six-and-a-half bath Solymar model at 3922 Solymar Drive will boast 6,413 air-conditioned square feet and garage space for five vehicles. The home is designed for three stories of exceptional living, with numerous indoor and alfresco dining and lounging areas, a fully-equipped outdoor kitchen, and a custom pool cascading water into a curved shelf and raised spa. An upper-level master suite with two terraces maximizes Gulf views. For prospective homebuyers looking to enjoy waterfront living today by fetching up one of these premier models, London Bay’s design partner Romanza Interior Design can help bring interior design ideas to life. London Bay can also work with a homeowner’s preferred design partner to help ensure a smooth build process. And should a homeowner select a homesite of their own on Bird Key, downtown, or elsewhere in the area, London Bay Homes can build a custom dream home that perfectly complements the Sarasota lifestyle – whether it’s enjoying the beautiful beaches, taking in an evening at one of several enriching and world-class performing arts events and venues, or strolling, shopping and dining in historic districts and chic shopping malls throughout the area.

Designed to embody a distinctive West Indies–influenced architectural style, The Somerset is a tropical oasis, featuring lush garden views on Siesta Key’s exclusive Spice Bay community of just 14 homesites. The model features more than 5,000 square feet and is priced at $3,450,000.

A d v e r t i s e m e n t A d v e r t i s e m e n t

To visit London Bay Homes’ Sarasota collection models and enjoy waterfront living today, call 941-421-7136 or

visit www.LondonBay.com.

London Bay Homes: Your partner for premier waterfront living in Sarasota

The possibilities for relaxation and entertainment are endless with the Somerset’s outdoor living space.

London Bay Homes offers numerous customizable floor plans that can be built along Sarasota’s premier waterfront destinations.

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Town Center vision is not ‘unrealistic’I certainly agree with and endorse your inclusion of the Town Center in your recent editorial, “Five Issues for Long-boat.”

I also agree with your lead comment on the subject that “most everyone embraces the idea of a town center” and that the vision is that an ACE Cen-ter “would anchor the Town Center.”

However, I take issue with respect to your view that such a vision is “unrealistic” because private funding might not be achievable.

When Ringling College of Art and Design decided to with-draw temporarily from the ongoing joint ACE project with Longboat, it was clear that the withdrawal was the direct result of two of our commissioners’ public comments. It was not for reasons associated with the potential for private funding, as you suggested.

Indeed, both Ringling College and the Longboat Key Founda-tion were then positioned to kick off promptly fundraising efforts for the proposed $11.3 million project.

In my opinion, we need to reaffirm our association with Ringling and the related fund-raising efforts.

Frankly, as I’ve previously stated, I consider this to be one of the major failures of the Town Commission in my almost five years of tenure.

While I also agree with your final comment that the ACE Center requires innovative thinking, I continue to feel that

we were on the right and best track with Ringling. I remain dedicated to resume that course in the near future, which, in my view, is the best route to achieve our objectives to evolve the ACE Center from a concept to a build-ing that becomes the cornerstone of a Town Center that our resi-dents can enjoy and cherish.

JACK DALYTOWN COMMISSIONER, LONGBOAT KEY

Town should review emergency policiesI am writing regarding the tragic accident of Charles and Margery Barancik.

Who regulates policy for safety equipment on Longboat Key?

I suggest a review of our policy to ensure the commensurate amount of response to reported incidents.

It seems the town’s public safety departments routinely move a lot of equipment on a standard basis for what I assume is a variety of 911 calls, many not life-threatening.

Clearly moving heavy safety equipment at a rapid speed creates a public safety risk. I question whether the response is always worth the risk.

Perhaps something good could come of this tragic accident, and this policy could be reviewed by the appropriate governing enti-ties.

PAUL KARONLONGBOAT KEY

ERIC GARWOODMANAGING EDITOR

Town commissioners, as early as their first meeting in February, could consider a resolution back-ing a push for the Florida Legisla-ture to support ratification of the federal Equal Rights Amendment. At their first meeting of 2020, town commissioners were asked by Town Manager Tom Harmer about their take on consideration of such a local message to Tal-lahassee. Without a formal vote, commissioners signaled their support of proceeding.

Harmer said he plans to develop and present a resolution to com-missioners Feb. 3.

If they vote to approve the reso-lution, it would be sent to Talla-hassee and urge legislators to take up the issue of ERA ratification in the session.

But pressing ahead with state ratification isn’t clear-cut. Con-troversy surrounds a recent push to reach the 38-state threshold to become an amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The U.S. Justice Department recently produced a memo say-

ing a 1982 deadline to ratify still holds and that Congress may not pick up the issue again without restarting the process.

Virginia, which is on the verge of approving the measure, said it plans to support a Massachusetts lawsuit contending the passed deadline does not apply and that states are still in line to approve the amendment.

In Florida, states and counties have taken up the cause but not universally. Since 2003, Florida lawmakers have considered the amendment, but the measure has never reached a floor vote in either house.

Manatee County has approved a resolution of support; Sarasota County commissioners refused to consider it after it was brought up by Nancy Detert in December. The cities of Venice, Sarasota and North Port have endorsed their own resolutions.

“I think the sense that I heard was, ‘Yes, please bring this back to us,’” Harmer said of the Longboat Commission’s reaction. “So we’ll put it on the regular meeting and ask them to vote on it. And then it’ll be transmitted to the state.”

The amendment, which would be the U.S. Constitution’s 27th, reads: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of sex.”

Town could consider ERA resolution in Feb.If approved by commissioners, message to Tallahassee would urge state action toward ratification of 1972 measure.


A road trip with your honey can be an exciting adventure. But not when you’re going for radiation.

Did you know that 1 in 3 people are diagnosed with cancer each year?

Last year 6,000 of those cases were in our area and over half of those

people sought treatment elsewhere. We believe no one should have to

leave home for cancer treatment and soon, patient-centered, comprehensive

cancer care will be available right here. That means, finding hope at home

instead of losing it on the road.

Please support our Leading with Care campaign. Through your generosity,

we can help Sarasota Memorial transform cancer care in our community.

A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 1-800-435-7352 WITHIN THE STATE OR BY VISITING www.freshfromflorida.com/divisions-offices /consumer-services. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. (REGISTRATION #CH103) THE HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION WILL USE THE FUNDS FOR THE STATED PURPOSE BUT RESERVES THE RIGHT TO USE THE GIFT IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH ITS CHARITABLE PURPOSE IF THE STATED PURPOSE IS IMPOSSIBLE OR IMPRACTICAL TO ACHIEVE.

Hope comes home. Give today. 941.917.1286 | smhf.org

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SATURDAYFEB. 29, 2020Bradenton Area Convention Center

1 Haben Blvd. Palmetto, FL 34221

9AM –3PMDoors open at 8am • Program starts at 9am

FREE EVENT REGISTRATION REQUIRED.

Online registration is strongly encouraged at NeuroChallenge.org/Expo

If you are unable to register onlinecall 941-926-6413 ext. 105.

Sponsorship opportunities available.

The Parkinson’s Expo will feature presentations from medical experts on

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of the disease, and more.

Complimentary valet day of event.

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This event is presented to the community at no charge thanks to the following partners:

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Brad!Bryan Multimedia Inc., CCAV Event Production, Home Instead Senior Care, Law Office of Nancy L. Cavey,

Parkinson’s Foundation, Rough & Ready Media, UCB, Your CBD Store

A complete listing of speakers and topics is available on the Neuro Challenge website, neurochallenge.org/Expo

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BRENDAN LAVELLSTAFF WRITER

If you’ve ever wondered why 911 operators ask so many questions, you’re not alone.

Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department Chief Paul Dezzi addressed this topic, among oth-er concerns and misconceptions regarding the use of 911, while speaking Jan. 9 to Longboat Key Kiwanis Club at Lazy Lobster.

Dezzi said the complaint the Longboat Key Fire Department hears most often is that the 911 operator kept them on the phone too long. But the operators do this for a reason.

If operators don’t know a call-er’s location, that will be one of the first things they ask. And when the operator continues asking questions, it doesn’t mean emergency vehicles aren’t on the way yet.

“Our response time here any-where on the Key is five minutes,” Dezzi said. “Once we get the call, we’ll be there in five minutes.”

As soon as operators know the location of the emergency, they send it to the dispatch, so the

appropriate vehicles can start driving.

But as operators ask more ques-tions, they continue relaying vital information to the in-transit first responders. They can even adjust the specific emergency response if necessary.

“Yesterday, we had a call where they said a man fell,” Dezzi said. “Well, if you just call us and say the man fell, we’re going to send just an ambulance. As they answered the questions, [we found out] the man was on a lad-der 12 feet up in the air and fell on his head. That changed the whole response. You get a battalion officer, you get the firetruck, you get the ambulance, and you get everybody. Everybody’s going to it. And that turned out to be what we call a trauma alert. We alert the hospital: ‘We’re coming with a trauma patient. Have the trauma team standing by.’”

Dezzi added that the trauma patient “did fine.”

The other main point of Dezzi’s presentation was an instruction not to drive yourself to the hos-pital if you are sick or injured. He has seen many instances of peo-ple who thought they could make it to the emergency room, only to get sick on the road and pull over.

Then, when they would call emergency services, many of them struggled to provide a loca-tion precise enough to find easily.

There’s a reason behind 911 operator’s questionsLongboat Key Fire Chief Paul Dezzi addressed the process behind 911 dispatch, when to call and more.


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JAN. 4PROOF!9:49 a.m., 4000 block of Gulf of Mexico DriveTraffic: A vehicle was pulled over following an officer alert to a vehicle registration that expired Sept. 30. The driver of the vehicle produced a printed receipt for a recent online reg-istration renewal, and the traffic stop was terminated.

LONG-DISTANCE CONCERN10:24 a.m., 2800 block of Harbourside DriveWelfare check: A physical therapist called to check on the welfare of a client aboard a boat docked in town. The profes-sional had been worried about the client’s welfare. An officer spoke to the man aboard the boat, who said he had fallen about a month ago but was fine now. The officer relayed the information.

WHO IS THAT GUY?5:30 p.m., 600 block of Gulf Bay RoadSuspicious person: A solicitor in the neighborhood was gone, likely picked up by a vehicle, before police could arrive in response to a call about a sus-picious man.

DRIVING WHILE DISCUSSING10:30 p.m., 2500 block of Gulf of Mexico DriveTraffic: Shortly after receiving a call about a car driving 17 mph below the speed limit while weaving within its own lane, an officer spotted the vehicle driv-ing south. Once stopped, the driver did not appear impaired and denied drinking or using drugs, instead attributing the unusual driving to a heated

discussion with a spouse on the phone. With no wants or war-rants, the driver was released with an admonition to not drive while arguing.

JAN. 5EARLY START10:13 a.m., 500 block of Buttonwood DriveNoise: A landscaper told a po-lice officer he was trying to get a jump on a job set to start on Monday when someone made a noise complaint. The land-scaper said he was not aware of a town ordinance about work noise on Sundays. He was is-sued a warning and allowed to clean up before leaving.

I’LL BE BACK11:22 p.m., 900 block of Gulf of Mexico DriveDisabled vehicle: Police responded to a report of a dis-abled vehicle on the side of the road. An officer learned from the driver that a tire blowout

had taken place, but the car had no jack. A friend of the driver was on the way, and the driver said he would return in the morning to fix the tire. The car was left overnight.

HERE FOR THE BOAT11:52 p.m., 6000 block of Gulf of Mexico DriveSuspicious person: A man driving a truck with a boat trailer told an officer he had arrived from Miami to pick up a 30-foot boat from a business. A voicemail was left with the busi-ness owner to explain the situ-ation, and criminal checks were made on the man’s identity, the results of which were passed along to the department’s detective.

JAN. 6HELLO? HELLO?11:46 a.m., 5400 block of Gulf of Mexico DriveFound property: A resident turned in a cellphone found on

the beach. The power was on, but the screen was locked. It was placed into police custody for safekeeping.

PLEASE MOVE THEM12:22 p.m., 3300 block of Gulf of Mexico DriveParking: A police officer re-quested the owners of several vehicles parked on the east side of the road, across from a construction site, to move them to a safer location. They were moved while the officer watched.

DONE DRIVING4:47 p.m., 4000 block of Gulf of Mexico DriveTraffic: The island’s license-plate monitoring system alerted police to a vehicle owned by a driver with a suspended license. After a traffic stop, the driver acknowledged the source of the suspension was likely overdue child-support payments. The license was seized.

MOVE IT ELSEWHERE6:39 p.m., 1000 block of Gulf of Mexico DriveTraffic: The driver of a car-hauling truck, parked in the center lane, was told he was in violation of the law and advised of more suitable locations to unload vehicles. The officer remained on the scene until the driver moved the truck.

JAN. 7CLEAN EXPLANATION9:30 a.m., 3300 block of Sabal Cove DriveAlarm: Upon arrival at a home with an activated intruder alarm, an officer reported see-ing a blue sedan in the driveway with the logo of a cleaning

service on the side. Doors and windows of the home were checked and secure. Cleaners inside the home said the owner mistakenly set the alarm. A check with the cleaning service confirmed the appointment.

HOODED AND HEADING HOME6:09 p.m., 500 block of Bay Isles RoadSuspicious person: Shortly after receiving a report of a sus-picious man in jeans and a blue hooded shirt, an officer found a man answering the description at a nearby bus stop. The man told the officer he must have made someone nervous, left the area and requested a ride home elsewhere on the island. The officer provided a ride.

BUOY, THAT HAPPENS A LOT8:08 p.m., 7200 block of Gulf of Mexico DriveRescue: Police and fire rescue responded to a rescue call at the Longboat Pass Bridge, ulti-mately judged to be unfounded. Fishermen on the bridge reported a flashing light as if a boat were signaling distress. A navigational buoy equipped with a flashing light has been similarly misidentified.

JAN. 8OUT ON A LIMB12:12 p.m., 6900 block of Gulf of Mexico DriveParking: A tree-service vehicle was spotted parked in the bike lane, with tree limbs extending into the bike lane as well. The officer who made the discovery while on patrol asked the ser-vice’s supervisor to move the truck and the limbs, which was immediately done.

JAN. 4A-HUNTING WE WILL GO7:23 a.m., 3000 block of Grand Bay BoulevardSuspicious circum-stance: Police were alerted to the sound of about 15 gunshots. An officer who respond-ed reported hearing similar sounds, which he attributed to distant (and legal) duck hunt-ing. Several residents in the area were told duck season is open in Florida until Jan. 26 and that distant gunshot sounds could be expected.


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Work to begin on Cortez Road improvements


Work is expected to begin over the causeway in Manatee County this month on a project designed to improve Cortez Road along a stretch from 123rd Street to 86th Street.

One of the major components of the plan is the realignment

of Cortez Road and 119th Street West. The intersection for years has been a point of contention for Longboat Key officials and residents because of its frequent traffic backups.

According to the Florida Department of Transportation, the $5 million project ultimately will improve safety by reducing crashes, reducing vehicular con-flict points, improving eastbound traffic flow from barrier islands and installing bike lanes to sepa-rate bike traffic.

The improvements will also include a median from the West Manatee Fire and Rescue Sta-tion to Royal Palm Drive West to

reduce vehicular conflict points.Other improvements include

the use of a high friction surface treatment to provide a better gripping surface for vehicles to reduce skidding as well as Ameri-cans with Disabilities Act modi-fications.

Work is expected to be com-plete this summer.

Detours are expected as are nighttime lane closures.

Town officials are monitoring the project because of its possible effect on traffic to and from the north end of Longboat Key while work is underway.

Town keeping an eye on the effects of project, expected to last until the summer.

File photo

The intersection in mainland Manatee County has been on Longboat lead-ers’ radar for years as the site of possible traffic improvement.


A open house for residents and others to learn more about a proj-ect to rehab the New Pass Bridge is set for 5-7 p.m. Thursday at Longboat Key Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road.

Among the work planned for the link to Longboat Key from St. Armands Key: repairs to the concrete approach span; replace-ment of the drawbridge span’s open grid deck; a rebalancing of the movable span; a cleaning and recoating of the movable span’s steel to protect it from the ele-ments; a cleaning and recoat-ing of the approach span con-crete; and reconditioning of the machinery drive system, span locks and electrical systems. An underwater power cable is also to be replaced.

That work is envisioned to begin in June, with completion planned for late 2020. Brian Rick, a spokesman for FDOT, said the price estimate for the work is $2.8 million.

Rick said the New Pass Bridge project was planned and not the result of breakage or a failure. “This work is normal on a draw-bridge over salt water and was planned as various components deteriorate,” he said.

In a release, FDOT said the work will likely include travel lane shifts, reductions in travel lane width and closures from 3-5 a.m. with no detour for intervals of 30 minutes or less.

Rick said there should be no concern about the work being done during hurricane season.

“Any traffic restrictions are temporary and can be reopened quickly for any emergency or storm event,” he said. “The FDOT plans bridge work on the bar-rier islands in the slowest traffic season if at all possible as to not affect businesses, residents and visitors.”

Bridge project planners host open houseThursday event designed to answer questions about New Pass span work.


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DAVID CONWAYDEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR

The St. Armands Business Improvement District hopes freestanding public restrooms will finally come to St. Armands Circle by October.

At a recent Sarasota City-Commission meeting, the group secured a series of approvals allowing construction to move forward, including an endorse-ment of a new design to bet-ter reflect the character of St. Armands Circle.

The St. Armands BID has bud-geted more than $380,000 for design and construction of a facility with three unisex rest-rooms in the median at John Ringling Boulevard and South Washington Drive.

The BID has been working since 2016 to facilitate the construction of public restrooms in the shop-ping district.

At the meeting, BID represen-tatives reiterated their belief in the importance of the project and seeing it through to completion.

“The No. 1 piece of feedback we receive from visitors is the need for a restroom facility,” BID Operations Manager Brandy Wiesner said.

As the BID board moved

through the planning process, the group sought an alternate design from architecture and engineer-ing firm CPH.

BID representatives said the new design was a more “tradi-tional” look, with Wiesner stating a city-adopted St. Armands mas-ter plan influenced the color pal-ette and the inclusion of archways, columns and a decorative pergola.

“The redesign looks much bet-ter and, I think, more appropriate for St. Armands Circle,” Com-missioner Hagen Brody said.

As part of an agreement with the BID, the city is committing to covering the maintenance expenses for the restrooms. The city estimated the mainte-nance would cost $66,670 a year, though staff is still in the process of securing a quote for the servic-es from a third-party contractor.

Last week, members of the BID agreed to a time and date to meet with the Florida Depart-ment of Transportation to dis-cuss transportation issues, such as St. Armands Circle and pos-sible replacement of the Coon Key bridge.

The members tentatively dis-cussed March 25 for such a meet-ing to take place.

City approves new design for St. Armands bathrooms

Courtesy rendering

The latest design for the St. Armands Circle bathroom is intended to better reflect the existing look of the shopping district.


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BRYNN MECHEMSTAFF WRITER

The start of the new decade brings a variety of elections, and with them, new representatives to the county and state.

With county redistricting, sin-gle-member districts and a feder-al mandate to display the county’s voting materials into both Span-ish and English, Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner said he and his staff have been busy.

“We’re already in the thick of it,” Turner said. “We’re already laying out the ballot for next year, running maintenance on our equipment and buildings, and trying to educate voters.”

Around 77% of the voter popu-lation participated in the 2016 presidential elections. Turner estimates that 75-80% of vot-ers will participate in the 2020 November elections.

Longboat Key’s town elections were decided weeks ago when Sherry Dominick and BJ Bishop filed to run for seats left open by the departure of Irwin Pastor and Randy Clair. No one else filed, so Dominick and Bishop were declared commissioners-elect.

Town voters will cast ballots on borrowing authorization for up to $34.5 million to accomplish the town’s beach renourishment goals.

COUNTY CHANGESIn the 2018 elections, Sarasota County voters approved single-member districts for Sarasota County Commission. The switch meant that voters would only vote for candidates in their district every four years rather than every candidate elected to the board.

In November 2019, the Coun-ty Commission approved the redrawing of district lines ahead of the 2020 census with a map that was not drawn by the county-hired consultant and was instead drawn by political activist and former Sarasota GOP chairman Bob Waechter.

The map moves Sarasota’s Newtown neighborhood and thousands of black voters from District 1, which will be decided in the 2020 elections, into Dis-trict 2, which won’t be voted on until 2022. Additionally, it adds Republican voters to District 1.

The switch has caused many District 1 voters to feel they have been disenfranchised and dis-criminated against. As a result, three Newtown residents — Mary Mack, Michael White and former Sarasota Mayor Fredd Atkins — filed a federal lawsuit against Sarasota County and commis-sioners Michael Moran, Nancy Detert and Alan Maio for “depriv-

Sarasota County prepares for 2020 electionsLocal officials, candidates and voters are anticipating the 2020 elections.

Photos by Brynn Mechem

Kindra Muntz, the president of Sarasota Alliance for Fair Elections, speaks to protestors.


ing thousands of African Ameri-can voters living in the Newtown community of the right to vote in the 2020 election.”

“People are mad about how a few people are dictating to us how we live in Sarasota County,” Atkins said. “It’s not fair, and more and more people are recognizing it. … People of all persuasions recog-nize fairness and unfairness, and there’s blatant misrepresentation of justice being perpetrated here in Sarasota.”

Because the new map splits precincts, Turner said staff is working with Geographic Infor-mation System mapping to assign every county voter to a new com-mission district.

Although it can be confusing for voters to know which district they’re in, Turner said he would not be sending new voter infor-mation cards to residents until after the 2020 census because each round costs approximate-ly $250,000. Instead, Turner encourages those who might be confused to visit SarasotaVotes.com or to call 861-8600.

SCHOOL BOARDIn January, the school board will begin its search for a new super-

intendent. Two board mem-bers, Eric Robinson and Caroline Zucker, are up for reelection, though Zucker has said she will not run again.

The reelection means the new superintendent might work with a board that had no hand in selecting him or her for the posi-tion. Zucker proposed allowing candidates to be a part of the dis-cussions, but other board mem-bers opposed the plan.

On a state level, Sen. Joe Gruters filed a bill that would set school board term limits at 12 years.

If passed through the state Leg-islature, the bill would appear on the 2020 ballot.

This list is composed of candidates who filed before Dec. 20.

SARASOTA COUNTY SHERIFFn Paul Fern (R) Fern retired from the department in 2018.n Kurt Hoffman (R) Hoffman is the current colonel of the department.

SARASOTA COUNTY COMMISSIONThe incumbents for District 1 and District 3, Michael Moran and Nancy Detert, have yet to file. Charles Hines currently holds the District 5 seat but will reach his term limit at the end of 2020.

DISTRICT 1n Fredd Atkins (D) New map would move him to District 2. Atkins is the former mayor of Sarasota.

DISTRICT 3n John Holic (R) Holic is the mayor of Venice.n Cory Hutchinson (D)n Harrison Zeffert (R)

DISTRICT 5n Christopher Hanks (R) Hanks is the mayor of North Port.n Joseph Mason (R)

SARASOTA COUNTY SCHOOL BOARDCaroline Zucker holds the seat for District 2, though she has said she won’t seek re-election. District 3 is also up for election but no one, including incumbent Eric Robinson, has filed.

DISTRICT 2n David Grahamn Karen Rose

SARASOTA CITY COMMISSIONDistrict 3 incumbent Shelli Freeland Eddie has yet to file. The District 1 seat will also be open, but no one has filed.

DISTRICT 2n Liz Alpert, incumbentn Martin Hyden Terry Turnern Jerry Wells

DISTRICT 3n Daniel Clermontn Erik Arroyo

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

MARCH 17, PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE ELECTIONSThere will be 16 Democratic and four Republican candi-dates on the ballot. Although Supervi-sor of Elections Ron Turner said some candidates might drop out of the race before election day, their names will still appear on the preset ballots. Florida has closed primaries, so those wishing to vote must be registered by Feb. 18.

AUG. 18, PRIMARY ELECTIONSSarasota County residents will vote on preferences for Florida Congress, county commission, city commission, charter review board, school board and sheriff.

NOV. 3, GENERAL ELECTIONSResidents will vote on president of the U.S., Florida Congress, county commission, city commission, charter review board, school board and sheriff, if a candidate other than a Republican files.

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DAVID CONWAYDEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR

Headed into 2020, leaders of multiple high-profile projects in Sarasota are working on moving out of

the planning phase and into the process of making their visions reality.

From The Bay Sarasota on the downtown waterfront to Mote Marine Aquarium and Laborato-ry’s land near Interstate 75, com-munity organizations are deter-mined to break ground and secure hundreds of millions of dollars to build regional attractions.

Here are three of those projects:

MOTE MARINE LABORATORY AND AQUARIUMProject details: Five-story, 110,000-square-foot aquarium near University Parkway and Interstate 75Project cost: $130 millionTargeted project timeline: Construction beginning in 2020; aquarium open by 2023

In 2018, when Mote Marine Labo-ratory and Aquarium announced plans to move its aquarium oper-ation to a new facility at Nathan Benderson Park, Mote President and CEO Michael Crosby said the organization hoped to break ground on the project in 2019.

As 2019 came to a close, Mote had secured the right to use the county-owned parkland it cov-eted and began preliminary site work, but the organization still had some work left to do. That’s why, on Dec. 10, Crosby found himself in front of the Sarasota County Commission asking offi-cials to make providing $20 mil-lion in funding toward the aquar-ium one of the county’s “highest priorities for fiscal year 2021.”

At the County Commission’s strategic retreat three days later, Crosby didn’t quite get his wish. Although a majority of the board signaled a desire to find a way to accommodate Mote’s request,

some commissioners were hesi-tant to make a financial com-mitment without considering the financial implications of the decision. As a result, the board directed staff to prioritize work-ing with Mote on supporting the aquarium project but stopped short of endorsing the $20 mil-lion figure.

Instead, the county will exam-ine its capacity to provide a finan-cial contribution to Mote’s proj-ect this year.

Crosby previously said receiv-ing the full $20 million from the county was an essential part of Mote’s plan and said the project “doesn’t get done” without it.

Ground breakers

Courtesy renderings

Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium is pushing the county to commit $20 million toward a new aquarium at Nathan Benderson Park, but some county leaders want to give the request some additional consideration.

Several high-profile projects are hoping to make major strides from concept to reality in 2020. How do the groups overseeing these planning efforts intend to get it done?


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Although a Mote official was not available for an interview ahead of publication, in an email, the orga-nization said it had “well over $35 million in donations and commit-ments” toward the project.

County officials said Mote lead-ership shared a sense of urgency regarding a financial commitment from Sarasota County because it hoped to pursue state funding, as well. As a result, commissioners Al Maio, Mike Moran and Chris-tian Ziegler suggested the county should try to move quickly to offer a show of support ahead of this year’s legislative session.

“I would hate for us to have to wait and miss that window,” Ziegler said.

MARIE SELBYBOTANICAL GARDENSProject details: Botanical gar-dens campus renovationProject cost: $92 million for initial proposal; revised cost esti-mates to be determinedProject timeline: To be deter-mined

The city’s rejection of Marie Sel-by Botanical Gardens’ proposed master plan project was one of the highest-profile stories of 2019. Heading into 2020, Selby Gardens began plotting a strate-gy to scale down its plans to earn the city’s approval — and support from members of the community who opposed the initial proposal.

Selby officials hope to hold a community workshop regarding revisions to the master plan early this year.

Selby will no longer be seeking a revision to the city’s compre-hensive plan. As a result, plans for a new parking structure on

the property would have to meet a height limit of 45 feet. Addi-tionally, a new restaurant on the property would need to qualify as an accessory use to the botanical gardens rather than a stand-alone operation.

“We feel these are major com-promises,” Selby President and CEO Jennifer Rominiecki said.

THE BAY SARASOTAProject details: 53-acre public bayfront park with a 10-acre initial phaseProject cost: $100 million to $200 million overall; $25 million for phase oneTargeted project timeline: Phase one construction begin-ning summer 2020; Phase one open by the end of 2021

After more than six years of plan-ning, The Bay Sarasota hopes 2020 will be the year it can begin construction on the first phase of a park project encompassing more than 50 acres of city-owned waterfront land surrounding the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

The first phase of The Bay proj-ect, being developed in partner-ship with the city of Sarasota, will be a park on 10 acres of land located north of Boulevard of the Arts. Key elements include a spi-ral boardwalk above the water, an open-space events lawn, a food and beverage pavilion and a man-grove bayou.

The Bay, an independent plan-ning organization tasked with overseeing the park project, hopes construction can begin this summer and that the first phase can be built by the end of 2021. The group must gain a series of additional approvals from the

city this year before beginning construction.

To fund the $25 million first phase of the project — and more than $100 million to build out the park over the span of more than a decade — The Bay developed a multitrack financial strategy. The organization is focusing its initial efforts primarily on philanthropic contributions in hopes of raising $20 million in private donations toward phase one. Already, the group has secured $14 million in commitments from donors.

Veronica Brady, The Bay’s direc-tor of advancement, said those who have contributed toward the project have expressed excite-ment about helping build a public asset on land that is largely dedi-cated to surface parking today.

“The donors who have gener-ously invested in us thus far are really thinking of it as a legacy gift to our community,” Brady said.

Despite the number of high-profile capital campaigns under-way in Sarasota at the outset of 2020, Brady is confident The Bay and other organizations can achieve their fundraising targets.

“My personal opinion is we’ve created a community that is philanthropic and that it isn’t an either/or,” Brady said.

Long term, The Bay is working with the city and county on cre-ating a tax-increment financing district that would funnel prop-erty tax revenue from the area near the bayfront toward fund-ing the project. According to city estimates, the terms under con-sideration could provide more than $200 million over a 30-year period. The Bay Chief Implemen-tation Officer Bill Waddill said he hoped a deal authorizing the TIF could be in place by this summer.

Rendering courtesy The Bay Sarasota

The Bay Sarasota hopes it can begin construction on phase one of the park project this year.

The height of the 75-foot-tall garage in Selby Gardens’ original proposal, depicted in this conceptual image, was a point of contention for project opponents. Now, Selby intends to limit the height of the garage to 45 feet.


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Although its Norwegian name implies a waterfront view, Strandhaus — liter-ally translated to Beach

House — set a record in late December for the highest-priced sale of a nonwaterfront home in Sarasota County.

The property at 1212 West-way Drive is close to New Pass in Lido Shores (the home across the street backs up to the waterway) but does not offer a waterfront vista. Still, the Jerry Sparkman-designed renovation sold for $3.35 million. The selling price did not include furnishings, which were purchased separately.

Joel Schemmel of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty’s Sarasota office represented both buyer and seller.

The 2018 renovation involved the purchase of an adjacent lot and the construction of a master bedroom/office wing, connected to the original home via a glass hallway. The original home on which the property was based was built in 1956.

With five bedrooms and six baths, the home includes more than 4,600 square feet on 0.44 acres. It was on the market for 172 days.

County records show Edward S. Andrle and JoNe M. Sundvall purchased the home from Scott C. Key and Christine S. Key on Dec. 23, 2019.

“This significant sale is a testa-ment to how our global market-ing and exposure can attract the right buyer,” Schemmel said in a prepared statement.

Lido Shores home sets record at $3.35 million

December sale is highest for a nonwaterfront home in Sarasota County in 2019.

The home offers about 4,400 square feet.

Above: The outdoor oasis showcases a 40-foot lap pool complemented by waterfalls, fountains, two spas and a fire pit.Left: An office was part of a 2018 renovation that included a new wing.

Courtesy photos


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Daniel E. Meehan never met a stranger. A devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, friend and philanthropist, Dan worked endlessly to make a dif-ference in other’s lives at home and around the world.

Now we celebrate the life of this gen-erous, joyful man who always put faith and family first. A serendipitous man, Dan passed away at 3:33 p.m. on December 30th, 2019 in his home in Milwaukee, Wis-consin, hand in hand with the love of his life, Eileen. He was 89 years old.

A gifted storyteller, Dan’s favorite one to tell was how he and Eileen met while he attended Kings Point Merchant Marine Academy in New York. “It all started on a blind date!” he would say with a twinkle in his eye. Anyone who knew them could see their unwavering devotion to one another; Eileen grounded Dan and was his source of calm when business and life became stormy. They held hands constantly, as if drawn together by their own gravity. They celebrated a private renewal of vows on their 67th wedding anniversary, just three days before he passed.

Dan was born on March 3, 1930 and grew up in a lively, loving home in an Irish neighborhood in Staten Island, New York City. The son of Philip, a surveyor for New York City, who was known to give unas-suming but practical advice to many, and his mother, Alice, who without fanfare, helped and fed almost everyone in the neighborhood. Dan drew from his parents’ influence when he taught his children and grandchildren lessons about the impor-tance of faith, family and humility.

Dan’s vast encyclopedia of adventures and experiences grew while he matriculat-ed at Kings Point, and from the subsequent years he spent at sea. One such voyage in-cluded the care of a wild Cheetah on board from Mombasa, Kenya to Boston.

Dan then started his Merchant Marine career in 1951 after graduating from Kings Point; he and Eileen were married the fol-lowing year on December 27th, 1952. Eileen had the clever idea of marrying at Christ-mastime because the church would still be decorated and filled with poinsettias, and as a young couple coming from humble beginnings they smartly saved in every way possible.

As the Meehan family grew, Dan decided to bring his career closer to home. His love of the sea was surpassed by the love and joy his young family brought him, so he hung

up his merchant marine uniform and, in his words, “came ashore” permanently. Dan transitioned his career to the commercial side of international shipping at the Port of New York, overlooking the historic Brook-lyn Bridge. There he was able to build his reputation as an ethical, smart, and tireless worker, even when his modest wages did not reflect his impressive output. His children recall their father occasionally borrowing change from their piggy banks to pay his ferry commute to work. It was clear to all who worked with him that Dan was destined for a successful career as soon as fate delivered the right opportuni-ty. So when his stellar national reputation led him to be recruited by Ted Hansen to manage Hansen Seaway Service at the Port of Milwaukee, Dan seized the fortuitous opportunity and moved his young family to the Midwest. He eventually bought the business and six other international ship-ping companies at various ports around the United States. Dan sold his companies in 1996 at the age of 66.

Regimented from his years as a mer-chant marine, Dan always greeted the day with the sunrise. He enjoyed spending his mornings writing letters and emails to his five children and 18 grandchildren. He shared a daily phone call with his sister, Clare, and like the proud Irish Catholic he was, Dan always answered the phone “Top o’ the morning!”

Dan was passionate about setting up fu-ture generations for success; this was true of his own family and the global family he grew through decades of generous giving. Dan valued education as the greatest tool for success, and taught this to his children

and grandchildren, and to the countless children around the world whose lives he impacted. He will be remembered in schools, orphanages, and hospitals across the globe. Dan had a huge heart that was reflected through the many blessings he shared with his family and communi-ty. He shared a special relationship with each member of his large family, and his favor-ite way to say goodbye was to remind each one, “I love you, and I like you.”

An active member of the Catholic Church, Dan lived the Gos-pel and served the poor. He witnessed ab-ject poverty while traveling to third world countries, so he started the Meehan Family Foundation. The Foundation has support-ed scholarships, schools, hospitals, and orphanages throughout the world. Dan was known by staff at the Milwaukee Founda-tion to have given more money abroad than any donor in the history of the Foundation. His legacy will transcend many lifetimes.

Through his philanthropy, he had the privilege to meet Pope John Paul, Mother Teresa, President Ronald Reagan, President George Bush Sr., President Richard Nixon, Fidel Castro and many other historic leaders.

Throughout his illustrious career in the international shipping industry and the decades of philanthropic work that followed, Dan was honored with count-less civic and business awards, along with many distinguished service awards from organizations near and dear to his heart, including his alma mater Kings Point Merchant Marine Academy, Legatus and the Knights of Malta. Dan’s involvement with the Knights of Malta enabled him to multiply his own financial assistance for the projects he was most passionate about. His favorite fundraising challenges were matching grants, when his charisma and charm would inspire and open the hearts of many to get involved and give back.

Dan Meehan was one of a kind. He will be remembered for the beautiful legacy he created, and his warmth for every soul he met. His mother always said he had a smile that could light up the world. And it did.

Dan is survived by his wife Eileen, five

children and in-laws: Laurie (the late Chet) Lukaszewicz, Theresa and Zach Felknor, Daniel Meehan Jr., Suzanne and Ali Siadat, Margie Meehan. In addition, he is survived by 18 grandchildren and 13 great-grand-children and sister, Clare (the late Jay) Murphy.

Dan lived by the sentiment he held most dear, and asked that we all do the same, “When all is said and done, it boils down to...have we made other peoples’ lives a bit better than they would have been without our presence?”

Visitation took place on Saturday, January 11th, from 9:00 to 11:00AM, at the Basilica of Saint Josephat, on the corner of South 6th St. and West Lincoln Ave., in Milwaukee, WI. Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated immediately following at 11:00 AM. Reception followed. Interment was private.

Memorials in Dan’s name may be made to The Sisters of Mary, C/O Meehan Family Legacy Fund, Greater Milwaukee Founda-tion, 101 W. Pleasant St., Ste 210, Milwau-kee, WI 53211 or to Three Holy Women, C/O Meehan Family Legacy Fund, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, 101 W. Pleasant St., Ste 210, Milwaukee, WI 53211.

Feerick Funeral Home in Milwaukee, WI is assisting the family, (414)962-8383, www.feerickfuneralhome.com

DONATIONS:Memorials in Dan’s name may be made to The Sisters of Mary, C/O Meehan Family Legacy Fund, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, 101 W. Pleasant St., Ste 210, Milwaukee, WI 53211 or to Three Holy Women, C/O Meehan Family Legacy Fund, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, 101 W. Pleasant St., Ste 210, Milwaukee, WI 53211.

He shared a special relationship with each member of his large family, and his favorite way to say goodbye was to remind each one, “I love you, and I like you.”

Daniel E. Meehan1930-2019

T R I B U T E S

Author speaks about her ‘Max Ford’ spy trilogy


Jack Bauer. Jason Bourne. Jack Ryan. Max Ford.

Those first three might sound familiar, the fourth maybe not so much. Author Sally Fernandez thinks that will soon change.

Fernandez appeared at the Longboat Library on Sunday to discuss topics, such as her path to

becoming an author and her writ-ing process, but most of all, to talk about the “Max Ford” trilogy, the inspiration behind it and the film to come. She also signed books on the library’s lawn.

The “Max Ford” trilogy includes two books thus far, “Climatized” and “The Beekeeper’s Secret.” A third is on the way, and a movie based on “Climatized” is in the works. Fernandez hopes Ford will become a female counterpart to the aforementioned stars of the action-espionage world.

“Max is intelligent, imperfect, vulnerable and lethal,” Fernan-dez said. “She’s a lot like Carrie Mathison from the ‘Homeland’ [TV] series.”

Fernandez said she is largely

inspired by the Francis Bacon quote, “Truth is so hard to tell, it sometimes needs fiction to make it plausible.”

“What I always try to do with my books is point out both sides and let the characters debate and let the reader decide,” she said.

In the trilogy, Fernandez paired up fictional scientists with real-life counterparts and organiza-tions. She also asserts that any-thing factual is confirmed.

The jump from literature to cinema was a fortuitous one. Fer-nandez’s publisher, the late David Dunham of Dunham Books, gave a copy of “Climatized” to a friend, Noam Dromi. Dromi co-wrote the movie “Dolphin Tale” and has worked as a producer on the

show “The Walking Dead: Red Machete” and the video game “Sleepy Hollow Virtual Reality Experience,” for which he received an Emmy. Dromi loved the book and has since been working with Fernandez; her husband and editor, Joe Fernandez; and Evan Greene, who has worked as chief marketing officer of the Grammy awards, to write a screenplay.

Fernandez hopes filming will start in the fall.

If the first movie is successful, a film adaptation of “The Bee-keeper’s Secret,” which is dedi-cated to Dunham, would be next.

“These guys in Hollywood are going to take Max and make her bigger than life,” Fernandez said.

The subject of Sally Fernandez’s most recent political thriller could begin production soon as a feature film.

Brendan Lavell

Sally Fernandez speaks at a book signing Sunday on the lawn of Longboat Library.


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Michael Grossberg, 75, was a native of Brooklyn and retired respiratory therapist from Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California, where he worked for 36 years before coming to the Sarasota/Bradenton area in 2009 and marrying Susan Goldfarb in 2012, his loving wife of 7 years.

He was previously never married and took on his new roles of husband, stepdad to Susan’s only daughter Paris Bassett and grandpa to Paris’s son Rylan, with great relish. His new family adored him and shall miss him beyond measure, as will all his friends and family from California, New York and the local area.

Michael was a sports fanatic and an avid follower of U.S. and world news. He liked reading and watching anything about science, nature and history. For years he enjoyed riding his motorcycle and play-ing golf. He looked forward to doing his daily crossword puzzles and took pleasure in listening to and knowing a great deal about music of all genres. He got excit-ed engaging in passionate debates about politics using expletives and other colorful language! He never held back his opinions, but he always kept the discourse civil. People found his liveliness charming and his convictions compelling. He was unique in character and appearance (he had a

distinctive soul-patch on his chin), smart, funny, kind, honorable, generous, loving and lovable, a true heart, a champion of the under-dog, and a man of integrity. He was a great conversationalist, super-cool guy and fun to be around. He enjoyed playing Trivia at Mandeville in Sarasota every Tuesday and going to outdoor con-certs at Café in the Park in Sarasota every Friday with his family. He met regularly with friends at Starbucks for afternoon coffee and banter. He was well-known at The Longboat Key Education Center where he helped his wife, the center’s executive director, with various meet and greet activities and responsibilities. He donated his body to science, which was a “Michael” thing to do.

He was predeceased by his mother and father, William and Ida Grossberg of Brooklyn. He is survived by his loving

brother David Grossberg and sister-in-law Judy of NY, nephew Adam Grossberg and wife Erica of NJ, niece Rachel Nash of NY, and five great nieces and nephews. His dear cousins Jeff and Howard Dashefksy of CA and CT, respectively, their wives and families, are coping with this great loss. His best friend since babyhood, Arnie Heitner (wife Kristine), from the east coast of Florida, rushed to his bedside within hours of hearing he was in ICU. Michael was also surrounded by Gerri Laurino of Sarasota, his friend for over 50 years, long-time friend Ron Chen from California, his brother and nephew, and his stepdaughter and wife during his final few days. It was a shocking and totally unexpected event that left so many people bereft and heart-broken. Susan and Michael’s dog Maddie still sadly looks for him. He will be greatly missed.

SERVICE:There will be a celebration of his life in March or April, TBA. Inquiries can be addressed to his widow Susan Goldfarb at [email protected].

DONATIONS:Donations can be made to The Longboat Key Education Center, a not-for-profit lifelong learning center located at 5370 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Suite # 212, Longboat Key, Florida, 34228.

Michael Edward GrossbergJuly 28, 1944 -December 20, 2019

He was a great conversationalist, super-cool guy and fun to be around.

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T R I B U T E S


6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive • Longboat Key, Florida 34228Telephone: 941-383-6491 • web: www.longboatislandchapel.org

Lord’s Warehouse Thrift Shop HoursMonday, Wednesday and Saturday 9:00 am - 1:00 pm

VisitorsWelcome

Open Arms, Loving Hearts, Accepting Minds

Sunday 10 a.m. Worship ServiceThe Rev. Bill Friederich, Senior Minister

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An Interfaith Community Churchfounded in 1956

All Angels by the SeaThe Episcopal Church on Longboat Key

563 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key

941-383-8161Website:

www.AllAngelsLBK.org

A place for everyone!Sunday Service 8:00 am & 10:00 am

Wednesday Community Prayer 10:00 amThe Rev. David Marshall, Rector 32

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4280 Gulf of Mexico DriveLongboat Key, FL 34228383-1255 • www.stmarylbk.org

St. Mary, Star of the Sea, CATHOLIC CHURCH

Welcomes You to Mass

Reverend Phillip Schweda

WINTER MASS SCHEDULE Saturday: 4:30 PM

Sunday: 8:00, 9:30 & 11:30 AM Daily Mass at 9:00 AM - Monday through Friday

Confessions after Daily Mass

Growing in Jesus’ NameSunday Service 10:00 AM

Adult Sunday School Follows ServiceThe Rev. Dr. Norman Pritchard

SERMON:

Men’s Bible Study - Mondays: 9:00 AMWomen’s Bible Study - Wednesdays: 10:00 AMVisitors & Residents Welcome • Childcare Available

6400 Gulf of Mexico Dr. • 941.383.8833 (office) • www.christchurchlbk.org

SUNDAY • JANUARY 19, 2020 • 2:00 PM

WINTER CONCERT SERIESCONCERTS ARE FREE • VISITORS & RESIDENTS WELCOME

QOL

Qol has united with the common aim of bringing a diverse array of vocal arts to the community on an intimate level. Ranging from Classical to Contemporary, Oratorio and Opera to Musical Theater, these four artists breathe freshness into some of the most beloved vocal repertoire. Now residing in Sarasota, the members of Qol seek to bring their experience and artistry to venues all across the state of Florida, as well as throughout the United States.

Watch Sunday sermons LIVE at 10:00 am: www.bit.ly/cclbksermons

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“Why Give in Church?”

Temple Beth IsraelA Center of Jewish Life and Learning in the Sarasota Area

Share ShabbatFriday 7:30 p.m.

Saturday 10:00 a.m.

567 Bay Isles Road • Longboat Key, FL941.383.3428 | www.tbi-lbk.org

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RABBI STEPHEN L. SNIDERMAN, D.D.

WORSHIPdirectory

Dinner and a show — and learning


Dinner, Shabbat ser-vice, a Torah reading. In some ways, it was a normal weekend at

Temple Beth Israel.But it was not. The congre-

gation of TBI stepped out of its comfort zone to learn more about the customs and history of Sep-hardic Judaism by welcoming Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, a Sephardic Jew from Turkey, for its Scholar in Residence program.

Historically, Jewish people have been classified into three main groups. The ancestors of Sep-hardi Jews came from the Iberian peninsula before leaving for lands including North Africa and Anato-lia in the late 15th century, around the time of the Spanish Recon-quista. However, the vast majority of American Jews are considered Ashkenazi, which means their ancestors hail from central and eastern Europe. The third group is the Mizrahi Jews of the Middle

East. TBI Executive Director Isaac Azerad, who was born in Egypt, said he is the only Sephardic Jew in TBI’s congregation.

This means that Sonsino essen-tially had a blank slate with which to teach the congregants. Some of that exposure came through the three presentations Sonsino gave about topics relating to the history of Sephardim as well as differences between Sephardic and Ashkenazi customs and cul-ture. Questions were encouraged, and the views of many who had grown up learning about Juda-ism through the lens of their own experiences were challenged.

But it also permeated into the most essential of Jewish tradi-tions, such as the melodies and intonations Sephardi Jews use when reading the Torah.

And of course, the weekend kicked off Friday night with more than 100 people in attendance for a Sephardi-style feast. Attendees were also treated to Sephardic music, featuring guitar, harp, hand-cymbals and more, from Juan De la Sierra, who dressed in what would have been worn by Sephardis in western Turkey about 100 years ago.

De la Sierra, who has been performing for about 60 years, played some songs that many in attendance were familiar with, to which they sung along. But he

also played songs that were new to the audience.

Sonsino said he felt it was important for the TBI con-gregants to learn about and be exposed to Sephardic Judaism, so they can fully understand that Jewish people come from a wide variety of backgrounds and cul-tures. Sonsino learned that lesson himself when he had to adapt to a new style of worship after travel-ing from Turkey to Cincinnati to learn at Hebrew Union College while in his 20s.

“There is no area in which Sep-hardic Jews and Ashkenazi Jews did not disagree,” Sonsino said. “On theology, on religious prac-tices, languages. Primarily lan-guage because Sephardic Jews speak Spanish, Ladino, and Ash-kenazi Jews come with Yiddish.”

Sonsino said just as the dif-ferences between Catholics and Protestants or Shiites and Sunnis make it impossible (among other reasons) to generalize Christians and Muslims, so too there are dangers in generalizing Jews.

“People who belong to a certain group sometimes are not aware that there are other ways of prac-ticing Judaism,” Sonsino said. “And when they experience the other type of Judaism, they tend to say, ‘Well, that’s not Judaism.’ Well, who’s to say that?”

Temple Beth Israel hosted Rabbi Rifat Sonsino for a weekend of hands-on learning about Sephardic Judaism.

Clockwise from top: Caryl Levin enjoys a performance by Sephardi musi-cian Juan De la Sierra, who is dressed in the style of an early 20th century western-Turkish Sephardi. Rabbi Rifat Sonsino speaks about the conver-sion to Islam of 17th century Rabbi Sabbatai Zevi and the subsequent rise of the Sabbatean movement

Photos by Brendan Lavell


ROGER SELLSLUXURY WATERFRONT ESTATE PROPERTIES

1364 HARBOR DRIVE Hailed as one of the best lots in Harbor Acres, spectacular direct views of Sarasota Bay, John Ringling Bridge and downtown’s cityscape abound around every corner of this 5BR estate. Chic upgrades and clean lines conscientiously blend form and function throughout the nearly 5,300 SF designer home. This home’s exterior is just as impressive, with its summer kitchen and new cabana steps from bayfront dockage and multiple lifts.

www.1364HarborDrive.com $6,995,000

16416 BAYCROSS DRIVE This lifestyle estate in The Lake Club at Lakewood Ranch was built in 2015. Boasting one-of-a-kind, spectacular amenities all on one floor, including its own tennis and basketball courts, gym, car museum, plus 1,000-bottle wine cellar. This walled 5BR estate in a private, gated community offering first-rate amenities, is surrounded by expanses of lush foliage and protected Savannah. Adjacent builable lot with the professionally-designed five-hole golf course is available separately.

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1281 GULF OF MEXICO DRIVE #1008 Mesmerizing Gulf-to-bay views are the highlight through-out this chic 3BR plus den residence. You will simply love the contemporary updates complemented by a neutral decor and walls of floor-to-ceiling glass with motorized storm shutters. Includes its own private two-car garage!

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435 L’AMBIANCE DRIVE #J403 Life at L’Ambiance is a sought-after experience and this 3BR, furnished, 4th-floor residence is a wonderful complement. Relish breathtaking sunrise and sunset vistas that stretch from Gulf to bay, west and east-facing terraces, as well as two secure parking spaces.

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7760 MANASOTA KEY ROAD Walk a few steps from this beach home to your own private boardwalk, where you can enjoy the powdery shores and azure waves of the Gulf. In a private loca-tion, ideal beach-front living is a breeze at this beauti-fully updated, 4BR plus artists studio residence.

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YOUR NEIGHBORS Classifieds 14B Games 13B Real Estate 11B Weather 13BJANUARY 16, 2020

NAT KAEMMERER STAFF WRITER

At the finals of the 20th annual Observer Chal-lenge Tennis Tourna-m e n t , co m p e t i to rs

seemed to admire one another more than typical opponents.

As balls ricocheted across the Longboat Key Public Tennis Center’s six tournament courts, encouraging shouts and compli-ments were volleyed as well.

Finalists in five divisions hit the courts Jan. 12 to play in five

matches each. Two teams of four (two men and two women) competed in men’s and women’s doubles and singles and a mixed doubles match. In Division 4, the champions from the 2019 tourna-ment defended their title.

“We felt very good, and we were on a mission to win again this year,” Joyce Welch said.

Strategy factored in as teams had to consider their players’ strengths in the various modes of play, and the doubles teams con-versed often during and between points to get on the same page.

“You got it!” Bob Dreyfus yelled during a doubles match. “No, I got it!”

The crowd, which ebbed and flowed during the many matches, made known which shots they

thought were good too. Oohs and aahs came during key moments of tense points.

“I’m leaving now, bye!” Michelle Coates joked after she hit a particularly good shot to win a turning point, and the crowd made their awe known.

Even as the afternoon wore on, and the sun reminded players just how hot a Florida day in Janu-ary can be, a dedicated cheer-ing squad stuck to the sidelines — specifically for Bryan Good-win during his singles match. No matter if a team came away with the win or the runner-up posi-tion, good-natured handshakes and congratulations were offered to the opponents.

A little friendly competitionPlayers vied for the top spots in the 20th annual Observer Challenge Tennis Tournament.

Photos by Nat Kaemmerer

Above: Mark Malinowski and Karin Buffitt talk over a point.Right: Division 1 winners Mark Bellissimo, Kimberley Pelyk, Michele Rose and Nader Massoumi

Division 2 winners Murray Pattenden, Jo Ann Nevins, Gail Galbraith and Kim Miller

Division 3 winners Roger Blair, Guillermo Vidal, Desiree Lurf and Angie EasonSEE PAGE 2B

YourObserver.com2B LONGBOAT OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2020

WHETHER YOU’RE LISTING OR LOOKING. . .I bring over 10 years of experience in the negotiation of high stakes contracts for buyers and sellers on Florida’s Suncoast.

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941.685.3590Jeffrey.Rhinelander@PremierSIR.comJeffrey.Rhinelander.PremierSothebysRealty.com

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Sotheby’s International Realty® and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each office is independently owned and operated.

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[email protected] 201 Gulf of Mexico Dr., Ste. 1

Longboat Key, FL 34228

WHETHER YOU’RE LISTING OR LOOKING...I bring over 10 years of experience in the negotiation of high stakes contracts for buyers and sellers on Florida’s Suncoast.

YOU CAN BE ASSURED YOUR PROPERTY WILL ACHIEVE ITS MAXIMUM MARKET POTENTIAL.

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WINNERS

OPEN DIVISIONn Tomasz Boruckin Savannah Grayn Mark Malinowskin Karin Buffitt

DIVISION 1n Mike Bellissimon Kimberley Pelykn Michele Rosen Nader Massoumi

DIVISION 2n Kim Millern Jo Ann Nevinsn Murray Pattendenn Gail Galbraith

DIVISION 3n Roger Blairn Guillermo Vidaln Desiree Lurfn Angie Eason

DIVISION 4n Chip Elitzern Bob Garyn Katie Cornelln Joyce Welch

FROM PAGE 1B


Open Division winners Mark Malinowski, Savannah Gray, Karin Buffitt, Tomasz Borucki and Jim Tarsy

Division 4 winners Chip Elitzer, Joyce Welch, Bob Gary and Katie Cornell

Above: Barb Chase goes for a point.Left: Tomasz Borucki swings for a point playing doubles.


Friends of Tennis President Richard McGrath, Kay Thayer and Matt Walsh

Tennis players and guests gathered Jan. 9 at the Long-boat Key Public Tennis Center

to open the Observer Challenge’s 20th iteration. Attendees snacked as they caught up with old friends and checked the tournament bracket for their match-ups. Public Tennis Center Director Kay Thayer was recognized for her 20 years of service in a surprise ceremony. Observer Media Group CEO Matt Walsh presented Thayer with a glass awards.

“I’ve never seen Kay get un-glued,” Walsh said. “We can’t do it without Kay.”

“Back at you, mister,” Thayer said, before presenting Walsh with a surprise commemoration of her own.

— NAT KAEMMERER

Observer kicks off 20th tournament

Ron Plashkes and Colette Nemni

YourObserver.com LONGBOAT OBSERVER | THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2020 3B

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511 Harbor Cay Drive $1,950,000

3441 Bayou Court $2,300,000

891 Longboat Club Road $7,500,000

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730 Old Compass Road $2,400,000

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This immaculately maintained 4 bed/5 bath bayfront home is located behind the prestigious Longboat Key Club gates in Bay Isles. The great room boasts towering ceilings and overlooks the tranquil Sarasota Bay waters. Entertaining is easy with a fully equipped gourmet kitchen, 3 ensuite guest bedrooms and an expansive terrace with pool, spa and dock. Relax into your new Longboat Life in style!

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Beautifully renovated 4 bedroom waterfront residence in Country Club Shores on South Longboat Key. Open floor plan, French door sliders, skylights and volume ceilings. Elegant formal dining room in octagonal space with high ceilings, plantation shutters and serving station. Outside offers the ultimate privacy with lush landscaping all around, pool & spa and lovely path to dock with lift and easy access to Sarasota Bay.

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Unobstructed Gulf views are enjoyed from this 2 bedroom/2 bath top floor beach residence. Freshly painted with new carpet and tile flooring make this move-in ready! Other extras include a washer/dryer in unit, multiple walk-in closets and excellent community amenities including 2 gulf front heated pools, storage, beach cabanas, tennis, club house, car wash station and beautiful white sand beach!

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OPEN SUNDAY 1-4PM

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The Democratic Club of Long-boat Key held a record-break-ing luncheon meeting Jan. 7

at the Sarasota Yacht Club.More than 130 people turned

out for the meeting, where Bill Cotter presented on “Racial and Political Gerrymandering on the Supreme Court.” A graduate of Harvard Law School, president of Constitutional Law at Colby College and holder of a host of other global political positions, Cotter discussed the history of voting and voter suppression in the U.S. and its religious, classist and racist ties.

As for the high turnout, mem-ber Lois Barson chalks it up to the good listening of the club’s leaders. In the past two years, the club has turned to a roster of speakers who discuss issues rather than inviting politicians to speak as it has in the past.

“There was a survey that said that’s what people want, and the response has been exactly what the members said it would be,” Barson said.

There were 38 first-timers at the meetings, whom President Ken Marsh thanked for their attendance. The next meeting will be at 11:30 a.m. Feb. 4 at the Sarasota Yacht Club. Visit LBK-Dems.com for information.

— NAT KAEMMERER

Democratic Club learns all about gerrymandering

Above: Andy Maass and Lois Barson welcome members into the meeting.Left: Board members Terry Guzman and Becky Van der Bogert


Above: Slade Cargill gathers petitions for Margaret Good’s congressional run.Left: Bob Gary, Bill Cotter and Ken Marsh

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941.387.1847 Bruce MyerRealtor ®

COLDWELL BANKER RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE 201 GULF OF MEXICO DRIVE, SUITE 1

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*Based on 2019 data

2399 Gulf of Mexico Dr. #3C3SOLD! $3,600,000

2399 Gulf of Mexico Dr. #3B4SOLD! $2,400,000

580 Birdie LaneSOLD! $1,925,000

3040 Grand Bay Blvd. #291SOLD! $1,560,000

455 Longboat Club Rd. #805SOLD! $1,480,500

435 L’Ambiance Dr. #H202SOLD! $1,449,000

1965 Gulf of Mexico Dr. #G5-211SOLD! $1,350,000

3523 Fair Oaks LaneSOLD! $1,247,500

525 Hornblower LaneSOLD! $1,230,000

210 Sands Point Rd. #2003SOLD! $1,025,000

3419 Winding Oaks Dr. #10SOLD! $950,000

2301 Gulf of Mexico Dr. #P5/6NSOLD! $950,000

1135 Gulf of Mexico Dr. #601SOLD! $904,075

455 Longboat Club Rd. #308SOLD! $900,000

222 Robin DriveSOLD! $875,000

3010 Grand Bay Blvd. #472SOLD! $825,000

2071 Harbour Links Dr. #2SOLD! $824,500

3040 Grand Bay Blvd. #272SOLD! $750,000

2020 Harbourside Dr. #443SOLD! $750,000

5055 Gulf of Mexico Dr. #324/334SOLD! $615,000



2089 Gulf of Mexico Dr. #G1-108SOLD! $555,000


2350 Harbour Oaks DriveSOLD! $510,000

540 Neptune Avenue #10SOLD! $399,000







4390 Exeter Dr. #I-105SOLD! $216,000

640 Neptune AvenueSOLD! $235,000

438 L’Ambiance Dr. #K506SOLD! $2,300,000

7130 Longboat Dr. E.SOLD! $837,500

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SPECTACULAR BAY VIEWS Luxury finishes adorn this updated 2BR/2BA end unit. Beach to Bay access, kayak launch, fitness, 2 heated pools, tennis and pickle ball are just a few of the amenities. $529,900

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Photos by Whitney Elfstrom

The King Charles Troupe performs before the ceremony begins.

New inductees step into the Circus Ring of Fame

WHITNEY ELFSTROMSTAFF WRITER

What do circus performers from Canada, New York, Madrid and Colombia have in common? On

Sunday, they joined more than 140 fellow performers in the Cir-cus Ring of Fame in St. Armands Circle.

The Circus Ring of Fame Foun-dation celebrated Guy Laliberte, The King Charles Troupe, Los Quiros High Wire Artistry and the Carrillo Brothers High Wire Duo at the 33rd annual ceremony.

“Circus is adaptable, evolu-tionary and has so many interpre-tations,” said Bill Powell, chair of the foundation. “When one door closes, five doors open because

people close to the heart of the art form are inventive, creative and extremely hard working. Circus finds a way to move forward.”

Each group was awarded with medals, a framed letter detailing their contributions and a bronze plaque in Circle Park.

A touch of family appreciation lingered in the air as members of each group recalled the times they had crossed paths or per-formed with one another. Most notably, Los Quiros High Wire Artistry and the Carrillo Brothers High Wire Duo each spoke about how thankful they were to Cirque du Soleil, which was founded by Guy Laliberte.

A number of surprises took place during the ceremony from performances to a proclamation


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CONCESSION, LAKEWOOD RANCHThe Best! Asking $475,000220 ft of waterfront lot, on a cul-de-sac, located within the double gates of the area’s best golf course, Concession. This coveted southwest facing lot is amazing and will live private, bright, and open. The panorama of the lake and preserve is THE million dollar view of Concessions.

ST ARMANDS CIRCLEAsking $1,915,000Walking score of 1,000 (est.) beach, restaurants, bank, medical annex, firehouse, and bridge within 7 minutes. This home is single level living. The room sizes are large. The 15 ft ceilings are bright, 3 bedrooms, office, 3.5 baths, 3 car garage and large saltwater & pool lanai. The home is protected and conforming to all FEMA flood plain requirements. The 4,474 gross footage home sitting on a third of an acre of St. Armands Key, the rear is fenced for your pet. Do the math.

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from the mayor of Sarasota.The King Charles Troupe riled

up the crowd before the cere-mony began with a performance as members rode around on their unicycles and tackled feats including jump-roping and dou-ble Dutching on them.

Keith Green and George Hooks performed the solo melody they once played during Pedro Car-rillo Sr.’s high-wire performance in “The Greatest Show On Earth.” When the song finished, Carrillo embraced Green and Hooks.

With the induction of Guy Lal-iberte and Cirque du Soleil into the St. Armands Circus Ring of Fame, Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch and Director of Public Affairs for Cirque du Soleil Agathe Ali announced Jan. 12 will be known

as Circus Day in North America.“The city of Sarasota salutes

their common [circus] heritage with the city of Montreal, and together they strongly encour-age the artists, organizations and audiences of these two great cities to continue their collaborations, so that the natural link between traditional and contemporary circus serves to create and pro-mote public appreciation for this incredible art form,” Ahearn-Koch said.

Agathe Ali and Etta Ryan reveal the plaque of Guy Laliberte, co-founder of Cirque du Soleil.

Top: Los Quiros reveals their plaque.Above: Louis Acos-ta, Pedro Carrillos Sr., and Pedro Carrillos Jr.


©2019. CBC057242 London Bay Homes. Pricing, features, specifications, products and availability are subject to change without notice. See a sales associate for complete and current information.

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JAN. 16PARADISE CENTER OPEN HOUSEJoin the Paradise Center on a tour of its new space on Bay Isles Road. Open house runs from 4-6 p.m. Call the Paradise Center at 383-6493.

JAN. 18TASTE OF ST. ARMANDSThe 10th annual tour is back with a tour of the diverse tastes St. Armands Circle has to offer. From 5-8 p.m., enjoy live music, food and drink in the St. Ar-mands Circle Park. Tickets are $75 in advance and $85 on the day of. Visit StArmandsCircle-Assoc.com for information.

JAN. 23THE SARASOTA CUBAN BALLET SCHOOLJoin the Longboat Key Educa-tion Center for a class present-ed by Ariel Serrano, co-founder and co-artistic director of the ballet school. Class runs from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and is $20 for members and $25 for non-members. Call 383-8811.

JAN. 25-26ST. ARMANDS CIRCLE ART FESTIVALFrom 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., browse the creations of stunning artists as you stroll through the Circle. Event is free. Visit the event’s Facebook page for information.

RECURRING EVENTSMONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYSLORD’S WAREHOUSEHours are 9 a.m. to noon at the south end of the Longboat Island Chapel campus behind

the parking lot, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Gently used women’s and men’s clothing, accessories, artwork, kitchen-ware and home goods will be sold. Call 383-4738.

MONDAYSSTRETCH & STRENGTHENClass is from 10-11 a.m. at the Paradise Center, 567 Bay Isles Road. All exercises are from a standing or seated position; the focus is on strength training and flexibility for better bal-ance. You may bring your own

small hand weights. Class led by Suzy Brenner. Fee is $10. RSVP to [email protected] or by phone at 383-6493.

THINKING OUT LOUD: TIMELY TOPICS WITH MIKE KARPFrom 1-2:30 p.m. at the Para-dise Center. Topics will include current U.S. and world affairs, popular culture and topics relevant to seniors. Bring ques-tions and an open mind. Cost is $10. RSVP to Mary Ann Brady at MaryAnnBrady@ThePara-

diseCenter.org or by phone at 383-6493.

GENTLE KRIPALU YOGAFrom 9-10 a.m. at the Longboat Key Education Center, 5370 GMD #212, for gentle yoga to improve overall physical func-tioning and mental well-being. All ages and fitness levels. $11 per class for members; $13 for nonmembers. Call 383-8811.

MIXED BEGINNERS AND MIXED INTERMEDIATE BRIDGEClass runs 1-2:30 and 3-4:30 p.m. at the Longboat Key Edu-cation Center. Learn bridge, and play with other members. Cost is $14 for members and $16 for nonmembers. Call 383-8811.

MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYSCARDIO, BALANCE, WEIGHTS CLASSClass at 7:30 and 8:45 a.m. at the Bayfront Park Recreational Center. Call 538-8456.

PUMPING THE PRIMEWITH MIRABAI HOLLANDClass at 10 a.m. at the Bayfront Recreation Center at 4052 GMD to strengthen muscles and bones, burn calories, boost metabolism, manage weight and develop lean muscle. This full-body workout requires participants to get up and down from the floor. Bring a towel. $10 for members, $15 for nonmembers. Email [email protected], or call 201-956-1466.

BODY SCULPT WITH MIRABAI HOLLANDClass at 11:15 a.m. Do strength training and body sculpting

with weights, resistance bands and towels. The exercises are for core strength, flexibility, range of motion, balance and posture. Participants should be able to get down on the floor and get up readily. Please bring a towel. $10 for members, $15 for nonmembers. Email [email protected], or call 201-956-1466.

TUESDAYSROTARY CLUBMeets at 5:15 p.m. at All Angels Parish Hall, 563 Bay Isles Road, every first and third Tuesday. Call Nancy Rozance at 383-5659, or email [email protected].

SWEET AND SPIRITED YOGAClass is from 9-10 a.m. at the Longboat Key Education Center and will focus on body aware-ness, alignment and deep connecting breath. Regardless of age or fitness level, all can benefit. Cost is $11 for mem-bers and $13 for nonmembers. Call 383-8811.

YOGA FOR SENIORSLicensed yoga instructor Cheryl Kaiser guides through a sequence of yoga postures and movement designed for seniors. This is a gentle class to restore balance and replenish energy with your body, mind and breath. Options are pro-vided to adapt the yoga poses safely with the use of chairs and yoga blocks. Bring a yoga mat if possible. Fee is $10. RSVP to [email protected] or by phone at 383-6493.

JAN. 16THE CLYDE BUTCHER STORY AS TOLD BY HIS DAUGHTERFrom 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Longboat Key Education Center, Jackie Obendorf will share stores and show examples of her father’s black and white, large format images of wilder-ness and Florida landscape. Clyde Butcher is known as the Ansel Adams of Florida. Cost for members is $20 and $25 for nonmembers. Call 383-8811.

File photo


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GULF FRONT LONGBOAT KEY CLUB2BD/2BA 7th floor, beautiful views. $1,350,0002BD/2BA 1st floor corner unit $1,350,000Great amenities, beach & rental opportunities.

GULFFRONT ESTATE $13,950,000Privacy gates open to gorgeous home with breathtaking views. Open plan and walls of glass look out to gulf waters. Casually elegant throughout. Simply the best!

COUNTRY CLUB SHORES $2,599,0004BD/4.5BA Masterpiece w/elevator. Indoor/Outdoor living. Great views from multiple terraces. 3 car garage. 45’ dock w/boat and jet ski lifts on wide canal.

GATED WESTWAY ESTATE $6,295,000Exquisite w/ stunning views, expansive windows & verandas capture outstanding water & sunset views. Dramatic pool w/jacuzzi. New dock & lift. Walking distance to St. Armands

BEACHSIDE LBK HOME $3,395,000Incredible 4BD/4BA Like new. Totally remodeled for relaxation indoors and out. Spacious & bright w/private beach access.

POSITANO WALK-OUT $3,875,000Private pool & expansive Gulfside terraces. 3BR/3.5BA open plan w/Master beachside. Private 2 car garage.

NEW CONSTRUCTION $1,590,000Private one story cul-de-sac home. 4 BR/3.5 BA with three car garage. Bay & deeded beach access.

REGENT PLACE $2,790,000Behind the gates at LBK Club Gulf front 3BR/3BA corner residence w/ southern exposure. Views of Gulf, golf course and downtown skyline.

THE PRESERVE AT LONGBEACH An exclusive enclave of 12 new construction homes. Refinement meets relaxation at the north end of LBK in Longbeach Village with beach-to-bay access.

NEW CONSTRUCTION $4,795,000Gulf & Bay views from this 4BR/4.5+ BA home w/elevator. West of Gulf of Mexico Drive. Expansive windows & decks on all levels.

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BONAIRE LOT $1,005,000Build your dream home behind the gates in LBK’s new Bonaire community. Design to enjoy Gulf and bay views on this last remaining lot.

SILVER SANDS - INCOME PROPERTY Two available with rare nightly rental capability. Impressive rental history as income property. 1BD/1BA $390,000 | 2BD/2BA $445,000

BEACHFRONT ESTATE $8,200,000Quality built 5/BR ensuites on 150’of Gulf front beach.Impressive new architecture emphasizes beach & Gulf views w/walls of glass. On south LBK w/6 car garage.

GULF FRONT $3,650,000150 feet of frontage on south Longboat Gulf beach. Buildable site w/ a charming 2BR cottage.

UNIQUE LBK BEACHFRONT ESTATE $12,500,000On 180 ft of pristine gulf beach. 4 en-suite guest rooms plus a secluded master wing. Multiple terraces, elevated gulfside pool & spa. Perfect for indoor/outdoor entertaining.

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SUPERB LOCATION $2,195,0003BD/2BA on deep waterfront lot w/dock near St. Armands. Stunning views of Sarasota Bay, city skyline & John Ringling Bridge.

GRAND MARINER BAYFRONT $1,350,000Exquisite 3BD/3.5BA first floor former model 3274sf residence w/ many extras. Deep water dock w/power, water, pump station & lift. Private 2 car garage.

BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME ON LBK DEEP CANALDream Island Rd. A boater’s paradise! $794,000Sleepy Lagoon lot w/dock & new seawall. $599,000

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ADOPTDON’T SHOP

TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYSPILATES SCULPTPilates Sculpt is a combination class from 9-10 a.m. mixing traditional Pilates exercises into a fun, challenging workout to upbeat music. Pilates Sculpt will make you sweat, encour-age your body to burn calories and make you stronger and more flexible. This class is for all levels and is $15 for drop-in and $10 for members. Contact [email protected].

FEEL GOOD YOGAFrom 10:30-11:30 a.m., try a yoga class dedicated to finding the alignment that makes your body “feel good.” This class is not about just touching your toes; it’s about enjoying the freedom of movement as you are guided into postures with joints, muscles and connective tissue hydrated, lengthened and strengthened. This class is suitable for all levels and is $15 for drop-in and $10 for members. Contact [email protected].

WEDNESDAYSAND SATURDAYSCHAIR YOGAClass is from 9-10 a.m. at the Longboat Key Education Center and works to make yoga more accessible to those unable to exercise easily on the floor. Cost is $11 for members and $13 for nonmembers. Call 383-8811.

WEDNESDAYSWONDERFUL WEDNESDAYS BOOK SALEGently used books sold at 50% off, which brings paperbacks down to $0.25 and hardbacks from 50 cents to $2.50 at the Longboat Library, 555 Bay Isles Road. Call 383-2011.


LIDO KEY1219 Westway DriveKim Ogilvie 941-376-1717 A4448460 $7,995,000

MARINA ISLES8017 Marina Isles LaneKate Enis & Stacy Haas 941-330-6068 A4439646 $4,300,000

LIDO KEY1339 Westway DriveChristina Landry 941-376-4498 A4432826 $5,950,000

REGENT COURT845 Longboat Club RoadMichael Moulton 941-928-3559 A4440615 $22,500,000

LONGBOAT KEY545 Kingfisher LaneJanet Walter & Steve Walter 941-232-2000 A4454908 $3,450,000

THE BEACH RESIDENCES1300 Benjamin Franklin Drive 605 Ryndie Brusco 941-809-6913 A4448566 $2,700,000

LOCALLY KNOWN. GLOBALLY CONNECTED.

BAY ISLES530 Harbor Gate WayBernadette Caswell 941-320-8265 A4435590 $3,900,000

COUNTRY CLUB SHORES590 Chipping LaneMarcia Salkin, PA 941-376-6121 A4452503 $2,850,000

NORTH LONGBOAT KEY811 Jungle Queen WayLaurie M Mock & Brenda Price 941-232-3665 A4438987 $1,495,000

COREYS LANDING3488 Mistletoe LaneMaureen Horn 941-539-3384 A4451910 $1,495,000

HARBOUR LANDINGS12325 Baypointe TerraceMark Boehmig 941-807-6936 A4442408 $1,375,000

QUEENS HARBOUR3598 Fair Oaks LaneSusan Smith & Cathy Meldahl, PA 941-302-3440 A4428241 $1,350,000

SLEEPY LAGOON675 Penfield StreetJohn August & Jeff Weller 941-320-9795 A4454361 $1,300,000

TANGERINE BAY CLUB350 Gulf Of Mexico Drive 226 Sherry Dominick 941-500-3774 A4451644 $1,100,000

BAY PALMS528 74th StreetVictoria Sperounes 941-960-3773 A4446368 $2,625,000

THE GR ANDE RIVIER A420 Golden Gate Point 500A Sylvia Zimmerman & George Zimmerman 941-350-5022 A4445482 $2,495,000

SABAL COVE3314 Sabal Cove LaneJanet Walter & Steve Walter 941-232-2000 A4453198 $2,390,000

QUEENS HARBOUR3616 Fair Oaks PlaceIan Addy, PA & E. Gail Wittig 941-961-8850 A4449455 $2,225,000

SHORE ACRES867 N Shore DriveKen Kavanaugh, Jr & Margo Love Story 941-799-1943 A4454292 $1,850,000

BAY ISLES3371 Bayou SoundBill Anderson 941-313-4059 A4452233 $1,595,000

LIDO HARBOUR1900 Benjamin Franklin Drive 302A Judy Nimz & William Nimz 941-374-0196 A4433724 $479,900

WINDWARD BAY4830 Gulf Of Mexico Drive V-11 Richard Perlman 941-228-8580 A4453432 $475,000

SILVER SANDS5841 Gulf Of Mexico Drive 258 Steve Magner 941-376-8559 A4450328 $359,900

WESTBAY POINT & MOORINGS6200 Flotilla Drive 267 Jaymie Carter 941-920-4573 A4445800 $340,000

CEDARS EAST605 Cedars CourtSherri Mills 941-350-7112 A4435743 $324,900

SUTTON PLACE589 Sutton Place 589 Malihe Karimi 941-376-5099 A4437351 $314,900

BAY PALMS523 67th StreetLaura Rulon 941-896-2757 A4447854 $899,000

HARBOR OAKS2119 Harbourside Drive 1001 Beverly St Hilaire 941-504-3303 A4455098 $800,000

SAND DOLLAR555 Benjamin Franklin Drive 5 Ann Martin & Joanna Benante 941-356-7717 A4437684 $780,000

FAIRWAY BAY1918 Harbourside Drive 903 Julie Klick 941-780-6001 A4454933 $729,000

LONGBOAT KEY690 Jungle Queen WayChris Rivera & Sherri Mills, PA 941-301-1691 A4450270 $650,000

ST ARMAND TOWERS101 Benjamin Franklin Drive 75 Douglas Parks 941-400-9087 A4449636 $599,900

MSC MORTGAGE | MSC TITLE | MS&C COMMERCIAL

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L ICEN S ED RE AL ESTATE B ROKER

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Sylvia Zimmerman440 Gulf of Mexico Dr. • Longboat Key • 941.350.5022

SAR ASOTA420 Golden Gate Point 500AA4445482$2,495,000

LONGBOAT KEY600 Sutton Place 205A4450925$589,500

SAR ASOTA6620 Deering Circle A4446403$335,000

SAR ASOTA6708 Deering Circle A4455155$329,500

LOCALLY KNOWN. GLOBALLY CONNECTED.

Sylvia Zimmerman attributes her reputation as one of Southwest Florida’s most outstanding real estate agents to her extensive business background, as well as her intense focus on customer service.

A longtime Sarasota-area resident, Sylvia builds enduring client relationships, possesses a profound facility for bringing buyers and sellers together and offers an intricate knowledge of the communities that beckon newcomers to Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Drawn to Sarasota by its natural beauty, exciting culture and remarkable weather, Sylvia’s love for tennis and golf found the perfect fit. Having lived on the bay (Siesta Key), on the beach (Casey Key), on a canal (Bird Key) and in two golf course communities (Lakewood Ranch Country Club and Laurel Oaks Estates), she can personally identify with the variety of opportunities available on Florida’s Gulf Coast—a unique advantage she passes on to her clients.

With her years of experience in real estate sales, no one knows the area better!

Please visit my website: www.sylviasellssarasota.com

Licensed Real Estate Broker

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BIRD KEYThomas Hawk and Paula Hawk, of Sarasota, sold their home at 658 Mourning Dove Drive to Robert and Brenda Joe Pack-man, of Ontario, Canada, for $1.78 million. Built in 1968, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,472 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.8 million in 2016.

Paul Welch, of Sarasota, sold the home at 460 Pheasant Drive to CCShoreWaterfront LLC for $1.75 million. Built in 1966, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,356 square feet of liv-ing area. It sold for $1.75 million in 2018.

Marcia Ramah, trustee, and Peter Ramah, of Saginaw, Mich., sold the home at 600 Owl Way to Harold Flynn Jr. and Treva Flynn, trustees, of Sarasota, for $925,000. Built in 1970, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 1,892 square feet of living area. It sold for $473,900 in 2011.

LONGBOAT SHORESAgnes and Donald Peterson, of Longboat Key, sold their home at 680 Longview Drive to Jason Wilson and Nancy Wilson, trustees, of Longboat Key, for $860,000. Built in 1964, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,598 square feet of

Lido Key home sells for $3.35 million

RE

AL

ES

TA

TE

ADAM HUGHESRESEARCH EDITOR

A home on Lido tops all transactions in this week’s real estate. Scott and Christine Key sold their home at 1212 Westway Drive to Edward Andrle

and JoNe Sundvall, of Sarasota, for $3.35 million. Built in 1956, it has six bedrooms, seven baths, a pool and 4,627 square feet of living area.

living area. It sold for $680,000 in 2017.

LONGBOAT KEY TOWERSRobert Farnsworth and Amanda Cunningham Farnsworth, of Nashville, Tenn., sold their Unit N-302 condominium at 603 Longboat Club Road to Richard Wood Jr., trustee, of Longboat Key, for $850,000. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,458 square feet of living area. It sold for $425,000 in 2000.

COUNTRY CLUB SHORESWilliam Johnsen and Mar-ian O’Brien, of Sarasota, sold their home at 592 Ranger Lane to Michael Leone, trustee, of Geneva, Ill., for $822,000. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,918 square feet of living area. It sold for $640,400 in 2003.

JOHN RINGLING ESTATESChristina Jordan, of Bradenton, sold the home at 209 Garfield Drive to 209 Garfield LLC for $810,000. Built in 1977, it has five bedrooms, three baths and 3,495 square feet of living area.

GRAND BAYKym Cohen and Rachel Lynn Kalin, trustees, of Wayland, Mass., sold the Unit 262 con-dominium at 3040 Grand Bay Blvd. to Gene Wineland and Tom Wineland, of Longboat Key, for

$750,000. Built in 1996, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,143 square feet of living area. It sold for $850,000 in 2004.

Richard and Diane Blanc, trust-ees, of Alpharetta, Ga., sold the Unit 112 condominium at 3060 Grand Bay Blvd. to William Oneil and Becky Oneil, of Longboat Key, for $650,000. Built in 1994, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,143 square feet of living area.

ISLANDER CLUB OF LONGBOATSarah Distefano, of Longboat Key, sold the Unit 56-S condo-minium at 2295 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Richard and Phyl-lis Radlinski, of Green Cove Springs, for $650,000. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,235 square feet of living area. It sold for $610,000 in 2009.

O N L I N ESee more transactions at YourObserver.com

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS DEC. 16 - 27

L O N G B OAT K E Y

ADDRESS PERMIT APPLICANT AMOUNT2425 GMD Exterior building Sea Gate Club $5,713,017

restoration, replace Condominium

stucco system and

windows, repairs,

waterproofing

641 Ranger Lane Replace window, James A. Holanda $220,626

entry door

5054 GMD Replace windows, John W. McDonnell $198,770

impact, sliding glass

and garage doors

5145 GMD Change existing 5145 LBK LLC $89,227

carport to garage

572 Spinnaker Lane Re-roof steep and Douglas M. Plunkett $75,600

low slope areas

591 De Narvaez Drive Pool, spa and The Red Fish $70,000

paver deck Cottage LLC

620 Bowsprit Lane Replace window Coffeeville Limited $50,000

513 Halyard Lane Install new vinyl W. F. Johnston $40,000

seawall panels

500 Bay Isles Road Roof recover Bank of America $40,000

3519 Fair Oaks Lane Re-roof Harvey I. Steinberg Trust $37,100

3060 Grand Bay Blvd. #124 Interior alterations William and Paula Kapp $31,750

TOP BUILDING PERMITS

These are the largest building permits issued by the Longboat Key Planning and Zoning Department for the week of Jan. 3-9 in order of dollar amounts.

Source: Town of Longboat Key

Courtesy photo

The home on Lido Key offers six bedrooms, seven baths and 4,627 square feet.

SEE REAL ESTATE, PAGE 12B


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Thursday, January 23

Global IssuesSeries III Lectures

Thursday Mornings on Longboat Key

See video recordings of recognized policy expertsgive an insider’s view of today’s world

10:30 am at Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key941-383-3428

Single tickets at the door $10

sillsarasota.org 941-365-6404

THURSDAY LECTURE SERIES VIDEOSSARASOTA INSTITUTE OF LIFETIME LEARNING

THE AREA’SPREMIERLECTURESERIES

Iranian-American RelationsUpdate

Mohsen MilaniInternationallyAcclaimedForeign PolicyExpert

Thursday, January 23

Global IssuesSeries III Lectures

Thursday Mornings on Longboat Key

See video recordings of recognized policy expertsgive an insider’s view of today’s world

10:30 am at Temple Beth Israel, 567 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key941-383-3428

Single tickets at the door $10

sillsarasota.org 941-365-6404

THURSDAY LECTURE SERIES VIDEOSSARASOTA INSTITUTE OF LIFETIME LEARNING

THE AREA’SPREMIERLECTURESERIES

Iranian-American RelationsUpdate

Mohsen MilaniInternationallyAcclaimedForeign PolicyExpert

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LAGUNA YACHT VILLAGEJames Netter and Kristina Furtado sold their Unit 1 condo-minium at 6322 Laguna Drive to Edwin and Pamela Beauchamp, of Bradenton, for $635,000. Built in 2001, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,736 square feet of living area. It sold for $925,000 in 2007.

LONGBOAT BEACH HOUSEShane Curcuru, trustee, of Arlington, Mass., sold the Unit 301 condominium at 4311 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Mark Weaver, of Longboat Key, for $499,000. Built in 1977, it has two bed-rooms, two baths and 1,239 square feet of living area.

SAND CAYWolfram and Sieglinde Allendorf sold their Unit 212 condominium at 4725 Gulf of Mexico Drive to McCravy Real Estate Invest-ments LLC for $439,000. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,071 square feet of living area. It sold for $193,000 in 1995.

THE PRIVATEER SOUTHMarlene Rydberg, trustee, of Bradenton Beach, sold the Unit 304 condominium at 1000 Longboat Club Road to Ashraf Nour, of Longboat Key, for $410,000. Built in 1972, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,409 square feet of living area. It sold for $65,000 in 1993.

KINGSTON ARMSRandy Kocher, of Binghamton, N.Y., sold his Unit 3A condomin-ium at 500 S. Washington Drive to Kathleen Meyer and Roger Hubacher, of Grand Island, N.Y., for $380,000. Built in 1963, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,034 square feet of living area. It sold for $115,000 in 1989.

SEAPLACEJeffrey and Wendy Lynn Drop-kin, of Waterville Valley, N.H., sold their Unit G5-103-C condo-minium at 1965 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Sandra McAuley and Charles McAuley, trustees, of Noblesville, Ind., for $340,000. Built in 1977, it has one bedroom, two baths and 933 square feet of living area. It sold for $130,000 in 1991.

SPANISH MAIN YACHT CLUBEdward Sabato and Francis Sabato, trustees, sold the Unit 107 condominium at 670 Span-ish Drive S. to David and Kelly Caron, of Framingham, Mass., for $275,000. Built in 1969, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,393 square feet of living area. It sold for $75,000 in 1986.

THE PRESIDENTIALGabriel Dumont Jr. and Christine Morris, of Newburyport, Mass., sold their Unit 110 condominium at 845 Benjamin Franklin Drive to Nicole Stahnke, Alexander Early and Michaela Early, of Newbury, Mass., for $268,300. Built in 1974, it has one bed-room, one bath and 756 square feet of living area. It sold for $266,800 in 2018.

Real estateFROM PAGE 11B


A REFLECTION OF NATURE’S BEAUTYCARPET HUNDREDS OF COLORS AND STYLES ON SALE NOW!

Sarasota 941.355.8437 | Bradenton 941.748.4679 | Venice 941.493.7441 | manasotaonline.comKITCHEN | CABINETRY

OUTDOOR PAVERS

3258

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01-16-20

©2020 Universal Uclick

CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 Creative writing deg.4 Ramen taste9 Common January forecast13 Pulling device with a rope18 Chi-Town airport code19 Trash can insert20 Walk up a mountain, say21 Aplenty22 Supporting a New York publication?25 United flight?26 Attention to ___27 About, on a memo28 Locks of hair

29 Green salsa variety30 One opposed to a Columbia publication?34 Hematite, for one35 Explorer called “the Red”36 Prefix with god37 “___ my pleasure!”38 Occupies, as a rocker41 Flaccid44 Old Apple messaging app47 Pore over a Boston publication?51 Barbie’s partner52 Saldana of “Guardians of the Galaxy”55 Target of a skin care

strip56 Moved stealthily58 Twitter handle compo-nent60 ___ Crunch62 Copacabana city, informally65 Brit’s “Dear me!”66 A drop can create one in a bucket67 Like some eco-friendly boxes, or an alternate title for this puzzle?71 MSNBC host Mitchell72 Finish a walk?73 What a gossip “spills”

74 He’s engaged to J.Lo75 “That’s untrue!”76 Playground chute78 H.S. stress sources80 Put on81 Animation frame83 Redact parts of a Balti-more publication?89 Wine region north of Bordeaux91 Teri of “Tootsie”92 Power in old Hollywood?93 Genre from Jamaica95 R&B singer Erykah98 Rapper Azalea100 ___ Mae (Whoopi’s

“Ghost” role)101 Start reading an Orange County publication?106 Really want108 Antiguan-American novelist Jamaica109 Rant’s opposite110 One sending a credit card112 Yearly records113 Chap who’s part of a London publication?117 Ticks off118 Soup or salad, often119 Boring120 Lithium-___ battery121 Specks of land122 Pleased123 Low on patience124 Grp. with full-body scanners

DOWN 1 Black Friday crowd, seem-ingly2 Composer Chopin3 Abide by4 Radii neighbors5 Medium-length skirt6 Feature of a buck7 So-so8 Wrath9 Like a new penny10 Biblical hunter11 Michael of “Caddyshack”12 Director Anderson13 Polishes, as a Porsche14 Classic excuse for missing homework15 Greets silently16 Vinegar bottles17 “Siddhartha” author21 Richard of “Pretty Woman”23 “___ be an honor”24 Apple CEO Cook28 Like a book with many pages29 Evian competitor31 Blue or White African river32 Juul, e.g.33 “You overshared,” in texts35 ___’acte39 Evening meals40 Sturdy enclosure for an estate’s grounds

42 Org. for New York City FC43 German shepherd, often45 Caught wind of46 Strong dislike48 Wonder Woman, for one49 Otherwise engaged50 Pass, like a law52 Nada53 Looked at rudely54 Part of DOE (Abbr.)57 Selina ___ (Catwoman’s alter ego)59 Fewer and farther between60 Division of a long poem61 Contribute63 Holy terrors64 Toothbrush brand67 ___ of honor68 Assigned stars to69 Diabolical70 Montana-to-Minnesota direction77 Drop-off guess, briefly79 J.D. holder82 Like brains or ears84 “Pics ___ didn’t happen!”85 Craving86 Very done with something87 Fruit of the Loom brand for kids88 Tidy89 Dad’s refuge, maybe90 Expensive gift for a teen93 Backbones94 Place to retrieve a retriever96 Throw off track97 South Sudan neighbor99 Deep sorrows101 “African unicorn”102 Dead men tell no ___103 Tabby’s “Back off!”104 Vine-covered105 Cory Booker, e.g. (Abbr.)106 Former CBS spinoff set in the Big Apple107 Sharing possessive111 Obscene writing113 Food additive letters114 Wile E. Coyote’s explosive115 Tilling tool116 Cellular messenger

SUDOKUComplete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.

©2020 Andrews McMeel Syndicate

CELEBRITY CIPHERBy Luis Campos

Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

©2020 NEA, Inc.

“E ZVX’B BREXO MVF URVFAZ NESK

IYIM MVFC XILK IXZ WIDK BV

UVLKBREXN MVF ZVX’B TKAEKSK

100-JKCDKXB EX.”

– DAIFZEI UDREWWKC

Puzzle One Clue: Y equals W

“K’E C SKULIPP. K FCDI ZUGX NGJP.

K’E C EUE. K BCLY YU YCWI NCXI UZ

ET WKAP CLA VXUYINY YFIE.”

– FIKAK WSGE

Puzzle Two Clue: D equals V

NEWSY by Ross Turdeau; Edited by David Steinberg

FORECASTNATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

TIDESHighs Lows

FRIDAY, JAN. 17

High: 77Low: 64Chance of rain: 10%

SATURDAY, JAN. 18

High: 77Low: 65Chance of rain: 10%

SUNDAY, JAN. 19

High: 75 Low: 59 Chance of rain: 40%

SUNRISE / SUNSET Sunrise Sunset

Thursday, Jan. 16 7:21a 5:58p

Friday, Jan. 17 7:21a 5:59p

Saturday, Jan. 18 7:21a 6:00p

Sunday, Jan. 19 7:21a 6:01p

Monday, Jan. 20 7:21a 6:02p

Tuesday, Jan. 21 7:20a 6:02p

Wednesday, Jan. 22 7:20a 6:03p

MOON PHASES

Thursday, Jan. 16 3:44a 4:57p 11:05a 11:56p

Friday, Jan. 17 5:20a 5:36p 11:45a —

Saturday, Jan. 18 7:22a 6:19p 1:29a 12:24p

Sunday, Jan. 19 9:28a 7:06p 2:50a 1:03p

Monday, Jan. 20 11:10a 7:56p 3:57a 1:47p

Tuesday, Jan. 21 12:18p 8:47p 4:52a 2:38p

Wednesday, Jan. 22 1:00p 9:35p 5:40a 3:34p

Yilan Monroe captured an image of these seagulls in flight on Lido Beach.

Submit your photos at YourObserver.com/Weather. For every photo submitted March 1 through Feb. 15, 2020, Manasota Flooring will donate $5 for each photo submitted. Those donated funds will go toward a flooring makeover gift card (up to $2,500), which will be auc-tioned off, with proceeds going to Manatee Sheriff’s Charity. In February 2020, you will vote for your favorite photo, and the submission with the most votes will win a $500 gift card.

Feb. 1First

Feb. 9Full

Feb. 15Last

Feb. 23New

The Longboat Observer reserves the right to classify and edit copy, or to reject or cancel an advertisement at any time. Corrections after first insertion only. *All ads are subject to the approval of the Publisher. *It is the responsibility of the party placing any ad for publication in The Longboat Observer to meet all applicable legal requirements in connection with the ad such as compliance with town codes in first obtaining an occupational license for business, permitted home occupation, or residential rental property.

INFO & RATES: 941-955-4888 • Fax: 941-362-4808 • EMAIL: [email protected] • ONLINE: classifieds.yourobserver.comHOURS: Mon.-Fri. 8:30am-5pm • DEADLINES: Classifieds - Monday at 2pm • Service Directory - Friday at 3pm • PAYMENT: Cash, Check or Credit Card

CLASSIFIEDS

LV94

19

This week’s Crossword answers

2019

This week’s Sudoku answers

This week’s Celebrity Cipher answersPuzzle One Solution:“I don’t think you should give away your name and face to something you don’t believe 100-percent in.” – Claudia Schiffer

Puzzle Two Solution: “I’m a lioness. I have four cubs. I’m a mom. I want to take care of my kids and protect them.” – Heidi Klum

©2019 NEA, Inc.

Thursday, January 16, 2020

TO ADVERTISE TODAYCALL 941-955-4888

OR VISIT CLASSIFIEDS.YOUROBSERVER.COMWHAT THE CLASSIFIEDS HOLD

Items Under $200 For Sale

7 PIECE white wicker king bedroom set, like new$195 414-801-9215.

ADVERTISE YOUR MERCHANDISEwith the total value of all items $200 or less inthis section for FREE! Limit 1 ad per month,15words or less. Price must be included next to

each item. No commercial advertising. Ad runs 2 consecutive weeks in 1 Observer.

Call 941-955-4888Or Email ad to:

[email protected](Please provide your name and address)

Or Online at:www.yourobserver.com

Or mail to:The Observer Group

1970 Main St. - 3rd Floor Sarasota, Fl 34236

FREE PIANO- Antique, call for pick up info!(941) 388-3937.

PET WATER Fountain, Ceramic Pioneer Pet Rain-drop, holds 60 oz, $20 386-283-4367 no text.

Autos Wanted

CASH FOR YOUR CARWe come to you!

Ho Ho Buys cars. 941-270-4400.

PRIVATE BUYER looking to purchase a 2003 ornewer Mercedes 500 SL. Prefer lower mileageauto. Going north at end of March, no dealersplease. Call Bob: 514-984-3299 or E-mail:[email protected]

WE BUY cars. top $$ paid for your vehicles. Call Hawley Motors, 941-923-3421.

Boat Slips For Rent/Sale

BOAT SLIP For Sale One of the largest racks atThe Boathouse on Longboat Key. Will handleboat 31' 6" long, 8' 6" beam and 9' 10' high.Located on top rack so no drips from boatsabove. (248) 642-7100.

DRY DOCK Rack For Sale on Longboat Key3rd Level, for up to 29 ft boat with

8"6" Beam,10'4" Height #2306By Owner, Call for info. $

941-544-5058

LONGBOAT KEY BOATHOUSE ON LONGBOAT KEY

DRY & WET STORAGE RACK AVAILABLE

Enjoy the services of this well positioned DryDock facility on the south end of Longboat Key.

Covered mid-level rack, near front #2209.Accommodates up to a 29-foot vessel with an

8� 5� beam and 7�5� height.Below market yearly rental or sale.

For more information call 313-886-7070 ext. 15

(313) 886-7070

Boats

YACHT BROKERAGE SERVICESBuying or Selling Yacht Group LBK Moorings

Dennis: 941-238-7276

Garage/Moving/Estate Sales GARAGE SALE: Saturday, January 18th from8am-2pm. 1100 Bogey Lane LBK. Includingfurniture, electronics, kids items, designer clothes,bags, and shoes, and so much more!

Want Some Mad Money?Sell Your Item for Free! $200 or less

classifieds.yourobserver.com

StorageSTORAGE FACILITY Boat/ RV/ Trailer. Securefacility, low monthly rentals, Clark Rd area.941-809-3660, 941-809-3662.

Positions Wanted RESIDENT MANAGER: Management of 140condominium units. (941) 383-9042.

Condos/Apts. For Rent LBK TOWN HOUSE 2 large Bedrooms, Kitchen,Living, Lanai,Terrace to tropical garden, steps tothe beach, luxury condo ,tennis, pools, sauna, hottub etc free. Minimum rental 2 month. More info:[email protected]

Condos For Sale 3BR/3BA ANNA MARIA: IMMACULATE BEACHRETREAT, DIRECTLY ON THE GULF OF MEXICO.LOCATED IN A SMALL GATED COMPLEX WITHALL UP TO DATE FINISHES. COVERED PARKING,ELEVATOR, GROUND LEVEL STORAGE GUF SIDEPOOL. WALK TO BEACH BISTRO $1,350,000.(941) 567-5234. AMIBEACHES.COM

DON’T WASTE YOUR time reading this unlessyou’re looking for one of the most beautifulcondos in one of the most prestigiouscommunities in all of Florida. Almost 3000sq/ft with private elevator and top-of-the-lineamenities, including a sub-zero refrigerator.Surrounded by a protected preserve. For moreinfo, call about 285 Sapphire Lake Drive, unit 202in Harbour Isle, Perico Island. $899,000. CallDennis Smith, Associate, Keller Williams on theWater. 407-492-5587. By appointment only.

Rentals WantedSENIOR MALE wants small apartments on LBK orLido. Furnished or unfurnished. 941-383-0895.

Classified Ads Bring Results • 941-955-4888

Vacation/Seasonal Rentals

Exceptional Vacation Rentals Since 1994Homes & CondominiumsStudios to Six Bedrooms

Beachfront, Intercoastal or GardenExcellent Service & Staff

Florida Vacation Connection

www.FLvacationconnection.com941-387-9709877-705-2460

LONGBOAT KEY: Beachfront or Bayside Condos,1st or 2nd floor, 2BR/2BA, W/D in units, freeWi-Fi, heated pool, & parking. Call 941-383-3338.

TOWNHOUSE CONDO: canal front, with boat slip,2BD/2BA, private beach access, walk to park,restaurants, 3,000/mo. 941-720-2852 [email protected]

WEEKLY RENTALS. Luxurious, fully furnished1 - 4 bedrooms. Condominiums and Cottages.Beach to Bay. On-site management. Pools, tennis,boat slips. Visit: www.FloridaRent.com forinformation and virtual tours. 800-333-7335,941-383-3117.

WEEKLY/MONTHLY/SEASONAL RATES

Beachfront, Bayfront and In Between

Houses or Condos

Reservations 941-383-6127

Visa/ MC

800-352-0367

5360 Gulf of Mexico Dr., Suite 101

Longboat Key, FL 34228

Rental office 9a.m. - 5p.m. M-F

Ask about our special rates!

Wagner Realty

Since 1939

www.wagnerrentals.com

YOU’RE IN LUCK! Unexpected cancellation inBEACHPLACE! Available now! Luxurious 2BD/2BAunit. Call Jim: 440-623-9068 for details.

Adult Care Services PERSONAL ASSISTANT/CAREGIVER: Errandsand shopping, Companionship, transportation,doctors appts, housesitting, light meal preparationand housekeeping, assistance with daily living, etc.Call Ms. Schwabe: 941-705-7460.

Adult Care Services

NEED ASSISTANCE?A LENDING HAND HOME CARE

- Transportation- Meal Preparation

- Light Housekeeping- Personal Care- Dementia Care

- Companionship- Medical Reminders

Schedule your free in-home consultation today!

941-809-3725www.alhhomecare.com

NR#30211577

Place Your Ad Online 24/7classifieds.yourobserver.com

Auto Transport AIRPORT RIDES to Tampa, St.Pete, Sarasota fromsurrounding islands. Super ride, super fares.Call/Text Anna: 941-932-1600.

SHIP YOUR car, truck or SUV anywhere inthe United States. Great rates, fast quotes. CallHawley Motors, 941-923-3421.

Catering

BLUE DOLPHIN CAFE

FRIDAY NIGHT DINNERSARE BACK AT OUR

LONGBOAT KEYCENTRE SHOPS LOCATION!!

FRIDAY

**JANUARY 10TH**

LIVE MAINE LOBSTER

BLUE FIN CRAB CAKES PRIME RIB

GROUPER OSCAR

ALL ENTREES SERVEDWITH CHEF’S CHOICESTARCH & VEGETABLE

HOMEMADE PIES!

AND MUCH MORE... JUST ASK...

FRIDAYS OPEN 5P.M.-8P.M.

SERVING DINNER ITEMS

941-383-3787CALL FOR RESERVATIONS

BEER & WINE AVAILABLE

Cleaning BLUE FISH Cleaning Inc. 941-705-3812. Insured,Bonded. Affordable reliable home cleaning, $90,2 cleaners, 2 hours.

CLAUDIA C. Cleaning Services. Experienced,Dependable and ready to begin! Residential.Excellent references. 941-773-6895.

CLEANING BY Brazilian Lady. Meticulous, reliable,deep cleaning specialist. Residential. Commercial.New Construction. 941-400-2866.

Cleaning PROFESSIONAL HOUSEKEEPER, thorough andmeticulous with excellent references. Call Estrella:941-266-6030.

Painting/WallpaperingCARLO DATTILO PAINTING. Licensed & insured.Interior/ Exterior painting including drywall repairand retexturing. Wallpaper installation & removal,pressure washing. Residential & commercial,condos. Honest & reliable. Free estimates.941-744-1020. 35+ years experience.

First 15 words ..................................... $17.50 per weekEach Add’l word ....................................................... 50¢

15% DISCOUNT for 4 week RunYellow color $5 per Week • Border as low as $3 per Week

Call: 955-4888 • Email: [email protected]: www.YourObserver.com

YOUR SOURCE FOR LOCAL CLASSIFIED ADS

CLASSIFIED LINE AD PRICE

Transportation

LONGBOAT LIMOUSINE

Your local luxury transportation provider since 1994.

New luxury Sedans and SUVs. Fully Licenced and insured.

Call/Text 941-383-1235

E-mail: [email protected]

SERVICE DIRECTORY LV94

59

CLEANING

325090

Carpet, Upholstery and Tile Floor CleaningServiceMaster of NW Sarasota & The Meadows

Proudly serving Sarasota since 1987Bill & Fonda Davies, Owners/Managers

(941) 927-2128

DOORS

Sliding Glass Door Repair

New Deluxe Rollers Will MakeYour Doors Roll Better Than EverCall Mark 928-2263proslidingglassdoorrepair.com

“FIX IT - DON’T REPLACE”

3270

45

HOME SERVICES

3250

92

E X E L L E N C E D E F I N E D

HOME WATCHP R O G R A M S

844-727-2723 • WWW.STPFL.COM

GROW YOUR BUSINESSwith Service Directory

Call today to reserve your space, 955-4888

Local Ads at Your Fingertipsclassifieds.yourobserver.com

INSURANCE

1999

23

MICINSURANCE

EXPERIENCEKNOWLEDGESOLUTIONS

595 Bay Isles Rd. Suite 215941.554.8909 | www.micinsurancefl.com

3264

80 Home • Condo • Auto • Umbrella • Boat

Our team of professionals provides superior service and expertise for

all of your insurance needs.Mike Mailliard ~ Lacey WeaverDanielle Hrabos ~ Allen Hovis

Matthew Mailliard ~ Hannah Gamso Chloe Gardner

LANDSCAPING & LAWN

3255

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shadylady_14x16magnet_FN.pdf 1 12/14/16 4:43 PM

OUR BEST PRACTICES PROMISE IS APPLIED TO RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE.

FOR MORE INFO

941.704.9025ShadyLadyFL.com

Horticultural Design Services | Landscape ConstructionLandscape Maintenance | Irrigation Installation & Repair Brick & Stone Pavers | Walls, Gates, Fences | Tree TrimmingLow Volt Outdoor Lighting Repair & Installation

IMPROVE YOUR

CURB APPEAL!

MASSAGE

325093

mobile massage therapist

CHRISSY STITES, LMT 609.820.4251 | MA#72369

Serving LBK and AMI

Rest your mind and body. Connect with your spirit.

MOVERS

. . .w ill move anything from a couch to a householdDavid McCarthy [email protected]

www.davidmccarthymoving.com

• Local And Long Distance Movers • Residential Moves • Commercial Moves• Pack, Crate & Wrap

3256

50

PAINTING

3257

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SIGNATURE PAINTINGSOLUTIONS, INCResidential-CommercialInterior-ExteriorLicensed-Insured

941-350-3296signaturepaintingtc.com

PLUMBING

2879

35

325095

RESIDENTIAL

Since 1975Family Owned & Operated2 Florida State Cert. Master Plumbers

#CFC1426596

5508-D MARINA DR., HOLMES BEACH

941-778 - 3924OR 778 - 4461• REPAIRS & REMODELING

• NEW CONSTRUCTION

• WATER HEATERS

• SEWER & DRAIN CLEANING

SCREENING

3270

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941-345-5264

• Pool Cage Restoration• Rescreening Specialists• Specialty Screens• Paint• Doors and more!Satisfaction GuaranteeManufacture and Workmanship Warranties

Satisfaction guarantee

Pool cage Restoration/ Rescreening specialists

specialty screens / screw replacement / paint

Doors and more!

Manufacture and workmanship

Warranties

(941) 345-5264

TREES

RICH BRIANDI

LIC/INS FREE ESTIMATES 941-356-5616

• TREE REMOVAL & TRIMMING

• CLEAN-UPS

• COMPLETE LANDSCAPING• SHELL WORK• MULCHING

3256

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WINDOWS

3270

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Sunset Window & Pressure Cleaning

Res./Com. Lic./Ins.

Formerly known as Sunrise Windows Serving Longboat Key Since 2005

Call Tibor for FREE ESTIMATES | 941- 284 - 5880Purified water window cleaning available!!

$120UPTO 25STANDARD

WINDOWSINCLUDING SCREENS, TRACKS, MIRRORS & FANS

SPECIAL$500 www.sunsetwindowcleaningsrq.com senior citizen discount.

INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE

Sandra Smith | 941.383.3388510 BAY ISLES ROAD, SUITE 1 • LONGBOAT KEY, FL (Next to SUNTRUST BANK) CHUBB, AIG, UNIVERSAL, UNITED, SAFECO, PROGRESSIVE, VAULT, FLOOD, WE HAVE YOU COVERED!

SECUR-ALL INSURANCE AGENCY

3262

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As low as $17.50 for 1 week!Get a discount when you run your ad in more than one Observer.

CALL 941-955-4888

ADVERTISE YOUR



LONGBOAT KEY $675,000GRAND BAY V - PENTHOUSE30810 Grand Bay Blvd. #5432BR/2BA I 1,329 SQFT I 2 Parking SpacesYEAR-AROUND SUNRISES & SUNSETS

Ryan Ackerman(941) 387-1818

Barbara Ackerman(941) 387-1820

THE NAME TO KNOW IN REAL ESTATE

www.ackermangroup.net [email protected] 941-387-1820

Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, LLC • 201 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Suite 1 • Longboat Key, FL 34228 Owned and operated by NRT, LLC

[email protected] | 941-387-1820 | WWW.ACKERMANGROUP.NET

COLDWELL BANKER RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE, LLC • 201 GULF OF MEXICO DRIVE, SUITE 1 • LONGBOAT KEY, FL 34228

3191

64-

1

LONGBOAT KEY $11,995,000VILLA SENA - BEACHFRONT5965 Gulf of Mexico Dr.7BR/6.5BA | 10,087 SQFT5965GulfofMexico.com

LONGBOAT KEY $595,000GRAND BAY V 3080 Grand Bay Blvd. #5352BR/2BA | 1,279 SQFT | Direct Bay ViewsDIRECT BAY FRONT

SIESTA KEY $1,195,000SIESTA HAMMOCK4832 Givens Court5BR/4.5BA I 4,893 SQFT CONTEMPORARY LUXURY

WEST OF TRAIL $543,000OYSTER BAY ESTATES 1906 Field Rd. LAKE VIEW LOT | 24,500 SQFTBUILD YOUR DREAM HOME

LONGBOAT KEY $1,495,000BAY ISLES - SABAL COVE3326 Sabal Cove Ln.4 BR + Study/3.5BA | 4,698 SQFT | Lakefront Sunsets3326sabalcove.com

WEST OF TRAIL $998,500HILLVIEW AREA 1838 Alta Vista St. 3BR + FL RM/2.5BA | 2,120 SQFT 1838AltaVistaStreet.com

LONGBOAT KEY $735,000COREY’S LANDING - VILLA3479 Byron Lane3BR/3BA | 2,229 SQFT | LAKE VIEWSPRIVATE BEACH INCLUDED

LONGBOAT KEY $649,000GRAND BAY V3080 Grand Bay Blvd. #5262BR/2BA | 1,380 SQFT | Direct Bay FrontOPEN BAY VIEWS

LONGBOAT KEY $2,698,000EN PROVENCE - DIRECT GULF FRONT2151 Gulf of Mexico Dr. #63BR+Study/3.5BA | 3,800 SQFTenprovence6.com

DOWNTOWN $2,550,000LA BELLASARA - BAY & CITY VIEWS464 Golden Gate Pt. #302 3BR/3.5BA | 3,135 SQFT | Private 2-Car GarageLabellasara302.com

LONGBOAT KEY $1,295,000BEACHES775 Longboat Club Rd. #1033BR/3BA | 2,122 SQFTUNOBSTRUCTED BEACH & GULF VIEWS

DOWNTOWN SARASOTA $979,900LAWRENCE POINTE II97 Sunset Dr. #202 2BR/2BA + Glass Enclosed Lanai | 1,560 SQFTINCREDIBLE RENOVATION – SUNSET VIEWS

BIRD KEY $3,595,000WATERFRONT - PRIVATE BOAT DOCK 476 Partridge Cir.5BR/4FB/2HB | 5,267 SQFT476PartridgeCircle.com

N. LONGBOAT KEY $4,395,000DIRECT GULF FRONT6529 Gulfside Rd.- ‘100’ of BEACHFRONT3BR + Den/4BA | 6,660 SQFT6529gulfsideroad.com

LONGBOAT KEY $2,095,000QUEENS HARBOUR3560 Fair Oaks Ln.4BR/5BA | 3,894 SQFT + 1BR/1BA CASITA3560fairoakslane.com

LONGBOAT KEY $1,295,000360 N. CONDO - TOWNHOME280 N. Shore Rd. #53BR/3BA | 2,834 SQFT280NShoreRoad5.com

DOWNTOWN $1,797,000VUE - BAYFRONT 1155 N. Gulfstream Ave. #15022BR + Den/2.5BA | 2,040 SQFT vue1502.com

LONGBOAT KEY $1,749,000BAY ISLES - SABAL COVE3315 Sabal Cove Dr.4BR/4Full & 2Half BA | 3,200 SQFTCOMPLETELY UPDATED

LONGBOAT KEY $1,060,000BAY ISLES - COMPLETELY RENOVATED3101 Bayou Sound3BR/3BA | 2,875 SQFT | 2-Car Garage 3101bayou.com

DOWNTOWN $1,175,000SARABANDE – BAY & CITY VIEWS340 S. Palm Ave. #103BR/2.5BA | 2,437 SQFT | 2 Parking Spacessarabande10.com

LONGBOAT KEY $1,675,000WATER CLUB II - PENTHOUSE1281 Gulf of Mexico Dr. #11062BR + Den/3.5BA | 2,665 SQFT | 2 Garage SpacesBEAUTIFULLY RENOVATED

NEW LISTING NEW LISTING

DOWNTOWN $649,000ALINARI - BAY & CITY VIEWS800 Tamiami Tr. #4012BR/2.5BA | 1,830 SQFT | Direct Bay ViewsOVERLOOKS BAYFRONT PARK

#1 TEAM SARASOTA & MANATEE COUNTIES WITH OVER $82 MILLION IN PENDING & CLOSED SALES

DOWNTOWN $1,997,000THE PHOENIX - GOLDEN GATE PT136 Golden Gate Pt. #102 - BAY VIEWS3BR/3.5BA | 3,785 SQFT - 1st floor Walk-Down136goldengatepoint102.com