East County Observer 11.6.25

Stick-ing together

Lakewood Ranch 4-yearolds Teddy Rose and Timmy Dwyer (pictured above) are best friends and budding ball hockey players.

They play Saturday mornings at Lakewood Ranch Park in the Manatee Ball Hockey League’s Lil’ Manatees program. The eight-week program for 3- to 5-year-olds teaches the basics of ball hockey through games like Red Light, Green Light and Sharks and Minnows. Halfway through the program, the Lil’ Manatees start to scrimmage.

The team’s latest practice was held Nov. 1, the day after Halloween. After practice, players huddled, threw their hands up in the air and shouted, “Candy!”

Walking the ODA halls with a little pizzazz

Out-of-Door Academy students Maeve McAloon and Naomi Hugil, as Papa Smurfs, and Dani Jones, as Velma, (all above) went all out to celebrate Halloween at the school. This is the second time McAloon and Hugil have dressed up in matching costumes. This past year, they were Oompa Loompas from “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Halloween is especially special for Hugil because it is also her birthday. Jones decided to “join a few different friends” for a Scooby Doo-themed costume, dressing as Velma. It fit right in with “Too Many Detectives at the Murder Mansion,” a school play performed by middle school students.

Mold concerns grow at Lakewood Ranch High

2,000

East County’s John Skeen, who was awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star with the Army’s 70th Infantry Division in World War II, dies at 107. SEE PAGE 4A

Possible gas station fuels protest

A pre-application was submitted for a 24-hour convenience store and gas station on 44th Avenue and White Eagle Boulevard.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

The grassy lot on the southwest corner of 44th Avenue East and White Eagle Boulevard could be developed into a gas station, but some nearby residents say a gas station is incompatible with the residential area.

Residents from surrounding communities, which include Central Park, Mallory Park, Indigo, Harmony and the Esplanade Golf and Country Club, have joined together to form the Lakewood Ranch Community Action Group.

About 30 members of the group gathered at the intersection on Nov. 1 to protest a possible gas station. They dressed in red and waved signs that read, “No gas station” and directed

passing pedestrians and motorists to the group’s website, NoGasStation44TH.com.

The group also started a petition on Change.org that has accumulated over 2,000 signatures.

An application for a gas station has not been submitted to Manatee County. However, a pre-application meeting was held Sept. 26 and a request for a “zoning verification letter” was submitted by Katie LaBarr with Stantec Consulting Services Inc., on behalf of RKM Development on Oct. 6.

Equitable National Property Company LLC is the current owner of the 3.25-acre parcel. The company’s registered agent is Pamela Curran, vice president of finance for Neal Communities of Southwest Florida Inc.

LaBarr’s letter asks the county to confirm that “the current zoning allows for a convenience store, fueling station, 24-hour use and beer/ wine sales.”

Morgan Sanchez with Manatee County Planning and Zoning Tech Development Services responded Oct. 28 with confirmation that retail

sales, neighborhood convenience stores and gas pumps are permitted uses for the property.

Sanchez also noted that the Zoning Department does not regulate hours of operation and the business would need to obtain a beverage license from the state.

Residents’ concerns largely stem from the proximity of that location to B.D. Gullett Elementary School and Dr. Mona Jain Middle School because so many students walk and bike to and from school.

Mallory Park’s Maryann Goetsch is particularly concerned about children coming to and from Harmony at Lakewood Ranch because she sees so many of them on scooters.

“They put a gas station here, and all the kids that go to Harmony have to watch out for this random driveway off White Eagle,” she said.

That’s not to say the group is completely against the lot being developed. Goetsch said a day care would see less traffic and is a needed service in the area, whereas gas stations are aplenty on State Road 64 and State Road 70.

Other suggestions from the group

included medical services, a yoga studio or realty office — in general, uses that won’t further congest an already congested area.

Indigo’s Suzanne Henke said a gas station will also cause drivers to make frequent U-turns.

Henke researched the Manatee County Land Development Code and other gas stations located near middle schools around the county.

“From what I found, there are two (gas stations) less than 1,000 feet from middle school sites in Manatee County,” she said. “And both abut U.S. 41 and a commercial district. All the rest are 1,000 feet or more.”

The group deems 500 feet from Mona Jain Middle too close for a gas station, but the LDC doesn’t state an exact measurement.

The code states that a service station should “provide sufficient distance” from a school or similar facility “to minimize hazards to pedestrians or vehicles, minimize congestion and to protect the attractiveness of the immediate area of such facilities.”

Residents in Central Park worry that a gas station is also too close to their 29 interconnected ponds.

“We’re concerned that if a big rain comes and washes gas or diesel into our ponds, it’ll just go from one to the other to the other,” said Xavier Berkness, secretary for the Central Park Homeowners Association. “We spend well into five digits a year to maintain our ponds.”

But the overlying complaint across neighborhoods is that a gas station simply doesn’t fit with the area.

The group complained that Schroeder-Manatee Ranch is failing to protect the corridor’s character in the same way it protected the character of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard.

SMR noted that it has not had control of the property for more than two decades. The entire parcel, from Lakewood Ranch Boulevard to White Eagle and 44th Avenue East to Malachite Drive, was sold to Neal Communities in 2004.

Attempts by the East County Observer to reach Pat Neal were unsuccessful.

“We love capitalism, but you’ve got to find the right mix,” Esplanade’s Dan Creek said. “This isn’t an industrial type area for heavy commercial uses.”

MISSING BANNER

As far as homeowners go, those living in Central Park would be the most affected by a gas station on the corner of 44th Avenue East and White Eagle Boulevard because their property is adjacent to the vacant 3.25-acre lot.

The Central Park Homeowners Association took a poll, and 92.1% said they were opposed to a gas station next door to their community. In response, the HOA set aside funds for an opposition effort.

The board voted to pay $449.80 for a 20-foot banner to hang on the perimeter wall abutting the parcel. The community’s handyman picked up the banner from Board Secretary Xavier Berkness the evening of Halloween.

Berkness isn’t sure if it was hung that night or early the next morning, but by 8 a.m. on Nov. 1, he was receiving text messages from friends and neighbors saying they’d seen the banner. The East County Observer shot photos of the banner just before 10:30 a.m. By 3 p.m., it was gone.

“The only thing we can assume is that it was stolen,” Berkness said. “The rope was cut on the top and the bottom. The wind doesn’t do that.” He noted that while conspiracy theories are flying, there’s no indication of who cut the banner off the wall.

Todd Henson, director of maintenance at the School District of Manatee County, said mold testing throughout the Lakewood Ranch High School campus will determine whether areas of concern are

or something else.

District responds to LWR High mold complaints

Industrial hygienist conducts site visit to collect samples and gather feedback from teachers and students.

ting respiratory issues because I’ve spent the last 20 years breathing in this mold.”

Olivia Virgin, a senior at Lakewood Ranch High School, was sitting in her class in Room 570, Building 5A, when she noticed something unusual on Oct. 29.

She said she was sitting directly under an air vent when “black flakes” fell from the vent onto her and her desk.

Virgin looked up at the vent and said she saw a significant amount of mold on it. She said she was sure it wasn’t just dust, but mold.

She said she quickly informed school staff members.

Rennie Finck, who teaches math and AP human geography at Lakewood Ranch High School, addressed the School District of Manatee County board members Oct. 28 about her concerns for the health and well-being of those who attend or work at the school. Finck said she knows of at least 14 classrooms that are impacted by mold.

Tracy Gregory, the language arts teacher at Lakewood Ranch High School, said it has been an issue that she and others have reported several times since August 2024.

“We most definitely take (the students and staff members) health and their safety seriously. We want the optimum classroom for our students and staff so that they can be the best they can be. That’s what we strive to do each and every day.”

Deputy

Superintendent of Operations Willie Clark

“It was mold that when you touch it, it kind of poofs,” Gregory said. “It’s not slimy like you would think, it’s this powder, almost.”

On May 27, Gregory swabbed several areas of her classroom, including desks, windows, vents, cabinets, the bulletin board and more. Out of 12 petri dishes she collected, she said 11 had grown mold by June 3. She said visible mold is still in various classrooms.

“My concern has always been, ‘What am I breathing in, and what are the long-term health effects going to be?’” Gregory said. “I don’t want to be close to retirement and start get-

Finck has been out on sick leave since Oct. 7 when she said her rheumatologist told her she cannot be in that environment.

“I have this persistent cough and throat clearing that I couldn’t figure out, and then it got really bad,” Finck said. “I couldn’t breathe deep, and I’d have to cough to take a breath, and my ribs were inflamed so bad that I couldn’t even sit back in my chair because it was so tender.”

Finck said she has an autoimmune disease, ankylosing spondylitis, a form of spinal arthritis. She said she takes medication for it and has had it under control for years prior to the last few weeks. Finck said she left her rheumatologist appointment in tears because she loves teaching.

Todd Henson, director of maintenance, operations and central distribution for the School District of Manatee County, said mold is ever present, even when it is not visible.

He said when the school district hears reports of mold, it cleans it up, and if it’s on an item that can be thrown away, it throws it away. He said they have used professional remediation services before, but it is not always necessary.

“The problem is that you have over 2,000 students at that school, and all the allergens known to humankind are coming in on their person, on their bodies, on their backpacks,” Henson said. “It’s everything from pollen and tobacco and vape, to, of course, mold and other allergens.”

Henson said the air conditioning on campus runs from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. every weekday and shuts off for the evening hours. On the weekends, the air conditioning runs for two hours each day unless there is an event. (On Sundays, a church is at Lakewood Ranch High from 7 a.m. to noon.) Henson said they plan to double the time the air conditioning is on on the weekends from two hours to four. Air conditioning works to remove moisture from the air, and mold needs moisture to grow.

On Oct. 30, members of the school district (Superintendent Laurie Breslin, School Board member Richard Tatem, Henson, Deputy Superintendent of Operations Willie Clark, Director of Maintenance Todd Henson and Principal Dustin Dalquist) toured the campus led by parents to identify areas of concern.

“My comments to the superintendent were that we need to aggressively begin actions to remediate any health concerns that might be found,” Tatem said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that the superintendent agrees with me and that she and her staff have already begun to take action.”

On Oct. 31, John Lejeune, a contracted industrial hygienist with Gallagher Bassett, conducted a site visit to do sample testing and gather feedback from teachers. They will measure mold counts and CO2.

“He will write up a scope of work for us based on the findings and we’ll enlist the services of a remediation contractor,” Henson said. “They’ll come in and perform their work.”

Gregory said that keyboards, camera straps and headphones have had mold on them within different classrooms.

“It makes sense to me that that strap has been around people’s necks for a while,” Henson said. “It has the oils and that’s a vector for any type of microbial growth over time.”

Jack Lowrance, a senior, also addressed the school board. He told board members he has mold in almost every building.

“While short-term costs might have been saved by disabling the air conditioning on weekends, the longterm effect is that thousands of students have been exposed to toxic air, and now you have to pay the cost to fix it,” Lowrance said. “Therefore, let’s be proactive going forward. Keep the air conditioning on over weekends so that our schools are no longer sticky, humid, mold-breeding grounds.”

On Oct. 3, sophomore Alexander Schannault sent a text message to his mom, Samantha Schannault, about how he was feeling like he had motion sickness and that he could throw up. It wasn’t until later Samantha Schannault was informed that her son was among a group of students who had cleaned guitars that were thought to be covered with mold. Both Alexander and Samantha Schannault believe exposure to mold is the reason he got sick.

Schannault said it isn’t just on guitars where he has seen mold at the school. He said he has seen it on various ceilings, walls and chairs.

At 6:34 p.m. Oct. 29, Dalquist sent a message to Lakewood Ranch High families.

“There’s a proud legacy at the Ranch, and we remain dedicated to maintaining the high standards our families expect,” the statement said.

“At the Oct. 28 School Board Meet-

EFFECTS OF MOLD EXPOSURE

By June

Many members of the Lakewood Ranch High School community are concerned about the health and wellbeing of those on campus and believe that sickness has already occurred due to mold exposure.

According to Florida Health, four types of health problems can come from exposure to mold: allergic illness, irritant effects, infection and toxic effects. Mold is especially impactful to people with existing respiratory issues and can trigger asthma attacks. Headaches, memory problems, mood swings, nosebleeds, body aches and pains could also occur from mold exposure.

FloridaHealth.

gov/Environmental-Health/Mold

ing, a key item was approved that reflects this commitment. More than $451,800 toward replacing underground chilled and hot water piping systems and connecting them to existing air handlers. The full project is estimated at $6 million.”

Henson said the staff is working to replace the underground lines and that should help with the current issues, but it takes time and money to do so. He estimated five months for the design only and doesn’t know how long the replacement itself will take. It will cost approximately $6 million.

The statement listed other improvements the school has already made. Samantha Schannault was concerned that in the statement sent to families, they never mentioned the word mold.

“We most definitely take (the students and staff members) health and their safety seriously,” Clark said. “We want the optimum classroom for our students and staff so that they can be the best they can be. That’s what we strive to do each and every day.”

Local World War II hero dies at 107

Bradenton’s John Skeen reluctantly told stories about fighting with the U.S. Army’s 70th Infantry Division.

CELEBRATION OF LIFE

ast County’s John Skeen, who died Oct. 21 at 107, had the bronze star, the purple heart, and he had been knighted into France’s Order of the Legion of Honor. Oh, the stories he could tell about his service with the U.S. Army’s 70th Infantry Division during World War

What: A celebration of life for East County’s John Skeen, who died Oct. 22 at 107 When: 5-7 p.m. Dec. 8 Where: Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, 7051 Wireless Court, Lakewood Ranch

II. He just didn’t — at least when it came to talking about himself. Skeen didn’t talk much about his own exploits because he wanted to recount the bravery of the soldiers all around him, especially those who

didn’t come back.

But there was this one story, when pushed, he would share. Days before he died, he told the story once again to Rich Koch, who became friends with Skeen over the years at a weekly veterans’ breakfast meeting at the Bob Evans restaurant off State Road 70 in Bradenton.

“Despite all the killing that man went through, he had a kind heart,” said Koch, an Air Force veteran who served as a crew chief on a C-130 Hercules aircraft in Vietnam. “I was with John until the very end, and we discussed (Skeen’s story) one more time.

“It was February 1945, and he was going through a town in France that had just been shelled. John (a sergeant) came across this woman, bleeding profusely, half-naked, and holding a baby in her arms. He turned around and gave this woman his overcoat.”

The U.S. solders were fighting in bitter cold at the time, so every article of clothing could have meant the difference between life and death.

Skeen went forward with his fellow soldiers, and the Germans eventually surrendered in May of that year.

The years passed, and Skeen would meet on occasion with others from the 70th Infantry Division.

“It was 1982, and the 70th went back to France for a reunion,” Koch said. “They were called the ‘Trailblazers.’ John told me how the French people were always so good to him, and they would hold these celebrations. That year, they had this big banquet. During the banquet, the mayor of the town called John up front — and all this is documented — then the mayor called up this woman from the back of the hall.

“She was the child who was in the arms of the woman who John helped. She told him, ‘You saved my life.’ Her mother, who had passed, often told her stories about the kind American who had given her his coat.”

Koch said 128 people showed up at Skeen’s 107th birthday party at the Bay Pines Veterans Hospital on Oct. 3. It was three times the number they expected.

“For one thing, he was honest,” Koch said of Skeen. “And he had a knack of making you feel that you were there with him.”

But the stories almost always were

ABOUT JOHN SKEEN

Born: Oct. 3, 1918, in Kentuck, West Virginia

Worked: A mechanical supervisor for Dupont for 40 years in Charleston, South Carolina

Wife: He was married to Beatrice for 66 years until her death in 2004

Children: Anita Skeen, John Gregory Skeen

Drafted: Army, 1941

Rank: Sergeant; platoon leader in a combat infantry rifle platoon assigned to the 275th Infantry Regiment of the 70th Infantry Division (the Trailblazers)

Honors: Bronze Star, Purple Heart, France’s Order of the Legion of Honor Burial: Spring Hill Cemetery, Charleston, West Virginia

about his fellow soldiers.

“He would say, ‘I don’t want them to forget my men, the price that was paid.’” Koch said.

Army Lt. Col. Kevin Wright was among those who attended the birthday celebration.

“His mind was sharp, but his body quit on him,” Wright said. “He was so amazingly humble. I told him, ‘My faith, my family, my marriage, my love of country, all are stronger for having been your friend.”

Ray Brown’s late father, Rich Brown, fought alongside Skeen in World War II. When Skeen and his dad became friends long after the war ended, Ray Brown got to know Skeen, as well.

“My father didn’t find out John was still alive until 1977,” Ray Brown said. “He thought he was killed in action.”

Ray Brown, who lives in Weirsdale, heard the stories from his father about the horrific battle in Philippsbourg, France, which involved the last major German offensive as they attacked through the Vosges Mountains early in 1945.

“They were outnumbered six to one,” Ray Brown said of the U.S. troops that included Skeen and his

father. “It was bitter cold, and John lost a lot of guys. You know, John remembered every soldier who was killed. He could still hear their voices like they were here. He never forgot them.”

Ray Brown has an original World War II Jeep that he uses in veterans’ parades. He started to bring the Jeep to the Manatee County Veterans Day Parade so that Skeen could ride in it.

Being a war hero was only one part of Skeen’s long life. He had a wife, Bea (who died in 2008), of 66 years, and two children, Anita Skeen and Greg Skeen.

“We shared a love of sports and the outdoors,” said Anita Skeen, who lives in Michigan. “I had fond memories of going to baseball games with Daddy. He said he only took me to baseball games because he wanted to buy hot dogs. And one of the greatest gifts we received from my parents was a love of travel. We would go camping and Daddy and I always would put up the tent and get firewood.”

Anita Skeen said her father could fix anything.

“My parents never hired a repair person,” she said. “They taught me self-reliance.”

Since she was born in 1946, Anita Skeen didn’t have any memories of her father from before World War II.

“It always amazed me, but he did not talk about war until he reconnected with his old unit, the Trailblazers,” she said. “We grew up in rural West Virginia, and there were no guns in the house. He was not interested in anything with any kind of violence.”

War was horrifying to Skeen, who was quoted in an East County Observer feature in 2023: “One of the things I took away from the war was the terrible destruction all around. Everything was obliterated. Building after building. The trees looked like telephone poles with no leaves. Cows, horses dead. The carnage, the smell.”

Skeen became more active in veterans’ events after he turned 100 because he said nobody was left to tell the stories. He regularly rode in Lakewood Ranch’s Tribute to Heroes Parade along with the Manatee County Veterans Parade.

“John said the secret to life was that he never chased fast women, he

“You know, John remembered every soldier who was killed. He could still hear their voices like they were here. He never forgot them.”

Ray Brown

didn’t drink and he ate every piece of chocolate he could get his hands on,” Ray Brown said. “One of his stories was that he and his men were pinned down in the Vosges Mountains (in eastern France near the border of Germany). He had collected all these Hershey bars and had them in his backpack. They ran out of food to eat and his men were eating snow, so John handed out the candy bars. It got them through.”

Outback brings kangaroos, koalas and a lot of steak to Lakewood Ranch

Outback Steakhouse will open Nov. 11 in Lakewood Ranch on the corner of State Road 70 and Crossland Trail.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

When Outback Steakhouse opens its new location in Lakewood Ranch, fittingly, the kangaroo and koala mascots are arriving in a golf cart.

“One of the things that’s cool about every Outback is that we all get a local art piece specific to that location,” Managing Partner J.B. Wild said. “This one (with a golf cart) is perfect for us.”

The Outback on Cortez Road in Bradenton features a manatee, and the Sarasota location that closed last year featured a koala dressed like a tourist.

Wild worked at both of those Outbacks, and has also worked at a few others, but the Cortez location is special because that’s where he met his wife, Danielle, who is now the communications accreditation manager for the Sarasota Sheriff’s Office.

Wild has a degree in criminal justice but has been with Outback Steakhouse on and off since 1998 when he started as a busboy. Since

2007, he’s steadily worked his way up to managing partner, which is the Outback version of a general manager but with an “ownership mentality.”

“If someone walks in and asks who owns this place, I do. It’s whoever’s name is on the door,” Wild said. “You see a lot of managers stick around for a long time because Outback takes very good care of its employees.”

While Wild has managed other locations, the location on Crossland Trail will be the first Outback he’s managed from Day One.

The location is also closer to his Palmetto home. Wild spent the last two years commuting back and forth to the Trinity location in Pasco County. It’s a major bonus that his family can stop by to see him at work.

The Outback in Lakewood Ranch is considered the “Joey model.” At under 5,000 square feet, it’s slightly smaller than other locations. The capacity is 216 diners, split between the bar and 44 tables.

Residents are clearly ready to fill those seats. Once Wild started interviewing and cars were parked in the lot, he said people were walking in

because they thought the restaurant was open for business.

But opening day is not until Nov. 11.

The restaurant will provide over 100 part-time and full-time jobs to the Lakewood Ranch area. Wild is almost finished hiring the staff, which he said will be debuting a new look for the chain.

Outback is testing different uniform styles. The Lakewood Ranch location is going retro with staff wearing the original bushman shirts adorned with Outback pins.

The staff will have the benefit of a test run the weekend before the Nov. 11 grand opening. “VIP weekend” is an invite-only soft opening. The food is on the house, and a percentage of the bar sales will be donated to the Bradenton Kiwanis Club.

The managing partner chooses his or her charity of choice. Wild chose Kiwanis because his father John Wild, who died last year, was an active member.

“Because of what Kiwanis meant to him, it’s got a place in my heart, too,” Wild said.

Once open, the restaurant’s hours will be slightly different than other Outback locations in the area. Lunch will only be served Friday through Sunday. On Monday through Thursday, the restaurant won’t open until 3 p.m.

OTHER CROSSLAND TRAIL OPENINGS

Outback Steakhouse is not the

on

An over 7,300-square-foot AutoZone opened in August, and a nearly 20,000-squarefoot Aldi is on its way. The grocery store is currently under construction and anticipated to open in December. The final business to open on that corner will be a 4,200-squarefoot Heartland Dental in early 2026.

However, dinner service has been beefed up with the addition of a few more steaks, including a 15-ounce Delmonico steak, a 12-ounce boneless strip steak and a 20-ounce bone-in ribeye steak. And ’tis the season to open with the gingerbread martini, which Wild noted has become a staple of the holiday season across all Outback locations.

“People love it,” he said. “It tastes just like a gingerbread cookie.”

A Century Old Story

A story that began over 100 years ago and is still being written today. Once a beloved landmark, now an enduring icon reborn. Mira Mar is the future of luxury living in Sarasota, grounded in the grandeur of its past, and offering an unparalleled residential experience in the heart of downtown.

One of Sarasota’s few remaining flagships of the great Florida Land Boom of the 1920’s, it is with great pride that we restore the Mira Mar to its rightful place as a gleaming icon of Sarasota.

Rising elegantly above South Palm Avenue, the revived and resplendent Mira Mar presents a limited collection of 70 estate-style residences across two 18-story towers. Each home is designed to the highest standards, with sweeping views, refined interiors, and private access to best-in-class amenities.

Mira Mar is more than a residence — it’s a return to grace.

Publisher and President / Emily Walsh, EWalsh@YourObserver.com

Associate Publisher — East County Observer / Lori Ruth, LRuth@YourObserver.com

Executive Editor and COO / Kat Wingert, KWingert@YourObserver.com

Managing Editor / Jay Heater, JHeater@YourObserver.com

Sports Reporter / Jack Nelson, JNelson@ YourObserver.com

‘PACK YOUR PATIENCE’

Arriving early, staying late are best tips for avoiding Santa’s Grand Arrival Parade congestion at UTC.

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

Kyle Pfender, a law enforcement lieutenant with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, probably wishes that those attending Santa’s Grand Arrival Parade on Nov. 8 at the Mall at University Town Center could swoop into the area on Santa’s sleigh.

But they can’t, and he knows it. With between 15,000 to 20,000 spectators expected, Pfender knows a major traffic headache will once again be part of the major event.

Pfender was asked if the Sheriff’s Office had any tips for those planning to attend an event that will lock down a portion of North Cattlemen Road from 4 p.m. to after 10 p.m.

“I don’t have a good answer when you are jamming 15,000 to 20,000 people into such a small area,” he said. “I would say just pack your patience because you are going to be dealing with congestion.”

Pfender said one of the few suggestions he would make would be to consider using the Fruitville Road exit off Interstate 75 and taking Cattlemen Road north into the mall area.

“Other than that, just get there early because it is going to be easier parking,” he said.

Pfender did say that going south on Cattlemen when leaving the event would make sense, or to use DeSoto Road going west toward Honore Avenue.

“Perhaps it means sneaking out before the fireworks,” he said.

But when it comes to beating the traffic, he said patience is king.

“I will say that the traffic does clean out relatively fast after the event,” he said. “After 35 to 40 minutes, you can drive right out.”

The Sheriff’s Office will have “in excess of 30 officers on-site” to help motorists negotiate the congestion.

Pfender said the Sheriff’s Office doesn’t have a big problem with people illegally parking during the event or blocking emergency access points.

“There are not really many small, individual parking lots, so it’s kind of wide open,” he said.

He said that while people can be sitting in traffic, he hasn’t seen any “large incidents” of road rage over

the years.

“It is not a big drinking event,” he said. “There are a lot of people here, but it’s a family event.”

Julie Fanning, director of marketing for Benderson Development, said her staff meets every year to discuss how to make access to the parade easier and more enjoyable for the public.

“This has become a beloved, community event,” she said. “The parade has evolved. It is on Cattlemen for the fourth year after it used to be in the mall parking lot. We love watching all the families come together.”

Knowing that traffic congestion is unavoidable, Fanning said that UTC Sarasota and the Mall at UTC, which host the event, are trying to do everything possible to lengthen the experience so people can arrive a little earlier or leave a little later to make traffic flow better.

The NoFilter high-energy dance band has been added to the front of the event at 4 p.m. on the main stage so those arriving early have one more highlight to enjoy. That’s not to mention that all the restaurants and shops at UTC love to host the crowds. Some restaurants have added pop-up service stations to make it easier to order.

“We just want to encourage people to arrive early, and we want to keep them entertained,” Fanning said.

The event will include more early giveaways from 4 p.m. on, food trucks in the mall parking lot, live characters walking the parade route earlier than in the past, and more added entertainment to the front

SANTA’S GRAND ARRIVAL PARADE HIGHLIGHTS

4 P.M. NoFilter concert

5:45 P.M. Veterans Day tribute

6 P.M. Crisscross high-wire walk and tree lighting by siblings Nik and Lijana Wallenda

6:30 P.M. Santa’s Grand Arrival Parade

7:30 P.M. Fireworks

8 P.M. We The Kings concert

*North Cattlemen Road closes to traffic at 4 p.m.

portion of the event.

We The Kings, a popular rock band that formed in Bradenton in 2005, will be back to close the event with a concert that begins approximately at 8 p.m., after a 15-minute fireworks show.

“We want to keep the festivities going,” Fanning said.

She said additional parking also will be available.

“A tip is to park on the east side of the mall, by the (Wonderland: Believe) tents, where we have added additional parking,” Fanning said. “We’ve added more lights and parking attendants all over. Nathan Benderson Park will remain open, so anyone can park for free there and walk over. There will be lighted crossing guards on University (Parkway).”

The parade itself will be bigger than ever with more than 60 entries, about 10 more than last year.

New to the parade will be Macy’s Parade-style helium balloons, including a 45-foot Nutcracker balloon, a soccer ball sponsored by the Sarasota Paradise, a giant piñata by Rocco’s Tacos and a giant Santa snow globe.

Fanning said bleachers and risers have been added along the parade route along with giant LED screens to make it easier for people to see.

“There will be plenty of areas along the route to see the parade, so just be courteous,” Fanning said.

Staff Writers / Madison Bierl, MBierl@ YourObserver.com; Lesley Dwyer, LDwyer@YourObserver.com

Digital News Analytics and Marketing Strategist / Kaelyn Adix, KAdix@YourObserver.com

Digital News Editor / Eric Garwood, EGarwood@YourObserver.com

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Small events make Lakewood Ranch a big draw

t’s a two-parade weekend on Nov. 8-9 for East County.

Who doesn’t like a big event with plenty of live entertainment, fun for the kids and great food and drink?

You have your pick between the Santa’s Grand Arrival Parade on Oct. 8 at UTC and the Tribute to Heroes Parade in Lakewood Ranch. Lots of fun and thousands upon thousands of people.

And while I love those major events — the parades, the upcoming Senior PGA Championship at The Concession, the rowing events at Nathan Benderson Park, et al. — those aren’t what make Lakewood Ranch so special. They are just bonuses.

In my mind, it’s all the little stuff — the parks, the clubs, the activities

— that you can do any day, and the people you meet while you’re doing it, that make our community world class.

Take, for example, the Lake Club’s Patty Notarianni, who I am going to describe as a perfectly imperfect artist.

I went to Notarianni’s home to preview the upcoming Creative Arts Association of Lakewood Ranch’s 23rd annual Fall Art Show and Sale

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 15 at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall. It would be fair to say the artists at this show aren’t worried about drawing the masses. This is more about connecting with people with similar interests, exchanging ideas and selling off a few projects to help finance future endeavors.

Notarianni was quick to explain

that her home was starting to fill up with her own projects, so the Fall Art Show and Sale would be a good opportunity to downsize her inventory.

Her primary interest in art has more to do with wine glasses, or should I say, what’s in them.

Sure, she has created beautiful resin and acrylic pieces that adorn her walls and tabletops, but the experience of creating is more important to her than the creation. She has converted a room in her home to a she-cave, artist’s studio.

A large rectangular table sits in the middle of the room, with plenty of space on each side for those who want to accompany her on each journey. She hosts interested Lake Club residents about once a month, varying the subject matter. Those

IF YOU GO

What: Creative Arts Association of Lakewood Ranch’s 23rd annual Fall Art Show and Sale When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 15

Where: Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, 8175 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. More information: Visit CAALR.com/.

who attend had better be able to work with one hand, because it’s likely a glass of wine will be in the other.

“We just have fun, and I love it,”

Notarianni said with a huge smile.

“We have some wine ... we talk ... we socialize.”

With that said, Notarianni wanted to show me how it all works. I bellied up to the table, and she went into a box to grab a plain wine glass. She was going to walk me through the process of “alcohol ink.”

Being a writer, I certainly know ink. And, alcohol? Yes, I know that one, too.

But it’s not the kind of alcohol I might have expected.

Alcohol inks create vibrant, fastdrying art on nonporous surfaces like glass, metal and tile. If I did a good job, I would have a drinking glass that Vincent van Gogh could appreciate.

So I squirted a little on this side of the glass, and then some on the other side, twirled it a bit, and it went everywhere.

Patty stood behind me like I was a Cub Scout, giving me a den mother’s advice.

“You’re doing great!”

Liar, liar, pants on fire.

She explained whether it involves alcohol ink or resign, there is an uncontrollable flow that kind of does its own thing once you release it. Considering I have trouble drawing stick men, that was good news.

So a squirt here and a squirt there, and I was finished. Patty, who wasn’t all that interested in art as a child because she wanted to be

an ace in business (“So I could take care of myself”), covered my glass with a liquid hardener and wrapped it for my ride home. Just call me J. the Artist.

Patty’s optimism, humor and gentle instruction all made me jealous of what her friends in the Lake Club see on a regular basis. Those who attend the Fall Art Show and Sale will understand what I mean. For those who want to contact her, send a note to Patty50@yahoo.com.

How can you not love an artist who has things covered in her studio because, “It could get messy?”

Being an anti-artist, I appreciate that Notarianni can also see the beauty in a project gone wrong. She has one resin creation sitting on a table that simply fell over in the process. She never blinked, kind of mushed it together and added another layer, and wow!

“It’s not at all what I imagined,” she said of that piece. “But I like it.”

For those keeping score at home, resin art is a medium that uses an epoxy resin and a hardener, that when mixed, produces a glossy, plastic-like material. Artists mix pigments and additives into the liquid resin to create their designs. The colored mixture can be poured onto a surface to create abstract patterns, and can be used to host glitters or shells. Patty is certainly a smart cookie, because she didn’t ask me to do any resin art.

In my own technical terms, what I did was, “Squirt, squirt, swirl, swirl, spray, spray.”

It was a totally enjoyable afternoon, visiting with one of Lakewood Ranch’s most valuable resources ... its residents.

Jay Heater is the managing editor for the East County Observer. Contact him at JHeater@ YourObserver.com.

‘I would still serve today’

Lakewood Ranch’s Herman Martinez says his love of America and veterans still burns bright.

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

It wasn’t the ending Herman Martinez expected would cap his active duty soldier’s story.

It was 1972 when Martinez, an Army sergeant, got off an airplane in Oakland after returning to the United States from Vietnam. He and his fellow solders were told that in gratitude for their services, they would be treated to a steak dinner.

Martinez wasn’t really interested,

A SOLDIER’S STORY

Who: Herman Martinez

Lives: Del Webb at Lakewood Ranch

Age: 75

Family: Wife — Linda Chambers; son — Keith Martinez; daughter — Suzanne Martinez Simpson Service: A sergeant and helicopter gunner for the U.S. Army (You can see info about helicopter gunners in Vietnam by going to YouTube.com/ Watch?V=MgQFG712xL4.)

A Vietnam regret — On Christmas Eve 1971, Martinez locked eyes with a homeless 8-yearold, Chan, whose parents had been killed. Chan didn’t speak English, but he was taken by Martinez and followed him around. They formed a bond. When Martinez went back to his base, Chan walked for miles and then snuck onto the base. Martinez started the process of adopting Chan, but was turned down. They eventually lost track of each other. “I was heartbroken,” Martinez said.

so he and two of his fellow soldiers climbed in a cab to leave the airport.

The cab driver took a look at his passengers and said, “Could you duck down? I don’t want anyone to see you.

“I don’t want bottles or rocks to be thrown at us.”

Considering he spent more than a year fighting for his country in Vietnam, Martinez didn’t expect that greeting.

“That incident will never go away,” he said.

As awful as it was, it didn’t dampen his feelings about America.

“It made me want to fight for what this country stands for,” he said. “I was more determined than ever to do something with my life.”

Despite numerous health problems caused by exposure to Agent Orange (a powerful herbicide mixture used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War to defoliate trees and destroy enemy cover), Martinez continues to support his fellow veterans, and America, in any manner he can.

When the Tribute to Heroes Parade runs its course through Main Street at Lakewood Ranch on Nov. 9, Martinez will be working the crowd, trying to spread information about his Lakewood Ranch Association of Veterans and Military Supporters or about the VFW Braden River Post 12055, where he serves as vice commander.

Martinez has been a longtime supporter of the Tribute to Heroes Parade, and he said he doesn’t mind that this year it is being held on the Sunday before Veterans Day, as opposed to its longtime spot on the calendar on Memorial Day weekend.

“The honor is the same and the recognition is the same,” he said. “I am grateful for what they do for the veterans.”

Normally, Martinez, 75, said he

would be marching in the parade, but this year he is heading the VFW’s membership campaign, and he will be spending his time trying to recruit new members.

“We’re not getting new faces,” he said. “My goal is to keep the spirit alive.”

His spirit always has burned brightly.

“I was born in Colombia,” he said.

“And we came here to Miami when I was 9 years old. It was financially rough for my family, but we were grateful America had received us. We were poor, but we were rich in love and affection.”

When he was 19, Martinez thought he could help his family best by joining the military. So in January 1970, Martinez was sent with his fellow U.S. Army soldiers to Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam. He was part of a team that supplied bombs and supplies to Army bases.

He quickly accepted a change in assignments.

“They were asking for volunteers to be helicopter gunners,” he said. “They were short.”

His helicopter would support convoys to Army fire bases.

“We were under attack a couple of

times,” he said.

Helicopter gunners filled one of the most dangerous roles in the Vietnam War.

“The doors would open, and you would have on a harness,” Martinez said. “You were strapped in with a M60 (7.62 mm machine gun).”

The pilot would try to keep the gunner on the side of the helicopter away from incoming fire, but the gunner was needed to support the troops on the ground or to counter enemy forces firing upon the helicopter.

“The pilot depended on me, and I depended on him,” Martinez said.

“By the grace of God we survived.”

According to U.S. military records, the U.S. lost 5,607 helicopters or about 47% of the 12,000 who served in Vietnam.

Even so, it took a plane ride back to the U.S. to cause him the most fear.

“The worst feeling was when I got on the airplane to come home,” Martinez said. “I was surrounded by strangers. You could hear a pin drop on the airplane. You were leaving your comrades and you had no idea what was waiting for you at home.”

After the incident with the cab driver, Martinez began his work -

IF YOU GO

The Tribute to Heroes Parade. The pre-parade festivities begin at 2 p.m. and the parade begins at 4 p.m. Nov. 9 at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch. The event is free.

Features: A block party that begins at 2 p.m. features patriotic entertainment, food and drinks, fun activities for the kids and more. The parade, which is expected to draw thousands of spectators, has entries that include a high school marching band, community groups, and veteran groups. The main sponsor is Veteran Air.

Benefits: Proceeds benefit the Del Webb Lakewood Ranch Association of Veterans and Military Supporters and VFW Braden River Post 12055.

ing life in law enforcement, and in 1979 began as a special agent with the Department of Justice. He later served with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office as commander, special investigators division, from 1989 to 2006.

His many health issues caused by the Agent Orange exposure caused him to cut short his law enforcement career.

“I kept it very quiet,” he said about his physical problems. “They had tried to treat the symptoms first and I was having tremendous headaches. I felt weak and I was having one test after another. I was having cancer issues and severe PTSD.”

He never thought about Agent Orange when he was a soldier.

“When we landed, you never knew if you were exposed, and there was so much denial by our government.” Martinez will be telling his story during the Tribute to Heroes Parade.

“Kids will ask, ‘Did you kill anyone?’” Martinez said. “But it’s not about that. It is about liberation. It is about helping people in need.” Does he regret anything about his service?

“If I was called, I would still serve today,” he said.

Emerson Lakes℠ is now accepting reservations! Our first phase of construction is now underway. This includes the beautiful Coral Ridge Clubhouse and three residence buildings: Sandhill Point, anticipated to open in the fall of 2026, followed by Laguna Springs and Mangrove Run, opening in the first half of 2027. Here are just a few resort-style amenities you can

• Multiple dining venues

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Bold design. Breathtaking views. Boundless possibilities. This is 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, Kolter Urban’s newest luxury development at the Quay waterfront district. Here, striking condominium residences will mingle effortlessly with a hospitality-inspired lifestyle, overlooking The Bay Park, Sarasota Bay and the Quay Harbor. We invite you to be among the first to discover this curated collection of premium amenities and coastal urban indulgences. Come live the art of having it all. 1- to 3-Bedroom Bayfront Residences priced from $1.5 Million.

Optimal Outcomes builds a second HealthPark in Lakewood Ranch

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

With its HealthPark I being such a success in Lakewood Ranch, it only made sense that Optimal Outcomes would come back with HealthPark II, another Class A medical office building.

Patrick Marston, the principal for St. Petersburg-based Optimal Outcomes, said Nov. 3 that his company would break ground on a 50,000-square-foot structure early in 2026.

“Everyone has heard about Lakewood Ranch’s demographics and growth, so we’re very happy,” Marston said. “We’ve already had an exceptional amount of interest. We’re only a baseball’s throw from (HealthPark I). We wanted to buy the property next door, but Orlando Health bought the 30 acres adjacent to it.”

HealthPark I, 5985 Silver Falls Run, has anchor tenants Florida Cancer Specialists and 360 Orthopedics. Marston said he hopes to attract two anchor tenants that would require 10,000 square feet or more for HealthPark II, and he believes he has some strong leads. HealthPark II will be located on 5 acres at 6035 Silver Falls Run.

Optimal Outcomes bills it as a “central hub for outpatient care in the Sarasota-Bradenton region.”

It said the building is designed to “accommodate a variety of medical users including multispecialty groups, imaging centers, outpatient surgery, and cardiovascular. It will deliver high-visibility, purposebuilt space in a market with limited new Class A medical office supply.”

Optimal Outcomes is a health care real estate development company.

“This is all we do,” Marston said of building medical-specific building. We have multiple projects all around Florida. The challenge of building in Lakewood Ranch is that they are out

of commercial real estate entitlements.”

Marston said medical construction is much different than other kinds.

“We don’t build apartments, retail or office buildings,” he said. “There are a lot of nuances involved and everything is custom designed. If you make a mistake (in HealthPark construction), the cost can be monumental. We try to anticipate everything, but it never works that way. It’s more of an art than a science.

“Everything we do is below the hospital level, but so far beyond typical retail construction.”

Silver Falls Run sits in what had been designated as Lakewood Ranch’s CORE project, which stands for Collaboration Opportunities for Research and Exploration.

Marston said the makeup of the immediate area, which includes Erickson Senior Living’s 84-acre senior living development, and Orlando Health’s planned hospital, which makes it perfect for HealthPark I and HealthPark II.

He said given the growth of planned growth of Lakewood Ranch, there will be an “ever-increasing” demand for healthcare services. He said his company certainly would be interested in more building opportunities in Lakewood Ranch if space is available.

Family Passion Fuels Culinary Legacy

BY GANGES RESTAURANT & BAR

The Sureddy family opened their first Tikka Indian Cuisine in Venice in 2018, when Radha Krishna Sureddy decided to follow his lifelong passion for food and hospitality. After years in convenience and liquor stores, he wanted something that reflected culture, warmth, and community.

His wife, Crystal, supported that dream, shaping Tikka’s

inviting ambiance and polished service style. The standards she created became the foundation of every future location—earning the restaurant glowing, lasting reviews.

Just before Tikka opened, Pallavi moved to the United States to join what she calls her “American family.” Though she knew nothing about restaurants or cooking, her education and technology background quickly proved essential. She built Tikka’s early digital systems—from its website to online ordering and point-ofsale—and learned the business beside Radha Krishna and Crystal. Today, Pallavi oversees all four locations, keeping their operations consistent and guest-focused. Radha Krishna, who had prior kitchen experience, kept learning long after opening day—studying cookbooks, taking classes, and

Autumn Fest makes a sweet return

The fundraiser hosted by the St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church’s Philoptochos Society will donate a percentage of the proceeds to Stillpoint Mission.

MADISON BIERL STAFF WRITER

For Pat Trempelas, making Greek butter cookies — koulourakia — is second nature.

She can determine how much dough she needs without weighing it, and then rolls the dough into spirals with ease. Without even thinking about it, she makes them consistent in size and shape.

Trempelas began making the cookies when she was 12, and she said that has been one part of her family heritage.

“Our culture is very rich, but it’s not just about food,” Trempelas said. “Food is part of our culture and so is our dance, our language, the way we entertain people. For me, (making the cookies) is part of our hospitality, sharing with people.”

Trempelas currently is serving as the second vice president of the St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church’s Philoptochos Society. She has been a part of the chapter for eight years and has been on the board for six.

The St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church’s Philoptochos Society is preparing to host Autumn Fest, which is their opportunity to present Greek culture through food, music and dance. Proceeds from the event go toward assisting worthy causes.

IF YOU GO

What: St. Barbara Philoptochos Society’s Autumn Fest

When: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 7-8

Where: St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church, 7671 N. Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota

Highlights: Various Greek foods will be available for purchase including pastitsio, gyros, lamb shanks, dolmathes, spanakopita and tyropita.

Pastries will include finikia, koulouria, kourabiedes, tsoureki, baklava, galatobouriko and fruit tarts. There will also be a thrift store and grocery store. A percentage of the proceeds will benefit Stillpoint Mission.

refining recipes through pure passion and care for people. His creativity, paired with Pallavi’s systems mindset, transformed Tikka into a restaurant that’s both authentic and modern.

By 2023, the Yelp award naming Tikka the second-best restaurant in Florida confirmed their growing impact. Expansion soon followed: Spice Indian Cuisine on Clark Road in Sarasota, led by longtime Tikka chef Shaju and his wife Josheela, who left nursing to manage the front of house; and Tikka Indian Cuisine on Fruitville Road, extending their signature flavors to more diners.

Their latest venture, Ganges Restaurant & Bar in The Meadows, reimagines Indian cuisine through a fine-dining lens. Partnering with Michelin-trained chefs, the team now aims even higher.

“They want a Michelin star and nothing less,” Pallavi said. “Every guest who dines with us becomes part of that journey.”

For menus and reservations, visit gangessarasota.com.

Ganges Restaurant 5013 Ringwood Meadow, Sarasota, FL 34235 gangessarasota.com

941.203.5933

Tikka Indian Cuisine

5445 Fruitville Road, Sarasota FL 34232 tikkasarasota.com

941.413.5691

Spice Indian Cuisine 3550 Clark Road, Sarasota, FL 34231 spicesarasota.com 941.924.7222

Tikka Indian Cuisine

525A US Highway 41 Bypass, Venice, FL 34285 tikkaindian.com 941.303.5073

The event is 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 7-8.

This year, a percentage of what is raised will be donated to Stillpoint Mission. Stillpoint Mission is a volunteer-run organization in Bradenton that works to provide necessities such as food, hygiene items, diapers and more to those in need.

“Everything that’s given to them goes straight back to the population,” said Connie Chaltis, the president of the society. “That was something that we really felt strongly about.”

Chaltis has been an active member of the church since 1978 and has been involved in Autumn Fest for the last 10 years.

“We want to share the goodness (of Greek food and culture) and the way it makes us feel,” Chaltis said.

There will be a thrift shop and a variety of fresh Greek cuisine and desserts for sale, as well.

Effie Stratis will be cooking pastitsio, a Greek pasta with cream

sauce. Her father, Demetrios Stratis, was a Greek immigrant who had a passion for cooking. He passed the passion to Stratis, who soaked in everything.

“He never had recipes, so you sat and you observed,” Stratis said.

Peggy Doukas, the treasurer of the society, appreciates that the community supports the event.

“I’m not a cook, I’m not a baker but I certainly enjoy the enthusiasm that everybody demonstrates when they come to buy the pastries, and we sell out,” Doukas said. “It’s wonderful to see that people know what they’re ordering and that they’re taking pastries home.”

Doukas said if they raise between $7,500 and $10,000, it will be considered a successful fundraiser.

It’s Time to Give Your MEDICARE COVERAGE

A CHECKUP

To help people with Medicare make informed decisions for the coming year, Sarasota Memorial offers this information about Medicare Open Enrollment, now taking place through December 7.

This year, Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period runs from October 15 through December 7. During this time, Medicare recipients can make changes to their health and prescription drug coverage, including:

 returning to Original Medicare (also known as Traditional Medicare)

 joining a Medicare Advantage Plan or switching from one plan to another

 joining or changing prescription drug plans

Health and prescription drug plans can change from year to year, so it’s important to review your coverage during Open Enrollment to ensure it meets your needs. Any changes made during Open Enrollment will go into effect on January 1, 2026.

ORIGINAL MEDICARE (“Traditional”)

Sarasota Memorial and First Physicians Group (FPG) always accept all Original Medicare and Medicare/Medigap Traditional supplemental plans.

Advantage Plans (Part C Plans) IN-NETWORK with Sarasota Memorial and FPG as of January 1, 2026.

Aetna

Florida Blue*

Florida Blue HMO*

Florida Complete Care

Freedom Health*

Optimum Healthcare*

Wellcare

Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C Plans) OUT-OF-NETWORK with Sarasota Memorial and FPG as of January 1, 2026.

American Health Advantage

Devoted Health

Gold Kidney Health

Healthspring

Humana

Longevity Health Plan

Ultimate Health

If you have already made your Medicare selections for the coming year, you can make additional changes through December 7, 2025.

SPORTS

“It’s just a stress-reliever. I can run; I can get all my emotions out — nobody’s judging me.”

—

Lakewood Ranch High’s Addison Shear SEE PAGE 19A

TIME FOR THE END RUN

ODA senior Kevin Gyurka has put his stamp on three Out-ofDoor Academy sports programs but wants to finish with a rush.

JACK NELSON SPORTS REPORTER

Kindergarten teachers recognize hard work and good behavior. Incentives can be a useful tool to help children navigate fundamental math and literacy skills. Sometimes, those are tangible items like gold stars or special privileges, such as being the line leader for a day.

Kevin Gyurka’s kindergarten teacher at Tatum Ridge Elementary, Laura Graber, once gave him a Run Gasparilla 5K medal for being a good student. She had earned it as a runner herself.

“I remember getting that,” Gyurka said. “I still have that hanging in my room.”

Running competitively wasn’t exactly on his radar as a child, but as those elementary school years transpired, he kept on joining after-school running programs. Being the fastest or doing the most laps became a sought-after status symbol of sorts. Graber’s medal has more than a little company these days.

Now a senior at The Out-of-Door Academy, Gyurka has spent the better part of three years leaving opponents behind. His name is already in the school record books several months before he claims his diploma at graduation.

As a three-sport athlete competing in cross-country, track and field and boys’ soccer, the long-distance runner holds school records for the boys’ 5K, 3,200 meters and 4x800 relay races. He also ranks second in the 1,600-meter race, fifth in the 400-meter and sixth in the 800-meter.

Gyurka set the school record with a 15:48.7 in the 5K on Sept. 20 at the North Port XC Invite. In his latest action Nov. 1 at the Tri-County Championship, he raised the bar a little higher with a 5:48.6. He finished sixth in the race, behind five IMG Academy runners.

But he doesn’t bother touting his accomplishments.

“He doesn’t brag. He’s humble, but he’s so driven,” said Erin Mulvihill, the ODA cross-country and track and field coach. “And I think that’s what attracts kids to him — that he’s an exceptional runner, but he doesn’t act like he is.”

An illustrious resume, though, gives Gyurka plenty to boast about.

Since transferring from Riverview to ODA ahead of his sophomore year, he’s racked up 19 first-place finishes across all disciplines, per the Track and Field Results Reporting System. There could be more. Cross-coun-

try is nearing its end with the FHSAA postseason beginning Nov. 3 at district meets, but the track and field season has yet to begin.

“This year, I’m definitely focusing more, taking it maybe just a little too serious,” Gyurka said. “But I think I need that to be as good as I could be.”

Besides Graber, who also inspired him to try track in fourth grade, he didn’t get a push from anyone else to be a runner.

Neither his father, Janos Gyurka, nor his mother, Andrea Wurst, have histories with the sport. Though his brother, Daniel Gyurka, races with Sarasota cross-country, he’s still only a freshman.

Kevin Gyurka once had aspirations of performing in a different arena.

“Everyone I had around me just played sports,” Gyurka said. “I thought I’d be a soccer pro when I grew up, so that was like a dream when I was a little kid.”

Cross-country actually sits lowest on his list of personal preferences.

Track and field is his greatest passion, while soccer comes second. He tallied six goals and five assists for ODA boys’ soccer in 2024-25. His squad reached the FHSAA Class 1A regional finals.

But his greatest sports exploits have come without a soccer ball at his feet. He began building a run ning resume at Riverview with nine top-10 finishes in 12 races during the 2023 track and field season.

The program just wasn’t right for him, and even after he made the move to ODA, there was turmoil.

Former coach Jay Roper depart ed the program after the 2023-24 academic year as Mulvihill stepped in.

“(Gyurka) wasn’t in a really great place emotionally,” Mul vihill said. “When I first met him as his coach, he was coming out of soccer and strug gling a little bit with the belief in himself, and even the ‘why’ of why he’s doing it.”

His junior year had its share of trials and tribulations.

As a sophomore, he placed third in the 3,200 and fifth in the 4x800 at the FHSAA 1A track and field state cham pionships. That performance surprised even himself, and as a result, his hopes for 2024-25 soared.

That season never met his expectations, as his junior track

KEVIN GYURKA’S TOP TIMES CROSS-COUNTRY

15:48.6 set on Nov. 1, 2025 3.1 mile: 17:22.1 set on Aug. 30, 2025 5 mile: 16:35.6 set on Sept. 6, 2025

TRACK AND FIELD

400 meters: 53.01 set on March 8, 2024 800 meters: 2:02.15 set on March 1, 2024

1,600 meters: 4:23.66 set on April 25, 2025

3,200 meters: 9:28.28 set on May 15, 2024

and field season went about the same as it did when he was a sophomore.

“I put all this training into the same results. It was kind of frustrating, and definitely hard,” Gyurka said. “But I took a little break, tried not putting so much pressure on myself.”

As a senior, he has won the Venice Invitational and King’s Invitational on Aug. 30 and Oct. 25, respectively, and has placed top 10 in five of his seven meets.

He isn’t worried about people remembering him at ODA because of his records.

“I hope people remember me for being me. I don’t want them to be like, ‘Oh, he’s the kid who broke the school record,’” Gyurka said. “I want them to have memories of me, just walking through the hallway.”

The finishing touches on his crosscountry career come later this month with FHSAA district meets Nov. 3-8, followed by regionals from Nov. 12-15 and the state meet Nov. 22. His favorite time of year — track and field season — will arrive in the spring.

And Graber’s medal that started it all?

FAST BREAK

TIt still hangs in his bedroom after all these years. His own medals have piled up alongside it, and there’s still space

he Out-of-Door Academy football team (8-2) advanced to the quarterfinals of the SSAA 11-man state championship thanks to a 21-7 win Oct. 31 over visiting Seffner Christian (7-4). The Thunder entered halftime locked into a scoreless tie, but had a pick-six by junior linebacker/safety Devin Erdei in the third quarter and scored 15 points in the fourth to knock out the Crusaders. Senior running back Allen Clark had a 2-point conversion and two rushing touchdowns to push his season total to 14. ODA will face Jupiter Christian (9-1) at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 7 at William T. Dwyer High School. ... The Lakewood Ranch swimming and diving team had multiple medalists at the FHSAA Class 4A District 9 championship on Nov. 1. On the girls’ side, the quartet of senior Zharra Conner, freshman Leah Abrams, sophomore Kiley Renick and senior Payton Griffin placed second in 1:45.24 in the 200-meter freestyle relay. They also secured bronze in the 200-meter medley relay at 1:56.31 mark. In the 400-meter freestyle relay, it was the team of sophomore Marie Simony junior Kayla Goodwin, junior Raina Prines and freshman Payton Portale who represented the Mustangs on the podium, clocking a 3:58.98 to finish third. On the boys’ side, the combination of senior Kyle Goodwin, junior Caden Fluck, sophomore Jaxon Griffin and junior Daniel Snitkovsky earned third in the 200-meter medley relay with a 1:44.62. ... The pairings of Grant Dow and Tracie Hanes, as well as Craig and Pam Dwight, won the Nov. 1 Gridiron Fall Fest Tourney at the University Park Country Club. In the team low net format, they scored a 55.8 — 2.6 better than the secondplace tandems of Jim and Michele Dangelo and Bill and Jackie Diehl

Local football programs still battling mediocrity

The 2025 football season wasn’t all that kind to local public high schools.

While nearby programs are gearing up for the postseason, Lakewood Ranch and Braden River high schools are bound for the offseason.

The high hopes of late summer came crashing down at the final whistle of Week 10. Braden River (4-6) and Lakewood Ranch (4-6) both finished with losing records. It marked the fourth-straight year at .500 or worse for the Pirates, who are now a combined 6-13 in two years under coach Jason Grain. The Mustangs, who were coming off a winning season in 2024, are 14-18 since Scott Paravicini took the helm ahead of the 2023 season.

The two leaders have been working to build their respective cultures and find players who fit their vision. Whatever hard work they’ve done still has fallen short of where they want to be. There remains something greater out there to be accomplished.

Talent would seem to be out there for the taking. Neighboring public programs Parrish Community, Booker and Southeast provide plenty of proof.

Each of them were successful this regular season. They went 26-4 combined as the Tornadoes won District 3A-11. The Bulls and Seminoles, meanwhile, wound up second in Districts 6A-11 and 4A-11, respectively.

As of the Oct. 28 FHSAA rankings, all three of those teams place within the top 30 of their classifications. Booker is No. 3 in 3A and No. 16 overall, while Parrish Community is No. 13 in 6A and Southeast is No. 30 in 4A.

The Mustangs are No. 52 in 6A.

The Pirates are No. 48 in 5A.

Obviously, the coaches have to find a way to attract the missing pieces.

Paravicini knows that reality.

“Obviously, what we’ve got to do is figure out something we’ve been plagued by while I’ve been here — transfers,” Paravicini said.

“It’s worked out for some guys who have left, and hasn’t worked out for others. We’ve got to do a good job of getting the guys in our building to stay.”

Lakewood Ranch had momentum. The squad improved from 4-7 in 2023 to 6-5 in 2024. Initially, an upward trend seemed to be in the cards with several playmakers poised to return.

But then junior quarterback Liam Fernandez and junior running back Colton Dempsey transferred to Southeast and Sarasota, respectively. Five other players followed them, leaving the Mustangs with just one returning player for 2025 who had scored a touchdown the season prior.

Grain had to start from scratch when former coach Curt Bradley left for Southeast and a tidal wave of staff and players followed him.

“It’s the landscape. Today, whenever you have changes, you’re going to have roster attrition,” Grain said. “That hasn’t been the greatest thing, but it’s a credit to our players that they’ve fought and done what they’ve done.”

For the Pirates, it’s been about trying to recover from the loss of Bradley — who coached at Braden River from 2012 to 2023 and who oversaw the program’s glory days.

Braden River was rockin’ and rollin’ under his tutelage in the mid-2010s. It assembled a 32-4 record from 2014 to 2016, even

reaching the 2015 FHSAA Class 7A state semifinals. As recently as 2021, Bradley guided the team to nine wins and the 6A regional semifinals.

In the eyes of Braden River Athletic Director Matt Nesser, another factor was just as tough on the program as Bradley leaving. He said the program has not been the same since the opening of Parrish Community High School in August 2019.

“When Parrish came in, (the School District of Manatee County) rezoned Braden River’s area, and that hurt us,” Nesser said. “They took a big portion of our people and moved it actually up to the northern school at Parrish. So hopefully they could rezone the proper way — and keep everybody south of the river toward us.”

Kent Ringquist, Lakewood Ranch’s athletic director, would not comment on Mustangs football program, instead requesting that all questions be directed to Paravicini.

Beyond the transfer problem, both Grain and Paravicini pointed out that winning is a process. It

comes with time.

There’s truth to that. Though they’ve had time to establish foundations, neither of them have been in charge long enough to see a player stick with their program for four years.

That being said, coaching and development can make a winning difference, but ultimately, elite athletes are necessary to play an elite brand of football.

Grain also noted that Braden River’s strength of schedule this season was a major factor in their results.

“I’m pretty pleased with the kids’ effort,” Grain said. “Our margin for error is not very great. So it’s just really about ratcheting up the focus on little things.”

Paravicini, meanwhile, was candid about the heap of turnovers the Mustangs surrendered in 2025, and how offseason transfers put multiple inexperienced players in starting positions.

Both Grain and Paravicini affirmed that their respective athletic departments have given them

the tools required to win.

“Failure or success is based upon us, and the opportunities that we have in front of us,” Paravicini said.

“Our admin is supportive. They give us what we need.”

Braden River and Lakewood Ranch may not have the sparkling track records that attract top talent, but it’s a coach’s job to be a billboard for their program. They have to sell prospective players on what’s possible.

Neighboring programs are evidence that a winning future is possible for both teams. There’s talent to be had.

The task is to find and keep it.

Jack Nelson is the sports reporter for the East County and Sarasota/Siesta Key Observers. Contact him at JNelson@ YourObserver.com.

Addison Shear

Addison Shear was one of 11 Lakewood Ranch High girls cross country runners to set a personal best Nov. 1 at the Tri-County Championship at North Port High. Shear, a junior, clocked a 20:02.4 to place 23rd overall in the 5K race, which featured 15 schools from Charlotte, Manatee and Sarasota counties. It smashed her previous best time by 54 seconds. Shear is the East County Athlete of the Week.

When and why did you start running?

I guess it all started when I was first born. My mom told me I was running in the womb, and I was born three months early. I was born as a runner. I ran a bunch of 5Ks when I was 8 years old, then I started cross country in seventh grade. This is my first year in high school that (I’ve done) cross country. I used to be in marching band, but then Coach (Rae Ann Darling Reed) recruited me.

On any given day, what do you enjoy most about getting out on the course?

It’s just a stress-reliever. I can run; I can get all my emotions out — nobody’s judging me. I can just do whatever.

What has been the highlight of your season so far?

I’ve met a lot of great friends. I met this whole team, and they’re absolutely amazing.

Now that the postseason is coming up, how are you preparing for top competition?

The practices are very hard and tiring, so I just think, “I have to get through this practice, and then I’ll be done. I can go home.”

I’ll just feel good that I got the workout done, because if I’m lazy about it, then I just go home and I’m like, “I could have done better.” I need to push myself in a way that gets me the results that I want.

If you would like to make a recommendation for the East County Observer’s Athlete of the Week feature, send it to JNelson@YourObserver.com.

When you’re not running, how do you spend your free time?

I play the trumpet, hang out with my friends and go to church.

What’s one quote, if any, that you live your life by?

In the Bible, Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” That’s what I go with. I write it on my arm sometimes while I’m running, and it motivates me. It’s a reminder that I can do anything.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?

I guess to read minds, so I could know how others think of me. That would just be cool to know what they’re thinking.

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go and why?

I’d go to Tennessee again, because my grandma lives there, and I like visiting her.

What is your favorite movie?

I recently watched a movie called “Remember The Goal.” I watched it with (my team). It was motiva-

Finish this sentence. Addison Shear is ...

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

A Premier feast

Ryan Brems, president of the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch, knows that when the mess is cleaned up from the 2,000 people attending the 23rd Suncoast Food and Wine Fest at Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch on Nov. 1, the big picture will become clear.

“This is all going back to the community,” he said of the proceeds.

Brems said more than $150,000 will go to those in need in the community in the form of grants from the Rotary.

More than 50 local restaurants donated food to the cause, and a host of wine vendors kept the glasses full all day.

Brems said the Rotary probably could have drawn more than 2,000 people, but he capped tickets at that mark.

Twisted Pit owner Evan Percoco was just one of the many vendors who gave out food.

“We love giving back to the community,” Percoco said. “In the two years that we have been doing business at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch, we no longer have guests. We just have friends.”

Fleming’s General Manager Alyssa Hoskinson said she loves the event because it’s just “people meeting people.”

— JAY HEATER

Brems said that more than 200 Rotarians volunteered on Nov. 1, and the day before and the day after, to make the event go smoothly. He said another 50 members worked behind the scenes to make the event a success.

Fleming’s General Manager Alyssa Hoskinson has her hands full with a plate of carpaccio at the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest on Nov. 1 in Lakewood Ranch.

WELCOMES

Amir Boubekri, MD

Dr. Amir Boubekri brings to Intercoastal Medical Group at the Lakewood Ranch I office a wealth of knowledge and experience in Orthopedic Medicine.

Undergraduate: University of Illinois, Urbana, IL

Medical School: University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL

Residency: Orthopedic Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL

Fellowship: Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship, Washington University, St. Louis, MO

Certification: Board Eligible, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery

Hospital Affiliations: Sarasota Memorial Hospital; Sarasota Doctors Hospital; Lakewood Ranch Medical Center

YOUR CALENDAR

COMMUNITY

THURSDAY, NOV. 6 THROUGH

SUNDAY, NOV. 9

LIVE MUSIC AT JIGGS LANDING

Runs from 4-7 p.m. each day at Jiggs Landing, 6106 63rd St. E., Bradenton. The live music lineup at Jiggs Landing includes Steve Arvey (Thursday), Blue Grass Pirates (Friday), Bon Fire Jam Band (Saturday), and Kid Red (Sunday). The Friday and Saturday shows are $5; the others are free. For information, go to JiggsLanding.com.

FRIDAY, NOV. 7

MUSIC ON MAIN

Runs from 6-9 p.m. at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch. Jesse Daniels, who performs country, rock and soul, will be the featured performer in the monthly free concert and block party series.

FRIDAY NOV. 7 AND

SATURDAY. NOV. 8

MUSIC AT THE PLAZA

Runs from 6-9 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1561 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. Singer/songwriter Sara Nelms entertains the crowd on Friday while Nashville Recording artist Bobby James performs on Saturday. For more information about the free music series, go to WatersidePlace. com.

SATURDAY, NOV. 8

ARTS AND CRAFTS SHOW

Runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Waterlefe River Club, 995 Fish Hook Cove, Bradenton. The Manatee River Artists Guild at Waterlefe is hosting its annual Arts and Crafts Show and Sale. The free event raises funds to benefit visual arts programs for local school-aged children. A silent auction will be held along with a raffle that will include an electric handmade guitar by Scott Nuss as a featured item. For information, send an email to JudyKS1013@gmail.com.

SATURDAY, NOV. 8 AND SUNDAY, NOV. 9

SARASOTA MEDIEVAL FAIR

Runs each day from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 29847 S.R. 70, Myakka City. The 21st annual Sarasota Medieval Fair returns with jousting, music and medieval merriment, running every Saturday and Sunday in November.

BEST BET

SATURDAY. NOV. 8

SANTA’S GRAND ARRIVAL PARADE

Pre-parade activities begin at 4 p.m. on Cattlemen Road at the Mall at University Town Center. The Santa’s Grand Arrival Parade event begins with a concert by NoFilter at 4 p.m., followed by a veterans’ tribute at 5:45 p.m. Then comes a special tree lighting, which features a crisscross high-wire act by siblings Nik and Lijana Wallenda, at 6 p.m. The parade, which features more than 60 entries that include floats and marching bands, starts at approximately 6:30 p.m. A fireworks show is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., and the postparade concert by We The Kings begins at 8 p.m. For more information, go to MallAtUTC.com.

Visitors step into history with jousting tournaments, artisan markets, live performances and family-friendly activities. For more information, go to SarasotaMedievalFair.com.

MUSIC AT THE LODGE Runs 6-9 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday at Linger Lodge, 7205 85th St. Court E., Bradenton. Linger Lodge’s live music schedule includes Brooke Hargrove on Saturday and Scotty Yates on Sunday.

SUNDAY, NOV. 9

FARMERS MARKET

Runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place, Lakewood Ranch. The Farmers Market will run year-round every Sunday. Vendors offer seafood, eggs, meats, dairy products, pastas, bakery goods, jams and more. Other features are children’s activities and live music.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 12

RANCH NITE WEDNESDAYS Runs from 6-9 p.m. at 1560 Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place. Join the crowd at Waterside Place enjoying the food trucks and live music or playing in the cornhole league during Ranch Nite Wednesdays. Weekly programming is offered each week in Gateway Park. No outside food or beverage is allowed. For more information, visit MyLWR.com.

Car show drives donations to St. Jude’s

lassic cars often come with classic stories.

Lakewood Ranch’s Rob Sebolt’s 1970 Oldsmobile 442 W30 convertible used to have mice living in it.

He salvaged the beauty out of a barn in Colorado six years ago.

“At night, I would just sit there and scour the web,” Sebolt said. “I was looking for this particular year and car because it was a childhood dream growing up.”

Now that he’s got the car of his dreams, Sebolt drives it all over Lakewood Ranch, including to Publix and the gym. It’s too much fun to drive to fear a “door ding.”

Sebolt and about 150 other car fanatics cruised to Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church on Nov. 1 for the seventh annual Car Show and Cookout.

The event is organized by the Knights of Columbus, San Damiano Assembly #3192, and benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Grand Knight Gordon Shellhaas said St. Jude was the charity of choice “by demand.”

“It’s amazing how many people participate because of St. Jude,” he said.

— LESLEY DWYER

Business roundup on the Ranch

om DiMaio, vice president of commercial services at Suncoast Credit Union, is no stranger to the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance’s Hob Nob networking event.

For the past 15 years, DiMaio has grown to appreciate the Western-themed dress and camaraderie the event presents.

“It’s one of the best business events in terms of seeing folks you might not have seen throughout the year,” DiMaio said. “The Alliance is all about bringing people together.”

DiMaio served as president and CEO of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance for two-anda-half years before current CEO and President Brittany Lamont took over.

Lamont noted the Hob Nob was taken over from the Bradenton Economic Development Corp. in 2023.

She said her favorite part of the event is matching businesses together to build partnerships. The event at the Lakewood Ranch Library was attended by 400 people.

Ryan McIntyre, a partner at McIntyre Elwell and Strammer General Contractors, has attended the Hob Nob a dozen times and said his company has been part of the event for more than 20 years.

He said the event provides a casual atmosphere to talk about both business and personal items.

“It’s a great time of year, and it’s always right before the holiday season starts,” McIntyre said. “The Business Alliance has done a great job taking the traditions that the EDC had set up and building upon those.”

THE SOONER THE BETTER

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LOCAL CLUB SPOTLIGHT

Jewish Club connects those with similar beliefs

Founded in 2010, the Lakewood Ranch Jewish Club has 500 active members who gather to connect with like-minded individuals.

When they lived in Baltimore, Maryland, Lakewood Ranch’s Irv and Suzanne Seff said they lived in a tight-knit Jewish community with easy access to Jewish foods, synagogues, organizations and more.

When the couple moved to Lakewood Ranch five years ago, they said they had to seek out people who held similar beliefs and traditions within the Jewish community.

“The majority of people that I

came in contact with (in Baltimore) were Jewish like myself, and when we moved here, we felt like we were in a different world,” Irv Seff said.

With 800 people on its email list and approximately 500 active members, the Lakewood Ranch Jewish Club’s goal is to bring people, such as the Seffs, together.

“Since we’ve become more active, our circle of friends has grown immensely,” said Irv Seff, who now serves as the club’s communications chair. “It’s a feeling like you’re never alone, that you’ve got somebody there for support and friendship.”

Suzanne Seff said she feels it is her duty to make other Jews in the community feel part of their family.

“With that comes the challenge of trying to do the work to form a solid Jewish community, and I believe we are doing that,” Suzanne Seff said.

The Seffs said several small groups have formed within the club already. Suzanne Seff serves as the small

LAKEWOOD RANCH

JEWISH

“The

interest group chair, and she said there has been talk of starting even more. Potential new groups include a group for singles, a book club and a Yiddish (a Jewish language) club.

The Jewish club holds a variety of educational, social and cultural events. With so many members, the events become networking opportunities. The events include field trips to live theatrical performances and gathering for meals at local restaurants. The club also holds health and wellness seminars.

Richard Josephson, a selfdescribed “ineffectively retired physician,” combines with Lee Frank to organize the health seminars roughly once a month. Topics have included or will include physical therapy, pain

relief, living independently in your home as you age, benefits of exercise, plant-based diets and Medicare issues.

Josephson moved from Ohio after being a snowbird. He joined the club in 2021.

“It’s fair to say most of us probably come here with some commonalities of a world view, but you would say that about many groups,” Josephson said. “Here it’s about peace, treating others with respect, education, charity and making the world a better place.”

Lakewood Ranch’s Steve Gold has been in the club for six months and is the social committee chair. He said he investigated the Jewish community before moving from New York because it is of great importance to him.

Both of his parents are survivors of the Holocaust, and he wants to make sure he does his part in making sure the Jewish community is strong.

“It’s important to understand that being Jewish isn’t just a religion or a culture,” said Frank. “It’s an identity that you have, whether you are spiritually active or not, you are Jewish. You are there for the good times and bad times.”

Suzanne Seff said an important part of being Jewish is giving back. In one event at All Faiths Food Bank, 16 volunteers from the club packed 1,200 bags of snacks. This experience stuck with her as it was a way to not only give back to the community, but also to bond and strengthen relationships.

“It’s about belonging to the group, so your birth religion is not as important as wanting to just hang out and have some spiritual and social thought,” said Saul Zuchman, president of the Lakewood Ranch Jewish Club.

Zuchman initially joined the club in 2023 before becoming a board member in April 2024. He became the president in January.

“I stepped into a leadership role to help nurture those bonds and ensure that every member feels seen, included, and valued,” Zuchman said. “There’s nothing more fulfilling than hearing someone say they made new friends at one of our events.”

Stoneybrook home tops sales at $950,000

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Ahome in Stoneybrook at Heritage Harbour on Camden Harbour Drive tops the week’s sales. Samir and Sona Thakkar, trustees, of Burtonsville, Maryland, sold the home at 7538 Camden Harbour Drive to Jon and Teresa Amundsen, of Bradenton, for $950,000. Built in 2003, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,838 square feet of living area. It sold for $807,500 in 2021.

MILL CREEK

Brian and Jennifer Pintacuda, trustees, of Bradenton, sold the home at 14018 18th Place E. to Donald Raymond Cahall III and Casey Sue Cahall, of Bradenton, for $925,000. Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,154 square feet of living area. It sold for $433,000 in 2009.

Leanne Elise Fowler, of Limestone, Tennessee, sold her home at 1127 133rd St. E. to Julia Alexandra Kostal, of Bradenton, for $500,000. Built in 1994, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,821 square feet of living area. It sold for $348,000 in 2020.

Judith Dunn and Donald Heckerman, of Bradenton, sold their home at 601 136th Court E. to Keri Hudson Else and Timothy Hudson, of Bradenton, for $393,000. Built in 1990, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,588 square feet of living area.

SAPPHIRE POINT

Stephen and Amanda Johnson, of Sarasota, sold their home at 5784 Bluestar Court to Christopher Charles Luther and Avery Hoven Luther, of Lakewood Ranch, for $899,500. Built in 2022, it has five bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,443 square feet of living area. It sold for $668,600 in 2022.

LAKEWOOD NATIONAL

Anthony Samuel Conte Jr. and Lisa Colby Burke, of Newbury, Massachusetts, sold their home at 5823 Cessna Run to Scot Schoeppler, of Bradenton, for $875,000. Built in 2017, it has two bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 1,870 square feet of living area. It sold for $875,000 in 2024.

GREENBROOK

Edward and Emily Pires, of Sarasota, sold their home at 14807 Bowfin Terrace to Prabhu and Megan Ramkumar, of Bradenton, for $850,000. Built in 2013, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,769 square feet of living area. It sold for $565,000 in 2021.

John Patrick Agan, of Tampa, sold his home at 14019 Nighthawk Terrace to Karen Medford, of Lakewood Ranch, for $689,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,393 square feet of living area. It sold for $281,100 in 2020.

Aubrey McKenzie and Burl Gehris, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 14255 Gnatcatcher Terrace to Angela Graziano, of Sayville, New York, for $450,000. Built in 2004, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,738 square feet of living area. It sold for $342,100 in 2022.

Scott and Erika Thurston, of Cary, North Carolina, sold their home at 14230 Cattle Egret Place to Yrny Yelitza Guilarte de Omana and Gustavo Adolfo Omana, of Lakewood Ranch, for $440,000. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,073 square feet of living area. It sold for $510,000 in 2023.

RIVERDALE REVISED Joseph Walsh, of Bradenton, sold his home at 4623 Blue Marlin Drive

to Aaron Michael Lineberger and Brittany Nikkole Lineberger, of Bradenton, for $800,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,637 square feet of living area. It sold for $700,000 in 2022.

ROSEDALE ADDITION

Luis and Kim Rocafort, trustees, of Parrish, sold the home at 10406 Eastwood Drive to Russell Patsel and Tracy Monroe Patsel, of Bradenton, for $750,000. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,519 square feet of living area. It sold for $807,000 in 2024.

MALLORY PARK

Andrew Rosin, Commissioner, of Bradenton, sold the home at 3248 Anchor Bay Trail to Steven and Karyn Minnix, of Bradenton, for $732,500. Built in 2019, it has four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,907 square feet of living area. It sold for $467,100 in 2019.

BRADEN WOODS

William White Bartley, as Personal Representative, and Lauri Palmer Beuchert, of Boca Raton, sold the home at 9211 66th Ave. Drive E. to Tyler and Kristina Logan, of Bradenton, for $725,500. Built in 1986, it has four bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,541 square feet of living area. It sold for $470,000 in 2017.

COUNTRY MEADOWS

Kurt and Laura Potter, of Bradenton, sold their home at 312 148th Court N.E. to Robert Scibelli, of Westbury, New York, for $715,000. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,844 square feet of living area. It sold for $490,000 in 2016.

POLO RUN

Russell Scott Campbell Jr. and Carrie Whitehead Campbell, of Bradenton, sold their home at 6503 Rosehill Farm Run to James and Adelina Munjone, of DeLand, for $685,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,268 square feet of living area. It sold for $775,000 in 2022.

SWEETWATER

Rebecca Jillian Stavis Cuthbertson and Kassim Mirza sold their home at 16816 Seraphic Trail to Maureen Boucher O’Regan, of Lakewood Ranch, for $618,000. Built in 2022, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,190 square feet of living area. It sold for $645,500 in 2022.

COUNTRY CLUB

Betty-Anne Vogt, trustee, of Newman, Georgia, sold the home at 6642 Oakland Hills Drive to Donald and Hazel Bohensky, of Lakewood Ranch, for $590,000. Built in 1998, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,134 square feet of living area.

GREENFIELD PLANTATION

Lon and Deborah Sparks, of Cincinnati, sold their home at 731 Planters Manor Way to Gary and Laura Perun, of Bradenton, for $537,500. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,226 square feet of living area. It sold for $282,000 in 2002.

SILVERLAKE

Savannah Nicole Grano and Nicholas Grano, of Sarasota, sold their home at 5011 60th Drive E. to Chloe Pereless, of Sarasota, for $536,000. Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,288 square feet of living area. It sold for $480,000 in 2022.

FAIRWAY LAKES AT PALM AIRE

COUNTRY CLUB

Bruce Lane and Hubert Francisco

Rojas Rodriguez, trustee, sold the home at 5854 Fairwoods Circle to Terrance De Vaughn Jackson and Lauren Cherie Daniels Jackson, of Sarasota, for $522,500. Built in 1996, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,059 square feet of living area. It sold for $490,000 in 2022.

STONEYBROOK AT HERITAGE

HARBOUR

Anthony and Emma Kiff sold their home at 8827 Stone Harbour Loop to Xiuchun Xie, of Bradenton, for $510,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and

1,976 square feet of living area. It sold for $171,000 in 2009.

WOODBROOK

Robert David Little and Angela Elder Little, of Bradenton, sold their home at 4616 Whispering Leaves Drive to Maria Teresa Iriarte, of Sarasota, for $485,000. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,760 square feet of living area. It sold for $580,000 in 2022.

LIGHTHOUSE COVE AT HERITAGE

HARBOUR

ROSEDALE HIGHLANDS

John and Carol Shue, of Bradenton, sold their home at 9747 51st Terrace E. to Laurence Moquin and Tammy Gamso, of Bradenton, for $400,000. Built in 2005, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,631 square feet of living area. It sold for $339,900 in 2021.

Cody Cooper and Alexis Speckman, of Parrish, sold their home at 7036 Chatum Light Run to John DiMugno III, of Tierra Verde, for $425,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 1,752 square feet of living area. It sold for $425,000 in 2023.

Oh baby! What a parade

East County’s Celine Flora had the date, Oct. 29, marked on her calendar.

There was no way that she and 7-month-old Sofia were going to miss the annual Little Nippers Parade at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center.

Besides the fact Flora loved her experience in the new mother’s support group, she simply wanted to see all the other moms she had come to know through the program.

Myakka’s Karlie Falls, who was marching in the parade with 21/2-year-old Max, says she, too, loves the camaraderie created through the program.

“We come every year,” Falls said.

Sweetwater’s Monica Zacour added, “We love the nurses here.”

Angela Campano, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center’s childbirth educator, said everything starts with education, which helps the moms “feel empowered.”

“Then we urge them to come back and share their stories,” Campano said.

The parade started at the Women’s Center, then wound through the hospital, going through the hallways, the cafeteria, and the main lobby. All along the way, staff members took a moment to enjoy the babies in their costumes and the march left patients smiling, as well.

— JAY HEATER

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