East County Observer 9.7.23

‘Epic’ golf course for Myakka

A new friend on school campus

Robert E. Willis Elementary School kindergartners Harper Klicic and Greyson Tripoli had the opportunity to meet a new friend Aug. 28.

The kindergartners were introduced to Willis, a stuffed gecko, who will go from class to class to serve as part of a schoolwide positive behavior incentive.

Students who exhibit the positive behaviors and expectations of the school will have the opportunity to spend the day with Willis. He will also attend school events and be there to cheer up students when needed.

The gecko, which is the school’s mascot, follows Pinky, a stuffed flamingo, who was quite popular in the 2022-23 school year. She participated in class activities and attended school dances and fifth grade graduation, among other events.

Coffee Talk

Lakewood Ranch resident Julia Mateer found a new favorite coffee shop in the San Marco Plaza. She visits Via la Casa once a week, alone or with friends.

Mateer said owners, Gabriella Moss and Silvia Costa, are warm and inviting. So while there’s always someone to talk to, on Friday, Mateer brought a friend, Johanna Cedillo. The women chatted over coffee and egg bites.

“I love the decor. The atmosphere is absolutely exquisite and the paintings are beautiful,” Mateer said. “They also have great coffee and pastries.”

Cedillo’s lavender latte was topped with a foam heart as pretty as the decor.

Apple snails can be the pits

A serving of safety

Learn to ‘Stop the Bleed’

The Mall at University Town Center hosts the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center’s Stop the Bleed seminar.

Billingsley, who is the emergency manager for Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, was driving in the opposite direction when he saw the accident. He decided to make a U-turn to see if he could help.

He grabbed his first aid kit and other medical supplies and ran up to the accident where someone had been thrown from the vehicle. He used his training to tend to injuries and also started mobilizing others who stopped to help until law enforcement arrived on scene.

Four years later, Billingsley said

IF YOU GO

What: Stop the Bleed

Who: Jamie Billingsley, the emergency manager for Lakewood Ranch Medical

Center

When: 9 a.m. Sept. 14

Where: Macy’s courtyard in the Mall at University Town Center, 140 University Town Center Drive, Sarasota

Cost: Free

Details: The 20-minute course will educate participants on how to respond to an emergency where someone is bleeding.

More information and to register: MallatUTC.com/ events

the accident he witnessed serves as a reminder of the importance of having a first aid kit in the car and knowing how to tend to injuries.

Billingsley will pass on his knowledge and training during Lakewood Ranch Medical Center’s free Stop the Bleed seminar 9 a.m. Sept. 14 at the Mall at University Town Center.

Stop the Bleed is an interactive event that will give people an opportunity to receive hands-on experience with first aid supplies and to learn how to control bleeding.

“Part of being a good community

Any organization interested in hosting Stop the Bleed can contact Lori Boyd at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center by email at Lori.Boyd@LWRMC.com

citizen is being willing to help somebody else,” Billingsley said. “I see it all the time where there’s an accident and people just drive by because everybody’s so busy and they can’t be

bothered to stop. I get some of that, but that’s somebody’s loved one. We owe it to our community to assist where we possibly can. Every opportunity to educate ourselves makes us a better community member.”

Participants will hear a presentation that will cover different types of injuries and how important it is to stop the bleeding quickly. They will learn how to pack a wound, use a tourniquet and stock a first aid kit. They will also learn how to use items around them, such as a T-shirt, belt or scarf, as a tourniquet.

“I would rather if somebody is on the side of the road bleeding because they’ve been in an accident, use whatever you have because we can fix the infection later. We can’t fix them if they’re dead,” he said. “The concept we’re trying to teach is to fix what’s going to potentially take their life right now, and we will deal with the other problems later.

“Any one of us could be involved in a situation,” Billingsley said. “It’s those actions that occur in the first seconds and minutes of an accident that make the difference of whether somebody is going to successfully recover or not.”

Billingsley said most people could encounter several situations, such as car accidents, falls and cuts, in which someone could be bleeding heavily.

“I’ve seen people who are mowing their lawns and they get injured doing that,” he said. “I’ve seen a lot of trips and falls that have led to some serious cuts and abrasions that have significant bleeding.”

Stop the Bleed will teach people that they should have a first aid kit in their vehicles as well as at home. Billingsley said although a generic first aid kit from the store is helpful, there are other items that should be included, such as a good assortment of bandages, tourniquets, a mask or airway protective device in case mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is needed, and instructions on what to do during an emergency.

“The best first aid kit is the one you have with you,” Billingsley said.  Billingsley also suggests having a device to break a window or cut a seat belt easily accessible in the car.

Major champ for major project

Bradenton’s Paul Azinger, a Major champion and golf analyst, helps the design effort in his old stomping grounds.

JAY HEATER

MANAGING EDITOR

It’s the side job he never imagined having.

Former PGA Tour pro Paul Azinger, winner of the 1993 PGA Championship and the lead golf analyst for NBC Sports, wasn’t going to go into golf course architecture. It would take a special opportunity to change his mind.

That opportunity came about when Steve Herrig, an entrepreneur and the CEO and chairman of the board of Bradenton-based Sunz Holdings, decided to build Miakka Golf Club.

Herrig and his wife, Natalee, had originally bought some land off Fruitville Road in eastern Sarasota

TEE OFF IN 2025

WHAT: Miakka Golf Club

WHERE: Adjacent to the Estates at TerraNova and the TerraNova Equestrian Center (31625 Clay Gully Road, Myakka City)

OWNER: Steve Herrig

COURSE DESIGNERS: Fry/Straka

Global Golf Course Design (Jason Straka and Dana Fry) in cooperation with former PGA Tour player and Major champion Paul Azinger

ABOUT THE COURSE: Constructed on 1,100 acres along the banks of the Myakka River, the course will be 7,700 yards in length

CLUB FEATURES: A 12-hole, par-3 course, a seven-acre short game facility, a lighted putting course, a performance center featuring a 360-degree practice facility/range.

OTHER AMENITIES: Clubhouse that includes dining room and bar facilities, an expansive patio and locker facilities; “cracker-style” cabins to provide accommodations for members and guests: and the Still, a gathering spot for members and guests to enjoy a snack or beverage, and to enjoy golf simulators and a fire pit

EXPECTED OPENING DATES: The 12-hole par-3 course, the Still and some of the cabins are expected to open in fall 2024. The 18-hole course, driving range and 15,000-square-foot performance center will open in early 2025. The 50,000-square-foot clubhouse will open late in 2026

MORE INFORMATION: Email Membership Director Erik Whitehead at EWhitehead@MiakkaGC.com, go to MiakkaGC. com or call 799-9227.

County about six years ago because their daughter, Hannah, was competing in equestrian events. He liked what he had purchased, so they went a littler farther east and bought 100 acres, and then more.

They now own approximately 3,000 acres in Manatee County, which includes the TerraNova Equestrian Center at 31625 Clay Gully Road in Myakka. The land around the equestrian center, which opened in 2020 and later expanded, will be surrounded by approximately 120 10-acre ranch homesites that will be built by B&D Builders, a Paradise, Pennsylvania company that specializes in horse barns and equestrian areas.

The Miakka Golf Club will run adjacent to the equestrian center’s property.

“I’ve known Steve (Herrig) for a long time because we always played in the same groups and circles,” said Azinger, a Sarasota High School graduate whose late father, Ralph Azinger, owned a marina in Sarasota. “When he built the equestrian center, my wife (Toni) and I were invited. I used to live way out Bee Ridge Road, so that was my neck of the woods. I would go camping and fishing out there. Of course, when I was growing up, there was no I-75. Cattlemen was single lane. Bee Ridge was single lane. I have been through every change.”

SHOWCASING THE LAND

The land is what persuaded Azinger, 63, to join the Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design (Jason Straka and Dana Fry) team in keeping the natural beauty of the area and incorporating it into the course.

“We are going into the wilderness and creating a phenomenal golf course,” Azinger said. “It is a privilege to be involved.”

When he isn’t flying around the country to analyze a golf tournament, he now drives from his west Bradenton home into his old stomping grounds.

“I can’t believe I get to go out to Myakka all the time now, and when I go (to the new course site), I pay $6 to go through (Myakka River State Park). It’s unreal. This is such a great project, exclusive. The whole idea is to create what the land looks like. There will be (cracker) cattle all over the course. They are part of the landscape. It will create a Myakka feeling.”

While he adds his longtime knowledge of the area and his obvious golf

expertise to the project, he said the design is in the great hands of Jason Straka and Dana Fry. Those two designed Erin Hills in Erin, Wisconsin, the site of the 2017 U.S. Open, and Calusa Pines Golf Club (Naples), which is ranked No. 3 in Florida by Golf Digest, among others.

“These guys are like artists building castles in the sand,” Azinger said. “Only they do it with bulldozers. These are brilliant designers.” Herrig said he had to form the best team possible to build an amazing golf club.

“The project kind of speaks for itself,” Herrig said. “We will have the best clubhouse, the best course, the best cabins, the best experience and the best lockers. Our comfort stations will be amazing. There is nothing we are doing that isn’t intended to be the best.”

Straka said he knows that a lot is expected.

BIG EXPECTATIONS

“This is one of the best natural sites for golf and one of the best teams we’ve ever been affiliated with,” Straka said in a release. “The property has an incredible two miles of frontage along the Myakka River with hundreds of mature oak hammocks. Just the golf club and its facilities are being built on more than 1,100 acres. Miakka Golf Club is going to be pure golf with no encroachments or distractions of any kind. The course will resemble the celebrated courses of the Australian Sandbelt, with wide turf corridors, no rough, and distinctive bunkers and natural-area hazards jutting into the line of play. I can’t wait for the members to get to experience it.”

Fry said the course will have substantial “underdrains” to keep the

DID YOU KNOW?

Club owner Steve Herrig purchased 1,600 acres adjacent to the course to found a sod farm — Miakka Turf — that will grow the Stadium and Lazer Zoysia grass that will be used on the fairways, tees and green complexes.

course fast and firm year-round. He said such an investment “speaks volumes about Miakka’s commitment to excellence.”

Herrig said the course should be open early in 2025.

“By nature, I push hard to get things done,” Herrig said. “Around here, they call it ‘Steve Time.’”

Azinger is looking forward to working with the designers as construction progresses. He said he “100% feels pressure” to make a positive impact on the project.

“I think about it all the time,” he said. “Now we have aerials and animation (for planning), but once we get something in the ground, I will have an opinion about a lot of things. We’ve already made some changes. No. 1 was going to be a big, wide fairway, but the green was on the (fairway) side of the stream. We decided to put it on the other side of the stream. I wanted to challenge them right out of the gate.

“My hope is that people say ‘Oh wow, look at this hole,’ on every hole.”

Herrig said every hole will offer a beautiful view of the landscape.

“The elevation slopes down toward the river,” Herrig said. “It will offer views into the oak hammocks and there will be a conservation easement. It is gorgeous.”

Herrig said the club will be selective about its membership, which should number about 400. Members will need to be invited to join the club.

“The biggest criteria is to just be a good person,” Herrig said. “The person who belongs here will have a great appreciation for good golf. We are building an epic golf course and we will capture the history of Old Miakka.”

Courtesy photos

new

Golf Club course will offer views of the Myakka River.

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A generous goodbye

Before closing its doors for good Aug. 31, Truman’s Tap & Grill owner Carrie Leitzman said, “Everything must go.”

The Truman’s sign, along with beer taps, neon signs and leftover bottles of wine, were up for sale on the restaurant’s last day. There was a donation jar, too. The money from the sale and the donations was split six ways between the employees who stuck by Leizman’s side until the very end.

Leitzman said the staff was exhausted, and the sale was one last way to thank them for their hard work.

While Leitzman owned Truman’s with her husband, Jason, she bore the brunt of the work because Jason has been a full-time operations manager for Black Pearl Vision in Sarasota for 27 years.

The couple bought the Lakewood Ranch restaurant, located at 11161 S.R. 70 E., in 2012.

“I am an eight-year cancer survivor, so I’m selling because it’s what’s best for my health,” Leitzman said.

“I want to be able to spend time with my 16-year-old, and I want more quality family time.”

Leitzman went for her eight-year blood work recently and is in full remission. She intends to retain that status with a more relaxed schedule.

Beyond the late nights running a restaurant, Leitzman had practically taken on another day job over the years. Truman’s raised more than $30,000 for local nonprofit organizations just last year, including the Team Tony Cancer Foundation, Southeastern Guide Dogs, Toys for Tots and the Magic of Mittens.

Leitzman gave “huge props” to the Coppertail Brewing Company

for donating $1,500 or more to every cause she supported last year.

Part of Leitzman’s family philosophy growing up was to never ask someone else to do something you’re not willing to do yourself, so every Monday, 10% of Truman’s sales went into a charity fund.

Leitzman also took pride in sweeping the floors at Truman’s because she remembered watching her father sweep around the printing press at the newspaper he owned. When first opening Truman’s, the simple action of sweeping gave her the confidence to know she had what it took to run a restaurant.

“I just had that moment where it was like, ‘You know how to do this. You know how to treat your staff. You know how to lend a helping hand. Nothing is beneath you,’” she said.

As an ode to her grandfather, the restaurateur raised over $5,000 to send three students from the Lakewood Ranch High School marching band, who couldn’t have afforded the trip otherwise, to the Sugar Bowl in December. The band performed in the festivities.

“It was the 80th anniversary of my grandfather playing in the Sugar Bowl last year, and I was just determined that we were going to raise every penny we could for them,” she said. “As I would talk to tables and raise awareness, I would often be teary eyed because my grandfather raised me part of my life, so I just felt like it was a full circle moment.”

Graduate School: Masters of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY

Medical School: University of Calcutta Medical College, Kolkata, India

Residency: Internal Medicine, Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, Bronx, NY

Fellowship: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD

Certification: American Board of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Hospital Affiliations: Sarasota Memorial Hospital; Lakewood Ranch Medical

After serving the Lakewood Ranch area for 11 years, Truman’s Tap & Grill is closed as of Sept. 1.

Snails on pace to threaten wetlands

Braden Woods resident gets a quick look at fast-growing invasive snail population.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

While overdevelopment would seem to be the biggest threat to Manatee County wetlands, could something smaller than a plum pose even a larger threat?

Richard Meyers walks around the pond near his Braden Woods home regularly, but rarely along the water’s edge.

Last week, he was drawn to walk a little closer. As he neared the water, Meyers saw empty snail shells scattered along the shore. When he looked up, he saw thousands of pink eggs clinging to the dock’s pilings.

A Google search led him to an invasive apple snail species, so he called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to report the sighting.

When Alyssa Vinson, a master gardener and certified arborist at the Manatee County Agricultural and Extension Services, saw Meyers’ photos, she confirmed the snails were of the invasive variety.

“At this point, we have apple snails in most freshwater bodies throughout our area,” she said.

The eggs are a clear identifier. The Florida apple snail is one of several species of Pomacea apple snails found in Florida, but eggs from the native species are white.

The threat of these exotic snails is in their voracious appetite for aquatic vegetation and the early and rapid reproduction rates of the females.

“Apple snails profoundly altered plant communities and nutrient cycling in the water,” according to findings from a 2022 study from the University of Florida.

Nutrient cycling helps keep the water in balance. There’s also no effective pesticide to control the

apple snails and identification between exotic species is difficult.

The FWC reported that the shells look too similar to ensure accurate identification, and to make matters worse, the aquarium trade has bred

TOUGH SHELL TO CRACK

From the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

■ Florida is home to five species of Pomacea apple snails with only one of them being native, the Florida apple snail.

■ The four exotic species in Florida are the island apple snail, channeled apple snail, spike-topped apple snail and the titan apple snail.

■ The channeled apple snail is considered one of the world’s worst invasive species.

■ A 2013 study showed 38 of Florida’s 67 counties had recorded exotic populations of Pomacea apple snails, with the most abundant being the island apple snail.

■ Pomacea apple snails typically are found in freshwater systems, but can tolerate brackish water.

■ While the native Florida apple snail can be identified through its white eggs, exotic species are difficult to tell apart.

■ The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recommends that captive snails not be released in the wild.

■ Pomacea apple snails can do significant damage to crops and their appetite for large amounts of aquatic vegetation could alter ecosystems.

■ The island apple snail is the largest of the species in Florida with shell sizes up to five inches in length.

■ Federal law prohibits apple snails to be imported across state lines.

CUSTOM BUILDERS AT WILD BLUE

them into a range of different colors and patterns.

“Currently, there is little FWC can do to stem the exotic apple snail populations, as is the case for most established exotic species that are

often part of the exotic pet trade,” the report reads.  Meyers received confirmation that his report was received by the FWC, but there’s been no additional followup.  “If residents see the egg masses, they can knock the eggs down and crush them,” Vinson said. Beyond that, there’s not much to stop the invasion. Native apple snails don’t reproduce until six months and only lay between 20-80 eggs per clutch. Exotic apple snails start reproducing between two to three months and the clutches can contain up to 2,000 eggs.

Club’s goal is creating opportunities

Braden River Soccer Club serves about 1,500 children in Sarasota and Manatee counties each year.

As Giselle Bostock was wheeled onto the soccer field by her dad, Jack, only a day after having an appendectomy, her teammates stopped practicing and ran to her side.

“You have a built-in family when you’re on a soccer team,” teammate Abby Frint said. The girls play for the Braden River

Soccer Club, a nonprofit organization that serves about 1,500 girls and boys in Sarasota and Bradenton each year. The club offers recreational, competitive and Top Soccer, which serves children and adults with intellectual, emotional or physical disabilities.

The soccer fields are well groomed and massive, occupying 42 acres behind Lakewood Ranch High School.

Children can start playing as young as 4 years old. Giselle Bostock is in ninth grade. She started playing in sixth grade, which she called a late start. Her 12-year-old brother, Xavier Bostock, plays, too.

“It was important for us to be somewhere where it felt like a community,” Jack Bostock said. “It’s been

ABOUT THE NONPROFIT

Braden River Soccer Club.

5490 Lakewood Ranch Blvd.

Mission statement: To ensure a top-quality environment and development programs (recreational and competitive) for youth players of all different playing levels. We want our players and coaches to experience love and passion for the game of soccer so they will continue to pass it along to the next generation. This will ensure our continued outreach to the local community and allow us to grow substantially for the future. Get involved: Visit BradenRiverSoccer.org.

25 years now that Braden River has been a presence in Manatee County.”

Xavier Bostock is still playing in the recreational league, while Giselle Bostock has moved to the competitive league.

There are 16 games per season when playing competitively, half of which are away games. The farthest the family has had to travel in season is to Wellington in Palm Beach County. Most games are within an hour-and-a-half drive. When Giselle Bostock’s team played its way to the regional tournament, the family hit the road to North Carolina.

Jack Bostock doesn’t mind traveling because the club’s affiliation with the Elite Clubs National League gives his daughter a chance to play in front of college scouts. The ECNL also has its own scholarship program for its members.

As a dad, Bostock’s only intention when signing his kids up was for them to have fun and be a part of a team, but as his daughter moved quickly up the ranks from recreational to competitive, his perspective began to shift.

“A lot of college scouting and recruiting happens through the ECNL,” he said. “So if you’re going to play somewhere and you’re going to devote your time and energy, you

want it to be somewhere where you can potentially get some type of exposure and benefits out of it.”

While most parents pay for their children to play with the Braden River Soccer Club, because it’s a nonprofit, the club offers a scholarship program.

“We do a lot of scholarships for kids who can’t afford to play but want to play,” Club Administrator Gemma Gallaway said. “We’re very big on making sure that everyone who wants to play can play.”

Pricing varies between leagues, but the club relies heavily on volunteers and does a steady amount of fundraising to offset the costs.

In return, players receive specialized training, learn teamwork and make lasting friendships.

“I’m still a little hurt, but I just wanted to be out with my team,” Giselle Bostock said from her wheelchair. “They make me feel better.”

The girls practice together three times a week, and clearly felt Bostock’s absence. They flocked around her wheelchair, offering hugs and well wishes, which Gallaway said was an example of what’s truly at the heart of the club.

“They love each other like a family. They’re a little soccer family,” Gallaway said. “A lot of these kids started off in the recreational and they built themselves up to be great players.”

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Shelters – How they work

School district employees, volunteers become the hosts when Manatee County opens its storm shelters.

East County’s Elaine Johnston and her husband, Charles, had their inflatable mattresses, sweaters, blankets and snacks ready to go at Freedom Elementary School.

The couple had evacuated to Freedom Elementary, which was one of four School District of Manatee County schools that opened as a shelter during Hurricane Idalia. They were concerned with storm surge that would affect the Manatee River.

Although Hurricane Idalia was projected to make landfall farther north and wasn’t expected to have a huge impact on Manatee County, the Johnstons weren’t taking any chances.

“We weren’t as ready as we usually are, but at least we were partially ready (to evacuate),” Elaine Johnston said. “We weren’t worried about the wind, but we were worried about the water.”

Like many other Manatee County residents, the Johnstons used Hurricane Idalia as a test run to prepare for future storms.

SCHOOLS TRANSFORM

Schools are the only facilities in Manatee County that serve as shelters during a hurricane. R. Dan Nolan Middle School is the designated shelter for individuals with special needs, and 25 other schools serve as regular shelters.

The school district works closely with Manatee County’s Department of Public Safety and Emergency Management to determine which schools will open as shelters. The schools are chosen based on community needs and locations as the storm approaches.

When Hurricane Ian was approaching last September, county officials were expecting the storm to have a direct impact on Manatee County. As a result, 15 schools were initially opened as shelters, as the county issued evacuation orders for thousands of residents living in Zones A, B and C. Freedom Elementary School hosted about 1,500 evacuees.  For Hurricane Idalia, the county was expecting storm surge and flooding to be the major concerns. The county only issued mandatory evacuation orders for residents in Zone A and opened four schools as shelters. Freedom Elementary hosted 128 evacuees.

In total, 566 people evacuated to Nolan Middle, and Freedom, Virgil Mills and Jessie P. Miller elementary schools, for Hurricane Idalia. Guy Grimes, the principal of Freedom Elementary, and Jim Mennes, the principal of Mills Elementary, said their schools didn’t have as many evacuees for Hurricane Idalia because snowbirds have not yet returned to the area. Mennes said Mills Elementary could have had 100

SHELTERS

Schools in East County that serve as shelters:

■ Braden River High School

■ Braden River Middle School

■ Freedom Elementary School

■ Gullett Elementary School

■ Haile Middle School

■ McNeal Elementary School

■ Myakka City Elementary School

■ Willis Elementary School

■ Witt Elementary School

more evacuees if snowbirds were in town.

Depending on the projected arrival of the storm, the school district lets students out so staff members can prepare the school to become a shelter. That was the case for Hurricane Idalia as Nolan Middle, and Freedom, Miller and Mills elementary schools had students leave at noon Aug. 28 to give staff members a few hours to prepare to open as shelters.

At Mills Elementary, which served as a pet-friendly shelter, Mennes and his staff cleaned the school and lined the walls with plastic in case any animals had an accident. Anything posted on the walls was taken down.

The county delivers sandbags, water, flashlights and other supplies to the schools. The schools have generators so the shelter can continue to run the kitchen and provide emergency lighting if the power goes out.

Grimes said at Freedom, each evacuee is given a colored wristband to let them know which hallway they are staying in. The shelter has designated hallways for families, couples and individuals.

The School District of Manatee County delivers food to the shelter to ensure three hot meals can be served per day.

According to Regina Thoma, the director of the School District of Manatee County’s food and nutrition services, the district receives a small amount of commodity products from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and most of the cost for the food is reimbursed through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The shelters also are staffed by the school’s custodians and food ser-

ON THE MENU

Those who stay at the shelters are served three hot meals per day.

Take a look at some of the options that were on the menu during Hurricane Idalia:

BREAKFAST:

■ Scrambled eggs with cheese, onions and peppers

■ Biscuits

LUNCH:

■ Pizza

■ Hot dogs

■ Ribeye sandwiches

DINNER:

■ Fried chicken with potatoes and green beans

vice employees, deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, two lifeguards (EMTs), a nurse, and two employees from animal control.

Some teachers and community members also volunteer to staff the shelters.

Gary Holbrook, the founding principal of Freedom Elementary School, and David Marshall, who served as principal at Palm View Elementary School, were at Freedom Elementary School to volunteer. They helped serve lunch to the evacuees Aug. 29.

“Having been principal, I know what goes into running a school, so any help you can get is going to be a benefit,” Marshall said. “We had people who did the same for us when we were principals, and we know how much that helped us.”

In his eight years at Mills, Mennes said he’s never turned someone away from the shelter due to lack of space.

“We make it work,” he said. “I always tell people we are lifeboat, not a cruise ship. I promise I will give you a place to sit, and I will keep you safe. Anything else is a bonus.”

RETURNING TO NORMAL

Once it is safe for people to return home, the shelters close, and custodians and staff from other School District of Manatee County departments go to the schools to help clean them before they reopen.

Staff will clean the floors and walls, the cafeterias, bathrooms and any other part of the school to which evacuees had access.

“When we’re done, it smells like a hospital,” Mennes said.

Grimes and Mennes said the schools always are ready in time for students to return.

When schools reopen, they have their guidance counselors on hand to talk to students about their experiences during the hurricane, if needed.

Elaine Johnston said residents should know the locations of the school in preparation for that next hurricane. They should also know what supplies to bring with them. She suggests having extra blankets and sweaters as it can get cold in the schools. She also recommends bringing a cot or an inflatable bed to be comfortable as well as activities to keep busy.

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.”

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Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944 ©

Shudder to consider shutter consequences

To shutter or not to shutter, that is the question.

We all work hard. So hard, in fact, that when we’re not on the job, it sure is nice to be lazy.

Hurricanes run over lazy people.

But there I was, standing in front of my house, looking to see what the neighbors were doing. It was a day before Idalia was going to pass our coast, or make a right turn and blow us to pieces.

Certainly, my neighbors knew better than Jim Cantore.

No one, except my 87-year-old neighbor, had put up a single shutter. All righty then, no shutters for me, thank goodness.

Shutters can be a pain. You are up on the ladder, reaching for those higher screws with the battery drill you use once every three years, and your body is stretched out like you are doing yoga, even though the most stretching you normally do is to put on your socks.

Then the screw falls to the ground, and you, of course, don’t have a backup in your pocket. You leave the drill on top of the ladder, and make your way down, shaking the ladder until the drill rattles loose, and falls directly upon your shoulder.

Oh crap.

But back up the ladder you go, using your good arm to finish the job.

That’s when your drill, which has more power than a speeding locomotive, takes control like one of those rogue robots in the futuristic thriller “I, Robot.” You get that screw nice and snug, but the drill plows forward anyway. It’s got its own mind.

Errrrrrrrruuuuuuuppppp.

You get the thing stopped, and you look at the screw head, which used to be a screw head but now resembles the head of a nail. All those threads have been obliterated. No big deal for today, but oh my,

that’s going to be fun when it comes time to take down the shutter.

You finally circle your house and finish, managing to “only” strip three other screw heads. You put all the tools away and go into your house, and suddenly, you understand the term man cave, or better said, cave man.

You walk around turning on lights, but you still feel like you are sentenced to solitary confinement on Devil’s Island. It is a bleak feeling, and your comfort has been gobbled up by claustrophobia as you are confined to a gopher hole.

You begin watching hour after hour of the Weather Channel, like its some kind of telethon raising money for a good cause. But  the only special guests are hurricane experts showing you re-creations of an 8-foot storm surge and 120 mph winds. “You won’t survive this,” is the constant reminder.

So there you are sitting in the cave, your bathtub filled with water, your battery lamps on the counter, your cans of Dinty Moore beef stew dominating a shelf of your pantry.

Then the hurricane veers to the northwest. Those Weather Channel reporters stationed on Clearwater Beach pack up and head north so they can find a better place to dodge blowing debris.

You are left with a big “never mind,” except that you are constantly told that you don’t have to be in the “cone” to feel devastating impacts from the hurricane. Yes, there are tornado warnings, and after all, the hurricane could change its mind and make a big turn.

After walking past the wall of bottled water by your front door, you see that the hurricane has, indeed, passed, and you need to pick up four palm fronds in your yard. All that angst for nothing.

What to do in the future?

Well, Homeguide.com lists hurricane windows as costing between

$400 to $2,400 apiece, depending on the brand. Architectural Digest lists the national average cost of hurricane-impact windows to be $5,332 for an entire home, but number of windows figures into that. For many of us, that is not an option.

Getting someone to put up your shutters could lessen your frustrations and lighten your wallet, if you can even get someone to come to your house as a hurricane approaches. You probably are looking at $300 to $500 to put them up and take them down. I again stress — if you can get someone to come to your house.

Most people would like to wait as long as possible before making a decision about whether to put up shutters. So the search for laborers to do the work at the last minute can be futile. Even if you get a worker, there is no guarantee he or she will show up. Before Hurricane Ian, the guy who confirmed to put up my shutters called and canceled, saying he was tired and it was raining. Eight hours before Ian arrived, I was up on the ladder putting up shutters in the rain. Add it all up and it appears we should wait until the last minute and only put up the shutters if we are getting a direct hit.

Ahhh, but no.

It’s one of those uncertainties of life that we just don’t know a hurricane’s exact path. Despite all the Weather Channel’s “We’re all going to die” tone pre-hurricane, it is a providing a service that is necessary. Even with all the warnings, some residents of Cedar Key stayed in their homes and might have died if the hurricane had hit at high tide. Fortunately, it hit at low tide.

Here in Manatee County, a county damage assessment team issued a report Aug. 31 saying of 110,504 residential structures assessed, 32

AFRAID OF THE DENTIST?

suffered minor damage and eight had major damage. Residential damage was assessed at $1.55 million for a hurricane that missed us. We are better armed to predict the path of a hurricane than knowing where an earthquake or a tornado will strike. In some ways, that can be a detriment because we get complacent.

As a whole community, we were complacent this time, and it worked in our favor, thank goodness. Some suggestions for the future?

By all means, watch the Weather Channel to get an overview of the situation. They do have lots of resources. But even more so, check out your local media outlets because their only concern is our area (including YourObserver.com).

Listen to your public officials. In this case, Manatee County was telling its residents a couple of days in advance that the main threat to our area was storm surge. If you are in Lakewood Ranch, you knew you could relax.

Watch the number of shelters the county opens. For Hurricane Idalia, only four shelters opened, a good

sign that few people had to evacuate their homes.

Learn how to put up your shutters, better than I do. Just put one shutter up on a nice day for practice. Use that drill, and make sure it is in working order. Make sure your shutters are clearly marked so you know what windows they fit. See if you can form a neighborhood team that will help each other to put up shutters and to help those in the neighborhood who might not be physically able to put them up. And try to remember that no matter how much a pain it was putting up your shutters, and living inside them, you and your home were safe when you put them up.

Flood of nerves, but little water

during hurricane season.”

Krone said Myakka City residents keep an eye on each other, and most are prepared with supplies throughout the season, so there’s no lastminute dashes into town.

Year-round, the Silver Star East in Myakka City dishes out homemade comfort food. During a hurricane watch, the meeting place offers something that’s not on the menu — the comfort of a community.

Although almost a year later, some Myakka City residents still are reeling from the flooding caused by Hurricane Ian. Understandably, the first hurricane of this season, Idalia, caused some anxiety.

“I think there were a lot of jitters for the people on the river, and they would come into the restaurant and ask us, ‘What do you think?’” Silver Star co-owner Vicki Krone said of the time that Hurricane Idalia was approaching. “We felt pretty confident, but we’re on alert all the time

Residents have also formed an online community through a Myakka City 411 page on Facebook. Frank White shared a post that suggested shaving your telephone number onto the side of your horses before a storm to aid their return if lost.

Residents were ready for Idalia. The Myakka Community Center on Aug. 29 was void of people as the first bands of the storm neared the area. Julie Farmer was there with her husband, Dan, and only one other person. The Farmers live in a cabin at the end of River Road, but the sand bags they had filled were headed to a cottage on Anna Maria Island.

Both husband and wife were born and raised in Manatee County. The cottage was passed down from Julie Farmer’s father, and the couple has owned the cabin since the 1980s. They went through the safety

Some Myakka residents still reeling from Hurricane Ian flooding.

motions, accepting that they can’t control a hurricane.

“For what it’s worth,” Farmer said with a shrug of her shoulders as she loaded another sandbag into the back of the couple’s truck.

Despite flooding on Anna Maria Island, the inside of Farmer’s cottage on 48th Street stayed dry.

Their Myakka City property runs along the Myakka River. During Hurricane Ian, water came up from the river and destroyed the cabin’s air conditioning and ducts. The flooding was bad because the ground was saturated from last summer’s rainy season. Drought conditions leading up to Hurricane Idalia eased the threat of flooding.

“We figured that a good bit of the rain that fell would absorb,” Farmer said. “The ditch that runs along the west side of our property had been dry. There was no water standing in that ditch until Thursday afternoon.”

Rain upriver affects the cabin, so flooding is a way of life. The couple evacuated for Hurricane Ian, but stayed put for Idalia. The water didn’t start creeping toward their property until Friday. By Saturday, the water was starting to recede.

Farmer described the water as a nuisance. Being prepared for the weather is a lifestyle in Myakka City.

Farmer makes sure the couples’ prescriptions are filled to the max in case of an evacuation. She shops year round, making sure the cabin is always stocked with cases of water and their nonperishable foods of choice.

When staying in the cabin during a hurricane watch, the Farmers monitor the storm on the news and check the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s website to see the most current tides and water levels reported for the river.

A five-gallon bucket of water is ready to go in the bathroom if the power goes out and the well can’t be used. The cars are moved to higher ground.

“I never lived up north, but I imagine it’s like being prepared for a blizzard. It’s just common sense,” Farmer said. “Every once in awhile, we get caught flat-footed, but we try to avoid that.”

Down the road, staff and volunteers at the Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch were also calmly mov-

ing through protocol.

“We have our plan. We have our list of the 10 things we do,” Executive Committee Member Cindy Jackson said. “We know where we have issues with flooding. We were absolutely fine.”

First up on the list is to find as many foster homes as possible. Staff and volunteers were able to secure foster stays for 12 dogs.

Staff also sped up the adoption of a Border Terrier mix named Squirt. Squirt, along with five other pups, were fixed Tuesday morning. Because the dogs needed extra care following surgery, finding homes for them through the storm was important.

All pets are fixed, vaccinated and microchipped before being adopted. Squirt would’ve normally stayed a few more days before heading to his forever home, but with a hurricane on the horizon, staff members made it happen Tuesday afternoon.

A dozen-plus volunteers were in and out of the shelter all day Tuesday and Friday. They were picking up animals and pulling toys out of the yard, and then did it all over again in the reverse.

The buildings can withstand a Category 4 hurricane, and staff saved the sandbags from Hurricane Ian. There’s one large door into the dog kennel that opens like a garage. Water crept under it during Ian, so for Idalia, all the remaining dogs were moved to the back of the building and sandbags were piled along the bottom of the vulnerable door.

Adoptions were back up and running by Friday.

Mora Jordan pulls dog toys in from the yard at the Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch and anything else that could fly during Hurricane Idalia.

Every drop needed

Suncoast Blood Centers seeks more donations as the hurricane season continues.

Parrish’s Terry Palmer sat calmly as his blood flowed through a tube into a collection bag.  Palmer goes to Suncoast Blood Centers every two weeks to donate blood and has donated more than 97 gallons.

As Hurricane Idalia approached Florida on Aug. 29, Palmer knew how important his donation would be as the blood center prepared for the storm.

Palmer said donating blood and platelets has become a habit for him.

“If we had people who did half as much as Terry, we would never have to put out a plea (for donations),” said Joan Leonard, the community liaison for Suncoast Blood Centers in Lakewood Ranch.

Leading up to Hurricane Idalia, Leonard hoped more people would donate blood before the hurricane hit.

Leonard said the low number of donors could have been due to the hurricane potentially not having a large impact on the area or people were scared to leave their homes as the hurricane approached, especially after the impacts of Hurricane Ian last September.

But fewer donors means less blood supply available for Suncoast Blood Centers and the 15 hospitals it serves throughout Sarasota and Manatee counties and as far north as Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa.

With the hurricane season continuing through November, Leonard hopes more people will donate.

Much like people go to the grocery store to stock up on supplies for a hurricane, Leonard said donating blood should be a part of hurricane preparations.

As Leonard looked at the shelves

that store blood until it is sent for testing, she wished the they were fully stocked.

“Any time there’s a natural disaster anywhere in our country, we want to build up the supply because somebody is going to need it,” she said.

Leonard said Suncoast Blood Centers’ priority is serving the hospitals in the area, but the blood center is ready to send blood wherever needed. For example, when Hurricane Ian hit last year, it forced the blood center located in Port Charlotte to be closed for reconstruction. Suncoast Blood Centers’ four other facilities were prepared to fulfill needs in Port Charlotte until that location could be rebuilt, which took about nine months.

“Our bragging rights are that we serve our community, but in a situation like this, our community is Florida strong,” Leonard said. “We will serve where it’s needed, first taking care of our local people.”

HOW TO DONATE

Suncoast Blood Centers is located at 3025 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Lakewood Ranch.

The center is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays; 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. Sundays is by appointment only.

It is recommended that you eat and stay hydrated before donating.

For more information, call 866-972-5663.

A+E INSIDE:

< SUNCOAST CONCERT BAND: A cultural constant turned 90 this year. 16A

EATING WITH EMMA: Bite into Sarasota’s best bagels (boiled not baked). 15A>

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

MEET SARASOTA’S NEW ARTS CZAR

Brian Hersch takes the helm at the Arts and Cultural Alliance.

During the Great Recession, country music singer John Rich (half of the duo Big & Rich) struck a chord with Americans with his song “Shuttin’ Detroit Down.”

While Rich’s ditty decried bailouts for bankers, in the end, Detroit got them, too. The auto industry received nearly $80 billion from the government, of which $70 billion was repaid.

The White House even named Wall Street insider Steven Rattner the “car czar” to fix Detroit.

But what is a discussion of the auto industry doing in the Arts + Entertainment section?

Good question. Stay with me, as EMT personnel have been known to say. There is an analogy here, even if it’s long-winded.

Here it goes: What autos are to Detroit, the arts are to Sarasota. We even have an arts czar, although most people on the street don’t know it.

His name is Brian Hersch, and his title is CEO and president of the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County. In June, Hersch succeeded Jim Shirley, who retired as executive director of the organization formerly known as the Arts Council after 24 years.

Before joining the Arts Alliance, Hersch spent more than 20 years in nonprofit arts administration, including posts at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City and Asolo Repertory Theatre. Prior to joining the Arts Alliance, Hersch led Sarasota County Public Schools’ strategic approach to arts education.

Even though he’s not a household name, the unassuming Hersch, who studied percussion in college, is a good guy to know in Sarasota’s arts world. That’s because the organization he leads holds the purse strings for arts funding that comes from local taxes.  Sarasota County’s tourist development tax of 6% generates more than $42 million a year, of which the arts receive 8%. This year, Sarasota County will provide a record $3.2

million in funding to 35 arts and cultural organizations through grants administered by the Arts Alliance. For a small nonprofit, getting a grant of $10,000 can literally keep the lights on.

In an interview at the Arts Alliance’s offices around the corner from the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, Hersch notes that despite his title and role in Sarasota’s arts scene, he’s a facilitator and a collaborator, not a dictator (my word, not his).

A drummer at heart, Hersch is used to keeping the beat, stepping up to fill the empty spaces and improvising when necessary.

The analogy between Detroit during the Great Recession and Sarasota right now isn’t perfect because there isn’t much to fix in the city’s arts scene. The area weathered the storm of the pandemic with innovative approaches, like when the Asolo Repertory Theatre used its outdoor terrace as a stage during 2021.

Donors dug deep and ticket holders often didn’t request refunds for canceled performances.

While regional theaters have suffered post-pandemic audience declines averaging 30% and are scaling back production and even closing down in some parts of the country, performing arts is in full bloom in Sarasota. Tourists are coming to the area in greater numbers than ever. In March, Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport set a record for arrivals.

Some regional theaters forced to retrench had previously embarked on expensive expansion. Indeed, pricey projects are on the drawing board in Sarasota as the city explores the potential for replacing the Van Wezel with a state-of-the-art performance space designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop and the Sarasota Orchestra plans to develop a climate change-proof facility outside of the city near Interstate 75.

How those projects are financed and managed and whether they attract patrons will determine the health of the city’s performing arts in the future. But that’s a story for another day.

Right now, all is well in Sarasota performing arts, especially com

pared to its regional competitors.

It’s the city’s fragmented visual arts scene that’s trying to find its footing

-

“We’re Florida’s Cultural Coast. We punch above our weight.”

— Brian Hersch

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER

A+E EDITOR

amid rising rents downtown and the migration of art sales from formal galleries to pop-up events and artists’ open studios.

Hersch is well aware of the disparity in attention and funding between the performing arts and the visual arts, the city’s public art plan notwithstanding. Maybe that’s why he chose to have his picture taken at the new Palmer Modern gallery in the up-and-coming Limelight District instead of the nearby Van Wezel, the Historic Asolo Theater or even the Sarasota Opera House.

There’s a subtlety in the way Hersch works that isn’t immediately apparent. Sure, he’s a nice guy, but he’s also strategic. What’s more, he fine-tunes his talking points based on feedback from his audience, whether it be one person or dozens.

Maybe all CEOs should train to be musicians. You won’t get disagreement on that sentiment from Hersch, who was a champion of arts education in his roles at Sarasota County Public Schools.

Is there a better place for a kid who’s an aspiring artist or acrobat to grow up than Sarasota?  Name one.

There is also plenty of enthusiasm for the arts at the other end of the age spectrum. Like many other arts executives, Hersch is aware that most of the seats at Sarasota’s arts venues are filled by people with grey hair. That makes sense because they have the time and money to attend concerts and other performances.

Suffice it to say, as a busy family man who is married to Lauren Hersch, a philanthropy advisor at Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Hersch understands that it’s difficult to see the latest cabaret show at Florida Studio Theatre if you’ve got to get the kids to soccer practice and get dinner on the table. At certain times in their lives, people have more time for the arts than at others, he says.

Asked about local efforts to sponsor events for young people, Hersch demurs. He’s not willing to show all his cards yet, especially in a job that he only started in June.

Maybe Hersch isn’t a czar after

all. Perhaps he’s more like the ruler of a happy kingdom in a fairy tale. You can’t blame Hersch if he almost sounds smug when he proudly proclaims, “We’re Florida’s Cultural Coast. We punch above our weight.”

It’s a given that the tourists and retirees flock to Sarasota County for its pristine beaches filled with fine white sand. After spending time at the beach or on the water, the snowbirds  shop, eat and go out at night for entertainment.

In the old days, they went to the circus. John Ringling moved the winter quarters of the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1927, just as Florida’s land boom was going bust.

When Ringling died a decade later, he bequeathed his estate, which included his Cà d’Zan mansion, an art museum, art library and gardens, to the state of Florida. “Ringling was Disney before Disney” is something you hear around town about his farreaching legacy to Sarasota.

In “Shuttin’ Detroit Down,” Rich criticized the Wall Street engineers who developed the dangerous synthetic financial instruments and shady loans that created the housing crisis. His big beef was that they didn’t make anything tangible.

“Well pardon me if I don’t shed a tear.

“They’re selling make believe and we don’t buy that here.”

But as the striking actors and writers in Hollywood know, “selling make believe” is the business of the arts and plenty happens in Sarasota. But it’s not just about consumer gratification or escaping reality, Hersch says.

He believes that the arts can heal and that the Alliance can help administer the cure.

Hersch takes a holistic approach. He sees his job as helping the arts keep the community healthy as well as working to improve the wellbeing of the city’s artists.

One of his goals that he’s willing to talk about is his desire to bring more arts performances to public spaces, so they are accessible to all.

“Arts are an elixir,” he says, echoing the wisdom understood by everyone from Sarasota’s circus magnate godfather to plein air painters plying their trade at the farmers market.

Bite into the best bagels

My dad used to find comfort riding the peaceful bike trails around Sarasota, while my mother gets rejuvenated bobbing and talking with her friends in the pool. My sister seeks solace by reading books under the umbrella on the shores of Longboat Key, and my husband discovered relaxation driving the boat on the glass-like Gulf waters.

Me? I find my body rests best after biting into a bagel.

So, with added stresses to my life that have been out of my control, I was bound to find the best bagels that made me feel “hole.”

JERSEY GIRL BAGELS

5275 University Parkway, Unit 103, Bradenton; 941-388-8910; JerseyGirlBagels.net

To the bagel that gives the tri-state area (That’s New York, Jersey and Connecticut in my book) a run for its money.

You’re my everything: All the bagel dough here is made from scratch daily. This process of love makes me feel right at home. As a tri-state area born-and-raised foodie, let me tell you, it’s not often you find a baker who boils bagels like this. It’s been said that Jersey Girl Bagels makes more than 2,000 bagels daily, including flavors from French toast (to die for) to onion, cheddar cheese to daily specials.

Knead this in your life: While you could order an egg and cheese with a choice of bacon, sausage or New Jersey Taylor Ham ($7.99) I have to give it up to the simple beauty of an individual sesame bagel ($2) or specialty asiago bagel ($2.50) with flavored cream cheese like scallion or soon-to-be-back pumpkin.

PALM AVENUE DELI

1297 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota; 941-263-3742; PalmAvenueDeli.com

To the bagel that reminds me of something Jerry, George, Elaine or Kramer would order.

You’re my everything: Opening just a few weeks ago in our culinary-chic community, this New-York-inspired deli is where you will find me every time I’m homesick. Open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., with dinner coming soon,

this nostalgic eatery with iconic Big Apple deli flavors puts family and food first!

Knead this in your life: This place knows how to party like a lox star! From a Nova Lox platter ($16) to Nova Lox bagel ($11) with all the NYC fixings to Nova Lox egg and cheese ($12), these bagel and salmon pairings have me wanting to “start spreading the news.” But the lox train doesn’t stop there. Enjoy Nova Lox avocado toast ($18) or the lox, egg and onion frittata ($16).

LOX N’ EGG AND BROOKLYN BAGELS & DELI

4065 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; 941-924-1797; LoxAndEgg.com.

6970 S. Beneva Road, Sarasota; 999 Cattlemen Road Unit H, Sarasota; 941-993-1577; BrooklynBagelsAndDeli.com

To the bagel and schmear that leaves me begging for more room in my tummy.

You’re my everything: Prepare to experience bae-goals. Lox n’ Egg and both Brooklyn Bagels & Deli locations offer the most beautiful bagel box ($30), besties. The dough-filled delivery includes 12 regular bagels and two containers of fresh cream cheese (one plain and one flavored besides bacon and lox).

Knead this in your life: Both spots serve specials that make me feel like I’m being welcomed to New York even as I sit in a booth in Sarasota. Choose from over 20 lunch options, or be like me and challenge yourself to a cream cheese contest. There are over 10 fresh cream cheese choices, including honey walnut, jalapeño and bacon, to spread onto a dealer’s choice of bagels — from pumpernickel to spinach Swiss and more.

POSTAL 98 CAFE

1240 Yoder Ave., Sarasota; 941-2608862; Postal98cafe.com

To the bagel coffee pairing that has me questioning if a better duo exists.

You’re my everything: Although the two choices are plain or everything, you surely won’t be disappointed with how you style the holey breakfast baked good. Whether it’s a bacon, egg and cheese ($8.59) or simply plain with strawberry cream cheese, your taste buds will

be treated right.

Knead this in your life: Guatemalan coffee in a variety of different flavors leaves me feeling caffeinated and carefree. Feeling banana? Order the chunky monkey frappe ($5.09 and up). Missing fall? Order the maple cinnamon swirl latte ($5.09) — or stop by to see what specials are being served. Not into coffee? The tea selection is just as tasty with options like heavenly honey lavender fog ($3.69 and up) made with Earl Grey.

MESHUGANA DELI

4001 Clark Road, Sarasota; 941933-0244; MeshuganaSRQ.com

To the bagel that puts me in an Empire State of Mind.

You’re my everything: When I told my boss I was writing a story on bagels and was featuring this spot, she informed me that not only had she had my selection for dinner the night before, but “Meshugana” means crazy. Let me tell you, I’m crazy in love. This specialty deli delivers delicious New York flavors

with carryout, pickup and catering options. Or try a luncheon with your closest bagel-loving besties.   Knead this in your life: Bring home a baker’s half-dozen ($10.25) or a baker’s dozen ($19.50) of sensational salt bagels, phenomenal plain bagels, gorgeous garlic bagels, out-of-this-world onion bagels and more. This deli puts authentic flavor into each bagel bite. I am blown away that it’s happening right here in Sarasota.

MORTON’S DELI AND MARKET

1924 S. Osprey Ave., Sarasota; 941955-9856; 205 Canal Road, Sarasota; 941-349-1474; MortonsMarket.com

To the bagel platter of my dreams.

You’re my everything: Morton’s is my family’s favorite caterer (They catered my grandmother’s 90th birthday.), my husband’s sweet treat spot and my parents’ favorite “I’m going to bring lunch over” joint. Fun fact? Morton’s has been family owned and operated for four generations since 1969.

Knead this in your life: When prepping for my wedding morning (before the hurricane swept our plans away), I planned a huge brunch for the females in my life that I needed by my side. While the wedding plans changed, the assorted bagel platter with butter and cream cheese ($4.99/per person) from Morton’s never altered. I put a shmear on any bagel my hands could touch and savored each bite.

Foodies know the difference between boiled and baked lumps of dough.

Suncoast Concert Band celebrates its 90th birthday

In spring 1964, Leo Laier became the band’s third director, following in the footsteps of Voltaire Sturgis and Fred Prefect. For the next 46 years, Laier worked to improve the quality of band performances.

ROBERT STOLL CONTRIBUTOR

The year 1932 was a difficult one. The country was in the middle of the Great Depression, John Philip Sousa died March 6 and Americans longing for relief elected Franklin D. Roosevelt president in November.

In December, eight musicians calling themselves the “Tin Can Tourists” performed for the residents of Arcadia.

The next month, the group moved to Sarasota, and on Jan. 17, 1933, became “The Sarasota Trailer Park Band.” That name would last until 1974, when the group was rechristened the “Sarasota Mobile Home Park Band.”

Many of those watching the group now known as the Suncoast Concert Band perform during season at the Northminster Presbyterian Church might not be aware of how historical forces have buffeted the group over its long history.

Surviving the World War II years was no small task. While many members of the band were yearround residents, the war years, with its rationing and manpower mobilizations, forced some members to forego winter trips to Florida. The band, however, “played on.”

As its popularity grew, so did the ranks of its members. Florida became a mecca for former professional performers. Some even came from famous Big Bands, while others arrived from renowned symphony orchestras.

Retired professionals brought their expertise to Sarasota. Performing with the band provided them an opportunity to continue playing the instruments they loved and to make new friends.

To do so, he sought out new members that could bring a high standard of musicianship to performances. He also moved the band indoors to the newly built Payne Park Auditorium, the community center and meeting hall for the Sarasota Mobile Home Park.

Membership, which held steady at about 40 players, grew to around 55 musicians. In 1975, Laier formed the Suncoast Jazz Ambassadors, a 16-piece Big Band for those who wanted to play big band and swing music.

In 1979, the Suncoast Concert Band performed at the first Association of Concert Bands convention in Sarasota and again in 2017 at the ACB confab in Fort Lauderdale. The band’s travel extended even farther when it journeyed to England and Ireland to perform a series of concerts in 1986.

In 1993, the band decided to shed its mobile park moniker. It became formally known as the Suncoast Concert Band.

After 46 years of untiring musical leadership, Laier retired as director in May 2010 and was named director emeritus. He passed the baton Robert Stoll, who had joined the band in the trombone section in 2005.

The band celebrated a milestone in 2011 when it hit 1,000 performances. Since its inception, the Suncoast Concert Band has been entertaining audiences twice a month from November to May. Its repertoire consists of marches, show tunes, overtures, religious selections and familiar melodies.

The band played its final performance in Payne Park Auditorium in May 2012 and moved to Northminster Presbyterian Church. The opportunity to perform in this beautiful sanctuary has proven to be an uplifting and refreshing boon to both players and audiences.

Northminster Presbyterian Church is also the home of the Suncoast Jazz Ambassadors, which perform one concert a month from December to May.

As we celebrate our 90th anniversary, what do our audiences think about the Suncoast Concert Band and Jazz Ambassadors? Nancy Stoll,

the business manager for the band, often hears from audience members who write to share their experiences.

Here are just a few:

“As a former music educator, I am amazed at the quality of the musical performances. It is outstanding!”

Says another, “Living on a fixed income, it means so much to me to be able to attend such a high-quality performance at a very affordable price.” ($5.)

Last, “Thank you for providing us with a most enjoyable Sunday afternoon of great music.”

This kind of positive feedback is precisely why the musicians practice, rehearse and perform.

On to 100!

Robert (Bob) Stoll is a retired music educator who taught for 34 years in Massachusetts. He received his Bachelor of Music from New England Conservatory of Music. While teaching, he was personnel manager and played in the Metropolitan Wind Symphony and also the New England Brass Band. He joined the Suncoast Concert Band and Jazz Ambassadors in 2005 and became music director in 2010.

Formed in a trailer park during the Great Depression, the Sarasota-based band is still going strong.

THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

JOHN PIRMAN: ‘DIVING INTO NATURE’

10 a.m. at Selby Gardens, 1534 Mound St.

$26

Visit Selby.org.

The retrospective of the Sarasotabased designer and illustrator John Pirman will present his works both inside and outside at Selby Gardens. Runs through Sept. 17.

ARTIST TALK: LAUREN MANN, ‘THE EPHEMERALITY OF BEING’

5:30-7:30 p.m. Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail

$5 Visit ArtSarasota.org.

Based in Clearwater, Lauren Mann is a portrait artist whose detailed and colorful pencil drawings have been exhibited in several Florida shows.

‘CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REMIXED!’

7:30 p.m. at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 N. Palm Ave.

$18 and up

Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

“The Jersey Tenors” and “The Surfer Boys” veteran Vaden Thurgood has created his own musical revue for FST’s summer cabaret series. The show follows the life of Creedence Clearwater Revival founder John Fogerty through hit songs such as “Proud Mary” and “Bad Moon Rising.” Runs through Oct. 22.

OUR PICK DIVAS THREE

Created by Nancy Allen Productions, three female vocalists present four decades of songs made famous by Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and other women who have won the coveted title of “Diva.”

IF YOU GO

When: Through Sept. 17

Where: FST’s Court Cabaret

Tickets:$18 and up Info: FloridaStudioTheatre.org

DON’T MISS THE JALEN BAKER QUARTET

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe and Modern Marimba team up to present an evening of jazz featuring the Jalen Baker Quartet, with Jalen Baker on vibraphone, Paul Cornish on the piano, Gavin Moolchan on the drums and Gabriel Godoy on bass.

IF YOU GO

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: West Coast Black Theatre, Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave.

Tickets: $27 Info: WestcoastBlackTheatre.org

FRIDAY

ROBERT GARCIA

7 p.m. at Centennial Park, Venice Free Visit VisitVeniceFL.org.

Gather in Centennial Park for this free concert hosted by Venice MainStreet and sponsored by Neal Communities. Bring chairs or picnic blankets. No alcohol is permitted.

SATURDAY

SECOND SATURDAY

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Creative Liberties, 927 N. Lime Ave. and 901B Apricot Ave.

Free Visit CreativeLiberties.net.

Artists at art galleries such as Creative Liberties open their studios to the public on the Second Saturday of each month. A map of participating galleries can be found at SRQArtists.com. Please call ahead of time.

MIKE MCCARTHY

7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd. Runs through Sept. 17

Tickets $25 Visit McCurdysComedy.com.

Dubbed the “Comedy Barbarian,”

Mike McCarthy has a high-energy style that leaves audiences bouncing off the walls and gasping for breath.

YOUR NEIGHBORS

A GLANCING BLOW

Lakewood Ranch’s Mary

Carlin was so confident the area would only be dealt a glancing blow from Hurricane Idalia that she flew into the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport on Aug. 28, a day before the storm was to arrive.

“We knew it would hit way north,” Carlin said.

On Aug. 30, Carlin was walking her dog, Teddy, in the Greenbrook Adventure Park. Teddy, an American Labrador retriever, is a retired breeder for Southeastern Guide Dogs.

The rain, heavy at times, didn’t bother Carlin.

“I lived in Seattle for 20 years,” she said with a laugh.

Most of the Lakewood Ranch area was unscathed by the storm. Many businesses were open all over East County on Aug. 30 and very little debris littered local roadways.

River Club’s Frederic Mihailovic was picking up leaves and branches from his yard that fell during Hurricane Idalia.

Mihailovic, a pilot, was flying home and was forced to land in Fort Myers early Aug. 30. He

didn’t arrive until around 1 a.m. Determined to get home, he hopped in a rental car and drove through heavy winds and rain to get back to Lakewood Ranch.

Mihailovic said there wasn’t any damage to his home, but there was slight flooding on the sidewalk.

“It’s nothing we haven’t seen before,” he said.

He said the hurricane wasn’t bad, and his family took all the precautions necessary to prepare for the storm.

“(Hurricane Idalia) was good because it gives us an appreciation for what’s to come,”

Mihailovic said. “We bought the supplies you’re supposed to have and now we have a stash ready to go.”

Mihailovic said it’s important to monitor the radar to be aware of the path of any hurricane and know what to expect for rain, storm surge and peak wind gusts.

“You have to be aware of what you’re up against,” he said.

— JAY HEATER AND LIZ RAMOS

BEST BET

FRIDAY, SEPT. 8 AND SATURDAY, SEPT. 9

MUSIC AT THE PLAZA

Runs from 6-9 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1561 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. The local band Blue Pelicans will play classic rock Friday for those strolling the streets at Waterside Place while Dean Johanesen entertains with circus swing and American roots music on Saturday. The entertainment is free. For more information, go to WatersidePlace.com.

COMMUNITY

THURSDAY, SEPT. 7

TREE TOPS STORYTIME

Runs from 12:30-1:15 p.m. at the Braden River Library, 4915 53rd Ave., E., Bradenton. Children ages 4-6 are welcome to enjoy stories and crafts at this free event. For more information, go to ManateeLibrary.LibCal. com.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 7 THROUGH

SUNDAY, SEPT. 10

LIVE MUSIC AT JIGGS LANDING

Runs from 5-8 p.m. at Jiggs Landing, 6106 63rd St. E., Bradenton. The live music lineup at Jiggs Landing includes A Pirate Over 50 (Thursday), Soundwave (Friday), Blue Grass Pirates (Saturday) and Flip Flop Dave (Sunday). For more information, go to JiggsLanding.com.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 8

TECH HELP AT THE LIBRARY

Begins at 3 p.m. at the Braden River Library, 4915 53rd Ave., E., Bradenton. Free technical help is available for those who need it with androids, iPhones, tablets, laptops, e-books/ audiobooks and more. For more information, go to ManateeLibrary. LibCal.com.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 9

NEW PADDLER DAY

Begins at 8:30 a.m. at Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson

Circle, Sarasota. This free introduction to the Nathan Benderson Park Paddling Program is for ages 14 and older. Tickets are not needed, but the park asks that participants RSVP. For more information or to register, visit NathanBendersonPark. org or call 358-7275.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 10

FARMERS MARKET

Runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place, Lakewood Ranch. The Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch will run yearround every Sunday. Vendors will be offering seafood, eggs, meats, dairy products, pastas and more. Other features are children’s activities and live music. For more information, visit MyLWR.com.

YOGA IN THE PARK

Begins at 9 a.m. at Waterside Place Park, 7500 Island Cove Terrace, Lakewood Ranch. Lakewood Ranch Community Activities offers yoga that is free to residents; $10 for nonresidents. For more information, go to MyLWR.com.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 13

BINGO FOR ALL

Begins at 10 a.m. at Greenbrook Adventure Park, 13010 Adventure Place, Lakewood Ranch. Lakewood Ranch Community Activities hosts Bingo. For more information, go to MyLWR.com.

Become a puppy raiser with Southeastern Guide Dogs and open a world of magic to those with vision loss, veterans with disabilities, and children who need a best friend.

Your mission as a puppy raiser is simple. Take home a cuddly bundle of joy and bring back a happy, socialized, well-mannered dog. That’s the magic of making a difference.

✴ Choose your own adventure

The joys of puppy raising are endless, but the time commitment doesn’t have to be. Raise a puppy on your own or choose your dream team. You can share the journey with family, friends, colleagues, and more.

✴ Take a paws

Have a getaway planned? Take the vacation or well-deserved break. Our puppy sitters jump in and take the leash.

Just add love (+ food and water)

We’ll take care of the rest. Puppy raisers receive a kit stocked with all the necessities to raise a happy, healthy pup. Plus, we cover all veterinary care and medical expenses.

Unleash the fun!

We’ll support your puppy-raising adventure from start to finish—no matter where you live in the United States. Ask about puppy raiser clubs in your area for optional outings to connect, laugh, share tips, and swap stories with fellow raisers.

Be

Did you know? Every guide dog starts as a puppy, and every puppy needs someone like you. GuideDogs.org/pup

Take me home for 3, 6, or 12 months. Love me forever.

a part of the magic. Raise a puppy.

PET PICS

Have photos of your four-legged family members? We want to see them! Share them at YourObserver.com/contests/petpics to be published online and for a chance to see them in print!

Thinking about selling? Contact me for a complimentary consultation!

TOP 1.5%* of Realtors Nationwide

662-614-2783

toriturner@michaelsaunders.com www.torisellssarasota.com

1605 Main St., Sarasota, Fl 34236

The Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe

Friday, September 15th @ 6:30PM

The Sarasota Ballet Studio Company

Friday, October 13th @ 6PM

Asolo Repertory Theatre

Friday, November 17th @ 6PM

The stage is set

Every month at Lakewood Ranch, we celebrate the best local visual, musical, and performing arts the Sarasota region offers. Sights + Sounds, our newest signature event, will showcase theater, orchestra, acapella performances, art shows, and more!

Join us at our next event. Come for the show then stay for dinner and a drink at Waterside Place town center.

Check out all of the events happening around The Ranch!

IT’S READ EVERYWHERE

Headed on a trip? Snap a photo of you on vacation holding your Observer, then submit your photo at YourObserver.com/ ItsReadEverywhere for a chance to win a seven-night cruise for two, sponsored by Marc Bokoff - Cruise Planners.

I’ll feature your HOME in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Robb Report, Mansion Global, Barrons, Market Watch, Unique Homes, Local and International MLS, as well as FaceBook, Instagram, YouTube and much more!

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Concession home tops sales at $5.65 million

Ahome in the Concession topped all transactions in this week’s real estate.

Alan Jay Wildstien Family Ltd. Partnership, sold the home at 8423 Lindrick Lane to Henry and Teresa Ramallo, of Bradenton, for $5.65 million. Built in 2022, it has five bedrooms, five-and-two-half baths, a pool and 5,591 square feet of living area.

COUNTRY CLUB

Janice Jones, Mary Gail Manes and Paul Jones, of Clarksville, Tennessee, sold the home at 7036 Portmarnock Place to James McGrory and Karen McGrory, trustees, of Lakewood Ranch, for $2.47 million. Built in 2004, it has three bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 6,245 square feet of living area.

COUNTRY CLUB EAST

Donald Rousseau, of Whitmore Lake, Michigan, sold his home at 7454 Seacroft Cove to Jolie and Richard Nowicki, of Lakewood Ranch, for $2 million. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths and 2,932 square feet of living area.

Richard and Jolie Ann Nowicki, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 7709 Cavendish Cove to Paul and Susan Plunkett, of Mendota Heights, Minnesota, for $1,239,000. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,903 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.06 million in 2022.

Todd and Molly Phelps, trustees, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the home at 14632 Newtonmore Lane to Henry Edmond Millson II and Lana Michelle Millson, of Fountain Hills, Arizona, for $1.1 million. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,279 square feet of living area. It sold for $585,000 in 2018.

57TH STREET

Ann DiMaggio, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 2112 57th St. E. to Garth and Andrea Good, of York, Pennsylvania, for $1.9 million. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,781 square feet of living area. It sold for $550,000 in 2009.

DEL WEBB Pulte Home Co. LLC sold the home at 6770 Alstead Circle to Bettie Goldman, trustee, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1,302,500. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 2,548 square feet of living area.

BRADEN WOODS

William and Janine Strickler, trustees, of Bradenton, sold the home at 9022 63rd Ave. E. to Luke James Beardmore and Sarah Beardmore, of Bradenton, for $1,107,000. Built in 1997, it has four bedrooms, threeand-a-half baths, a pool and 3,761 square feet of living area. It sold for $376,800 in 2013.

Chelsea Sokun Lim and Michael Goyer and Sophorn Touch, trustees, of Edmond, Oklahoma, sold the home at 6013 99th St. E. to Gregory and Crystal Perry, of Bradenton, for $731,500. Built in 1994, it has four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,469 square feet of living area. It sold for $622,500 in 2021.

Marc Christian Miller and Dawn Marie Miller sold their home at 6105 99th St. E. to Eugene and Pamela Schilling, of Bradenton, for $695,000. Built in 1990, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,357 square feet of living area. It sold for $255,000 in 2018.

ST. JAMES PARK

Kathleen and Scott Dennis, of Carmel, Indiana, sold their home at 8111 Fairhaven Glen to David Hudson and Kimberly Bruce Hudson, of Versailles, Kentucky, for $1,025,000. Built in 1992, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,646 square feet of living area. It sold for $520,000 in 2015.

GREYHAWK LANDING WEST

Steve and Vera Daugherty, of Lexington, Kentucky, sold their home at 816 Honeyflower Loop to Gary Stewart Harvey and Wendy Samantha Harvey, of Bradenton, for $985,000. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,879 square feet of living area. It sold for $635,000 in 2016.

ROSEDALE ADDITION

Lamar and Jackeline Rucker, of Bradenton, sold their home at 4736 Royal Dornoch Circle to Mario Dalsass, of Bradenton, for $980,000. Built in 2013, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,646 square feet of living area. It sold for $640,000 in 2019.

Sharon Sharpe, of Bradenton, sold her home at 10648 Glencorse Terrace to Sandra and Stuart Sharpe, of Bradenton, for $675,000. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,399 square feet of living area. It sold for $371,800 in 2016.

Edward Etimar Gilbert and Beverly Hodes Gilbert, of Bradenton, sold their home at 4689 Royal Dornoch Circle to Peter and Elena Brady, of Staten Island, New York, for $525,000. Built in 2013, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,862 square feet of living area. It sold for $540,100 in 2022.

LouAnn Eldred Schultz, trustee, sold the home at 5120 Tobermory Way to Carrie David, of Bradenton, for $495,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,659 square feet of living area. It sold for $310,000 in 2020.

RIVER CLUB SOUTH

Michael and Leah Williams, of Great Falls, Montana, sold their home at 10085 Cherry Hills Ave. Circle to Clayton Marcus Hopkins and Alicia Hopkins, of Bradenton, for $965,000. Built in 1998, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,313 square feet of living area. It sold for $700,000 in 2021.

BRIDGEWATER

William and Lorene Cosenza, of Ocala, sold their home at 13409 Bridgeport Crossing to Charles and Christina Backus, of Lakewood Ranch, for $925,000. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 2,477 square feet of living area. It sold for $522,000 in 2015.

RIVER PLACE

Ernest and Daniele Florio, trustee, sold the home at 6972 74th St. Circle E. to Ratib and Rabab Okal, of Ontario, Canada, for $850,000. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,847 square feet of living area. It sold for $516,200 in 2006.

MOTE RANCH

Albert Charlet and Mary Lee Charlet, trustees, of Novi, Michigan, sold the home at 6232 Cypress Bend Court to Kirsten Vandonkelaar and Debra Vandonkelaar, of Bradenton, for $814,800. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,166 square feet of living area. It sold for $350,100 in 1999.

Jeremy Hammond-Chambers and Julie Price, of Bradenton, sold their home at 6422 Westward Place to Marion Tonia Stephanie Turnbull, of Bradenton, for $684,500. Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,454 square feet of living area. It sold for $502,000 in 2006.

RIVERSIDE PRESERVE

Stephen and Kimberly Thompson, of Palmetto, sold their home at 920 Whimbrel Run to Bahaa Amer and Nicole Smartt, of Bradenton, for $725,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and

2,610 square feet of living area. It sold for $395,900 in 2020.

COACH HOMES AT LAKEWOOD

NATIONAL

Timothy Frances Doreen Jr. and Ellen Doreen, of Middletown, Maryland, sold their Unit 1221 condominium at 5844 Wake Forest Run to Michele and Benedict Rappa, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for $700,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,108 square feet of living area. It sold for $735,000 in 2022.

WATERLEFE GOLF AND RIVER

CLUB

Linda Biribauer, of Bradenton, sold her home at 9626 Discovery Terrace to Michael Perrino, of Bradenton, for $635,000. Built in 2001, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool

and 2,088 square feet of living area. It sold for $418,000 in 2018.

WATERCREST

Debrah Arronis, of Bradenton, sold her Unit 303 condominium at 6360

Watercrest Way to The Robert T. Lewit Family Irrevocable Trust for $610,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,742 square feet of living area. It sold for $415,000 in 2021.

PALM AIRE AT SARASOTA

Rick Bundy and Eugenia Kay Bundy, of Martinez, Georgia, sold their home at 6993 Country Lakes Circle to Joseph and Judith Cook, of Sarasota, for $605,000. Built in 1985, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a

pool and 2,125 square feet of living area. It sold for $328,000 in 2018.

STONEYBROOK AT HERITAGE

HARBOUR

Neil and Lesley Beard sold their home at 8828 Stone Harbour Loop to Martin and Debra Fiori, of Bradenton, for $540,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,933 square feet of living area. It sold for $359,800 in 2005.

INDIGO

Andrew David Hurban and Maureen Hurban, of Parrish, sold their home at 3715 Azurite Way to Suzan Stiegelmeier, of Medina, Ohio, for $525,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,421 square feet of living area. It sold for $289,300 in 2020.

WATCH AT WATERLEFE

Douglass and Deanna Duncan, of Tierra Verde, sold their Unit 19-C condominium at 943 River Basin Court to Timothy Allen Tobiasz and Wendy Elaine Tobiasz, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, for $525,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,156 square feet of living area. It sold for $338,000 in 2021.

COUNTRY OAKS

Debbie Stubbs, of Overland Park, Kansas, sold the home at 4708 Country Oaks Blvd. to Nathaniel and Gabrielle Green, of Sarasota, for $480,000. Built in 1987, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,804 square feet of living area. It sold for $130,000 in 1998.

SUMMERFIELD Honor Wells Clarke, trustee, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the home at 6206 Blackberry Lane to Cherie Mabe Bolt, of Lakewood Ranch, for $425,000. Built in 1998, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,843 square feet of living area. It sold for $260,000 in 2016.

HARMONY Terri Bricker sold her home at 12204 Trailhead Drive to Michael and Mandy Plodek, of Bradenton, for $411,500. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,633 square feet of living area. It sold for $244,600 in 2019.

THE VILLAS OF EAGLE CREEK

Shirley Klein, of Bradenton, sold the Unit 6144 condominium at 6144 Country Club Way to Jeff Thomas Breit and Traci Ann Breit, of Sarasota, for $410,000. Built in 1991, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,588 square feet of living area. It sold for $145,500 in 1991.

TERRACE AT TIDEWATER

PRESERVE

Susan Greenwood, trustee, sold the Unit 525 condominium at 1020 Tidewater Shores Loop to Richard John Lesenski and Mary Lesenski, of S. Deerfield, Massachusetts, for $400,000. Built in 2019, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,121 square feet of living area. It sold for $209,000 in 2019.

HARBORAGE ON BRADEN RIVER

John Duncan Edgar, of Bradenton, sold his home at 5673 Whitehead St. to Elaine Catherine Glynn-L’Italien and Edmond L’Italien, of Bradenton, for $396,500. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, two-and-ahalf baths and 1,628 square feet of living area. It sold for $225,000 in 2019.

TERRACE AT LAKEWOOD

NATIONAL

Thomas George Farr, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the Unit 1636 condominium at 18028 Gawthrop Drive to David William Harris and Stacey Ann Harris, trustees, of Plainfield, Illinois, for $390,000. Built in 2022, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,142 square feet of living area. It sold for $321,000 in 2022.

Fast Break

Former Lakewood Ranch

High boys track and field star John Rivera Jr. finished 50th (1:48.83) in the 800-meter race at the World Athletic Championships held Aug. 22 in Budapest, Hungary, where he represented Puerto Rico. Rivera Jr. graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2022.

… Lakewood Ranch High announced Aug. 31 that the school will start a girls wrestling program this winter. The program will be coached by Nathaniel Lancaster, a Lakewood Ranch alumnus who is currently a varsity assistant with the boys wrestling program and a substitute teacher at the school.

… Former Braden River High football offensive lineman Ryan

Neuzil was informed Aug. 29 that he made the Atlanta Falcons’ 53-man roster as a guard/center. Neuzil initially signed with the Falcons as an undrafted free agent out of Appalachian State in 2021, spending time on the practice squad. He dressed for nine Falcons games in 2022.

… Former Lakewood Ranch

High football center Austin Reiter was signed to the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad Aug. 30 after being cut by the team Aug. 29. Reiter, who was the Chief’s starting center in Super Bowl LIV in 2019, also spent the 2022 season on the team’s practice squad.

… Former Lakewood Ranch

High baseball outfielder Grant McCray, now with the A-level Eugene Emeralds (San Francisco Giants) went 3-5 with a home run, a walk, two RBIs and three runs scored Aug. 29 in the Emeralds’ 15-1 win over the Tri-City Dust Devils (Los Angeles Angels).

Lisa Vieira (37) won the Ladies Golf Association

Individual Stableford event held Aug. 29 at University Park Country Club.

Mustangs seek answers after losses

We’re trying to do some new things.

I’m proud of the work the guys have put in. These first two games just haven’t gone our way.”

IF YOU GO

What: Lakewood Ranch High football (0-2) vs. Braden River High (1-0)

When: 7 p.m. Sept. 8

Where: Braden River High

Why: It’s the next chapter in the local football rivalry. The Pirates have won sevenstraight games against the Mustangs, including a 33-14 win in 2022.

What now?

It’s a question the Lakewood Ranch High football team (0-2) will have to answer following a 41-6 road loss Sept. 1 to Cardinal Mooney High (2-0).

For a team that was energetic and in control in its 40-14 preseason win over Dunedin High, the Mustangs have found themselves equally frustrated in their two regular-season losses, the first a 20-13 defeat against Lemon Bay High (1-0) on Aug. 25.

The Mustangs’ offense hasn’t found itself, a fact that was evident against a defensively stout Cougars squad, which is known for its pass defense. Cardinal Mooney has two NCAA Division I-level players at cornerback in senior Teddy Foster and junior Chris McCorkle, plus rising star sophomore Macaiden Brown at safety.

Even when Mustangs senior quarterback Sebastian Mejia had time to throw — which was a rarity — the Mooney trio’s lockdown coverage forced him to pass into tight windows or to dump the ball to a running back for a short gain. Mejia completed six of 18 passes for 76 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Defensively, things started better, as the Mustangs were able to slow the Cougars’ rushing attack. Eventually, Mooney’s superior size across the board won in the trenches, and the Cougars started to control the ball and the flow of the game. Mooney finished with more than 200 rushing yards and 360 total yards. In the open field, Lakewood Ranch didn’t have the athleticism to hang with Mooney’s elite speedsters for a full game.

A stuttering offense and a leaky defense have given Mustangs head coach Scott Paravicini plenty to worry about. The next week of practice will be about finding the answers to those concerns.

“There’s a lot to work on,” Paravicini said. “One thing about our kids is we play hard. They continued to fight, so that’s a good thing for us.

“We’re trying to find our identity.

Part of the team’s struggles might come down to natural size. Mooney has 13 players on its MaxPreps roster listed at 6-foot-2 or taller, while the Mustangs have six. Conversely, the Mustangs have nine players listed as 5-foot-9 or shorter, and the Cougars have four. Asked about the Mustangs’ overall size disadvantage compared to teams like Mooney, Paravicini shrugged off the notion that size played a significant factor in the team’s two losses.

“I like my guys,” Paravicini said.

One of those guys is junior receiver Jaron Fields, the 5-foot-8 receiver who continues to produce even when the rest of the offense is in a rut. Down 13-0 in the second quarter, Mejia hit Fields on a screen pass, and he took it through the heart of the Mooney defense for a 25-yard touchdown that momentarily quieted the Cougars’ crowd.

After spending 2022 on the school’s junior varsity team, he’s shown he can play at the varsity level in 2023. He’s caught a touchdown pass from Mejia in both contests, and had a third in the team’s 40-14 preseason win against Dunedin High. Fields has been working as a slot receiver, where he’s showcased an ability to get separation as well as displaying shifty moves in the open field once he catches the ball.

“He’s an athletic kid and he has a good football IQ,” Paravicini said of Fields. “When he touches it, there’s always a chance something special happens.”

Getting Fields the ball more could be one solution to the team’s offensive issues, but the team will likely need more than one way to move the ball in week three. Lakewood Ranch will travel to rival Braden River High (1-0) for a 7 p.m. game Sept. 8. The Pirates have won seven-straight games in the rivalry series, including last year’s 33-14 victory. Braden River will be well rested as the Pirates’ week two game against Palmetto High was postponed because of damage done by Hurricane Idalia to the school’s new turf field. A makeup date had not been announced as of Sept. 2.

Lakewood Ranch could use any bit of momentum it could muster heading into Braden River week, which is why Paravicini called for a fake punt on fourth and 16 when down

Mustangs player to watch: Junior receiver Jaron Fields, who has caught two touchdowns through two games in 2022.

Pirates player to watch: Junior quarterback Lucas Despot, who threw two touchdowns in the team’s 3420 win over Gainesville High on Aug. 25.

35 points to Cardinal Mooney in the fourth quarter. The fake, conducted by senior punter Aaron Clark, worked as he scampered 40 yards and put the offense near the red zone. The Mustangs could not turn the fake into any points, but the play did cause some excitement on the sideline.

“We were just trying to do something to get positive energy and finish the football game (strong),” Paravicini said. “We want to build on it come Monday. We know we’ve got Braden River, so we were trying to get our guys some life.”

“I’m a strong athlete, and I can hit a golf ball around 240 yards.” — Lakewood Ranch High girls golf team Emily Storm

The Mustangs fall to 0-2 after losing 41-6 to Cardinal Mooney High on the road Sept. 1.

PROSE AND KOHN RYAN KOHN

Mustangs golf team off to blazing start

After finishing fifth in the state in 2022, the Mustangs have the talent to challenge for the title.

It was four glorious days, with the promise of more on the way.

On Aug. 22, the Lakewood Ranch High boys golf team was ranked No. 1 in the state by the Florida High School Athletic Association, in all classifications.

It didn’t last long, for the Mustangs aren’t No. 1 in Florida anymore. As of Aug. 26, they were No. 3 overall and No. 2 in Class 3A, behind Fleming Island High, which also is ranked No. 1 overall.

The Mustangs’ No. 1 ranking stemmed from the players shooting a combined 3 under par while claiming the team title at the John Ryan Memorial Golf Tournament, held Aug. 21 at Capri Isles Golf Club in Venice. The Mustangs won the event by 11 strokes over secondplace Gulf Coast High.

Lakewood Ranch juniors Parker Severs and Henry Burbee finished first (67) and second (69) in the individual standings.

Lakewood Ranch isn’t sweating the rankings right now as the Mustangs’ goals go beyond numbers. They care more about something physical, like a trophy, that symbolizes the hard work they have done on the course to find success.

Mustangs head coach Dave Frantz said he has tried to avoid “the ‘S’ word”  — a “state” championship — when talking to his team. But it is clear that in 2023, the Mustangs have the talent needed to bring one home.

It would not come out of the blue.

Lakewood Ranch finished fifth at the Class 3A state tournament in 2022, and though the team did lose Preston Severs, the older brother

of Parker Severs, to graduation, the other four scoring members of the team — Severs, Burbee, sophomore Josh Orgen and senior AJ Hovermale — are back.

“We have to do what’s in front of us,” Frantz said. “I’ve talked to the guys a lot about how this is a process. We gain experience throughout the season. We play the best competition. We go all over the state trying to find that (competition). I think everyone knows what

we have to do.”  Frantz said he keeps score during every practice round the team plays and posts the results to a group text thread. That way, Frantz said, there are no mysteries. Everyone knows where they stand. Right now, Frantz said, nine of the 10 players on the roster have an average of 39 or better per nine holes. It’s the kind of depth that the program has not had since it won a state title a decade ago in 2013.

Frantz said Severs, Burbee and Hovermale all have a chance at the individual state title, too, assuming they play their best golf. Right now, it is Severs, who finished tied for seventh individually (73) at the state tournament in 2022, who is leading the charge. He followed his win at the John Ryan Memorial with a second-place finish (68) at the 12-team Titan Invitational, held Aug. 26-27 at The Conservatory at Hammock Beach in Palm Coast.

Severs was two strokes behind medalist Henry Robards of Episcopal High. The Mustangs finished second as a team (293), eight strokes behind Episcopal.

Frantz said the biggest difference between Severs in 2023 and 2022 is his lower-body strength.

Frantz said Severs caused a stir at the team’s picture day pose because his team-appointed white shorts, which the team was wearing for the picture, no longer fit as well as they did last season,  a fact that was noticed by his teammates and coaches.

“He came around the corner and he looked like the Incredible Hulk,”

Frantz said with a laugh. “His legs were just bulging out of those white shorts.”

From his perspective, Severs attributed his strong early season play to his putting, not his newfound strength. Severs said there is no one trick he discovered to help his putts drop, as many golfer wish existed. He simply put in a lot of work over the summer to improve, and it is now “the best it has ever been,” he said.

As much as Severs is happy with his own play, he’s just as excited for what he believes the team can become.

“We have a lot of younger kids who are doing well,” Severs said. “We’re developing good chemistry. If we keep improving we have a chance of doing something great.”

Frantz said he takes an approach to coaching this talented team that he would not have taken a decade or more ago. He focuses more on day-to-day coaching with the team’s young players, while the more experienced players get most of their actual instruction from personal coaches.

Frantz said he will occasionally spot a trend, or bad habit, that he will point out to a player, or ask what he and his personal coach have been improving. For the most part, though, his work with those more experienced players comes in the form of course management and general support.

“I used to be the one giving them all lessons,” Frantz said. “Now I just try not to get in their way.”

Frantz is being modest. It takes skill to get a group of kids in what is usually an individual sport and get them to play for one another. If he believes the team has the talent to win a championship, he’s probably right — even though he’s trying to avoid that topic with his team for now. In 30 days, when more tournaments have been played, the golf community will have a better idea of where the team stands, and so will the Mustangs.

“September is what I call the ‘fun month,’ where we find out who everybody is,” Frantz said. “Come October, I don’t smile quite so much. That’s when we get serious.”

We are pleased to welcome a new ear, nose and throat specialist to the First Physicians Group network. Dr. Baker is board certified in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and specializes in the treatment of sinus and ear disorders for adult and pediatric patients. His practice focus includes medical and minimally invasive surgical treatment of sinusitis, nasal obstruction, ear disease and hearing loss, as well as treatment of allergies, sleep apnea, salivary glands, dizziness and balance disorders.

Specialty: Otolaryngology

Board Certification: American Board of Otolaryngology –Head and Neck Surgery Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Lakewood Ranch, FL

Internship and Residency: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA

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In February I fell and broke my left shoulder. I contacted Dr. Page who examined my shoulder, He diagnosed and made a recommendation for surgery, carefully explaining the procedure in terms my husband and I could understand. After surgery, I was in physical therapy the following week. In less than three months, I regained most of my mobility back and my shoulder continues to improve. The surgery was a complete success. The nurses and office staff were very competent and helpful. I would recommend Dr. Page without reservation.

Emily Storm

Emily Storm is a sophomore on the Lakewood Ranch High girls golf team. Storm was the medalist (37) at the Mustangs’ Aug. 26 match against Southeast High, held at The Links at Greenfield Plantation. Storm also finished tied for 51st (84) at the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 3A state tournament as a freshman in 2022, the seventh-highest finish for a freshman at the event.

When did you start playing golf?

My dad (Gene Storm) started me when I was 3 years old. I played a lot of different sports over the years, but I fell in love with golf.

What is the appeal to you?

Well, I love winning. I love the competition of golf, and I love gaining muscle and adding power to my swing. Also, it’s a sport where you don’t get hurt as often as others.

What is your best skill?

I would say my driver. I’m a strong athlete, and I can hit a golf ball around 240 yards. I like testing how far I can hit it.

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

What is your favorite memory? I sank a hole-in-one when I was 10. My family lived in Chicago at the time. (Storm moved to Lakewood Ranch three years ago.) I was playing at Chicago Highlands Club, and I got it on the No. 4 hole. There were some local golf pros there watching, so that was a cool experience for a 10-year-old.

What are your goals for the season?

I just want to include everyone on the team in everything and become a better golfer, person and leader. Next year, I’ll be one of the older players on the team and I want to be ready.

What is your favorite food? Since I’m from Chicago, I love a ribeye steak.

What are your hobbies?

I like to stay active. I like to go to the beach. I like to go swimming. And I like to watch football or other sports on TV.

What is the best advice you have received? You can drive the ball 250 yards onto the fairway and put yourself in good position to get onto the green, but you still have to make a putt for anything to

Finish this sentence: “Emily Storm is …” … Competitive.

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OPHTHALMOLOGY PRACTICE

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A “HAPPY COINCIDENCE”

Creates the Foundation for Coastal Orthopedics’ 50-Year Legacy

It was a “happy coincidence” that laid the foundation for Coastal Orthopedics, says Dr. Jim Rogers, one of the original founders of the now well-known health care firm.

Formed in the early 1970s, the initial three-doctor partnership between Dr. Jim Rogers, Dr. Keith Lassen, and Dr. Horace Townsend was simply known as “Townsend, Lassen and Rogers, PC” - or “TL&R” for short. It wasn’t until Dr. Gary Dunlap joined the practice that they changed their name to Bradenton Orthopedic Associates.

“Before coming to Bradenton, neither of us had any personal connections with the town or each other,” said Dr. Rogers. “Aside from the obvious fact that orthopedics was the common denominator, each of us had very different personal and educational backgrounds. Horace was originally from Oklahoma, trained in the military, and was in Vietnam before coming here. Keith grew up in Arizona and went to school in California, Texas, and Iowa before coming to Bradenton after being in the Air Force in Pensacola. My schooling was mostly in the south, and since my father was an Army doctor, I was from everywhere and nowhere. But I claim Georgia, since I was born in Atlanta.”

Though their backgrounds and education were so different, their practice has clearly stood the test of time. Dr. Rogers says that their differences have become an unrecognized benefit of their collaboration.

“One very important element to our partnership was that I trusted my partners to care for my patients in my absence the same way that I would have, and I am sure they felt the same about me,” said Dr.

Rogers. “Also, I can safely say that we developed a good reputation in our community for taking good care of our patients, so we enjoyed their trust as well. I think I can speak for Dr. Townsend and Dr. Lassen in saying that we picked the right specialty for a lot of reasons. One of which is that we truly enjoyed engaging with our patients and their families through the years. In this regard I think the proof was in the pudding, since most of the patients that came to our practice were referred by other patients.”

The organization’s name underwent several changes as doctors continued to join the team, finally becoming Coastal Orthopedics in 2004. Despite these changes, the mission to improve the quality of life for patients and their families has never wavered. Now, Coastal Orthopedics is celebrating 50 years of innovative health care, and is looking forward to a thriving future.

As Manatee and Sarasota counties have grown, so has Coastal Orthopedics. Last year, two new state-of-theart facilities opened in West Bradenton and East Manatee, offering the latest in cuttingedge orthopedic technology. They also have an ambulatory surgery center to serve Florida’s West Coast.

Their commitment to providing the highest quality of orthopedic care to the community has driven Coastal Orthopedics to offer the most cutting-edge technology available to its patients, recently turning to robotics. In October 2021, they became the first in the region to offer Stryker’s Mako Robotic-Arm assisted knee replacement procedures in their

outpatient surgery center, and have performed over 500 successful procedures using the technology.

“Now that I am getting older, I am on the other side of this healthcare business, since I have been treated by Coastal Orthopedics’ doctors for knee, shoulder, and hand problems. So I can confirm from a very personal viewpoint that I was treated very competently - as you would expect in this day and age - but also with respect and concern,” says Dr. Rogers. “I am proud to have been associated with Coastal from the very beginning, and I am very happy to see their continued growth and success as they expand from that little, small town ‘bone-and-joint’ practice to what it is today.”

Today, 20 orthopedic surgeons and pain management physicians call Coastal Orthopedics home, maintaining hospital affiliations with HCA Florida Blake Hospital, HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, and Manatee Memorial Hospital. Overall, the practice employs over 300 - many who have been with the company for over 20 years.

“I have witnessed so much kindness in my 25 years with Coastal,” said registered technologist Patsy Patterson. “The medical assistants are so kind and helpful to us in x-ray. I have seen the physicians go to great lengths to help Coastal employees in need. Physician assistants, cast techs, as well as physical therapists, have willingly and graciously helped us lift patients when needed. I have even witnessed patients who don’t know each other showing great kindness and compassion to each other, and I continue to be inspired by our front desk staff who work so hard and are always cheerful.”

To celebrate 50 years of community and care, Coastal Orthopedics treated their entire staff - and their families - to a day at ZooTampa at Lowry Park. Several additional activities are planned throughout the month, among them a breakfast served by the management team.

“One of the things I like about working at Coastal is that our physicians are excellent,” said Patsy. “I see patients come in injured and in terrible pain. They come back for x-rays after surgery or treatment, and they are so much better. Sometimes the difference is so great, you would think it was a miracle.”

“It’s truly an honor to be with a company with such tremendous dedication to its foundational legacy, innovative care for its patients, and to this wonderful community that has supported our growth for five decades,” said Paige LeMay, Chief Executive Officer of Coastal Orthopedics. “We are thrilled to be a leading provider of comprehensive orthopedic care on the Suncoast, and we cannot thank our dedicated team of employees, physicians, and this community enough for their continued support. Here’s to the next 50 years!”