Longboat Observer 6.29.23

YOUR TOWN

Building back to full strength

Road to recovery

Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce President Gail

Loefgren has been working from home recently after a knee replacement surgery as the chamber approaches one of its most anticipated holidays — July 4.

Loefgren and Observer

Vice President Lisa Walsh co-founded Freedom Fest 20 years ago. After many years of planning and managing the event, Loefgren finds it simple to put together. She organized most of the events before her surgery and has finalized the last details while around the comfort of her family.

Thankfully, her recovery has been smooth, for she has been spending it at her daughter’s house. Since Loefgren will not be fully recovered by July 4, she has prepared her new parttime assistant, Connie Darrah, to make sure everything runs smoothly.

Loefgren is bummed to be missing out on the 20th anniversary but has great faith in her team to make this Freedom Fest a memorable one.

People’s choice

Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department’s Station 92 is receiving high praise.

The building was nominated for the 2023 People’s Choice Award. The award is backed by the Florida Foundation for Architecture and the American Institute of Architects of Florida.

The station was built in 2021 and designed by Todd Sweet of Sweet Sparkman Architects. Station 92 is well-equipped for its firefighter paramedics with a gym, kitchen, TV room, bedrooms and areas for writing reports. Of course aspects of public safety were paramount in the modern design, including a public medical center to provide residents basic medical care. The building is also built to withstand up to 165 mph winds, making it one of the most resilient structures on the island, according to the architect.

Voting is open until July 28 at FloridaPeoplesChoice.org to choose a winner.

Turtle tracks

FDOT recommends redesign

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

Proposed projects designed to improve Gulf of Mexico Drive and calm traffic near the intersection of GMD and Broadway Street are currently at a standstill due to the Florida Department of Transportation’s latest recommendations.

Town of Longboat Key Director of Public Works Isaac Brownman presented updates to two major GMD improvement projects during the June 20 Town Commission budget workshop: a roundabout at GMD and Broadway Street and a GMD complete street. Both projects are now in need of redesign, according to FDOT’s feedback.

The idea of a roundabout at the intersection of GMD and Broadway Street is something that was already being talked about when Brownman began his job in August 2017. Since then, the town has been going through the design process and was nearly 100% complete with the plans.

As a state road, any improvements or changes to the roadway must be approved though FDOT, according to Brownman. The town was engaged in designing the roundabout with a local engineering firm, and after completing about 60% of the plans, they checked with FDOT before pursuing the plans further. Brownman said, at that time, FDOT noted no concerns over the plan’s roadway banking. Banking is the way the road is angled to maintain friction for cars going around a curve. There were some comments about drainage issues, which Brownman said they spent months working through.

“We proceeded to 90% design, actually nearly 100% design, because we had a lot of confidence

in the direction we were taking,” Brownman said.

When the town submitted the designs to FDOT at 90% completion, FDOT said the banking was now an issue. The almost completed plans are no longer something FDOT would approve, according to Brownman.

Because GMD is a state road, FDOT was going to fund $1.6 million of the total $2.2 million project. However, if the plans must be changed considerably, money may be an issue, according to Town Manager Howard Tipton.

When the update was brought up at the June 20 budget workshop, Mayor Ken Schneier suggested the possibility of looking into alternatives if costs become an issue. The main alternative would be to install a traffic signal. But having a traffic signal that close to a drawbridge may prove problematic, said Tipton.

“Roundabouts have a way of slowing traffic down without stopping traffic, and that’s what we were trying to get to, but if the costs get out of hand as part of the redesign, I think the mayor is absolutely right,” Tipton said.

Complete street

The other project in question is the GMD complete street improvement. According to Tipton and Brownman, FDOT had proposed repaving GMD and replacing the sidewalk beginning in fiscal year 2025. At the same time, Brownman said the town was coming up with a vision for what it wanted GMD to look like. Paramount in those discussions was including wider bike lanes and a wider multiuse trail. Specifically, on the east side, they wanted to replace and widen the trail, which is currently not in great condition, Brownman said.

“It’s a patchwork of different con-

crete and expansions over time, and it’s got some heaving,” Brownman said. “It’s in pretty rough shape.”  The town proposed having a 12-foot trail, with the thought that an eight-foot trail would be too narrow for the high level of activity the trail currently sees with cyclists, pedestrians and their dogs.  Brownman said FDOT examined the idea for several months before returning the recommendation that there would be too great of a need for drainage facilities and structures due to an increase in impervious surfaces. Tipton would like to see GMD get the additional 4 feet of sidewalk but does share some concerns.  “There are some, I think, legitimate right-of-way concerns and potentially, depending on the surface or material that’s used for the trail, there could be some drainage concerns, as well,” Tipton said.  For both projects, Brownman and Tipton are expected to have meetings with FDOT officials soon to discuss possible ways to move forward.

Relax

The roundabout and complete street projects for Gulf of Mexico Drive now require further design and discussion before moving forward.

Mangrove trimming under dispute

The state has strict regulations for trimming mangroves because of the benefits they provide for their ecosystems.

CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection recently opened an investigation in response to people concerned with mangrove trimming conducted two years ago at the Longboat Key Club and Resort. But the regulations and permitting for mangrove trimming may be more complicated than a simple right or wrong.

“The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is currently investigating reports of unauthorized mangrove alteration at the Longboat Key Club,” DEP Press Secretary Brian Miller said. “DEP inspectors have been on-site to perform a preliminary inspection and are in the process of finalizing their inspection report.”

Mangroves are important hubs of biodiversity for estuaries such as the Sarasota Bay, so how much and when mangroves can be altered is a complex conversation between multiple stakeholders.

“Mangroves have been a big issue for us because we’re seeing a lot of illegal trimming going on, and we don’t see much enforcement,” said Rusty Chinnis, board chair of the Suncoast Waterkeeper organization.

Suncoast Waterkeeper is a nonprofit that strives to protect Florida’s environment through advocacy and enforcement.

According to Chinnis, Suncoast Waterkeeper can act as a middleman. People who see environmental situations worth reporting, good or bad, can send those reports to the organization. If it’s seen as a violation, such as pollution in a river or mangroves trimmed too short, Suncoast Waterkeeper can further the report. In this case, Chinnis said his organization reported the mangrove trimming to the DEP.

John Reilly, director of agronomy, has been with the Longboat Key Club for 15 years. In his position, he oversees landscaping and projects such as the honey beehives and composting. According to Reilly, the mangrove trimming done on the Longboat Key Club grounds was legal. The club has the correct permits, and it contracted a professional mangrove trimmer — Suncoast Environmental Group.

“Everything we did was thoughtful in our approach,” Reilly said.

The main dispute now is seen on Hole 4 of the club’s Blue golf course. There, the mangroves two years ago were “flush cut,” or cut so that they meet the water level. A manmade pond separates the fairway and a row of houses. The mangrove roots

are still intact; they have not been excavated, Reilly said.

All in all, Reilly believes that the mangrove trimming was the best possible option for all stakeholders involved. When starting on the hole, the player drives the ball down the fairway. Before the mangroves were flush cut, players had a difficult time seeing where golf balls actually landed. That was the reasoning behind the trimming.

“This was so that the golfer could play the hole and enjoy it,” Reilly said.

While the main reason behind the trimming was to improve the golfer’s experience, Reilly said a possibly positive side effect was that now, homeowners across the pond have both a waterfront and golf view.

Other holes, like the Blue course’s Hole 3, utilize the mangroves in their landscaping. These mangroves have not been trimmed, but instead create a perfectly lined edge along the fairway.  “If it didn’t enhance the hole for the golfer, we let nature be,” Reilly said.

POLICY MATTERS

The DEP regulates mangrove trimming with the 1996 Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act, which affords the plant certain protections. This act lays out regulations for trimming. For all general permitted trimming, a professional mangrove trimmer is required. Professional mangrove trimmers are also recommended for individual exempt permits, though not required.

General permits, which are the most common, state that mangroves “may not be trimmed so that the overall height of any mangrove is reduced to less than six feet as measured from the substrate.”

Special exceptions are possible, but according to the DEP website, individual permits are required to trim mangroves below the general six feet.

According to Reilly, the club trims mangroves every year to the six-foot line as permitted.

Two years ago was the last time it cut mangroves below that mark, to improve the line of sight for golfers. Because the pond adjacent to the mangroves is manmade, Reilly said any alterations fell under the jurisdiction of the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Trimming was seen as maintenance for the pond.

An email chain went on for months among the Longboat Key Club, Suncoast Environmental Group and the DEP prior to the trimming in question. The club had indicated that it and Suncoast Environmental Group saw the pond as stormwater runoff, so no permit was necessary in its

view. It pointed to previous cases in which homeowners trimmed mangroves on their own properties in similar situations. The DEP was given a chance to respond but, according to Reilly, did not.

IMPORTANT ECOSYSTEMS

The term “mangrove” encompasses three distinct species: red, black and white mangroves. These trees are more than just vegetation, according to Sarasota Bay Estuary Program Executive Director Dave Tomasko.

“It’s not just a tree; it’s actually a habitat,” Tomasko said.

Mangrove ecosystems provide important nesting and resting grounds for birds, he said. The portions of the mangroves that are underwater also are hubs of biodiversity. Oysters that attach themselves to mangrove roots actively filter water. The root system itself provides habitats and safety for juvenile fish, which then work up the food chain to recruit larger fish.

The trees also protect shorelines and their properties from the impact of storms. While most areas don’t have enough to substantially reduce storm surge, Tomasko said, a lot of areas have enough mangroves to reduce wave height. This can lead to less property damage in the event of large storms.

Tomasko said mangroves deserve more credit.

“I think mangroves need to be given a lot of respect because they’re not just a nuisance to cut down to get a view of the water. When you have a Category 3 hurricane coming on shore, you might want to wish you had bigger mangroves,” Tomasko said. “I think we need to change our views of mangroves, to welcome into our landscape rather than view them as an obstruction to our view.”

They provide habitat for threatened and endangered species such as wood storks and roseate spoonbills.

They provide habitat for up to 80% of commercially and recreationally important fish species.

Investing in the future

capital expenditures.

Some important but increasing expenditures include insurance.

The time to make investments is when times are good, not when times are bad. That’s Town Manager Howard Tipton’s philosophy going into fiscal year 2024.

A preliminary budget was presented at a Longboat Key Town Commission special workshop on June 20, which outlined the anticipated revenue and expenses for the upcoming fiscal year. The total anticipated budget of $25,611,028 is a 43% increase from 2023’s adopted budget of $17,796,775.

Of that, $20,511,028 is dedicated to operating expenditures, while the remaining $5.1 million will go toward

Property and casualty insurance costs increased by 30% and flood insurance increased 20%. This part of the budget also includes a 15.25% increase in operating and personnel expenses from the current fiscal year. The updated union contracts for Longboat Key Police and Fire Rescue departments contributed to the increase.

One of the largest investments in personnel comes with the addition of seven full-time positions, six being supported by the general fund and one by the building fund. The six positions for the general fund represent an expenditure of $486,042 and are: an accountant, a grants coor-

dinator, two information technology positions, fire administrative support and a parks service worker. According to Tipton, some of these positions are not new. The positions in fire and IT are returning positions.

“Prior to the Great Recession, (the town) actually had a larger manning table than we have today,” Tipton said.

Tipton said the town is struggling a bit to keep up with grounds maintenance, so they felt a new position in parks service was necessary. Additionally, Tipton said the finance office wanted to do a better job applying for grants and wanted a position dedicated to grants. The town hopes that position will pay for itself.

From the building fund will come

the seventh new full-time position, which will be a plans examiner/ building inspector. The Planning, Zoning & Building Department also requested a managing software called Accela. The software costs $450,000 and is a cloud-based software suite that digitizes many processes relating to permitting, building inspections and public safety.

The building fund also budgets for a Town Hall hardening project, totaling $1.7 million. This project will make the building more resilient in the face of storms. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is expected to reimburse 72% of project costs, however the town is still waiting for the official confirmation.

Commissioner BJ Bishop shared the sentiment that now is the time

to make these types of investments.

“Investing in our community with adequate staff and with technology is critically important,” Bishop said.

Other substantial investments come in the form of one-time infrastructure costs. The General Fund Reserve allocates $5.1 million to these capital investments, including a project to calm traffic near Broadway Street, digital display boards, road resurfacing and additional street lighting.

Special funds budget revenues primarily come from taxes, such as the Tourist Development Tax and Sarasota Infrastructure Surtax. These revenues have specific guidelines for where they can be spent.

The Sarasota Infrastructure Surtax is being used to fund projects in public safety, facilities and parks and recreation. For 2024, the town plans to order a new fire truck costing $850,000. Another planned purchase is $175,000 to install artificial turf in the remainder of the dog park at Bayfront Park. Mayor Ken Schneier brought up the idea of a community member possibly funding this project, but the money has been set aside in the budget in case there are no prospects.

The gas tax is a main source of funds for much of the Road and Bridge Fund, which can only be used on

infrastructure such as roads, bridges and traffic signal maintenance. Tipton and other c ommissioners discussed how this important revenue source may be changing in the near future.

“I think FPL has forecasted that one in four cars will be electric by 2027 on the roads in Florida, which is a dramatic decrease in gas tax revenue,” Tipton said. “Finding whatever that alternative solution is, I think, will be important, and sooner is better.”

Another big source of revenue for the town comes from property taxes. According to the budget, property values have increased 12.75% (14.06% in Manatee County and 12.16% in Sarasota County). The millage rate was recommended to go unchanged from 2022 at 1.99, which will provide about $1.78 million more with the increase in property value compared with 2022. This comes to a total property tax revenue of $15,915,542 if this millage rate is used.

“Longboat Key is in the enviable position of being the lowest (millage rate) in the surrounding communities,” Tipton said.

A final proposed budget is due on or before Aug. 1, with a first reading expected on Sept. 11. The budget will be adopted Sept. 30 before the fiscal year begins on Oct. 1.

REAL ESTATE TRENDS IN SARASOTA

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

Carlisle Inn – Sarasota

Member: $55

Non - Member: $70

Learn more about current trends and market conditions in commercial and residential real estate.

MEDIA SPONSOR:

SUPPORTING SPONSOR:

Register Today at sarasotachamber.com

Training days for elected officials

Longboat Key’s newest town Commissioners Gary Coffin and Debbie Murphy have a couple months of experience under their belt. Now, they have graduated from part one of a two-part training course for elected officials.

The two attended Florida League of Cities’ Institute for Elected Municipal Officials on June 9 and 10. During this first part, Murphy said the course was focused on some technical aspects of being an elected official and how municipalities operate.

One aspect was learning the importance of Home Rule Power, especially in a town like Longboat, Murphy said. In her words, home rule is the philosophy that “local people can make better local decisions than people at the state level.”

A local example of this comes with Longboat’s 30-day rental minimum. Murphy said companies like Vrbo and Airbnb are trying to overcome the home rule of towns like Longboat to allow their customers to stay for shorter periods. The 30-day minimum is something ingrained in Longboat’s charter, Murphy said, so it’s important that residents bring issues like this to Tallahassee to show the importance of home rule.

The commissioners also learned about different types of municipality governance, including the “weak mayor” structure of Longboat. In this structure, the mayor facilitates meetings, attends ribbon-cutting ceremonies and serves as the face

of the town. The town manager oversees the functions of the local government and commissioners are essentially the policymakers.

Murphy said this was one aspect she struggled with at first. She wanted to be able to solve residents’ smaller problems but had to put it into perspective that that’s not her job. Murphy had to learn that her job was to listen to a person’s situation and connect them with the right person.

In Longboat, Murphy said this is common.

“There’s nothing that makes me feel better than to watch people be respected and appreciated,” Murphy said. “In this town, I will say, and especially under the leadership of Howard Tipton, that is very much alive and well.”

This has been one of the things Coffin has found most interesting, in a positive way, about the job so far. He said, before taking the position, he was unaware of how much outreach the commissioners received from residents.

“That’s why we’re here,” Coffin said. “And it’s been great to listen to people telling their stories about things and try to get things done.”

They also learned technicalities involved in structuring commission meetings. There are certain parameters and best practices for meetings, like a proper notice, being held in an open location, availability of minutes and rules for making motions. Also important is the right for the public to be heard, which is limited to three minutes at Longboat commission meetings.

Something that Murphy really

valued from the IEMO training was connecting with like-minded commissioners. In Florida, Sunshine Laws prohibit commissioners from having conversations in public that can be construed by anybody. In that regard, Murphy and Coffin can’t have a conversation in public because people could interpret that as them having a conversation about something the council will talk about in the future. The two even had to sit apart from each other during the training, Murphy said.

Attendees were given a spreadsheet of all the others from that training session so they could connect with one another when something comes up. This created a sort of informal network, Murphy said.  Coffin also liked the ability to meet other local officials and being able to learn with others at the same level.

“What this organization does, which is absolutely fabulous, is it puts together most all of the localities on the same playing field so they’re able to communicate with one another and learn law and points of governing that some of us may not have had the exposure to,” Coffin said.

About three months into the role, Murphy said she has been impressed with the caliber of people drawn to be elected officials of Longboat.

“I think the most interesting part is being involved with a group of people that have the same dedication and interest of trying to make things better here in Longboat Key,” Murphy said. “I just like the fact that everyone has a genuine interest in looking together and listening to one another.”

According to Murphy, the two commissioners plan on attending the second step of IEMO’s training in October. The second round will include more in-depth discussions about comprehensive plans and sources of revenue, like millage rates.

“I think the most interesting part is being involved with a group of people that have the same dedication and interest.”

— Debbie Murphy

9:00 to 11 a.m.

Tuesday, July 4, Bicentennial Park on Bay Isles Road

Parade Food Games

Sand Art

Face Painting

Balloon Artist

Stilt Walker

Short on inspectors

CARTER WEINHOFER

STAFF WRITER

The town of Longboat Key only has one full-time inspector currently on payroll, yet it receives an average of 65 inspection requests a day.

According to Planning, Zoning and Building Director Allen Parsons, the department usually has two fulltime inspectors but had one vacancy at the time of publication. Due to a high demand for building inspections, the department has had to hire private providers to take on some of the work. Generally, these cost about $100 an hour, Parsons said, adding the town is utilizing them “pretty much on a daily basis.”

“We’re using private providers to cover for the person that’s out,” Parsons said. “But then on any given week, too, we use private providers to help deal with the demand that’s beyond the capacity of our two inspectors.”

The department has been down to one inspector for about a month. Currently, Parsons said the average turnaround time for an inspection is one to two days.

“Our inspectors are pretty much running at maximum capacity, if not above that,” Parsons said.

The increase in demand began in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the real estate market has continued to take off since then, Parsons said the demand for inspections has been steady and high.

Aside from the shortage in workers and high demand, Parsons said hiring private providers isn’t completely uncommon. All work that is done that requires building permits will require some sort of inspection. This could be done throughout the building process or at the end, depending on the situation.

Each inspection requires certain certifications, and if one of the town’s inspectors doesn’t have that certification, then the town must outsource that inspection.

Parsons discussed this shortage in front of town commissioners during the June 20 budget workshop meeting.

At that time, he brought up the addition of a new building inspector position in the department starting in fiscal year 2024.

If the vacant position is filled and the new position is created and filled, then Parsons believes three workers may help meet demand.

“It will alleviate it, I think, to a significant amount,” Parsons said.

Chucko the Clown

"Hot

Parade & Contest w/ Prizes

$500 Prize. Cannons Marina is offering a $500 cash prize to the most patriotic business entry in the parade (as long as there is a minimum of 10 business entries). Floats may be any motorized vehicle with 4 wheels e.g. golf cart, auto, van, trailer, etc. To enter, please call the chamber at 383-2466. Parade starts promptly at 9am.

Kid Games & Butterfly Release. Fun games for kids of all ages after the parade with loads of prizes for everyone. Kids can also take tours of Longboat Key's biggest fire truck and rescue unit. Kids will get to release dozens of butterflies, supplied by the Longboat Key Garden Club. Presenting Sponsor

LONGBOAT

Greatest civil document

The Declaration of Independence was much more than a secession from tyranny. It changed the world.

WHO IS THE STATESMAN-LEADER?

The founding of the United States of America has to be one of the Greatest Stories Ever. Let’s say in the top five.

For nearly 250 years, that moment has changed the course of the world.

From the Pilgrims settling at Plymouth Rock to the Declaration of Independence to the writing and adoption of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, to everything those events spawned over the past 247 years, America’s founding has to be up there with Creation; Moses and the Israelites’ 40-year journey to the Promised Land; the birth of Jesus Christ; and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Assuming you agree, it makes sense then that the Fourth of July is celebrated the way John Adams hoped it would be celebrated. After the Founders voted to adopt the Declaration of Independence on July 2, Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail:

The Declaration of Independence “will be the most memorable epocha in the history of America.” He said the day should be “solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other from this time forward forever more.”

Through the generations, we Americans have obliged Adams’ wish with gusto — red, white and blue parades, topped with the quintessential American feast of grilled ’dogs, mustard, potato chips, corn on the cob, watermelon, homemade brownies and, yes, Bud Light.

And the fireworks.

This is a guess: If you walked Siesta Key Beach and conducted Man (or Woman) on the Beach interviews, asking why we celebrate Independence Day, of course, many of us would cringe these days at the stupidity of so many Americans. You can envision the interview:

Interviewer: “Why do we celebrate Independence Day?”

Interviewee: “Uh, because we beat the Germans and Japanese in World War I?”

Ugh.

Ever the optimist, we still want to believe most adult Americans (especially those older than Gen Zers) do indeed know why we celebrate Independence Day. (See box for the exact words.)

Forevermore, Americans have

WHAT FOUNDERS DECLARED

This is the final paragraph of the Declaration of Independence — the “what” the Founders were declaring:

“We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do …”

instinctively invoked the words liberty and freedom with the Fourth of July. More specifically, of course, we are always reminded on this national holiday of Thomas Jefferson’s immortal words in the second paragraph of the Declaration:

“We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

It’s probably true that most Americans at the time of the Declaration focused on the proclamation that they were no longer under the tyrannical rule of the British king and empire; they were free of his injustices, usurpations and pillaging. But in the words of the late President Calvin Coolidge, the Declaration “had a much broader and deeper significance than a mere secession of territory and the establishment of a new nation.”

In a 4,500-word speech July 4, 1926, in Philadelphia — on the 150th anniversary of the Declaration, then President Coolidge delivered what should be regarded as one of the most insightful explanations ever recorded of the profound meaning of the Declaration of Independence (see below).

Coolidge called the Declaration “the most important civil document in the world.” And among the reasons for such a noble title, Coolidge said:

“Three very definite propositions were set out in its preamble regarding the nature of mankind and therefore of government. These were the doctrine that all men are created equal, that they are endowed with certain inalienable rights and that therefore the source of the just powers of government must be derived from the consent of the governed.”

These were not new principles in the 18th century, but as Coolidge

THE DECLARATION’S RELIGIOUS ROOTS

Here is an excerpt from President Calvin Coolidge’s July 4, 1926, speech on the Declaration of Independence. In this passage, Coolidge warns Americans that the ideals in the declaration flow from religion: “A spring will cease to flow if its source be dried up; a tree will wither if its roots be destroyed.

“In its main features, the Declaration of Independence is a great spiritual document. It is a declaration not of material but of spiritual

conceptions.

“Equality, liberty, popular sovereignty, the rights of man — these are not elements which we can see and touch. They are ideals. They have their source and their roots in the religious convictions. They belong to the unseen world. Unless the faith of the American people in these religious convictions is to endure, the principles of our Declaration will perish. We can not continue to enjoy the result if we neglect and abandon the cause.

(To read the entire speech, go to: YourObserver.com/Coolidge.)

“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.”

Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

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

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

Managing Editor / James Peter, JPeter@YourObserver.com

Staff Writer / Petra Rivera, PRivera@YourObserver.com

Staff Writer / Carter Weinhofer, CWeinhofer@YourObserver.com

Digital & Engagement Editor / Kaelyn Adix, KAdix@YourObserver.com

Scott

These are the eight presidential candidates leading in the polls. Keep your ears and eyes attuned to President Biden and all the Republican presidential hopefuls this weekend. Listen closely whether in their Fourth of July speeches they express a vision for the nation whose principles and values would be devoted to those the Founding Fathers established. Who among them has demonstrated the character of the statesmen-leaders who constituted our leading Founding Fathers?

noted, these three principles “had never been assembled before and declared in such a combination.

“It was not only the principles declared, but the fact that therewith a new nation was born which was to be founded upon those principles and which from that time forth in its development has actually maintained those principles, that makes this pronouncement an incomparable event in the history of government.”

WHO IS THE STATESMAN?

It is noteworthy that 150 years after the issuance of the Declaration of Independence, then President Coolidge spoke as he did about the profound nature and importance of Jefferson’s words — that they still stood steadfastly a century-anda-half later as the principles that defined the United States and that made the United States exceptional.

But now, nearly 100 years later, when, if ever, do you hear our so-called national leaders — specifically, the “presidential wanna-be’s” — discuss or profess an embracing conviction to the principles that all men are created equal and we all are endowed with the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Keep your ears and eyes attuned to President Biden and all of the Republican presidential hopefuls this weekend. Listen closely whether in their Fourth of July speeches they express a vision for the nation whose principles and values would be devoted to those the Founding Fathers established.

In that vein, who among the many presidential candidates has demonstrated the character of the statesmen-leaders who constituted our leading Founding Fathers? Who among them could set foot in the same room as George Washington?

In the 2000 book, “Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation,” historian Joseph J. Ellis gives readers a sense of the awe of Washington:

“In the America of the 1790s, Washington’s image was everywhere … His commanding presence had been the central feature in every major event of the revolutionary era: the linchpin of the Continental Army throughout eight long years of desperate fighting from 1775 to 1783; the presiding officer of the Constitutional Convention in 1787; the first and only chief executive of the fledgling federal government since 1789. He was the palpable reality that clothed the revolutionary rhapsodies in flesh and blood, America’s one and only indispensable character.

“Washington was the core of gravity that prevented the American Revolution from flying off into random orbits, the stable center around which the revolutionary energies formed. As one popular toast of the day put it, he was ‘the man who unites all hearts.’ He was the American Zeus, Moses and Cincinnatus all rolled into one.”

Who among the candidates can rise to the statesman-leader level of, say, Abraham Lincoln or, in

modern times, Ronald Reagan?

Lincoln at Gettysburg: “It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here have the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that the dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Reagan at the 1964 Republican National Convention: “It’s time we asked ourselves if we still know the freedoms intended for us by the Founding Fathers,” he said.

“James Madison said, ‘We base all our experiments on the capacity of mankind for self-government.’

“This idea that government was beholden to the people, that it had no other source of power except the sovereign people, is still the newest, most unique idea in all the long history of man’s relation to man.

“For almost two centuries we have proved man’s capacity for selfgovernment, but today we are told we must choose between a left and right or, as others suggest, a third alternative, a kind of safe middle ground.

“I suggest to you there is no left or right, only an up or down. Up to the maximum of individual freedom consistent with law and order, or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism … ”

When he concluded his Fourth of July address, Coolidge told his fellow Americans: “If we are to maintain the great heritage which has been bequeathed to us, we must be like-minded as the fathers who created it. We must not sink into a pagan materialism.

“We must cultivate the reverence which they had for the things that are holy. We must follow the spiritual and moral leadership which they showed. We must keep replenished, that they may glow with a more compelling flame, the altar fires before which they worshipped.”

BE RESILIENT

Deep down, we have to believe most Americans are longing for the end of the strife that has torn this great nation apart for the past 15 years. They are wrought and withered over being told the country they love and its past are evil. The enmity that splits us in half has become our Gettysburg.

As you wave your flag or fire up your grill on the Fourth of July, we’ll encourage you as we did in 2021: Wave that flag hard. Be resilient, as resilient as the pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock and as courageous as the Founding Fathers who pledged their lives, their fortunes and honor with their signatures on the Declaration of Independence. Continue to believe in the magnificent principles that all men are indeed created equal and stand strong for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Happy Independence Day.

Copy Editor / Gina Reynolds Haskins, GRHaskins@YourObserver.com

Senior Editorial Designer / Melissa Leduc, MLeduc@YourObserver.com

Editorial Designer / Miguel Elasmar, MElasmar@YourObserver.com

A+E Editor / Monica Roman Gagnier, MGagnier@YourObserver.com

Director of Advertising / Jill Raleigh, JRaleigh@YourObserver.com

Sales Manager / Penny Nowicki, PNowicki@YourObserver.com

Regional Digital Director / Kathleen O’Hara, KOHara@YourObserver.com

Senior Advertising Executive / Laura Ritter, LRitter@YourObserver.com

Advertising Executives / Richeal Bair, RBair@YourObserver.com; Beth Jacobson, BJacobson@YourObserver.com; Jennifer Kane, JKane@YourObserver.com; Honesty Mantkowski, HMantkowski@YourObserver. com; Toni Perren, TPerren@YourObserver. com; Brenda White, BWhite@ YourObserver.com

Classified

Advertising Sales Executive / Lexi Huelsman, LHuelsman@ YourObserver.com

Sales Operations Manager / Susan Leedom, SLeedom@YourObserver.com

Sales Coordinator/Account Manager / Lori Downey, LDowney @YourObserver.com

Digital Fulfillment Specialist / Emma B. Jolly, EJolly@YourObserver.com

Tributes Coordinator / Kristen Boothroyd, Tributes@YourObserver.com

Director of Marketing / Robin Lankton, RLankton@YourObserver.com

Marketing Specialist / Melanie Melone, MMelone@YourObserver.com

Director of Creative Services / Caleb Stanton, CStanton@YourObserver.com

Creative Services Administrator / Marjorie Holloway, MHolloway@ YourObserver.com

Advertising Graphic Designers / Luis Trujillo, Taylor Poe, Louise Martin, Shawna Polana

Digital Developer / Jason Camillo, JCamillo@YourObserver.com

Information Technology Manager / Homer Gallego, HGallego@YourObserver. com

Chief Financial Officer / Laura Strickland, LStrickland@YourObserver.com

Controller / Rafael Labrin, RLabrin@ YourObserver.com

Office and Accounting Coordinator / Donna Condon, DCondon@ YourObserver.com

Observer Media Group Inc. is locally owned. Publisher of the Longboat Observer, East County Observer, Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer, Palm Coast Observer, Ormond Beach Observer, West Orange Times & Observer, Southwest Orange Observer, Business Observer, Jacksonville Daily Record, Key Life Magazine, LWR Life Magazine, Baldwin Park Living Magazine and Season Magazine

CEO / Matt Walsh

President / Emily Walsh

Vice President / Lisa Walsh

Chairman Emeritus / David Beliles

1970 Main St. Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-3468

FRIDAY, JUNE 16

INVALID LICENSE

11:22 a.m., 500 block of Bay Isles

Road

Traffic Citation: Police received a hit on their traffic camera system for a driver with a suspended license. An officer located the vehicle and advised the driver the stop was made because the driver didn’t have a valid license. The driver said she knew her license was suspended, and she did not take the required driver’s course after a previous citation. The responding officer issued her another notice to appear and advised her she would go to jail if she was pulled over another time.

WARDROBE MALFUNCTION

4:27 p.m., 4000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious Incident: Someone called the police department about a person lying on the ground possibly needing assistance. On arrival, the officer found an individual who had seen the person in question. The person did not need assistance and was on the ground trying to get her shoe on. She successfully completed her outfit and left in a vehicle.

SATURDAY, JUNE 17

CASTAWAY

3:15 p.m., Longboat Pass

Boat-Miscellaneous: While patrolling the water, an officer saw a flatmat float carrying four people. The float was drifting under Longboat Pass Bridge. The four said they had drifted from the beach and asked for assistance. Police got the four people on the police vessel and took them to safety on their friend’s boat, who also responded.

STRUGGLING SAILS

6:15 p.m., New Pass

Boat-Miscellaneous: Marine patrol observed a sailboat taking crashing waves over its sides. The captain waved the police vessel over and said he was having difficulty getting back on course because the boat’s engine was disabled from a wave. Police stayed near the boat while the captain and mate gained control of the boat with the sails. Since the sailboat did not have means of communication, police guided them to New Pass Bridge, where the police had to radio for an opening on behalf of the sailboat.

MONDAY, JUNE 19

AFTER HOURS

5:12 p.m., 300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Noise Complaint: Longboat police responded to a noise complaint due to after hours construction. An officer was directed to the dwelling, where roofers were actively working. The supervisor was advised that no work could be done after 5 p.m. and could not be done on a federal holiday. The officer issued an ordinance warning to the supervisor.

THURSDAY, JUNE 22

PARKING PROBLEMS

11:29 p.m., 600 block of Linley Street

Citizen Dispute: A resident, who was out of town, called police and said a car was parked in the resident’s driveway without permission. The complainant said the car was visible via the security cameras on the property. Upon arrival, the police did not find a car in the complainant’s driveway but were told by the complainant that the complainant believed it was a neighbor’s car.

The neighbor, who lives across the street, was then contacted by police. The neighbor also said the complainant was already in contact and threatened to tow the car, but it was established it was not the neighbor’s car. Police told the complainant that if security footage could be provided showing neighbors parking on their property, as well as witness statements, then they could be charged with trespassing.

TUESDAY, JUNE 20

LOST AND FOUND

9 a.m., 5000 block of Gulf of Mexico

Drive

Found Property: A public works employee turned in a found bag to the police department. The employee said a swimmer handed in the bag after it had been discovered off Greer Island. In the bag, made of “hemp-type” material, was a lighter, soggy cigarettes, a vape device and an old iPhone that would not turn on. Police let the objects dry out at the station, but no identification was found.

LOCKED BIKES

12:11 p.m., 4000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Citizen assist: Police were dispatched to a resident who needed help with his bikes. According to the complainant, he allowed relatives to use his bikes weeks ago and after they were locked up, the keys were misplaced. He asked police to cut the locks for him, but the responding officer advised him to purchase a cutting instrument at a local hardware store.

I started Danee’s program in January 2022 and am so glad I did. In the first month I lost 26 pounds, Danee and the treatments made this easy and it was actually fun. I was never hungry and had zero cravings. I have a long way to go but this was the kick start that I needed.

Danee, Lisa and Annie are helpful, friendly and motivating. Thank you for your continued encouragement and motivation.

If YOU need a weight loss “Jump Start” and a weight management “Life” plan, I highly recommend Danee Barnett.

Call

Keeping it shipshape

After the O’Keefe family started boating in 2009, they found a love for the pastime and let down an anchor in the boating community.

Yet, while the six boats the Lakewood Ranch family owned increased in size, so did the maintenance needs.

John O’Keefe decided to bring his background in software to the issue, leading the creation of the app called YachtWave, which made its debut at the Suncoast Boat Show held April 21-23. The app is available for iOS and Android or online.

“I can’t think of a better place (than Sarasota) to have built and launched an app,” he said. “Maybe Fort Lauderdale would be its rival, but Sarasota, which is a major hub for boating on the west coast of Florida, was the perfect place. It’s like the stars coming into alignment that I’m able to launch it here.”

While he said the online version of the app is complete, the next major step is the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show on Oct. 26-30, which will showcase a full-featured release of the mobile app.

AT THE HELM

Originally, O’Keefe used a spreadsheet to record his boat’s maintenance, inventory and identification information.

Mega-yachts, which are boats over 90 feet in size with a crew and a captain, use software to track their maintenance; that software costs thousands of dollars per year. But smaller boats have the same needs as larger ones, he said.

“When people ask us about the

ABOUT THE APP

For info, visit YachtWave.com.

Features: Easy login, boat details, share with others, engines, assignable tasks, inventory, maintenance logs, checklists, cruise logs, notes, offline access, data privacy and security.

Available: on iOS, Android, web

rently free to download.

“What I want for this app is adoption,” he said. “What I want is to get people to use it, provide good feedback and make it the best boating app out there.”

YachtWave is far from O’Keefe’s first venture in the realm of software.

AN APP FOR MAINTENANCE

O’Keefe said the app brings together maintenance, inventory and more, with additional features planned for the future to fully meet the needs of boaters.

Maintenance required on boats include two engines and a generator, which all have individual maintenance schedules.

Also, users must stay on top of components’ maintenance before they break.

In the family’s boat recently, he said, an exhaust fan broke, which would have caused a lack of air flow to the engine. Once on the way back from the Florida Keys, a fuel filter became clogged, but the family kept the boat moving by using a spare on board.

boating lifestyle, my wife (Debbie) and I tell people, you have to love it. It’s not only the cost of it; the amount of work that it takes to manage it is tremendous, and if you’re not loving it, then it’s not worth it.”

As O’Keefe searched the apps available, he found them to be fragmented. He was looking for a service that was professional and definitive, something that would bring together the features the average boater would need in one place.

Since the launch of YachtWave, he said, feedback has been promising.

“We’ve had a really, really good response, both from individual boaters, as well as businesses in the boating industry,” he said.

Unlike similar apps, the app is cur-

Having earned a degree in engineering, in the early days of the internet he started a software company, Fine Point Technologies, which provided support automation for dial-up internet service providers, to help users connect to the internet and solve issues.

In 2005, he started a technology company called ITelagen, which provided IT services to the health care industry; he ran it for the past 15 years.

In his semi-retirement, he’s glad to merge his passion for software with his boating industry knowledge.

His boating qualifications are significant, as he boasts a 100-Ton Master Captain’s License from the U.S. Coast Guard, which certifies him to operate as a charter boat captain, although he does not use the license professionally.

Stored in the O’Keefes’ boat are thousands of dollars of spare parts — propellers, impellers, filters and more.

The app helps users keep track of how many parts they need, and currently have, which John O’Keefe said is important in times of supply shortages, when inventories are slow to be replenished.

There are also receipts to be tracked, another need the app will address.

“If you don’t have that information and proof of maintenance, it becomes very, very difficult to sell the boat later,” he said.

Since the Suncoast Boat Show, the app has acquired just over 1,000 signups, he said. When that number reaches 6,000 or 7,000, he said, the app can incorporate additional features, including some currently available online.

TheRev.Dr.NormanPritchard

Men’sBibleStudy:Monday@9:00

Women’sBibleStudy:Wednesday@10:00

Visitors&ResidentsWelcome WatchOur10:00AMServiceLive: www.bit.ly/cclbksermonsor www.christchurchoflbk.org (followYouTubelink) 401205-1

Please join us for worship in person on Sunday at 10 a.m. or online at our website and Facebook Live Stream at 10 a.m.

To learn more about our Temple and all our educational,

The YachtWave app is intended to be a ‘one-stop shop’ for all needs related to boat care and use.

< REVOLUTIONARY IMPROV: FST stages a onenight show in honor of our nation’s birthday. 15

EATING WITH EMMA: The best lobster rolls in Sarasota and Manatee counties. 13 >

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT HONOR THY FATHER

Ringling College curator creates a tribute to his Episcopal priest dad.

Tim Jaeger is the chief curator of galleries and exhibitions at Ringling College of Art and Design. He’s also an accomplished artist in his own right. As a painter he’s, well, painterly. His approach is gestural, with lots of multilayered impasto and loose, energetic brushwork. Coloring inside the lines is not Jaeger’s style. But a recent passion project took him out of his comfort zone.

Late in 2021, Jaeger accepted a commission to design and create 41 windows for a chapel in Tampa’s Berkeley Preparatory School. His art would comprise Biblical vignettes and nods to other faiths. It would speak to the hearts of students. It would also have a deep, personal meaning to the artist.

“Berkeley Prep is affiliated with the Episcopal Church,” Jaeger says.

“I’m the son of an Episcopal priest. Receiving this commission was very humbling for me.”

As a child, Jaeger grew up listening to his father’s sermons in the Grace Episcopal Church in Paducah, Ken tucky. A well-behaved kid, he sat without fidgeting in a church pew. He listened intently, while simulta neously drawing on church bulletins. His father’s lessons took hold in his heart. But the training of his hand and eye would ultimately lead to his life’s work as an artist.

“I always knew I wanted to be an artist,” Jaeger says. “Following in my father’s footsteps just wasn’t my path. This commission is a magical way to honor his path. It’s not my usual medium — and I really wanted to do it right!”

The artist received the commis sion thanks to a drawing of St. Francis ministering to a flock of birds by the river. He showed it to Brandon Peete, the school chaplain. Jaeger explained that it would be one of many gentle religious scenes, including the bap tism of Jesus and Jacob’s dream of a ladder to heaven.

Tapping a master glass artist for assistance, “I explained that the vignettes would be religious,” Jaeger recalls. “But I also wanted to give the students a sense of freedom and creative expression, whatever their belief system.”

Peete evidently liked the way the artist thought. Jaeger got the com mission. Gentle scenes or not, it was an incredibly ambitious project — on a scale the artist had never before attempted.

To create the images he’d envi sioned, Jaeger reached out to the master glass artists of our region. Jim Piercey was his first choice.

“These windows are also my way of honoring my father’s legacy”

“Jim had the only studio space around equipped to do this project,” he says. “Jim taught me a lot of the technique and installed everything we created. This will be the first chapel in the United States with fused glass windows.”

What’s the difference between fused glass and stained glass?

According to Jaeger, it’s a big difference. “Stained glass art is like making a mosaic,” he says. “You create the image with different pieces of colored glass. You assemble the pieces and then solder them together with melted lead. With fused glass, you’re melting different transparent layers of glass together. You can get more of a painterly effect within the glass itself. I even painted directly on many of the pieces.”

Fused glass gives windows a painterly effect Jaeger adds that this painterly quality is the reason he chose the

fused glass process. That said, it’s a far cry from painting on canvas.

“Fused glass is a constructive medium,” he explains. “In painting, I can be spontaneous. With fused glass, it’s all planning — there’s no intuition involved. I have to design everything first. So, I’ll build a drawing in Photoshop. I create outlines of figures divided into segments — then plan out exactly what colors go where.”

Big job, needless to say. Jaeger didn’t try to do it alone. While working side by side with Piercey, Jaeger also collaborated with Kathleen Bromley and her team of glass artists at KatGlass Studio in Clearwater. Everyone involved pushed their artistry to the limit — and loved every minute of it.

“Working on this project has been very rewarding,” says Piercey. “Fused glass takes us all out of our comfort zone, and that’s always a learning experience. I’ve learned a great deal from Tim, and I think he’s learned

quite a lot about glass as well. It boils down to telling the story the chaplain wanted to tell — and that’s been a fairly painless process.”

After the chaplain approved the mock-up for a specific window, Jaeger gave Piercey the design along with a general idea of the colors he wanted. “He leaves it up to me to interpret his color palette, and that’s pretty much it,” says Piercey. “Everyone involved has been super accommodating. Window by window, it’s all gone smoothly.”

“The fused glass art we created for this chapel was revolutionary — as far as I know, it’s never been done on this scale before,” adds Bromley.

“Old-school leaded glass can be heavy-handed. Here, entire windows are made of fused glass with no divisions. When the sun hits just right, it’s like he’s painting with light.”

Bottom line? Jaeger had help. But it was still a lot of hard work. How hard?

“Looking back, this was two years in the making. Over 7,000 miles back and forth from Sarasota to Orlando. Two flat tires, one shattered windshield. Nearly 300 panes of glass. Countless drawings and emails. 41 windows. One chapel.”

Jaeger smiles with satisfaction. And notes that Berkeley Chapel was consecrated on April 15.

During the time that Jaeger created the stained glass windows, his father lived in a nursing home.

“He wasn’t in a good shape,” Jaeger recalls. “I did this for my father, on many levels. He passed away before I finished. I wish he could’ve seen it — but I did send him drawings and photos, and they really meant a lot to him. This art speaks to the hearts and minds of the students. But these windows are also my way of honoring my father’s legacy. I’m confident that they’ll shine for a long, long time.”

“The fused glass art we created for this chapel was revolutionary — as far as I know, it’s never been done on this scale before.”

— Kathleen

Get crackin’ on the best local lobster rolls

In honor of my lobsterloving sister, here are some local dishes that remind me of home sweet home.

As a native New Englander, during this time of year, I start really missing the place I will forever call home. I yearn for northern summer weather (sans humidity and afternoon tsunamis), chasing fireflies even in my 30s and eating the nation’s best lobster rolls with my sister.

My younger sister, Maddie, is a lobster enthusiast — to put it mildly. She rates the buns, lobster meat and overall experience on her Instagram page, called Ladies Who Lobster.

In honor of Maddie’s upcoming birthday, I put on my thinking cap and eating bib and turned into a lady who lunches on lobster. I found the best luxurious summer seafood sandwiches in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Let’s get crackin’.

LAKEWOOD RANCH LOBSTER

POUND SEAFOOD BISTRO AND FISH MARKET

8740 State Road 70 E., Lakewood Ranch; 941-755-3474; LWRLobsterPound.com

Owned by Jim and Kelly Pierzga, this market and bistro serves up seafood with staff hailing from Long Island, New England and Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I was immediately transported back to Connecticut in a way that, no lie, brought a tear to my eye. Order up to 30 minutes before closing time (6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Friday through Saturday).

How We Roll:  New England or Connecticut style? If we’re offered chunks of lobster poached in butter, drizzled with lemon on a New England roll — the Burke girls are sold on Connecticut-style ($23.99). Jim and his chef pack on nearly a pound of fresh lobster.

You Butter Believe It: The Toss Up roll ($33.99) allows foodies to feast on both styles so you don’t have to choose. Want to see what a real storm looks like? Let’s try our best to nosh on the Nor’easter with sultry stacks of lobster on double buns — then we can roll into a nap time. Also, the clam chowder ($6.99) had my tastebuds doing cartwheels, so we can’t leave without that.

THE MAINE LINE FOOD TRUCK

Locations updated weekly on website; 941-246-9090; TheMaineLine.net

Owner Kurt was heavily disappointed in the lack of home-cooking vibes when he and his wife, Brenda, moved to town — so they brought the Pine Tree State to the Sunshine State in a scrumptious way. This gourmet food truck serves up some of Maine’s fin-

est offerings. We’re lining up for the lobstah extravaganza.

How We Roll: The classic lobster roll with warm butter, lemon, coleslaw and chips ($22.95) takes me right back to New England. With each bite of lobster, the air gets less humid, and I feel like I’m home sweet home.

You Butter Believe It:  Lobster tacos with cilantro lime sauce, lobster quesadillas, lobster grilled

cheese, lobster mac and cheese and a crabster roll (crab meat and lobster) are offered to those who skip the classic. The next time you’re in town, Maddie, I can’t wait to munch on the Maine maniac mega lobster roll with 1 pound of lobster on a 12-inch roll, coleslaw, chowdah, chips and a bib ($64.95) with you.

DETWILER’S FARM MARKET 2881 Clark Road, Sarasota; 6100 N. Lockwood Ridge Road., Sarasota; 6000 Palmer Blvd., Sarasota; 1800

U.S. 301, Palmetto; 1250 U.S. 41 BYP, Venice; 941-378-2727, Detwiler Market.com

When I was starting my new job in Sarasota, I noticed my mentor’s Boston accent within moments of meeting her. I noticed myself becoming distracted in my training session. I just wanted to ask her where to get a more than decent lobster roll. Where she sent me to “pahk the cah” surprised me in the best of ways.

How We Roll: The colossal chunks of lovely lobster salad nestle within a traditional New England roll for an unbeatable, unbelievable price of $15.99. The surplus of shellfish in this cold-rendition roll is just as generous as it is delicious.

You Butter Believe It: While you’re at the sub shop, be sure to order a lobster bisque (12 oz. for $4.99 and 16 oz. for $5.99) or clam chowder for the same price. We can also head to the seriously splendid seafood counter and continue our lobster explorations in three more delicious ways — lobster-stuffed flounder, lobsterstuffed mushrooms and lobster cakes are available for purchase too.

KELLY’S ROAST BEEF

5407 University Parkway, Bradenton; 941-263-1911; KellysRoastBeef.com

Did you know that this chain has been in business since 1951? Kelly’s has come a long way from Revere Beach in Boston to the Gulf Shores of Bradenton but still holds true to its New England roots by serving up seafood that will have you salivating.

How We Roll: We’re rolling with the succulent North Atlantic lobster mixed with the correct volume of celery and accurate amount of mayonnaise. This lobster roll ($24.95 and up) is served with an overwhelming selection of fantastic sides, including French fries, onion rings and a side of Kelly’s own tangy tartar sauce.

You Butter Believe It: Let’s take a short break from the lobster lifestyle and snack on the clam or scallop roll ($25.95 each) and treat ourselves to some cheese fries ($5.95) because we can. The seasoned fries are topped with melted cheddar cheese sauce with real bacon.

RIVERHOUSE WATERFRONT RESTAURANT

995 Riverside Drive, Palmetto; 941729-0616; RiverhouseFL.com

Yes, there are three options for waterfront dining with a mouthwatering lobster roll moments away from my front door. I’m ab-shelllutely ready for this last stop on the lobster tour.

How We Roll:  Order up a New England-style lobster roll (market price). It’s offered at both the Reef & Grill, the ground level with indoor and outdoor dining, as well as on the Second Floor. Chopped cold-water lobster, mayo, celery and onion are all positioned perfectly on a New England style roll.

You Butter Believe It:  Maddie, I have three words to end here — lobster pot pie ($18). Three more? I love you. I can’t wait to bite into the blend of lobster, whitefish, shallots and more tucked under a baked puff pastry with you. Or we could get a big lump of lobster and a big lump of knobs. The lobster corn chowder ($18) is defined as a house favorite.

THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

SUMMER CIRCUS SPECTACULAR

2 p.m. at Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road $15-20 Visit CircusArts.org.

Circus fans of all ages can experience the best of the circus arts at affordable prices thanks to the ongoing partnership of The Circus Arts Academy and The Ringling. Master of Ceremonies Heidi Herriott, a third-generation American circus artist, presides over performances by hand balancers, clowns, jugglers and aerial rope artists, to name just a few genres. Runs through Aug. 12.

‘THAT MUST BE THE ENTRANCE TO HEAVEN’

7:30 p.m. at Urbanite Theatre, 1487 Second St. $39 Visit UrbaniteTheatre.com.

DON’T MISS THE SURFER

BOYS

From the group that brought you The Jersey Tenors comes a rousing tribute to the band that took America on a “Surfin’ Safari” in the early 1960s. Four Broadway veterans bring The Beach Boys’ biggest hits to life with classics like “California Girls,” “Good Vibrations,” “Barbara Ann” and many more. Runs through Aug. 13.

IF YOU GO

When: June 29, Runs through Aug. 13.

Where: FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1265 First St. Tickets: $18 Info: FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

In this world premiere by Franky D. Gonzalez, four Latino boxers all chase a world title to achieve their personal versions of heaven. But are the sacrifices required to win the championship belt worth it? Runs through July 9.

‘SHEAR MADNESS’

8 p.m. at FST’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St. $25 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

There’s been a murder in a local

OUR PICK

FST IMPROV PRESENTS ‘FREEDOM!’

Feeling patriotic and looking for a laugh? FST Improv promises “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Laughter” in this one-night-only performance that reveals the secret history of the American Revolution.

IF YOU GO

When: 7 p.m. Saturday, July 1

Where: FST’s Bowne’s Lab, 1265 First St.

Tickets: $15

Info: Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

hair salon, and it’s up to Sarasota audiences to outwit the suspects and catch the killer in this interactive comedy whodunit. Runs through July 16.

‘BLACK PEARL SINGS!’ Florida Studio Theatre

8 p.m. at FST’s Keating Theatre, 1265 First St. From $25 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

“Black Pearl Sings” tells the story of an unlikely friendship forged during the Depression between Susannah, a Library of Congress musicologist who wants to record undocumented slave-era music, and an African American prisoner, Pearl, who has the knowledge and memories that Susannah needs for her project. Runs through July 30.

FRIDAY

DISNEY’S ‘FROZEN’ KIDS SHOW

7 p.m. at Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W., Bradenton $11.50-$20 Visit ManateePerformingArtsCenter. com.

Beat the heat with this stage adaptation of the popular Disney film “Frozen,” featuring favorite songs from the film such as “Love is an Open Door,” “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” and “Let It Go.”

This For KIDS By KIDS Production also includes new songs from the Broadway production.

‘FINDING NEMO JR.’

7 p.m. at The Players Centre, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail

$17 Visit ThePlayers.org.

This stage adaptation of the popular Pixar film “Finding Nemo” features

new music by Kristen Andersen. What’s more, it’s only 60 minutes long, so it’s perfect for kids who get fidgety during long shows. Runs through July 2.

WEDNESDAY

STEVE WHITE

7 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre

$25

Visit McCurdysComedy.com.

Steve White got his first break from hometown buddy Eddie Murphy when he was cast in “Coming to America.” White has also been a mainstay of Spike Lee films, with roles in “Do the Right Thing,” “Clockers” and “Malcolm X,” to name a few. Runs through July 9.

YOUR NEIGHBORS

Keeping David Gorin’s legacy alive

Michael Boorstein and Marion Levine plan to pursue big goals for the temple while following in the footsteps of their hard-working predecessor.

“Sharing values, friendship and faith” is the mission of Temple Beth Israel in Longboat Key. One of the people who exemplified this mission the best was former copresident of the temple, David Gorin.  Gorin died peacefully at home from pancreatic and liver cancer on June 11. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Susan, and sons Jesse Nathan and Daniel Eli Gorin.

A month before his death, Gorin stepped down from his position at the temple to allow Michael Boorstein to transition into the co-presidency with Marion Levine.

Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Gorin was a longtime lobbyist and the chief executive for the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds from 1987 to 2001. Balancing his time as CEO and raising two sons, he also opened one of the early Play It Again Sports stores that sold new and used athletic equipment.

In 2016, he was inducted into the RV and Manufactured Housing Hall of Fame for his hard work in transforming the National Association of Campground Owners into the

DAVID GORIN’S VISION FOR THE FUTURE

Started by David Gorin, the executive board of Temple Beth Israel plans to make several renovations to the temple.

Gorin’s legacy, as Co-president Marion Levine calls it, is to monetize one of their parking lots for the longterm financial welfare of the temple. There are also plans for a minor expansion of the Education Center to have more space for its programs.

With his many years of experience in business, Gorin focused on how best to operate the temple financially. New Copresident Michael Boorstein said, “David was quite a visionary. He pushed for the temple to take the steps necessary to have the revenue to renovate the building.”

National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds.

After moving full time to Longboat

Key in 2018 with his wife, Gorin became involved in the temple, starting out as a board member. In 2022, he, along with Levine, became co-presidents of the temple because of his dedication and involvement in the community. Levine was originally nominated to take over the position herself, but she felt that collaborating with Gorin would allow them to better tackle the responsibilities of the presidency.

Boorstein and Gorin were colleagues as well as friends, which has encouraged Boorstein to continue the hard work that Gorin poured into the temple. Both of them were dedicated to the temple’s poker group and bonded through it. Boorstein shared that Gorin was still playing with the group on Zoom until about two weeks before he died.

“I spoke to him every day, he was really very much part of my life,” said Levine. “I loved him as a person. He was very strong in his conviction. There were times that we didn’t 100% agree, but we always came to some agreement because we really only got one vote. And I became very close with his wife and, you know, socially friendly. So, it’s hard, I lost a good friend.”

NEW LEADERSHIP

New co-president Boorstein plans to continue Gorin’s legacy. Boorstein was the vice president of the Long Range Planning Committee for the temple while Gorin and Levine were co-presidents together, so they all worked closely on crafting plans for the renovation of the temple.

Boorstein formerly was a foreign service officer with the State Department, which put him in charge of building and managing embassies around the world. These skills in negotiating arrangements with foreign governments made him naturally suited to serve in a leadership committee and attracted him to be more involved in the executive board of the temple.

Levine and Boorstein split the responsibilities of the presidency to make everything run more smoothly.

“The role of the president, if I can just sort of combine the two of us together, is to cover the gamut of

everything the temple is involved in,” Boorstein said.

The co-presidency’s long list of responsibilities includes organizing Shabbat dinners, inviting scholars to teach programs, arranging security, as well as managing the membership committee, ritual committee and all other employees. Along with these, Boorstein plans to focus on Gorin’s plans for the temple renovation.

After being affected by the p andemic, the Education Center of Longboat Key merged with the temple, which developed into a collaboration. At that time, the center had been run for more than 30 years by Susan Goldfarb, who is now the program director.

“I actually developed a very big Jewish clientele,” said Goldfarb. “Because the founder was Jewish, but she always wanted to not publicize that, she wanted to make sure everything was secular. I said, ‘We can stay secular, but I think what we need to do is look at who our people are, who the students are that are coming and really plug into that.’”

Goldfarb explained how supportive the temple has been since the merger, especially her boss Issac Azerad and Rabbi Stephen L. Sniderman. She mentioned that Boorstein even taught a program for the Education Center based on his diplomatic experience.

“COVID just basically caused her to go belly up. So she was about ready to close her doors,” said Boorstein

of Goldfarb. “We invited her in to be part of the temple. We made her an employee of the temple, and we’ve given her a lot of autonomy. She’s brought all of her programming skills, all of her contacts, all of her mailing list of people who supported the Education Center in the past, to make it part of the temple. We’ve used that as a way of attracting new members.”

As the temple moves into a new era, his friends said the spirit of the late David Gorin will continue to shine thanks to his loyal involvement over the years and the impact he made.

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.

Camaraderie and cornbread

Bayfront Park Recreation Center was filled with laughter and fun all afternoon on June 23. Employees from all departments for the town of Longboat Key got together for a luncheon celebrating the hard work they’ve done this past year

The annual employee appreciation luncheon was an effort to help the town’s staff mingle and get to know each other better outside of their own departments. Staff was present from the Police Department, Fire Rescue Department, Public Works, the accounting department, the Town Commission, Planning and Zoning, IT and many other departments.

“These are the folks that are driving over the bridge in season when the traffic’s crazy,” said Town Manager Howard Tipton. “They are driving over the bridge when there is a hurricane coming and we are trying to get the town prepared; they are driving over the bridge after the storm to help us clear things up and keep everybody safe. They do a lot of stuff behind the scenes to make this place a wonderful place to live.”

SUNDAY, JULY 2

MUSIC BY CHAD TALLMAN

Noon-3 p.m. at Whitney’s 6990 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Free. Enjoy the musical performance of New York native Chad Tallman over a meal. The guitarist and singer plays all styles of rock, pop and some jazz. Tallman provides the perfect atmosphere for a memorable time at Whitney’s with loved ones.

RECURRING EVENTS

MONDAYS STRETCH AND STRENGTHEN

10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. This class is mostly seated and great for all fitness levels. Focus is on strength training and flexibility for balance. Suzy Brenner leads the class. Fee is $15. Walk-ins welcome. Call 383-6493.

MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS

Lord’s Warehouse Thrift Store

The thrift store will be open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 6140 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Donations are accepted during business hours. Call 3834738.

TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS LONGBOAT LIBRARY

Open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays, 555 Bay Isles Road. Call 383-2011.

TUESDAYS

QI GONG

From 10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Qi gong is a mind-body-spirit practice designed to improve mental and physical health. Class is outdoors, weather permitting. Cost is $15. Walk-ins welcome. Call 383-6493.

YOGA

From 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Debbie Debile of Feel Good Yoga & Massage leads a gentle yoga class that can be done on a mat or in a chair. Cost is $15; free for members. Call 383-6493.

MAHJONG

From 1-3 p.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Fun time for experienced players. To check availability at the tables, email Amy@ TheParadiseCenter.org.

ROTARY CLUB

Meets at 5 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday in All Angels Parish Hall, 563 Bay Isles Road. Call Nancy Rozance at 203-605-4066 or email Info@LongboatKeyRotary.org.

WEDNESDAYS

BEGINNER TAI CHI

From 10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Class is outdoors, weather permitting. Cost is $15. Walk-ins welcome. Call 3836493.

BEST BET

TUESDAY, JULY 4

FREEDOM FEST

9 a.m. at Truist Bank, 510 Bay Isles Road. Free. Kick off your Fourth of July celebration with the 20th annual Freedom Fest. A butterfly release will begin the parade at 9 a.m. starting at Truist Bank on Bay Isles Road and ending at the town hall. Festivities continue in Bicentennial Park with many games, crafts, waffles and the famous Hot Diggity Dog contest.

MARIACHI MUSIC

From 5-8 p.m. at La Villa Mexican Grill, 5610 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Enjoy dinner and a serenade by Mariachi Contemporaneo. Call 383-8033.

THURSDAYS

KIWANIS CLUB OF LONGBOAT

KEY

At 8:30 a.m. at Lazy Lobster, 5350 Gulf of Mexico Drive. This service organization meets every first and third Thursday of the month for breakfast and a speaker. Breakfast is $15. Email Lynn Larson at LynnLarson@comcast.net to register.

SUNSET YOGA

7 p.m. at Bayfront Park, 3970 Royal Road, Longboat Key. Free. Yoga instructor Angela Mali leads a holistic yoga class at 7 p.m. most Thursdays near the public beach access by Bayfront Park, weather permitting. Get in touch with Mother Nature in a tranquil beachfront setting during this relaxing and engaging yoga class appropriate for all ages and levels. Enjoy the gorgeous sunset while practicing breath work, poses and gratitude. RSVP before class with a call or text to 618-789-7226.

FRIDAYS INTERMEDIATE TAI CHI

From 10-11 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Reuben Fernandez teaches Chen-style class. Outside if weather permitting. Free for members; $15 for others. Walkins welcome. Call 383-6493.

Yacht Club passes the gavel

Bird Key Yacht Club installs new commodore and Board of Governors.

It’s a tradition that dates back centuries, to the days of wooden ships and the Royal Navy ruling the seas, when a ship’s captain would assemble the crew as he passed command to his successor.

The Bird Key Yacht Club’s annual Change of Watch ceremony was a more relaxed affair, interspersed with laughs, as the club’s membership assembled to recognize the previous Board of Governors officers for their service and install the new leadership.

During her remarks, outgoing Commodore Lisa Adams more than once reminded the assembled members that her term had been extended from a year to 16 months, because while the BKYC and its traditions date back to 1960, this was the first Change of Watch in June.

The change was made so the annual transfer of leadership would coincide with the club’s fiscal year.

“It has been an honor … it has not been without its challenges,” Adams said to the audience, before thanking many present for their support, including her husband, Payson.

After her remarks, Adams passed the ceremonial gavel to new Commodore Steven Horton, signifying the transfer of leadership and responsibility for the club and its 275 members.

Horton is the 56th commodore of the club and was vice commodore for the previous watch year. He served 28 years in the U.S. Navy in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. Horton and his wife, Ann, moved to Sarasota in 2012.

Michael Landis and Tony Britt will serve alongside him as vice commodore and rear commodore. They and their fellow members on the Board

of Governors were sworn in by past commodores Jim Chadwick and Curtiss Schantz.

During his remarks, Horton explained that the club has been on the comeback trail the past two years and continues to improve in many facets, including its finances, dining, staff and facilities. The membership recently approved a master plan renovation, which is working its way through permitting.

Among the club’s goals is expanding its community outreach and growing its membership to 350-375 members.

“Our secret weapon is our personal touch,” said Britt. “We’re equally a social and tennis club.”

Following the ceremony, the club members enjoyed a dinner reception.

Rob Sartore, who grew up on Bird Key, provided the night’s entertainment — first on the piano and then out on the dance floor, singing with a touch of Sinatra.

THIS WEEK’S FEATURED PROPERTY

LONGBOAT KEY WATER CLUB $3,545,000

Spectacular 6th floor 3BR/4BA redesigned Dover plan. Highend finishes include private elevator opening to Sarasota Bay & city skyline views from floor to ceiling glass and mastersuite terrace offers Gulf vistas.. Luxurious resort style lving on beautiful beach w/all amenities.

Spectacular 3BD/ 4BA 3,400sf open plan w/10’ ceilings & Gulf-side wrap around terraces. One of 21 in meticulously maintained Gulf front gated community w/ Gulf-side pool & spa. Conveniently located mid-key.

LONGBOAT KEY

L’AMBIENCE $3,650,000

Casually elegant, rarely available 3BR/4BA direct beachfront walk-out. Private staircase from your private Gulf front terrace leads directly to the beach & Gulf. Amenities include lobby

LONGBOAT KEY

• CANAL LOT#1 $1,995,000

• CANAL LOT#2 $1,995,000

Build your dream home on one of north LBK’s most desirable streets. Premier boating location. Great canal leads directly to Bay & ICW No bridges. Walk to beach.

LONGBOAT KEY BOATERS DREAM $2,850,000

Meticulous 4 BD/3 BA wide deep water canal with direct access to Sarasota Bay - no bridges! Great dock. 2 boat lifts. Private beach access directly across the street.

Chapel overflows with generosity

The generosity was overflowing on June 20 at the Longboat Island Chapel.

The church’s Charitable Outreach Committee collected shoes, personal items, toiletries, clothing and care packages with a theme of “Father Knows Best.”

The donations filled a van headed to the Mount Carmel Resource Center, with another carload of donated items remaining at the church for another trip.

“We were able to collect so many things like clothing and household items that we filled up the van and couldn’t get the rest to fit,” said Karen Pashkow, event organizer and Longboat Island Chapel charitable outreach committee member.

Among the donations were 200 pairs of socks from Bombas. The New York-based apparel company donates a clothing item for each one purchased and partners with organizations across the country to help distribute donations to homeless people.

“I can’t thank Longboat Island Chapel enough. They collected personal items, socks, clothing and furniture,” said Shirley Pearson, executive director of Mount Carmel Community Resource Center. “This helps people that were once incarcerated, low-income families

and homeless. This impacts their life today for success tomorrow.”

The monthly events grew from humble beginnings, with a simple chest and sign in the church fellowship hall, and turned into themed “Dine and Donate” nights. The Charitable Outreach Committee soon found that having a memorable theme and more eye-catching displays helped the event stick in church members’ minds and led to more donations.

Each month, the Charitable Outreach Committee selects a different cause and creates a

fun theme around it to inspire more donations, culminating in a social hour during which church members package the donations and share in community fellowship.

“It’s amazing what people will donate. People get together and they do great things,” said Anne Summers, co-chair of the Charitable Outreach Committee. “If you want to do outreach, this is the way to do it.”

Country Club Shores home tops sales at $4.1 million

Ahome in Country Club Shores tops all transactions in this week’s real estate. Martelli Longboat LLC sold the home at 572 Halyard Lane to William and Misty Ellis, of Longboat Key, for $4,085,000. Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, fiveand-a-half baths, a pool and 4,682 square feet of living area.

L’AMBIANCE AT LONGBOAT

KEY CLUB

William and Donna Eacho, trustees, sold the Unit C-504 condominium at 415 L’Ambiance Drive to Robert Rubin and Nancy Neis, of Boston, for $3.43 million. Built in 1992, it has two bedrooms, two-and-twohalf baths and 2,634 square feet of living area. It sold for $3.75 million in April.

SANCTUARY AT LONGBOAT KEY CLUB

Raymond and Gayle Sobieck, trustees, of Longboat Key, sold the Unit A-601 condominium at 535 Sanctuary Drive to Madhav and Sujata Mutalik, of Longboat Key, for $3.15 million. Built in 1990, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 3,115 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.25 million in 2011.

Madhav and Sujata Mutalik, of Southborough, Massachusetts, sold their Unit B-202 condominium at 585 Sanctuary Drive to Susan Santos Paulson, of Longboat Key, for $1,952,000. Built in 1990, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,823 square feet of living area. It sold for $355,000 in 1990.

Larry Lucas and Elizabeth Rachael Lucas, of Cincinnati, sold their Unit A-103 condominium at 575 Sanctuary Drive to James Stewart Moore Jr. and Catherine Mary Moore, of Morristown, New Jersey, for $1.8 million. Built in 1990, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,823 square feet of living area. It sold for $800,000 in 2021.

QUEEN’S HARBOUR

David Doyle, of Birmingham, Michigan, sold his home at 3532 Fair Oaks Lane to Brian and Diane Coughlin, of Manitoba, Canada, for $2.7 million. Built in 1997, it

has three bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths, a pool and 3,524 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.68 million in 2022.

BAY ISLES

Maria Ineza Hart, trustee, of Longboat Key, sold the home at 3312 Bayou Road to Rand Stack and Constance Pollak Stack, of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, for $1.6 million. Built in 1988, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,372 square feet living area. It sold for $670,000 in 1993.

FAIRWAY BAY

William David Lyden and Laureen Lyden sold their Unit 423 condominium at 2020 Harbourside Drive to Hugh Trigg Mitchell Jr., of Longboat Key, for $1,225,000. Built in 1984, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,905 square feet living area. It sold for $255,000 in 1985.

SPANISH MAIN YACHT CLUB

Kathleen Herbach, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the Unit 55 condominium at 941 Spanish Drive

N. to Steven Burmeister and Janet Burmeister, trustees, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, for $950,000. Built in 1968, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,357 square feet of living area. It sold for $560,000 in 2006.

LIDO SURF AND SAND

Joseph Benson, of Burr Ridge, Illinois, sold his Unit 611 condominium at 1102 Benjamin Franklin Drive to Magdalena Albertha Maria Brink, of Sarasota, for $885,000. Built in 1976, it has

TOP BUILDING PERMITS

LONGBOAT KEY

two bedrooms, two baths and 1,213 square feet of living area. It sold for $440,000 in 2013.

LONGBOAT HARBOUR TOWERS

Vlasta Zajicek, of Longboat Key, sold her Unit 503 condominium at 4401 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Don Swanson and Sandra Kurdas, of Sarasota, for $730,000. Built in 1972, it has one bedroom, one bath and 725 square feet of living area. It sold for $275,000 in 2010.

LONGBOAT HARBOUR

Clark and Deborah Parrish, of Garden City, Idaho, sold their Unit 105 condominium at 4310 Falmouth Drive to West Ludwig, of Raleigh,

North Carolina, for $408,000. Built in 1969, it has one bedroom, one bath and 747 square feet living area. It sold for $250,000 in 2019.

BEACH HARBOR CLUB

Joan Stapleton and Patricia Janssen, trustees, of Bradenton, sold the Unit C-308 condominium at to Laura Rothschild, of Nyack, New York, for $294,000. Built in 1970, it has one bedroom, one bath and 712 square feet living area. It sold for $69,500 in 1992.

TOP Sales Team

in the state of Florida

$2.4 Billion Career Sales

Lori

1300 Benjamin Franklin Dr 907 | 3 bed, 2.5 bath | 3,057 SqFt | $3,990,000

Instant enjoyment at this Ritz-Carlton Managed Residence."The Beach Residences" is an extraordinary corner residence Beyond the imagination, an extraordinary island living on Lido Key with "Five Star Amenities." From the moment you arrive, you will experience pure elegance. When you come home, park under the building. You have a few steps to your semi-elevator & which opens into your private entry foyer. Entering, you will be mesmerized w/magnificent ever-changing Sarasota Bay or Gulf of Mexico view with its spectacular sunrise and an epic sunset. Luxury knows no limits in this spectacular home in the sky. www.RitzCarlton904.com

435 L'Ambiance L207 | LONGBOAT KEY | $2,600,000

3 bed, 3 bath | 2,525 Sq Ft

The almost new residence offers magnificent sunrise and sunset views from its wrap-around terrace. Elevator to your private foyer, where doors open to reveal elevated 10-ft ceilings and walls of glass, filling the room with natural light surrounded by tropical views. www.LAmbianceL207.com

Pending

435 L’Ambiance Dr #H802 | LONGBOAT KEY | $4,200,000

2 bed + den or 3 bed, 4 bath | 2,525 Sq Ft

Updated to perfection is here and ready for enjoyment. Iconic luxury 270 degrees of endless views of the city and turquoise waters of the Gulf looking South. Wolf/Sub-Zero appliances. www,435LAmbianceH802.com

2251 Gulf of Mexico Drive 204 | Aria - LONGBOAT KEY | $10,500,000

3 bed + office, 3.5 bath | 4,032 Sq Ft

Modern Oasis on the Gulf of Mexico. Discover the epitome of modern luxury living in this spectacular gulf-front home. With expansive glass walls, clean lines, and angular details, this coastal contemporary enclave offers depth and allure. You will love the oversized his/hers master bath, en-suite guest bedrooms, and outdoor grilling, offering comfort and convenience at every turn. This Beach Villa features a private infinity-edge lap pool, expanded terraces with planters, and direct access to community pool and beach and oversized, private humidity-controlled 4 to 5-car garage.

www.Aria204.com

Rarely does a home of this size and quality become available, providing a unique opportunity for discerning buyers. Boasting an all-level elevator, privacy, boat lift, and travertine floors this home offers unparalleled convenience and elegance. Designed by the renowned Nancy Freedoff, every detail of this signature Gardinera model has been meticulously crafted to exude opulence. Countless decorator touches and upgrades elevate the overall aesthetic and provide a truly remarkable living experience. 3554FairOaksLane.com

1930 Harbourside Dr 122 | 2 bed, 2 bath | 1,312 Sq Ft | $998,000

Sarasota Bay is your backyard. This residence has southeastern exposure with epic sunrises and Sarasota skyline views. Renovated two-bedroom, two-bath residence where a high-end interior designer selected impressive new finishes and features.

DEEDED BEACH ACCESS www.1930HarboursideDr122.com

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

“GL VIC FRZO OI HM DRXXV GZ NGLM, AIZBGTME VICEBMNL R BOCTMZO. MPMEV TRV IL VICE NGLM, ODGZS: DIF ARZ G GUXEIPM?” ZGAS ILLMEURZ

“Z GTU GA IFDL ZNYXD XRXU, XMN GLY AMYD GLXG RZKK MAG KYXOY WY XKAMY

XTY GLY AMYD GLXG FKGZWXGYKU YMN

FI LXIIYMZME.” B.B. XPTXWD

“MYBMUY ENBXUA MXDEXY VNCF

FNYW’DY MCEEKBOCFY CPBXF. FNCF

VKUU HCRY FNYH NCMMKYD FNCO MDYFFW HXTN COWFNKOS YUEY.” YUBO HXER ©

1642 SHORELAND DRIVE $1,895,000

This enchanting 3BR + office and family room residence guides you through meticulously landscaped grounds consisting of three distinct courtyards, majestic live oaks, vibrant tropical foliage, exotic bamboo, graceful papyrus, intricate lattice accents, a charming gazebo, and welllit pathways. This beautiful getaway in a central location is a must see! www.1642Shoreland.com

1325 WESTWAY DRIVE

$15,000,000

Step into this tropical escape through the hidden courtyard that connects the 3BR main home to the private 2BR guest house, as the perfect introduction to a contemporary masterpiece designed by DSDG Architect Mark Sultana and built by Voigt Brothers Construction. www.1325WestwayDrive.com

415 L’AMBIANCE DRIVE #PH-A

$12,000,000

Discover the finest penthouse in Sarasota at this gorgeous residence at L’Ambiance, only a few steps from the famed Longboat Key Club. Spectacular views from the Gulf to the Bay, with recent designer updates throughout the 3BR, nearly 5,000 SF interior welcome you. www.415L’AmbiancePHA.com

3030 GRAND BAY BOULEVARD #346 $2,595,000

Panoramic direct views of Sarasota Bay, Harbourside golf course and downtown’s skyline are the star of the show as soon as you enter this lovely 3BR Antigua getaway. www.GrandBay346.com

3030 GRAND BAY BOULEVARD #316 $2,495,000

Prepare to be enchanted by the stunning, awe-inspiring views that await at this luxurious 3BR Grand Bay residence. Fall in love with its sprawling 2,925 SF and modern updates. www.GrandBay316.com

7652 SANDERLING ROAD

$9,995,000

This spectacular Siesta Key beach home is a one-of-a-kind experience! Directly overlooking the coastal landscape of the Gulf of Mexico, this private estate rests on more than an acre, with 172’ of beach! Designed to highlight the sparkling beach and striking sunset vistas from any room. www.7652Sanderling.com

3040 GRAND BAY BOULEVARD #251 $2,295,000

Sunny bay views welcome you to this 5th-floor, nearly 3,000 SF retreat, featuring an open, 3BR layout waiting for you to add your personal touches. Includes private beach! www.GrandBay251.com

201 NORTH WASHINGTON DRIVE $2,195,000

The walkable location of this St. Armands home will immediately draw you in. Ideally situated on an oversized, 1/4-acre lot for you to design your dream home. www.201NorthWashington.com

469 EAST ROYAL FLAMINGO DRIVE

$3,595,000

Move right into this beautifully maintained, waterfront Bird Key home. The light and open layout is spread across nearly 3,300

Beautiful recent updates (include added square feet, impact windows) and sunny water views create the perfect spot to move right into at this FURNISHED, 2BR beach-to-bay getaway. www.FishermansHaven505.com

173 CIPRIANI WAY $549,000

You will love the convenience of moving right into this wellmaintained home, with its sunny, open interior, 3BR+den layout, and many resort-style amenities a short walk away. www.173CiprianiWay.com