Andre Hoefer shows how to use a Lucas device, which automatically delivers chest compressions.
Get hands-on experience
It always pays to be prepared, and Longboat Key Fire Rescue is helping community members do just that. The department is offering free hands-on CPR and AED training this summer. Sessions are one hour, and though they are free and open to the public, they are limited to 16 attendees per class. Dates include April 17 and 30, May 15 and 28, June 18, July 16 and Aug. 13.
Classes begin at 10 a.m. at Station 91 at 5490 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Register at LBoggs@LongboatKey.org or 941-316-1944.
Nesting season is coming
The town of Longboat Key reminded residents that turtle nesting season is just around the corner, and residents should start to prepare. Though nesting season starts on May 1, officials encourage residents to make preparations as nests may appear earlier than the official start.
As required by town ordinance, lights visible from the beach are prohibited. Properties must use turtle-friendly lighting, blinds or window tints. Property owners must also remove all beach furniture and recreational equipment from sundown to sunrise.
For questions, contact Code Enforcement at CodeEnforcement@LongboatKey.org or 941-316-1966. with any questions.
THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2025
Dana Kampa
Dana Kampa
Key Yacht Club Regatta,
Carter Weinhofer
Eddie Abrams looks to rebuild two houses on the vacant lots behind him. His and his son’s houses were demolished following the hurricanes. “We want
WEEK OF APRIL 17, 2025
BY THE NUMBERS
“What’s happening is that so many, especially condominium properties, have massive amounts of trees that have been
killed
by the saltwater. They need to come down.”
Commissioner Penny Gold on the tree permit issue Read more on page 15A
Damaged by the wind and waves of 2024’s mean hurricane season, Longboat Key’s iconic Wicker Inn Beach Resort announced this past weekend in a “final update’’ on social media that repair work on the seaside vacation spot would not resume and the resort has closed.
The property is a $15.5 million listing on Zillow. Longboat Key’s Reid Murphy is the sales agent.
“One hurricane changed everything for so many people,”
read the Facebook post from the resort’s account. “You all mean so much to the owners and staff of the Wicker Inn, which was so much more than just a hotel.”
Since October, when photos of the extensive damage first appeared on the inn’s Facebook page, the resort’s management posted frequent updates on initial repair milestones, including one in January with a photo of a new building permit paving the way for drywall, electrical,
plumbing and air conditioning work.
In March, after several updates depicting repairs in progress, work suspended and word passed to hand out refunds for all pending reservations through August 2025. Plans then were to resume work in the summer.
The property at 5581 Gulf of Mexico Drive has 10 rental suites and one cottage, ranging from one bedroom to three bedrooms.
Longboat rolls out building-permit upgrade
Longboat Key’s building department is winding down its existing permitprocessing system this week in favor a new platform expected to fully running by next week, the town said. Designed to be more connective to the public, the new system, called Accela, is the same system as surrounding counties. A town statement said Accela should be fully activated at 8 a.m. April 22, following a rampup of its operation beginning April 17. The former system, in use since 2017, became unavailable at the end of business on April 16.
One of the key differences between the two systems is public access. A key feature is Accela’s connection with a GIS map interface will allow a customer to locate their property and start multiple requests using an auto-populating web form. It runs on all major browsers and web interfaces.
Additionally, with its widespread use around the region, contractors and builders should be relatively familiar with the system – and its related West Central Florida Accela User Group, which is available within the platform.
Town earns high marks from survey
The 2025 Citizen Survey results are in.
Like previous years, the town received high praise for quality of life with 97% of residents happy with the overall quality of life on the island.
That includes satisfaction with a variety of town services, like a 86% satisfaction rate for the police department, 86% for emergency management and 85% for fire and ambulance services.
The top priorities and issues for residents remained relatively consistent with the past couple of years. Beach management, traffic congestion, fiscal sustainability and infrastructure upkeep remain top priorities.
Carter Weinhofer
The Wicker Inn on Longboat Key is listed for sale at $15.5 million.
MOVING FORWARD, AND
UP
CARTER WEINHOFER AND ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITERS
With thousands of residents impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton across the barrier islands and inland, the area is a flurry of construction activity.
For some residents, it means repairing roofs, windows and storm shutters. For others, it’s a total rebuild.
The increased activity shows up through the planning departments of Longboat Key, the city of Sarasota and Sarasota County. Longboat Key, for example, estimates permitting activity is double what it was this time last year, with 1,057 permit applications received in March.
Six months after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Longboat Key and Sarasota residents apply for permits and wait to rebuild their damaged properties.
On the island, homebuilding is changing in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which brought a devastating storm surge to areas like the Village, Sleepy Lagoon and Buttonwood Harbour.
Longboat Key resident Heather Rippy and her family are among those who experienced flooding during Helene and now need to make major repairs — the most substantial of which is raising the house 12 feet.
Rippy owns Driftwood Beach Home and Garden in Whitney Plaza, and the family lives in one of the original Whitney cottages built in 1937 in Longboat Key’s Village.
Although the storm didn’t destroy the house, it sustained about two-and-a-half feet of flooding.
Rippy said Helene was the first time they had water in the house. In previous storms, water collected in low parts of the yard, which is normal for living in one of the island’s lowest areas.
“We kind of expected that to happen again, but we really didn’t expect to get two-and-a-half feet inside the house,” Rippy said.
“That was devastating.”
Flooding destroyed the family’s furniture, and the house needs a complete interior remodel. But when going into the repairs, the Rippys wanted to maintain the historic feel on the outside and preserve the house as much as possible.
“It’s an old house on the outside, and it will be a brand new house on the inside,” Rippy said.
The family planned on raising the house before the 2024 hurri-
cane season, but a delay with their contractor caused them to miss the May 2024 start goal.
That meant they had plans ready, though, so after Helene, they quickly started the process of raising their historic house in November 2024.
Rippy and her family aren’t yet able to live in their home.
The bulk of the raising work is complete, and the house now sits about 12 feet higher. The interior work remains, Rippy said, including new finishes and extending plumbing and electrical to the new height.
She said they’re hoping to move into the house in June.
Some residents are starting from scratch.
Down the road from Rippy, Village resident Eddie Abrams’ prop-
erty is an empty lot, as is his son’s next door.
During Helene, the homes took on 48 to 60 inches of water, depending on where they measured.
“We tore them down and we’re going to try to rebuild. That’s the hope, anyway,” Abrams said. The homes sustained enough damage that repairs would tip well over 50% of the value of the home, Abrams said, which means the home has to be brought up to code per the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s 50% rule.
Abrams has plans in hand to build a new house and will make sure the next house is well-elevated. His son, Grant, will do the same with his house.
“We want to build as high as we can by code,” Abrams said.
Last summer, the Longboat Key Town Commission adopted new ordinances to increase the freeboard allowance for homes. The ordinance progressed to allow homes in low-lying areas to add up to an extra 4 feet of freeboard on top of the 1 foot already required.
Abrams’ previous home was about 2 1/2 to 3 feet above grade, he said, so adding the additional 5 feet of freeboard will bring the home around 8 feet above grade.
Not only is Abrams building higher, he’s building a more fortified house, he hopes.
Carter Weinhofer
The Rippy’s house is in the process of being elevated about 12 feet.
File image
Heather Rippy owns Driftwood Beach Home and Garden in Whitney Plaza.
Eddie Abrams’ house is shown during the demolition phase.
He’s opting to use a technique called Insulated Concrete Forms. He explained it simply as “a Styrofoam form you put together like Lego blocks.”
Rebar reinforces the blocks and they’re filled with concrete. Exterior finishes apply directly to the Styrofoam-type forms.
Abrams said his family heard about ICF online and had seen it on television programs. When they purchased their home, they were aware of its low elevation and kept ICF in mind as a method of creating a more resilient house.
“It’ll be a concrete bunker,” Abrams said.
Abrams is also a do-it-yourself resident and decided to go with an owner-build construction. He will bring on licensed contractors, such as a general contractor, to oversee the project, but Abrams plans to be as hands-on as the state building code permits.
By overseeing the project, Abrams said there may be some cost savings in terms of choosing certain materials or methods.
WHAT IS ICF?
Insulated Concrete
Forms utilize foam blocks of Styrofoamlike material to create a mold of a home. Rebar stabilizes the blocks and fortified by pouring concrete into them.
This method of construction results in a strong structure but also has benefits like energy efficiency and noise reduction. With concrete, the buildings are also less susceptible to things like mold and insects.
the company that I’m dealing with, but other companies have the same MO, and this is how they operate. That’s really the main struggle. It’s not finding qualified individuals to do the job, which I thought would be very difficult.”
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Abrams and his family are still piecing together pricing for the rebuild and looking into how to fund it through methods like grants.
“The insurance was disappointing, to say the least,” Abrams said.
Progress has been slower for others, like Adam Gersh in Sarasota. Gersh, like Abrams, is dissatisfied with insurance responses.
Although across the street from bay front homes, the bulk of the damage to Gersh’s elevated home in Sarasota’s Harbor Acres was wind, not flooding, from Hurricane Milton.
Ever since, he and his wife, Wende, have been attempting to secure an insurance settlement for a roof replacement. Contractors have said because of the location of the damaged tiles, the entire roof should need replacing. Gersh has singled out insurance carrier Monarch as the obstacle to affecting his repairs six months after Hurricane Milton.
“We had to go to what we call appraisal, so they denied the claim,” Gersh said. “It’s really, I think, a bigger issue because everybody I’ve talked to, nine out of 10 times, this is the issue. Monarch Insurance is
Abrams is still uncertain exactly how much his rebuild will cost, but said the majority of the costs would be in the concrete used to fill in the ICF blocks.
Going with owner-build also helps Abrams slightly evade the challenge of finding subcontractors, which he’s heard is difficult for some people.
“We’re hearing from our general contractor that it’s been challenging ... especially locally, the subcontractors are very busy right now,” Abrams said.
With plans in hand, Abrams and his son will head toward the permitting process in the coming weeks — a process that is crowded with hundreds of other residents trying to do the same.
OVERLOAD OF PERMITS
The town of Longboat Key’s Planning, Zoning and Building Department received its own surge — a surge of building permits.
“I would say we’re probably at double the amount of permitting we would normally see. And we also have certain new responsibilities post-hurricane,” said Allen Parsons,
the department’s director.
Those additional responsibilities include conducting a substantial damage determination for properties that request it, adding extra work for town staff. Homeowners may request the determination for grants or other applications.
The overload of work led to the need for extra hands around the department.
Parsons said the department received extra staff through the Florida Department of Emergency Management immediately after the storms, as well as more contracted help along the way.
“Over time, we’ve been able to build up and supplement our staff both through FDEM and then through private contracting,” Parsons said. “We’re now about double the size of our full-time staff.”
The 12 new staff range from plans examiners to inspectors to help the department deal with the influx of permits for storm-related repairs.
The town alleviated some burden on property owners through fee waivers and construction hour extensions.
SEE REBUILDING PAGE 6A
FREEBOARD REVIEW
Longboat Key commissioners passed new freeboard allowances in June 2024 that allow homeowners to add optional freeboard, up to 2 feet for the entire island and an additional 2 feet for homes in low-lying areas.
The Florida Building Code
INCREASE IN LONGBOAT KEY PERMIT APPLICATIONS
Longboat Key, for example, estimates permitting activity is double what it was this time last year, with 1,057 permit applications received in March.
September 2024 289
October 2024 499
November 2024 993
December 2024 657
January 2025 539
February 2025 560
March 2025 1,057
Republican Club of Longboat Key, Inc. P.O. Box 8181 Longboat Key, FL 34228-8181
DINNER MEETING
Tuesday, April 29th | 5:30 to 8:30 pm
LOCATION: Zota Beach Resort
4711 Gulf of Mexico Dr, Longboat Key, FL 34228
Join us for a COCKTAIL SOCIAL at 5:30 PM, followed by the evening’s program at 6:20 PM.
GUEST SPEAKER:
FREDRICK “RICK” J. PICCOLO, A.A.E., PRESIDENT AND CEO OF SARASOTA BRADENTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (SRQ).
August 2024 438 Courtesy image
With over 53 years in the aviation industry and nearly three decades leading SRQ, Mr. Piccolo has helped transform the airport into one of the fastest-growing in the country. He’ll share insights on SRQ’s dramatic growth, the challenges facing regional air travel, and what’s ahead for our local airport and community.
Mr. Piccolo has served as President, CEO of SRQ since 1995. He has overseen a myriad of challenges in his 30-year tenure including multiple airport expansions, economic recessions, the trials of travel after September 11 and most recently, navigating obstacles during and after Covid. SRQ is currently one of the fastest- growing airports in the country, with a 300% increase in passenger traffic compared to pre-Covid numbers.
On a personal note, Mr. Piccolo is married with three sons and two grandchildren.
This event is also our Annual Meeting, where we will hold elections for the Club Officers. We encourage all members to attend, participate in the vote, and help shape the future of the Club.
MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS DINNER: $75 | CASH BAR
Make your reservation online and pay securely with your credit card by going to our website: rclbk.org
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Sarasota County is experiencing similar needs for supplemental staff, as well as the complexity of certain storm-related permits.
Michael Deming, a plans examiner with the county, explained the unique scenarios posed by the damage done to condominiums.
“What we were seeing were people or groups coming to us who were being hired by the condominium associations to do work of a limited scope that was being paid for directly by the condominium associations and not by the individual unit owners,” Deming said.
“We shifted in those instances to develop a process to allow them to apply for multiple units that were having identical work done by the same contractor, to include those multiple units under one permit. That way, it didn’t require each of the individual unit owners to have to pull permits when they weren’t the ones actually having the work being performed.”
The complication, and the need for a secondary permit, arose because, in some instances, the first permit was not for work that returned the individual units to a habitable state. The permits went as far as tearing out and replacing drywall, but did not include any interior finishing work.
“We had to follow up with contractors, with condominium associations and with the individual unit owners that, in those instances there would be a requirement for a secondary permit so that we could verify the unit was returned to its full habitable condition,” Deming said.
Since Hurricane Debby wreaked much of its damage inland in August, the county has received just more than 6,000 permits countywide that were specifically notated as storm-related damage.
Of that number, Deming said, 82% of them are approved. That doesn’t include the permit applications received for new construction and nonstorm-related renovation projects.
The county typically has two floodplain reviewers on staff. To help serve the hurricane-related permit application volume, the
building department mobilized the eight building review staff members to assist with flood reviews, working overtime, plus statefunded contract personnel.
According to Parsons, the Longboat Key department has a three to seven-day turnaround for simple permits for various repairs, but larger permits like a single-family home reconstruction may take up to three weeks.
A meticulous review of permits is essential, especially when dealing with properties that were substantially damaged.
“We’re audited by FEMA to ensure that we’re not issuing permits for work that would exceed that 50% value,” Parsons said.
It’s because of that audit that staff need to review permit applications closely. Any discrepancies could cause permit delays.
Regarding other delays, Parsons said he has heard of some cases of miscommunication between contractors and property owners.
“In some cases, permits haven’t been submitted, and in other cases, they’ve been submitted recently and issued,” Parsons said. “So there may be some misunderstandings out there of when a permit has actually been submitted to the town.”
However, the Longboat Key department recently announced a new online permitting software, which will activate on April 22.
The software is designed to create a deeper connection to the public, including a GIS map interface, and will allow property owners to conduct permit applications online.
“The move will provide a standardized, cloud-based solution that will provide better service to customers, the public and staff,” the town said in a statement.
MIXED RESIDENT REVIEWS
On St. Armands Circle and the mainland, residents are feeling the pressure of permits.
St. Armands Residents Association President Chris Goglia said homeowners who are restoring or rebuilding have reported frustrations in the amount of time the city of Sarasota is taking to process building permits.
“It sounds to me that people are saying it’s taking a long time.
They’ve been waiting for months to get permits,” Goglia said. “People have expressed disappointment that the permitting process is taking so long. They don’t understand why it’s taking so long.”
According to the city, hurricanerelated permits were to be noted as such to receive expedited review. To date, the city has received 743 storm-related building permit applications and, out of those, 106 remain under review. The remainder are either issued or inspections are complete and closed.
Applications are still being expedited for review, a spokesperson told the Observer. Fees are waived for those received before April 1.
On Siesta Key, resident and community activist Lourdes Ramirez said it took six weeks for a county staff person to be assigned to review her permit application. Her home was flooded by Helene and suffered further damage from Milton.
“In my case, they said the permit was not labeled as hurricane-relat-
ed, so it was not on the expedited track,” Ramirez said, adding that once remedied, the application was fast-tracked. “I found it hard to believe that any permit request for Siesta at that time was not hurricane-related.”
Owners of condominiums, she added, were told they needed two permits, and in some cases were told that until all the units were ready, there would be no issuing of further permits.
Harbor Acres resident Gersh doesn’t know about any delays in permitting, primarily because he hasn’t gotten to that point yet.
The next step for Gersh is to retain a public adjuster to present the case to the insurance company, which Gersh said draws out the process even longer and, eventually, homeowners give up.
“I think it’s intentional through attrition,” Gersh said. “When I talked to the public adjuster, he said people just give up. I’m not somebody who gets worn down when I
feel like I’m owed. You are going to hear from me until the cows come home, until I feel like it’s resolved. I’m not giving up on it.”
With hurricane season approaching, Gersh said one way or another, his roof will be replaced.
Back on Longboat, Abrams said the town’s staff has been helpful so far.
“I will commend the town of Longboat Key and the staff. They have really been remarkable,” Abrams said. “I just can’t praise them enough.”
As a former engineer himself, Abrams understands the packed schedules of building department staff. That understanding led to a deeper appreciation for how the staff took time to meet with him regarding his plans.
“I know it’s hard to make time for somebody that wants to walk in and look at your plans when you know you have 100 things on your plate to do that day. But they took the time,” Abrams said.
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Let kids be independent
Florida lawmakers are on the verge of giving parents more leeway in deciding how much independence to give to their children and not be charged with neglect.
Multiple unpleasant encounters with concerned law enforcement officials over children walking to schools or parks alone or playing in yards unsupervised have some Florida parents calling for improved laws around child neglect.
A proposed state law in this year’s legislative session in Tallahassee would do just that. It would allow parents to promote independence in their children without the fear of hysterical helicopter parents or government intervention.
Take this Florida mom and dad, reported on by the Reason Foundation in 2015:
One day, they were held late at an appointment and then stuck in traffic, so their 11-year-old son got home from school and played in his own yard for 90 minutes until his family arrived.
Meanwhile, a neighbor called the police, and the parents arrived to be put under arrest for negligence and had their son and his 4-year-old brother, who had been with the parents, taken away by child protective services. It was a month before the kids were allowed back with their parents.
We don’t know about you, but we both grew up with being home or in the yard while our parents were away as a frequent occurrence. And that was back when crime was more prevalent than it is today.
It seems like parents ought to be able to decide if a child is mature enough to be home, or in the yard, or walk to school or the park alone. It should only be considered neg-
ligence if there are circumstances when a reasonable person would say a kid should not be alone.
During this legislative session, House Bill 1191 would eliminate subjective language and refine the definition of neglect and abuse in Florida’s existing laws.
The bill sponsor, Monique Miller, R-Palm Bay, told the Legislature that her bill “decriminalizes parents allowing their children to travel to and from school, playing outdoors and remaining at home for reasonable amounts of time.”
The bill will establish clear allowances for such specific unsupervised activities while still prohibiting clearly harmful neglect or endangerment. It would allow Florida parents to make the right decisions for their children without worrying about widely varying interpretations of what is and isn’t appropriate. It would give them the space to cultivate independence confidently during a crucial developmental period.
The bill has passed two committees in the House with unanimous votes and was to be heard April 15 before going to the House floor. A similar bill, SB 1286, already has passed the Senate.
Rep. Miller has frequently pointed to the book “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt to explain why childhood independence is so important and why the law needs to allow it.
As Haidt put it in the book, “Children need to swing and then jump off the swing. They need to explore forests and junkyards in search of novelty and adventure. They need to shriek with their friends while watching a horror movie or riding a roller coaster. In the process, they develop a broad set of competences, including the ability to judge risk for themselves, take appropriate action when faced with risks, and learn that when things go wrong, even if they get hurt, they can usually handle it without calling in an adult.”
A culture of overprotection hurts kids and families alike, as research has continued to show since Haidt’s book came out. A 2023 study in The Journal of Pediatrics found that as children’s independence has been going down over the decades, their anxiety and depression have been going up — and that this is a causal relationship, not just a mere correlation.
Run-ins between parents and government agencies over grant-
CRIMINAL LAW SURVEY
Law is open-ended and confers discretion to restrict independence
Law protects children’s independence
Law is punitive toward children’s independence
ing this independence are not an anomaly. Another notorious case was the Lott family, which, while vacationing in Florida, posted many pictures on social media of the family with eight kids. Online trolls, critical of their choice to be overtly Christian homeschoolers, reported the family to the Florida Department of Children and Families, claiming the photos showed one of the children was sick and not being treated.
The first the Lotts knew about this was when DCF texted them warning their children would be taken away unless they could prove they were safe. Within hours, cops met them at a hospital for a statemandated inspection of their children. Doctors determined none of the children was sick or neglected. They had to prove they were innocent against accusations made with no evidence, a complete reversal of how our justice system is supposed to work.
You can imagine the nightmares this caused for the Lotts and other families, if any anonymous report can lead to a serious investigation with massive, potentially life-altering consequences.
The problem at the core is that the laws defining child neglect are vague and subjective, leaving much of the interpretation up to the judgment of police and social workers. It’s an arbitrary and capricious system.
While generally the DCF has reasonable policies about neglect, the state’s laws provide subjective criteria, so sometimes wild and unfair interpretations happen. (See accompanying map.) Similar stories arise every year all over the country,
Which is greater: Christ’s birth, resurrection?
Which is the greater: Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ, or Easter, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?
For Christians in the United States, the likely answer in Manon-the-Street interviews with the secular press would be Christmas. Not because of Christ’s birth, mind you, but because of how we have morphed the gift-giving story of St. Nicholas in 280 A.D. into Santa Claus and ultimately into the biggest, commercial retail extravaganza of the year for the American economy.
Like Christmas, American capitalism has made the most of Easter, though it is far less of the economic boom than in Christmas. Sadly, and more and more over time, lost in both remarkable “holy days,” now “holidays,” are the extraordinary, world changing events — the birth and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Which of the two is greater? A simple, logical answer is the second could not have occurred without the first. But taken separately, each is a profound, almost incomprehensible occurrence for us mere mortals.
The first is the incarnation. As is said in the Christian Nicene Creed: “For us men and for our salvation,”
God sent his son “from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.”
The atheist would scoff cynically at this human impossibility of divine incarnation. And yet for 2,000 years, this historically documented, extraordinary, miraculous life of Jesus remains and is accepted among the 2.2 billion Christians in the world. Then there is Christ’s resurrec-
tion — equally inconceivable from a human perspective. No man, no woman rises from the dead and appears among his friends in human form.
In his 1996 Easter message, Pope John Paul II explained: “Whoever had condemned Jesus, deceived himself that he had buried His cause under an ice-cold tombstone. The disciples themselves gave in to the feeling of irreparable failure. We understand their sur-
“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
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STATES WITH REASONABLE CHILDREN’S LAWS
Colorado Connecticut
Georgia Illinois
Montana Oklahoma
Texas Utah
Virginia
and concerned parents notice. While there is no doubt government safety workers are likely operating with what they perceive to be the best interests of children, in most cases, there is no better judge than a child’s own parent. However, parents who want to give their kids more independence struggle when it is unclear if a call from a concerned neighbor could lead to a years-long clash with government agencies.
If Florida adopts HB 1191 into law, it will be the 10th state to implement such protections. (See table.) Georgia was the ninth earlier this month.
Florida policymakers must promote an environment where parents are free to grant children the independence they need to develop their resilience and sense of individualism. This is a noble cause that both parents and Florida lawmakers should embrace.
Adrian Moore is vice president at Reason Foundation and lives in Sarasota. Zachary Christensen leads Reason Foundation’s work on childhood independence and lives in Utah.
prise, then, and even their distrust in the news of the empty tomb.
“But the Risen One did not delay in making himself seen and they yielded to reality. They saw and believed! Two thousand years later, we still sense the unspeakable emotion that overcame them when they heard the Master’s greeting: ‘Peace be with you.’”
Pope John XXIII, 35 years earlier, summed up Christ’s resurrection this way:
“In reality, Easter … is all in this: the celebration, perennial and ever renewed, of the mystery of Christ; of Christ, the glorious and immortal King of the nations and of the ages; the comfort and encouragement of all humanity redeemed by him and preserved for the triumph of its eternal destiny, and also for the peaceful success of human livingtogether and of ordered prosperity on Earth.”
Which of the two is greater?
The late Calvin Burrell, a teacher of theology and editor of the Bible Advocate, answered that question before he died in 2022:
“Rather than deciding which is more important, we recognize them as the first and second great scenes in the divine drama of redemption … God ordained both birth and resurrection … as equal halves of the complete divine-human experience … the twin miracles of Christ’s birth and resurrection are of equal importance in the divine drama of redemption.” —MW
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ADRIAN MOORE AND ZACHARY CHRISTENSEN
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Zachary Christensen
DANA KAMPA AND IAN SWABY STAFF WRITERS
Prior to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Kay Kouvatsos thinks Siesta Key had a false sense of security.
“They’ve been telling us for 28 years, high water, flood risk, surge. It never happened,” she said. “I think a lot of the residents took that as a huge wake-up call.”
As co-owner of the staple restaurant Village Café with her husband, Tom Kouvatsos, she’s looking ahead with concern this year.
“We’re praying for the best,” she said. “None of us are confident this isn’t going to happen again, but we’re hoping that it’s once in 100 years not going to happen again.”
Six months after the storms, businesses and residents in Sarasota and beyond are reflecting on what went right amid the devastation and what they might do differently even if mitigation will only go so far in staving off ever more damaging storms in a coastal area.
FINDING A WAY FORWARD
Siesta Key resident Dino Speranza calls himself “definitely a little more apprehensive” than in the past.
Never before, he said, did he spend four to five days without power or running water, also noting during Hurricane Milton, he lost part of the roof of his home.
“I don’t know what I can do differently than what I did, but it makes me a lot more anxious ... ” he said. “I definitely will be extra diligent about being prepared.”
Resident Carlos Peralta said if his family faces a similar situation in the future, the one thing they would do differently is avoid the hardship of staying at home during repairs.
“When we talk about dealing
with flooding, especially at the scale of five feet of water, there is little that you can do to prepare,” he said. “Nothing can stop too much water from entering your house, but we are taking everything that we have and using it to make it a smarter decision moving forward.”
Amid their apprehension, owners of Siesta Key businesses have found some strategies for the future.
Kristin Hale, operations director at Siesta Key Oyster Bar, said over the last couple of years, the restaurant had “pretty much perfected” its process of securing the building.
She said last year it added new improvements, including foam caulk in the door frames and selfinflating sandbags.
“I feel like you can only do what you can do, and then just pray that the building is there and standing when it’s all over, so it’s definitely an emotional time for us,” she said.
“It’s scary.”
Kay Kouvatsos said after Helene’s storm surge, they were determined water would not enter the restaurant again.
She said they succeeded with Milton in preventing any floodwater from entering, sealing off all doors inside and out with silicone tape.
“We now know to do that again,” she said.
Nara Horn, of Siesta Key Fudge Factory, said as the store lost a lot of its inventory previously, it will be placing more in storage and bringing in signs from outside.
“(We’ll) probably pick up a couple things that are valuable, but at the end, if the storm takes it, then it takes it, and there’s nothing we can do; we just have to come back and re-build again,” she said.
However, preserving the beauty of the outdoors is also a consideration.
Helene Hyland, a board member of the Siesta Key Chamber, is undertaking a private study with another resident to explore which plants are the most floodwaterresistant.
“If you ride down Midnight Pass Road and down Ocean Boulevard and Beach Road, you can see where the plants are dead,” she said. “You don’t want to replant with those.” She said it surprised her that a highly resilient plant was hibiscus bushes.
“If you look anywhere, you’ll see hibiscus now,” she said.
Residents agreed that whatever actions they take, it will be necessary to hope for the best.
“It feels like there’s been (a hurricane) every single year for the past couple of years, so hopefully, fingers crossed, we can avoid that this year,” said Hale.
The community of Longboat Key is also taking its own lessons away from the storms.
Harry’s Continental Kitchens celebrated 45 years of serving the Longboat community early last year. Though the prospect of repairing the three-prong family business ravaged by hurricanes
Helene and Milton was imposing, co-owner Lynn Christensen said they didn’t even question whether it was something they would tackle.
“We got out here as fast as we could and took care of what we could to get open as soon as we could,” she said.
Christensen explained a few factors went in the business’ favor in the lead up to the storms. She, along with Harry and Hal Christensen, moved the main office to a building at a higher elevation.
“We did that because the only building that would flood when we had past hurricanes was our office,” she said.
That proved fortuitous, as Helene sent floodwaters rushing throughout the area where their restaurant and deli also are located. They made the switch to underground fiber service the summer before the storms.
However, the foot-high storm surge still damaged essential electronics, causing systemic POS “quirks” they are still navigating.
Reflecting on their reaction to the damage, Christensen said her family is grateful to the core 25 to 30 staff members who went above and
beyond to clean, repaint and repair all the buildings as quickly as possible, officially opening doors Nov. 8.
“I think the season may slow down quicker than we wanted it to, but we’ll make it work,” she said.
“We’re looking forward to Easter.”
She said this helped not only for the business to salvage as much of the peak tourism season as possible, but also put them in a position to meet the needs of the many repair crews and residents sifting through the aftermath.
Christensen learned the importance of having such dedicated staff members who helped with the speedy rebuild, even going out to get replacement kitchen equipment from off-island when needed.
Looking ahead, she said her family has learned to tackle what it can control and have patience with what it can’t.
“I taught me to not think it won’t ever happen,” she said of the atypically strong storms. “We’ve lived on the island for more than 50 years. ... It’s easy to think of the ‘would have, could have and should have’ in being prepared. If I’ve learned anything, it’s to really be prepared.”
Dana Kampa
Lynn Christensen says she’s grateful her family and staff have been able to rebuild from the storms as well as they have.
John Andrew Himmelspach 1925-2025
John Andrew Himmelspach passed away on March 31, 2025 in his 100th trip around the sun. John lived an exciting & gratifying life filled with service to his country and a passion for knowledge, which resulted in career advancement with multiple international assignments plus love for his family, friends and church.
Mr. Himmelspach was born June 4, 1925, in Saginaw, Michigan to Mildred (Weaver) and John Andrew Himmelspach Sr. He graduated from Arthur Hill High School in June of 1943 and entered the US Army Air Corps where he served on a flying crew in the Pacific Theater as a radio operator mechanic. John was honorably discharged on March 2, 1946, three months prior to his 21st birthday. He entered Michigan State University in the fall of 1946 and graduated in the fall of 1949 with a degree in business. He married a nurse, the lovely Katheryn Marie Siever February 16th 1952. Together they shared a 65 year adventure. They had four loving children: Patricia Lynn Uren (Nicholas), John Andrew Himmelspach, Karen Jane Himmelspach (late Mark Langlois), and Marilyn Joy Himmelspach; grand-
children John (JJ) Andrew Himmelspach Ill and William Arthur Uren. Marilyn dedicated the last years of both Katheryn and John’s lives to tenderly caring for her parents.
John joined General Motors Corporation on the line at the Saginaw Steering Gear Division in January of 1950 and retired in 1986 as Corporate Assistant Comptroller. John’s career led him to work in Canada, England, Germany, France, Mexico, Australia, Venezuela and Brazil. In retirement, Katheryn & John enjoyed trips to Europe, educational Elderhostels in the U.S., cruises to the Greek Isles, Turkey and Alaska where the river rafting photo thrilled (scared) the kids. Summers included a trip to the U.P. of Michigan. East Tawas/Lake Huron then Cedar Lake was home base
for summer (he loved serving as boat driver for kids of all ages learning to ski) with Longboat Key, Florida for winter months providing a center focus on family life for 38 years.
John was a 73 year member of the Masonic Lodge #77 (originally lodge #154) in Saginaw, Michigan as well as a member of the Scottish Rite 32*, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, Bay City.
Many people will recall his active kindness referring those in need to Mayo Clinic (with a little pull from the inside) or just striking up conversations finding new friends everywhere from riding his bike to sitting in airports. John was always thinking of his next project. He built his family’s first home, thereafter reusing & repurposing everything frequently many years into the future.
His children remember restaurant ice cube flipping fights from Illinois to England though he reserved whipped cream fights to the family dinner table. He often said he became a semi-educated man in his retirement with 140 of The Great Courses in his library over the last 25 years (2 lessons a night before bed). He enjoyed golf and was pleased with his hole-in-one as a member of the River Isles Golf Club Bradenton, Florida. The past 5 years were spent happily welcoming newcomers to Rochester, Mi. Cedarbrook Senior Living between trips up north and down to LBK where he, Marilyn and her friend Jim Osborne were contentedly stuck for 4 months during Covid winter with John Jr. across the street (and a generous neighbor’s homemade hot sourdough bread).
Friends and family will miss his upbeat endless stories, intelligence, creativity, kindness, irreverence, wit and humility...and, of course, “It’s 25° below in Kamloops (or Yellowknife) today.”
SERVICE:
Honoring John’s wishes, cremation has taken place. Memorials will be held at Roselawn Memorial Gardens Saginaw and Christchurch of LBK where he was a founding member at a later date.
DONATIONS:
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to John A. & Katheryn M. Himmelspach Nursing Scholarship at Alpena Community College Foundation, 665 Johnson St, Alpena Mi, 49707 (ph 989358-7359).
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SIX MONTHS LATER
Post-hurricane real estate market hard to pin down
Generally, metro area’s prices take a tumble, but that’s not true everywhere.
ERIC GARWOOD DIGITAL NEWS EDITOR
It’s a fact the real estate market for homes and condominiums in Sarasota and Manatee counties has slowed from this time in 2024.
Have a look at the key benchmarks for early 2025, which largely are continuations of trends beginning in 2024 and earlier:
n Median prices, the point at which half sell for more and half sell for less, are down across the board.
n Inventory supplies are higher, indicating more properties on the active market than a year ago — even accounting for the region’s typical winter-spring seasonal upswing in real estate activity.
n Across the metro area, the time it takes to sign a sales contract is roughly equal to 2024. The region’s torrid real estate market of even two or three years ago is over, experts say, and property owners likely no longer hold the upper hand. Gone are median prices higher than a half-million dollars.
Instead, the area has evolved into something of a balance, says Debi Reynolds, president of the Realtors Association of Sarasota and Manatee and the managing broker at SaraBay Real Estate.
“After years of a strong seller’s market, the increase in inventory and more stable pricing indicate that the market is shifting toward a more level playing field for buyers and sellers alike,” she said in a recent statement. What’s harder to pin down is
Peter J. Salm 1934-2025
Peter Jerome Salm, Pete to his friends, passed away peacefully on April 7, 2025 at home in Lakewood Ranch Florida Pete, a Midwesterner by birth and inclination, was a longtime Florida resident, tennis player, and sun tanner who treasured the more than 40 years he spent in his adopted home state. Pete was born in Evansville, Indiana to Jerome “Jerry” Salm, a prominent local businessman and attorney and Hannah Strauss Salm of Chicago. Pete graduated from Bosse High School and then went to Indiana University, from which he graduated in 1955 and stayed a lifelong Hoosier fan. After graduation, Pete accepted a commission as a Lieutenant in the United States Army. Because he had minored in German, the U.S. Army assigned him to Ft. Holabird in Baltimore, Maryland for training at the U.S. Army Intelligence School. While in training at Ft. Holabird, the dashing Lieutenant met a pretty and peppy dental hygienist from Baltimore, Dorothy Silverberg. This meeting and their marriage a year later started a 48-year romance which endured until Dorothy’s death in 2002. The Army assigned Peter and Dorthy to Kaiserslautern, Germany, where Peter served with the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Corp and where their first child, daughter Karen was born
in 1956. After an honorable discharge, Pete and Dorothy return to Evansville, where Pete took over as General Manager of Salm’s Department Store, a women’s and children’s fine clothing establishment. In 1960, Pete and Dorothy’s second child, a son, Marc was born. In 1968, 15 years after his undergraduate education and with a young family to support, Pete made the momentous decision to close the family business and follow his desire to attend law school like his father had done before him. Pete enrolled as a night student at St. Louis University School of Law, while picking up where he left off from his Army days by working during the day as an agent for the Naval Investigative Service, the predecessor to NCIS. Eventually, Pete transferred to the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) and was promoted to Trial Attorney upon his graduation from law school. The NLRB promoted Pete to Supervising Trial Attorney and in 1979 he transferred to the NLRB’s Tampa, Florida office. Having accomplished his goals of becoming an attorney, seeing his children off to college and graduate school, and being promoted to lead a team of trial attorneys, Pete wanted to live someplace which was as hot as possible as much of the year as possible. During his more than 25 years at the NLRB, Pete appeared in court many times representing the United States Government and enforcing the labor laws
of the United States. As an attorney, Pete was known for his extensive knowledge of the sometimes-arcane American labor laws and his exacting application of the law. Pete earned the respect of lawyers on both sides of the union/employer divide, mentoring several young lawyers. As Pete said about other lawyers he admired, he was himself “a technician of
the law”. Pete retired from the NLRB after Dorothy was diagnosed with cancer so he could care for her daily. After Dorothy’s death in 2002, Pete moved to Longboat Key. Pete had long been a devoted tennis player. While in Tampa, he played at Northdale Country Club. In Longboat Key, he played for many years multiple times
a week, belonging to Cedars Tennis Club and playing on the under-70, under-75, under-80 teams where he served as captain. When Pete was not playing tennis, sitting poolside at Spanish Main Yacht Club, enjoying a cold beer and dinner at Harry’s, or rooting for his beloved Hoosiers, he was a common sight riding his bike shirtless on the path
along Gulf of Mexico Drive or driving his convertible on “The Island”, carefully avoiding the traffic created by the snowbirds.
Pete loved Longboat Key. The weather was never too hot for him and he spent hours sitting outside, which charitably made his skin look like fine Corinthian leather. Pete made many friends during his years in Longboat including his special relationship with Jane Shellhammer Oaks and her family. Pete’s only regret was that he could not find a warmer location that provided the same access to sun, beach, tennis, and friends he made over the years at Spanish Main.
Peter Salm was a husband, a father, an athlete, an advocate, a soldier, and scholar. He loved a hot morning on Court 1 and the cold beer that followed. He strongly believed in what he did during his years of service both in uniform and in court. His honesty and integrity were legendary, as was his commitment to his family. All who knew Pete will miss him.
Peter is survived by his daughter, Karen Padnos and her husband Mitch of Holland Michigan, his son, Marc Salm and his wife Ellen of Lakeland, Florida, and grandchildren Louis Padnos (Allie) of Birmingham, MI, Jonathan Salm (Lianna) of Long Island City, NY and Catherine Salm Flood (Tim) of Charlotte, NC.
DONATIONS:
exactly why. Nationally, in 2024, prices rose and continue to do so in the early part of 2025. So, what’s happening here? The answers aren’t necessarily comprehensive and connected.
Portions of Lakewood Ranch in 2024 defied much of the region’s trends toward balance — even after the trio of named tropical systems delivered millions of dollars of damage to not only coastal properties but also to plenty of homes and businesses inland.
Mortgage interest rates, Florida’s homeowners insurance rates, new and potentially more costly rules for condominium associations and storm fatigue could play a role. But Tyler Shanahan, a Lakewood Ranch Realtor with the Shanahan Luxury Group, Coldwell Banker Realty, says he’s seeing portions of the inland luxury market flourish these days. While it’s not all being driven by folks heading east from the beach, he said the inland $2.5 million to $3 million segment is still moving well. He said he is seeing evidence of people exploring options away from the sea. He said the corridor along Interstate 75 in northern Sarasota and southern Manatee counties offers a lot more than it once did — which means options for buyers who, perhaps 10 years ago, went straight to the waterfront.
Beachfront condos in Siesta Key, Lido Key and Longboat Key still routinely sell for asking price, listings show. The ultra-luxurious Residences at The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort was the site of the highestpriced condo sale in Sarasota County history. The nearly 11,000-squarefoot unit (two units combined into one, actually) closed for $21.24 million just days after Hurricane Milton’s October landfall.
Anecdotally, there also are plenty of stories of beachside residents who remain connected to the seaside life. Still others are rebuilding or repairing. Some are moving inland.
A heart-breaking tale of resignation to reality came from Hugh and Ann Fiore of St. Armands Circle featured in The Observer last week. Working feverishly to repair water damage from Hurricane Helene, along came Hurricane Milton and flooded the home again. It sold for $4.75 million in January, essentially
the county’s assessed value of the waterfront land. They moved into an elevated new home, across the street from neighbors whose property backs up to Sarasota Bay.
Still others are selling as is — such as the case of several properties advertised as land only.
Among them:
n A property selling for $2.4 million in Longboat Key’s Country Club Estates, advertised by the sellers’ real estate company with the description: “Following a complete remediation from storm Helene this could be an easy renovation to garner a nice seasonal rental while you plan your Waterfront Dream Home.’’
n A lot of about 1/8 acre on Siesta Key that sold for $1.65 million in 2021 with a three-bedroom, two-bath home of about 1,800 square feet. It’s listed as a vacant lot for $599,999.
County leaders are concerned that lower values — for whatever reason — could affect revenue in coming years.
Speaking to Sarasota County Commissioners in early April, County Administrator Jonathan Lewis raised a flag early in the county’s budgeting process for 2025-26 that the region’s once dependable property value increases are slowing. Not stopping. But slowing.
“Don’t misunderstand, it’s not a decrease from the assumption, not a decrease in property values,” he told commissioners.
“We’re saying that it’s not going to be as much of an increase as we projected last year.”
TRIBUTES
Allen Siegel 1931 - 2025
Allen Siegel of Redding, Connecticut died on April 5, 2025. He was 93. The son of immigrants, he rose from humble roots to become a successful real estate entrepreneur. He leaves behind his children Jonathan Siegel and Tamra Lichtman, daughter-in-law Michelle Girvan, son-inlaw Scott Lichtman, and grandchildren Eli and Kayla Lichtman and Zara Siegel. His wife, Claudine Siegel, died in 2020.
Allen Siegel was born August 22, 1931 to Solomon and Sadie Siegel in New York City. Sol was a cantor and a sexton. He and Sadie divorced when Allen was young, and Sadie supported her three sons by working at the post office and at Macy’s. Starting as a teenager, Allen worked as a musician. Playing saxophone and clarinet in club date bands, he put himself through school at Queens College and contributed money to the household. After graduation in 1952, Allen began working as a real estate broker at Pearce, Mayer & Greer, a real estate investment firm. He became the head of the sales and financing department and was promoted to partner. In 1972, the firm merged with W.R. Grace & Co. and formed a REIT. In 1980, Allen started a real estate division at Bear Stearns and Co. Allen became president of Bear Stearns Realty and was involved as a principal in
Rose Marie “Rosie” Stieber 1928-2024
Rose Marie “Rosie” Stieber, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to all, passed away peacefully at home Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, at age 96.
Born May 21, 1928, in Detroit, Rosie had two siblings, Katherine Charnow, (deceased) (the late Charles) and Albert Hartford (Yvonne).
Rosie was a student at St. Rose School, where she formed friendships that lasted a lifetime. She first crossed paths with William “Bill” Stieber on the dance floor in high school and their connection was undeniable. On Oct. 1, 1949, they exchanged vows and built a life filled with love and adventure.
They welcomed nine children: Robert (Emelita), William Jr. (Tricia), Thomas (Claudia), John (deceased), Patrick (Cindy), Mark (deceased) (Mary), Daniel (deceased), Timothy (Mary Grace) and Kimberly (Michael). After 13 years apart, Bill and Rosie now are lovingly reunited.
Rosie’s family grew to include 20 grandchildren: Jennifer (Stephen), Robert (deceased), William, Claire, Katherine, Elizabeth, Leslie, Scott (Gwen), Nicholas, John (LaCina), Allyson (Santiago), Matthew (Emily), Nicole (Peter), Julianne, Andrew, Rebecca (Kevin), Raymond,
the purchase of commercial real estate, including the Steinway Building in Manhattan, for the partners of the firm and their clients. After leaving Bear Stearns in the late 1980s, Allen continued to manage his real estate portfolio and other investments. Allen found his partner for life, Claudine, when he was 25 years old, and they enjoyed a loving 63-year marriage. They lived in Westport, Connecticut for 40 years, where they built a broad community of friends and supported the arts. Allen served on the Board of the Connecticut Alliance for Music and hosted performances in their home, which they built in 1998. He and Claudine also enjoyed living many years in Longboat Key, Florida. Allen was embraced
by his family and friends who were drawn to his intelligence, gentle disposition, and sense of humor. He was a storyteller who delighted in creating and performing humorous monologues at parties. An avid tennis player, he won multiple championships at the Birchwood Country Club in Westport. In retirement, he devoted himself to duplicate bridge, enjoying the challenge and companionship and pursuing a high rank in the American Contract Bridge League. Allen achieved the ranking of Ruby Life Master. Allen will be greatly missed.
DONATIONS:
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research or to Connecticut Legal Services.
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Nathan, Matthew and Peter. She also was blessed with 19 great-grandchildren: Bethany, Beau, Jacob, Noah, Riley, Grace, Daniel, Mary, Samuel, Sophie, Sutton, Michael, Jackson, Jasmine, Benjamin, Evelyn, Isabel, Audrey and James.
Rosie lived a full life, maintaining her independence throughout her years. Known for her warm hospitality, she hosted the extended family for backyard barbecues every Sunday afternoon during the summer and cooked Thanksgiving dinner every year. She lived with an open-door policy and her family knew they could always count on her to have gummy bears, ice cream and cheap beer for anyone who stopped by. Her philosophy on living a long and healthy life was simple but profound: “Never turn down an invitation. Go even if you don’t want to. … You’ll always enjoy yourself.”
The past 40 years, she spent her winters in Longboat Key, Fla., where she enjoyed the sunshine and frequent visits of friends and family. Rosie also was an avid traveler, having visited 49 states and numerous countries around the world, embracing new experiences and cultures. In her younger days, she also enjoyed camping with her family and was active at St. Clare of Montefalco Catholic Church and Austin Catholic Preparatory School.
Rosie was an avid bridge player and reader, passions she continued to enjoy regularly until the end of her life. As a volunteer, Rosie
dedicated 35 years of service to Bon Secours/Beaumont Hospital in Grosse Pointe and 18 years at Mote Marine in Sarasota, Fla. She also ushered for several years at theaters in the Detroit and Sarasota areas. While she was an exceptional conversationalist and had an enviable memory, Rosie’s biggest gift was making people feel special. Rosie’s memory will forever live on in the hearts of her family and friends who will carry forward her legacy of kindness and beautiful spirit..
SERVICE: Services will be held Friday, Aug. 23, at St. Clare of Montefalco Catholic Church, 1401 Whittier, Grosse Pointe Park. Visitation begins at 10 a.m., followed by the funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m.
DONATIONS: In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen, 1820 Mt. Elliot, Detroit, MI 48215.
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Dana Kampa
The real estate market on Longboat Key continues to evolve, including in residential areas like the Village.
FORTIFY FIRST
LOUIS LLOVIO
BUSINESS OBSERVER
In the aftermath of two serious hurricanes last year and Hurricane Ian in 2022, renewed attention is being paid to how buildings are built and how to best protect your property against the worst that storms can bring.
It’s a natural — and necessary — reaction to scenes of destructions after the recent storms.
But the subject of resilience is a constant one for many in government, construction, architecture and engineering charged with making sure buildings in Florida are prepared to deal with the worst that hurricanes can bring.
“After each one of these storms
you learn more — more policies are put in place, more stringent standards are put in place,” says Tom Rees, a partner at Halfacre Construction in Lakewood Ranch.
The jobs of those tasked with making the state’s buildings as safe as possible is to look at the materials and technologies available and figure out how to use them to build, or often rebuild, properties.
Most of the rules dictating how buildings need to be built along the coastal areas of Florida are dictated by the ever-evolving Florida Building Code and rules coming from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
It’s common practice, though, for those in the industry to go beyond what’s regulated as they
work on projects designed to last long after storms pass.
Halfacre’s current projects include the construction of the new Sarasota County Administration Center and the redevelopment of the Sarasota County Terrace Building.
Both projects are being worked
on with a focus on resiliency.
With the Terrace Building, a historic 10-story downtown Sarasota property, the project includes installing impact windows and waterproofing and painting the entire exterior.
Painting and waterproofing helps keep water out of buildings and improve the structural integrity by keeping water damage to a minimum.
The center, meanwhile, is being constructed using advanced building materials to make it is hurricane resistant.
THE CODE
While damage from recent storms brought renewed attention to resilience, it is by no means a new subject.
Florida has been focused on upgrading its building codes since Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Today’s Florida Building Code is a stringent set of rules designed to make sure properties are built to withstand storms.
One expert after another talks about how important the code is when it comes to protecting people and property in the state. And they universally point to Fort Myers Beach as an example of why it is needed.
After Hurricane Ian in 2022, there was a clear delineation between Fort Myers Beach homes built before 1992 and those after.
Through the air or driving along the barrier island six months after the storm, one could see the newer buildings were damaged but had withstood much of the storm.
Empty lots; on the other hand, stood where the older structures once stood.
“The code is pretty strict around the hardening of the buildings, so if you’re near the coast you’ve got impact glass. And you’ve got a structure and roofing built to withstand a significant uplift from wind,” says Joshua Bomstein, president and CEO of Creative Contractors in Clearwater.
“Those new buildings really are designed and built to withstand major weather events.”
One resiliency example is in Sarasota County, where the 67-yearold Bird Key Yacht Club decided
late last year to build its new clubhouse 15 feet further inland and 3 feet higher than the current building.
LIVE AND LEARN
There are other ways people in the region are attempting to bring more resiliency to construction after the storms.
Consider Dean Ruark, vice president of engineering and innovation at PGT Windows and Doors in Venice, a unit of Miter Brands. He is also a structural engineer.
“One of the things that I do, along with several other engineering teams, is go out after each storm ... and see what actually happened to structures,” he says. “We do that with some of the FEMA groups.”
The idea is for the teams to get to the hardest hit areas immediately after a storm — before people are back in their homes and beginning to clean and patch up damage — so they can “actually see what happened.”
Once there, the work turns to making damage assessments of homes to get a sense of how the current building code performed and or didn’t. It also leads to improvements in the code.
The program is called StEER — the Structural Extreme Events Reconnaissance Network — and its goal is to gather information on “the performance of the built environment through impactful postdisaster reconnaissance disseminated to affected communities.”
What the engineers are looking at and inputting into the system are details such as what year the home was built, what type of structure it was, what types of windows, doors and roof did it have and what were they rated.
“The key to what you’re looking for is, as we build each new home, are we are we investing the stringency in the right places to mitigate against risk?” Ruark says. And are we?
Ruark, like most who are asked if the state’s rules are doing enough, says the “Florida code is exceptional” and in his experience structures built to new codes, with high elevation finished floor height and breakaway wall systems, fair well in
Board of Trustees Planning and Zoning Board Zoning Board of Adjustment Sarasota CountyCitizensOversight Committee forPublicSchool FacilityPlanning
Allapplications must be submittedto the Office of the TownClerk by 12:00 p.m. on April 23, 2025. All applicants must be registered voters of the Town of Longboat Key. Lateapplicationswill be held for one year forany future board or committee vacancies that may arise.
All members of the Consolidated Retirement System Board of Trustees, Planning and Zoning Board, and Zoning Board of Adjustment are required to file a financial disclosure form within 30 days after appointment and annually thereafter for the duration of the appointment as required by Florida Statutes Chapter 112.
The Town Commission may schedule a Meet and Greet with applicants at a later date. Please call the Office of the Town Clerk at 941-316-1999 to request an application or for any questions. Applications are also available online at: www.longboatkey.org. Completed applications may be submitted to: TownofLongboat Key – Office of the Town Clerk 501Bay Isles Road Longboat KeyFL 34228
Stephanie Garcia, DeputyTownClerk II
Published: 04-10-2025,04-17-2025
Dana Kampa
Two-for-one tree replacement changes
Town commissioners discussed at length an exemption for storm-related tree replacements that would axe a two-for-one replacement requirement.
CARTER WEINHOFER STAFF WRITER
Longboat Key town commissioners took the first steps in changing a code that required property owners to replace one tree with two.
On April 7, town commissioners unanimously gave first approval for an amendment to the code that provides relief to property owners who may not immediately want to replant trees because of the cost or need for further landscaping evaluation.
Chapter 98 of the town’s code, titled “Trees,” states two mature replacement trees are required for the removal of every tree. Commissioners received emails and correspondence from residents who expressed concern that this code created challenges in hurricane recovery efforts.
If replacement or relocation is
Bottle Palm
not feasible, then “a tree replacement fee of $300 per mature replacement tree shall be paid to the town. These funds shall be kept in an account and used only for the designated replacement or planting of trees on public property.”
The text written in Longboat Key’s code exempted improved single-family lots from the requirement, but condominiums and commercial properties were still required to follow the twofor-one replacement or pay into the tree fund.
The proposed change includes language that exempts properties that were impacted by natural disasters, allowing them to forgo the requirement for trees that are dead or substantially damaged because of a natural disaster.
It also stipulates that while properties would be exempt from the town’s tree code, owners would still need to follow any state or
federal regulations for protected tree species.
According to Director of Planning, Zoning and Building Allen Parsons, the original requirement — which calls for two mature trees to replace the removal of one — may
Coconut Palm Quintessential palm tree, tall and slender, bears coconut fruit
Royal Palm Tall, thin trunks reaching upwards of 70 feet tall
Needle Palm Very cold tolerant, shrub-like
Saw Palmetto A smaller palm, reaching only about 10 feet, and also quite common
Sabal Palm This is Florida’s state tree and one of the most common native
$100-$300
$40-$180
$180-$600 palms. It can grow up to 80 feet tall.
Gumbo Limbo A single, smooth trunk with bright green leaves and small,
$100-$450 creamy white flowers. They produce red, fleshy, edible fruits.
Live Oak Evergreen oak tree known for its impressive size, heartiness, $200-$1,200 and dense, spreading branches.
Sea Grape Coastal tree known for its large, leathery, round leaves, and edible, $100-$250 grape-like fruit that ripens to purple
Wax Myrtle A broadleaf evergreen shrub or tree in the bayberry family
$150-$200 (Myricaceae) that may grow 20 to 25 feet tall
Black Olive Also known as “Shady Lady’” develops full, ovular canopies
$200-$1,300
be an effort to maintain the island’s tree canopy and natural beauty.
“There are lots of good benefits that flow from having a vibrant and healthy tree canopy town-wide, and that was the purpose of the tree protection code,” Parsons said.
Though District 1 Commissioner Gary Coffin suggested putting the brakes on the change and allowing the Planning and Zoning Board to review it further, other commissioners, like District 2 Commissioner Penny Gold, said the amendment was crucial in the short term.
“What’s happening is that so many, especially condominium properties, have massive amounts of trees that have been killed by the saltwater. They need to come down, but the cost of trying to replace those two for one is exorbitant,” Gold said. “I think, in the short term, this is a logical response to the disaster. In the long term, I am all for the double tree canopy, and I think we need it for the island.”
Commissioners also debated how to define “substantially damaged” and what sub-requirements that could lead to, drawing concerns that some owners might be too axe-friendly. But Commis -
sioner-At-Large BJ Bishop said the commission should trust the community to restore the canopy and not clear-cut lots.
Several condominium association representatives spoke at the meeting, including Wendy Ciewkowski, Seaplace’s manager. Ciewkowski said this amendment would help the condominium association receive some relief in its restoration efforts.
“We are replanting trees, but if we could at least do one-for-one and have some relief, that would help us out a lot,” she said.
According to Angie’s List, mature palm trees could cost between $150 and $800 per tree on average, with higher-end trees nearing $2,000.
The commission concluded the discussion with a unanimous vote to give the amendment first approval after adding language that includes trees severely damaged. There was consensus among commissioners that this amendment would act as a quick response to a residents request, and staff will inspect the code in the long term. A second vote will be required at the commission’s next meeting to solidify the amendment.
Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused vegetative damage across Longboat Key, including killing or severely damaging large trees.
Courtesy image
Officials speed up roundabout process
New costs come as the Florida Department of Transportation takes on responsibility for the project but said some costs are still on the town’s dime.
The town of Longboat Key and the Florida Department of Transportation teamed up to enter an accelerated schedule for the Broadway Roundabout, but the agreement came with unexpected costs for the town.
According to staff’s presentation at the commission’s April 7 meeting, the new potential costs to the town are near $1.7 million, including utility adjustments, landscaping and aesthetic appeal.
This update came after the last time commissioners discussed the project on March 24, when staff first indicated there would be new costs. After that meeting, the commissioners asked for staff to take a deeper dive into these costs.
In fall 2024, Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization and Florida Department of Transportation told the town that 2030 funding could be accelerated to 2026 for the Broadway Roundabout project. Project cost estimates were around $5.4 million to $6 million.
The FDOT then agreed to take on management of the project and most of the financial responsibility, which hurled the project into an accelerated schedule.
Staying within the 2030 funding timeline would allow the town to address certain conflicts, such as utility relocation, over a longer period, thus spreading out the costs.
The project team is discovering all the preliminary construction items that need to happen before the main roundabout project begins.
What would have happened over four to five years is now happening in one year.
“What’s resulting is we’re now seeing what those conflicts now
look like,” Assistant Town Manager Isaac Brownman said. “What you’re seeing in the costs that are rapidly appearing before us is a result of the accelerated schedule.”
The main cost stems from the need to relocate utility infrastructure to prevent any future problems with utilities during or after construction. Design and construction costs for this are anticipated to be around $1.1 million.
With landscape design and other costs, including adding pavers rather than concrete, the total new potential costs come in around $1.7 million. The town has spent no dollars on this yet, but the costs would need to be factored into the town’s fiscal year 2026 budget to keep the project on track.
One expense that needs to happen this year, though, is the remainder of the design. The town has already spent around $360,000 on design, and the next phase of design — more complex due to a larger scope — will cost an additional $569,000.
Brownman said FDOT would
credit the town $112,000 for the next design phase.
All in before the credit, that’s around $929,000 for the design of the roundabout.
That includes about $280,000 for the initial design, which was rejected by FDOT in 2023 when it neared 90% completion. FDOT said it would not sign off on the design because of the road’s existing banking, or slope.
Brownman said the town could use leftover funds in the $739,401 budgeted for the Broadway Roundabout in FY25 for the next design cost.
The project team expects momentum to pick up quickly with the project toward the end of 2025 and into 2026.
“We’re not years away; we’re months away from getting some solid bids,” Brownman said. Bid pricing should come around February or March 2026.
As the preliminary project items progress, Brownman said staff would update commissioners on any other costs that may arise.
Co-chair of Longboat Key North and north-end resident Maureen Merrigan spoke at the April 7 meeting and expressed frustration in FDOT’s recent delegation of costs.
Overall, though, she was thankful the town was taking the additional steps that may cause the additional costs, like moving utilities to prevent future problems and reinstating a landscape buffer.
“I appreciate from the community standpoint having that $150,000 buffer being put in,” Merrigan said. “Landscaping was a huge issue for the community.”
Town leaders have discussed the Broadway Roundabout since about 2012, which began as an idea to improve pedestrian, cyclist and
motorist safety at the intersection.
“The initial impetus of the project was safer crossings for cyclists and pedestrians at that intersection where it’s an uphill climb across several lanes of traffic,” Brownman said. “It’s not an ideal; it’s not even a safe crossing.”
Brownman added the roundabout would allow for safer left-hand turn maneuvers on all sides of the roundabout and can act as a welcoming “gateway” with the enhanced aesthetics.
The scope of the project is around a half mile.
The Broadway Roundabout will become the first piece of the town’s complete streets vision and could set an example of how the project will look along Gulf of Mexico Drive, Brownman said. This includes enhanced bike lanes and multiuse paths.
Carter Weinhofer
The town of Longboat Key had to go back to the drawing board to redesign a potential roundabout at the intersection of Broadway Street and Gulf of Mexico Drive.
COPS CORNER
company who had a barge tied to the caller’s property. The workers admitted they did not have permission to use the dock and empty lot to move equipment from the barge. The officer then spoke with the lot owner, who said he wanted a report to document the activity since he had the lot prepared for construction but now has to address the damage.
MOTORIST MIX UP
5:59 p.m., 4400 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive
Citizen Assist: An officer respond ed to a vehicle burglary report. At the scene, the officer met with a woman who said no bur glary took place and she simply got into the wrong car. She said she acciden tally entered a vehicle parked next to hers that looked identical and, while she was on the phone with dispatch, realized the license plate was from a different state. The other motorist was leaving the parking lot as the officer spoke to the woman, so the officer could not get both sides of the mix up.
SUNDAY, APRIL 6
FISHERMEN FINED
TUESDAY, APRIL 8
TURTLE
POLITELY MOVED
3:50 p.m., 900 block of Longboat Club Road
Animal Problem: Longboat Key officers responded to a call about a turtle stuck in a pool. The housekeeper who called said she thought the turtle was endangered, so she did not try to move it yet. The officers determined it was a soft-shell turtle and carefully encouraged the turtle to swim to the surface of the pool. Then, an officer grabbed the turtle and “meticulously relocated” it
1:46 a.m., 4000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive Illegal Parking: While on patrol, an officer noticed a vehicle parked in a public park after hours and investigated the suspicious vehicle. As the officer approached the vehicle, he noticed a foot hanging out of the passenger window as two men returned to the vehicle with fishing gear. One of the fishermen said it was his girlfriend’s vehicle, and she was sleeping in the car while they fished. He said he was unaware of the park hours, so the officer showed him a sign that stated the hours before issuing a local ordinance citation.
10:43 a.m., 500 block of Sanctuary Drive
Noise Disturbance: A resident called over a noise complaint related to the air compressor on her roof. She told the responding officer that the noises are loud enough to keep her up at night and impact her wellbeing. According to her, the noise was ongoing for over three months and she already reported the issue to the homeowners association. While the officer did notice a humming sound, it did not seem loud enough to warrant any police action or town violations. The resident, though, showed proof the decibel level was higher than an acceptable level and she hired an attorney to handle the issue. She advised the officer she was now trying to sell the residence because of the noise.
Complete the Green campaign
Thanks to a quiet campaign of meeting with prospective donors, the town is more than halfway to the $3.5 million fundraising goal for enhancements to the Sarasota County library at the Town Center Green.
The town’s deadline to raise $3.5 million for an enhanced version of a Sarasota County library is about one month away, and the town says it has $2.3 million in verbal pledges.
Town Manager Howard Tipton said the town is working to create forms to make those pledges written.
The proposed enhancements include a larger meeting space for
Town officials are leading a final push to ‘Complete the Green’ and raise the remaining $1.2 million needed for the larger meeting space and outdoor terrace.
community events, as well as an outdoor terrace.
The final push for the remaining $1.2 million will focus on the terrace, which Tipton emphasized is essential to connecting the library to the rest of the green.
“It’s going to focus on the outdoor portion of the community hall space, and why that’s critical is because that’s the part of the space that integrates with the rest of the park and connects that building to the park,” Tipton said.
The connection between all parts of the Town Center Green, which also includes the Karon Family Pavilion, has been the long-term goal, said Tipton. The library and community hall, he added, will bring an aspect of lifelong learning and community connectedness to the green.
Not only will the library serve as a community hub, event space and educational resource center, but Tipton said the space also would prove useful in future storm events as an emergency resource center where
the county could stage resources.
“Resiliency has become a big part of what we think about with all of our projects. And this community space, this community hall, actually will serve as a resiliency center,” Tipton said.
Having Sarasota County on board to partner with the town is essential and provides a unique opportunity.
“The fact that Sarasota County is willing to fund the operation and maintenance over time is a remarkable partnership,” Tipton said. “It’s a real benefit to this collaboration.”
The collaboration allows the town and the community to tailor the library space to better meet the community’s needs, hence the proposed enhancements.
Sarasota County will take on the $11.1 million cost to construct the core library and the operating costs once finishing the building.
Tipton said, without the county’s partnership, constructing a standalone community center would be more costly than $3.5 million.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
To learn more about the project, visit the town’s dedicated “Complete the Green” page on its website. To make a pledge or for questions, contact Tipton at HTipton@LongboatKey/.org or call 941-316-8711.
The turbulent 2024 hurricane season diverted the community’s attention for the remainder of the year and the town was less focused on fundraising as it aided in recovery. This was one of the reasons the town requested a fundraising deadline extension from the county at the end of 2024.
Over the past couple of months, however, town staff met with donors and secured the $2.3 million pledges as the community looked toward the future.
“The momentum is there, the focus is there,” Tipton said.
The town still needs $1.2 million to reach the goal, and the last month will be a full-court press to ensure meeting that goal, Tipton said. The strategy includes a boost in marketing and ensuring the community knows the deadline is near.
In February 2024, the town of Longboat Key and the Sarasota County Libraries and Historical Resources Department held a community input session, which led to the idea of the enhanced version.
Sarasota County will fund the $11.1 million core library construction and operating costs. However, the county put the town in charge of raising the $3.5 million needed for the expanded community hall and terrace.
The expanded meeting space would hold about 200 people and cost $2 million. The terrace adds the other $1.5 million and connects the library to the rest of the Town Center Green.
With the enhancements, the library would be around 11,230 square feet.
The fundraising campaign kicked off last summer, and the goal was to finish fundraising by the end of August 2024. But a slow start to fundraising followed by an active hurricane season led to the current extended deadline of the end of April.
Tipton said the town will meet with county officials in May to discuss the next steps.
Courtesy image
A May 2024 rendering of the Sarasota County library on Longboat Key.
Longboat is far different than it was in 1955
I read with interest your editorial in the April 1 edition observing how Guy Paschal, one founder of the town of Longboat Key, would be “turning in his grave” over the current costs of government, debt incurred and general condition of the island.
Because I assume you did not intend to mean that Mr. Paschal was turning with joy, or “beside himself” with happiness, a few thoughts:
1) Many things cost more now than in 1955, such as gasoline, which I believe was about 19 cents a gallon.
2) Operating a community of 7,500 residents (more than 20,000 in season) is a bit more expensive than running the 100-person campsite that was Longboat Key in 1955.
For instance, we now have police and fire departments that consume half of our annual budget.
3) We have kept our millage rate on Longboat steady or lower than our neighbors’ during a highly inflationary period.
4) We have no control over taxes imposed by the counties or their school boards, despite our extraordinary payments to the Sarasota and Manatee County schools on a per-LBK student basis. Longboat is always the community most supportive of additional school support in the entire region.
5) Our debt, approved in each case by referendum, has funded the undergrounding (now $6 million under budget) of all town utilities; the periodic renourishment of our beaches; and the required replacement of a 50-year-old wastewater pipeline that sprung a leak five years ago.
On which of these would Mr. Paschal have voted “no?”
Two other observations:
First, the town has expended more than $7 million in out-ofpocket expenses over the past six months responding to Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton. While many of these costs will be reimbursed, our emergency reserves have allowed us to pay these bills without incurring debt.
Finally, our fifth annual citizens survey revealed recently that 97.1% of Longboat residents again rate the quality of life here as either excellent or good.
Maybe Mr. Paschal can now stop turning in his grave. Maybe he’s less cranky than you think. Maybe he would even like it here.
KEN SCHNEIER
MAYOR, LONGBOAT KEY
Fauci speaking fees should go to victims
I was so delighted to come across on Substack the Observer Opinion column, “Serious questions for Fauci.”
It has my stomach turning in unspeakable disgust to see that the man who somehow commanded a higher salary than even the president, despite being so obviously responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans, now commands $100,000 or more for an hour’s speaking performance that will most likely be no more informative than his late 2022 deposition performance entailing 174 uses of the reply “I do not recall.” (Source: WPDE-TV, Florence, S.C.)
Or his three-year-ago performance where he appeared to perjure himself on C-SPAN in reply to questioning by Sen. Rand Paul in a Senate hearing on his role and the U.S. government’s role in the nation’s failed COVID response.
I was so happy to read Dr. Peter McCullough’s comment. He is one of the four or five truly prominent, life-saving doctors in the entire country during the COVID era, all of whom have had their medical careers reduced to ashes in large part because of pressure by Dr. Anthony Fauci and others.
Fauci stands so personally responsible for one of the greatest horrors ever inflicted on humanity! Yet, he is feted like a hero by a totally ignorant public, many of whom may have even lost either their health or their ability to function, or even one or more of their loved ones, to his almost unimaginable evil!
I began distrusting him and the soon-to-come vaccine cult, including the incredibly greedy Bill Gates, by March of 2020! The reasons were so clearly obvious!
Unfortunately, any responses from Fauci during his lecture of the Ringling College Town Hall Lecture Series will furnish no answers of any more substance than he has already honed during all his previous late career and post career speaking engagements.
Any speaking fees given to him should instead be awarded to some teacher or soldier or policeman who sits alone at home, alive but horribly vaccine injured, trying to put their life together after being mandated to take Fauci’s mandated vaccine.
Thank you for a great and courageous public service!
JIM SANTAGATA SIESTA KEY
Longboaters gather for annual cleanup
A total of 48 volunteers traveled out to the ‘adopted islands’ to haul back about 4,453 pounds of trash and debris on April 12.
APRIL 18TH - 6:00 P.M.
EASTER SUNRISE SERVICE in the Garden - 7:00 A.M.
EASTER SERVICE WITH ORCHESTRA in the Sanctuary - 10:00 A.M.
Special music, inspiring messages, and loving folks at all services.
CARTER WEINHOFER AND DANA KAMPA STAFF
WRITERS
Volunteers from around Longboat Key gathered for the 2025 Sister Keys cleanup, hauling about 4,453 pounds of trash and debris from the islands off Longboat Key.
The final cleanup report from Sarasota Bay Watch said 48 volunteers joined the cleanup on April 12 and utilized vessels like kayaks, boats and help from a Longboat Key Police Department vessel.
“Everything went really well,” said Rusty Chinnis, one of the organizers. “We got a lot of trash out of there.”
Together, volunteers collected 955 pounds of Styrofoam insulation, 2,232 pounds of trash and 1,266 pounds of lumber.
Other items included couch cushions, tires, a boat locker, laminate flooring, an Observer newspaper kiosk, an air mattress, a bed frame and municipal trash bins.
Sarasota Bay Watch, Suncoast Waterkeeper, Reef Innovations, the town of Longboat Key and Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub collaborated to make the cleanup possible.
Chinnis gave a special shout-out to Mar Vista for providing a free boxed lunch for volunteers and continuing to host the event.
Sister Keys is often referred to as Longboat’s “adopted islands.”
In 1988, Chinnis led the charge to raise $50,000 to buy the islands east of Longboat Key. The asking price was closer to $1.5 million, though, so Chinnis and the group successfully pitched a collaborative purchase with the town of Longboat Key.
The deal and funding was finalized in 1992 and, since then, Chinnis has helped organize cleanups to preserve the islands with local groups like Sarasota Bay Watch and Suncoast Waterkeeper.
Further south, volunteers throughout the region joined Keep Sarasota County Beautiful in contributing to the nationwide “Great American Cleanup” on Saturday morning.
Staff at the construction company Moss and the engineering firm Kimley-Horn drove the cleanup efforts at Lido Beach, bringing together about 20 volunteers.
Courtesy images
Debris, such as Styrofoam and flooring, was picked up from Sister Keys.
Dana Kampa
Mendi Mays and Taylor DiPietro, from Kimley-Horn, said everyone should care about keeping Sarasota’s beaches clean.
The group utilized several boats to haul trash from Sister Keys to the mainland.
THE PELICAN AND THE SHARK
Longboat firefighter shares how logos came to be.
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
Supporters of Longboat
Key’s first responders are likely familiar with the iconic images of a strong, Halligan bar-wielding white pelican and a toothy shark. But where did those logos originate?
David Oliger, a firefighter and paramedic with the Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department, explained how the station created its recognizable logos seven years ago.
He joined the Longboat department in 2017, after first working with Marion County Fire Rescue for two years. He and his now-wife, Stephanie, were eager to move back to the Sarasota area, where she grew up.
Oliger said he quickly grew to love working in the Longboat community, especially considering the island-based department presented opportunities to learn new skills like operating a fire boat.
Not long after he arrived on the Key, he inquired about symbols representing its two fire stations. He learned from former Longboat Key Assistant Fire Chief Bryan Carr there was an opening to create something new.
“We went to the drawing board to decide what we wanted to do with these patches,” he said.
He worked with a graphic designer to outline ideas for each logo, starting with the text.
“We had five or six slogans and everybody (at the fire department) voted on them,” he said.
Eventually, they landed on the “Defender of the Greens” shark logo for Station 92, which recognizes the important role of the golf community to the Key. For Station 91, they landed on the “Beach House” white pelican to represent the Key’s unique wildlife.
They finalized the designs in 2018.
These images have become memorable badges for the fire department and another avenue for con-
necting with the community. The logos adorn T-shirts and tokens, proceeds from which support the department’s benevolent fund. The patches have also become a great way to connect with visitors who are fellow first responders from all over the world, he said.
“It speaks volumes to the fire house tradition,” he added. “Now, we’ve made these patches, and hopefully they are something that will outlive our careers, built into the department’s history.”
Oliger credits his dedication to a community-centric field to his father, who received compassionate treatment while contending with ongoing health issues. While he didn’t go specifically into the medical field, Oliger said he is pleased to have found a profession he is passionate about, allows him to work as part of a team and gives him ample opportunity to help others.
Photos by Dana Kampa
David Oliger, a firefighter and paramedic with the Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department, explains the origins of the station logos.
The station designed the logos in 2018, and they have adorned fire engines and merchandise supporting the station ever since. The symbols for the two Longboat Key stations include a shark, right, and a white pelican, above.
YOUR NEIGHBORS
FULL SPEED AHEAD
Regatta participants race among high winds, waves.
Adventurous sailors among those competing in the 2025 Bird Key Yacht Club Regatta saw rewards for their spirit — especially for the crew captained by Donna Hillmyer.
Her team took first place in its division, PHRF Spinnaker, after Saturday’s competition. Under sunny yet windy conditions, they boldly decided to send up their biggest sail on the “Encore.” Hillmyer grew up sailing with her parents and has continued to pursue her passion. She sailed a J/95 that day.
“It was so terrific — the perfect day for that boat,” she said. “We flew a spinnaker, the big sail in front, and it was a lot of fun.”
She said making the call was somewhat intimidating given the mighty wind conditions, but Alyssa Thomas helped make the
call to raise it. Their gamble paid off with the division win.
The “Stealth,” led by Doug Fischer, took the top prize as the Sarasota Bay Cup winner, and the “Kraken,” led by Alan Staniforth, won the Price Cup.
As he took to the podium, Fischer joked that the team must not have been all that stealthy if their crossing the finish line didn’t escape the judges’ notice.
The course took sailors around five main turning points, where their sails let out a great crack with the changing direction, before sending the vessels gunning for the finish line.
Fellow competitors took pride in even completing the race. Novice Amy Steenhoek joined her family’s seasoned team. She and Karly Campbell joked that their
REGATTA RESULTS
n Sarasota Bay Cup Winner: Doug Fischer, “Stealth” n Price Cup Winner: Alan Staniforth, “Kraken” n Flying Scot: Dave Baer, first place n Sunfish: Mary Ellen Ingham, “Bubbles,” first place
n Sunfish: Lisa Brown Ehrhart, second place
primary role was serving as ballast. But the winds still went in their favor, as the crew of the “Shimmer” took first place in the E-Scow division.
This marks the final major event for the yacht club before members celebrate a new chapter. They will hold a gathering on April 26 to bid farewell to the old clubhouse, which is being demolished and replaced with a new facility.
Commodore Michael Landis and Vice Commodore Tony Britt agreed this year’s competition was a perfect sendoff for the season, bringing together members of the sailing community to celebrate.
“We had 75 vessels all together, even better than the 60-some that participated last year,” Landis said. “Of course, this weather was perfect for sailors. It’s challenging to get out in this, but it’s a lot of fun and well worth it.”
— DANA KAMPA
n Sunfish: David Lattie, third place n Melges 15: Mimi Solum, “Ella,” first place n Melges 15: Chris Morgan, second place n Melges 15: Jordan Wiggins, “Running with Scissors,” third place
n E-Scow: Jim Campbell, “Shimmer,” first place n PHRF Pocket Cruiser: Robert Hindle, “Windsong,” first place n PHRF NonSpinnaker: Chris Palmer, “Green with Envy,” first place n PHRF Spinnaker: Donna Hillmyer, “Encore,” first place n PHRF Cruiser: William Gately, “Fruitition,” first place n PHRF Cruiser: Marvin Quin, “Quinnessential,” second place n PHRF Cruiser: Bob Armstrong, “Silver Lining 2,” third place n PHRF Multihull: Doug Fischer, “Stealth,” first place n PHRF Multihull: Alan Staniforth, “Kraken,” second place n PHRF Multihull: Jon Dowd, “Whole Lotta Rosie,” third place
Organizers said about 70 vessels joined this year’s regatta in Bird Key, an increase over last year.
Crew members had to work seamlessly to balance their ballast and manage their sails if they hoped to win their divisions, or even the Sarasota Bay Cup.
Plenty of teams ended up “flying a hull” as they navigated high winds and tight turns on the course.
The crew of the “Kraken” won this year’s Price Cup at the Bird Key Yacht Club Regatta, along with first place in the PHRF Multihull division.
Photos by Dana Kampa
Specializing
Locally owned and managed since 1994 Specializing
941-387 -9709
3720
Locally owned and managed since 1994
Forward With A New Smile
Forging ahead
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
Business owner Heather Rippy knows just as well as other Longboat Key residents what it takes to rebuild a home post hurricane. Her home sustained significant damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and like many residents, she has to repair and refurbish her house.
Her boutique, Driftwood Beach Home and Garden, fortunately, fared well in the storms, and after reopening on Oct. 28, Rippy decided to forge ahead to even expand her business.
Rippy said the original shop at 6838 Gulf of Mexico Drive will remain the same, featuring clothes, books and more by local artists.
A few doors down, she realized the dream of carrying larger pieces, including furniture, large-scale art and other unique furnishings.
Friends and artists joined in a celebration of the opening on April 10.
“There are more than 50 local artists in the shop,” she said. “Some are painters; some make jewelry; some make pottery. The wallpaper pieces are also by a local artist.”
Rippy said she has always enjoyed
Post-storm, local boutique expands operations.
IF YOU GO
DRIFTWOOD BEACH HOME AND GARDEN
Where: 6838 Gulf of Mexico Drive
When: Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. The new furniture space has flexible hours and is open by appointment Info: Call 941-217-5068 or visit DriftwoodBeachLBK@gmail.com.
“It makes it so much more personal and interesting, and I enjoy building the relationships,” she said.
The new space also fittingly features driftwood sculptures by a Bradenton-based artist who collects his materials from near Lake Erie. She opened the original shop in 2021, and over the years, it’s grown into a hub for celebrating local talent and facilitating community classes on cooking and other artistic skills. Those who are interested in keeping up with upcoming events like the Holly Shae trunk show on April 17 can visit the Driftwood Beach Home and Garden page on Facebook.
Free FamilY Festival
CHILDREN + ADULTS
Saturday, April 19 through Saturday, May 3 2025
Dana Kampa
Artists Laurie Foote, left, and Deb Tucker, right, join business owner Heather Rippy at an open house for the newest addition to Driftwood Beach Home and Garden.
2067
#1 LONGBOAT KEY TEAM Michael Saunders & Company OVER $594MM SOLD SINCE 2007
A4178487
BEACHPLACE BLISS
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This corner 3 bed/2 bath residence offers direct Gulf and sunset views from almost every room through hurricane impact windows/sliders. Beachplace allows monthly rentals 12 X year. MLS# A4647587
Wake up to the magnificent sunrise over the city skyline in this 3 bed/2.5 bath residence at Sanctuary offering hurricane impact sliders/windows. Soaring views of Sarasota Bay
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2067 HARBOUR LINKS DRIVE, #4
2067 HARBOUR LINKS DRIVE, #4
Longboat Key
2067 HARBOUR LINKS DRIVE, #4
2067 HARBOUR LINKS DRIVE, #4
2067 HARBOUR LINKS DRIVE, #4
Longboat Key | Offered at $779,000 MLS# A4178487
2067 HARBOUR LINKS DRIVE, #4
Longboat Key | Offered at $779,000 MLS# A4178487
2067 HARBOUR LINKS DRIVE, #4
Longboat Key | Offered at $779,000 MLS# A4178487
Business as usual
It has been a busy couple months for Three Island Monkeys, which opened in early January. Owner Brigette Kubin said she was glad to be among the 28 local organizations that connected directly with community members at this year’s “Meet Greet Eat.”
“We just finished our first quarter, and we’re happy to report we beat our budget,” Kubin shared, which she said was especially rewarding to see as the business community rebuilds from the 2024 hurricanes. “It’s exciting for us, but also for our local artists we carry because they got exposure.”
The Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce has hosted the free community event for nearly 20 years. President and CEO Kim Verreault said they happily presented a wide variety of booths this year, particularly those designed to help community members prepare for future hurricane seasons.
Ramin Mesghali, who works in commercial and residential sales with Jack Dean Flooring, provided a live demonstration of how products they carry can help provide a waterproof seal for floors, which he said many residents learned during last year’s storms can be an important investment. Storm-related services went beyond the home. Dr. Kitt Hill from AcuMed Wellness & Acupuncture guided attendees through some grounding exercises they can do when faced with anxiety brought on by storms or other stressors.
Longtime residents Tom and Jackie Michaelides said they appreciated the variety of booths at this year’s event,
especially Johnson’s and that of Telfair Chiropractic.
“It’s great to see what’s right on the Key,” Jackie Michaelides said. Attendees had plenty of opportunities to hear from the businesses as they circulated to the booths, getting their event passports stamped by each for a chance at a prize giveaway.
Kubin thanked everyone who attended and for that patrons who continue to support her business, and through that, the exclusive local artists it features. She looks forward to continuing to bring new energy to the north end of Longboat Key.
— DANA KAMPA
Brigette Kubin, owner of the newly opened Three Island Monkeys, shows off the new sweaters the boutique is carrying during this year’s “Meet Greet Eat.”
Photos by Dana Kampa
Mary Lou Johnson stamps an event passport after sharing information about her new twosided puzzles featuring her photography.
Longtime Longboat Key residents Tom and Jackie Michaelides
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2025
8 am - 2 pm • THE VENUE @ LEC • 3650 17th STREET SARASOTA, 34235
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC • REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED
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Take control of your mental health and well-being at Step Into the Light: A Mental Health Summit! Whether you’re a client, clinician, parent, or advocate, this summit is your opportunity to learn from experts, develop new coping skills, and access valuable resources to promote mental wellness in your life and community.
Register for free and learn more today! Scan the QR code, visit SunshineFromDarkness.org, or email MentalHealthSummit@SunshineFromDarkness.org
KEYNOTE Parenting Beyond Trauma: Healing ACEs and Unplugging Triggers in a Social Media World
Dr. Jason S. Quintal, Ph.D., LCSW PANEL DISCUSSION Bridging Cultures and Therapy: Integrating Traditional Healing with Modern Mental Health Care
The Power of Now: Embracing Mental Health, Presence, and Mindfulness through Improvisation and Meditation
Will Luera & Maria Schaedler-Luera
Let’s Heal with Sound Lina Maldonado, MSW
PRESENTING SPONSORS
Jeffrey Peterson
Explore Sponsorship and Exhibitor Opportunities on Our Website at SunshineFromDarkness.org
Stacie M. Herrera, PSY. D. Lina Maldonado, MSW
Katherine Bernal, LCSW G. Orlando Pickens, LMHC
Dr. Abby Hamilton, Ph.D.
The Importance of Perinatal Mental Health and Building Collaborative & Coordinated Community Support
Janice Houchins, MSW, LCSW
Carla Johanns, MA, LMHC/S
COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS Sue BassettKlauber
Jeanie DeLa, LMHC
The Gershfeld and Shakirov Foundation for Youth Development
COMMUNITY PARTNERS MEDIA SPONSORS
Local artist Pat Lundy received perhaps the most sincere compliment to her work when one trio of sisters made an annual pilgrimage to the Longboat Key Town Hall Art Exhibition specifically to support her work.
Even when they realized the dates on their initial plane tickets would make it too late for them to attend the show, rather than giving up, the family members changed their tickets and made it in time.
Marilyn Woodside came from Maine, Paula Piekos from New York and Jan Owens from Wisconsin. The sisters made Longboat Key a meet-up vacation destination several years ago, and they decided to center it around the art show.
“Every year, we buy cards or a painting from her,” Piekos said.
Owens said she especially enjoys Lundy’s florals and use of color.
The exhibition and artists’ reception, which took place April 10, gave local creators an opportunity to connect with art enthusiasts.
While the event has been uplifting local artists since 2003, this marks the first year it is part of a month-long “Arts in April” celebration.
Organizer Susan Phillips said it was a somewhat tight turnaround to put the show together. She explained how she arranged pieces with attention-grabbing contrast in the line of sight for anyone entering the main room. Rather than featuring each artist in a silo, she endeavored to arrange the canvases in a way that flows.
Two art events remain this month. The Comedy Night starts at 4:30 p.m. on April 17, and the final Savor the Sounds concert opens doors at 4:30 p.m. on April 19. Anyone who missed the reception can still view the works on display at Town Hall through early July. Buyer can have sold pieces delivered. For information about purchasing pieces in the exhibit, contact Savannah Cobb at 941-316-1955 or SCobb@LongboatKey.org.
— DANA KAMPA
Photos by Dana Kampa
Artist Angela Thierman, who also displayed her
Sisters
Woodstock,
New term of leaders
ing secretary, and Marilyn Davol as treasurer.
“They were chosen because of their ability, their willingness to serve, and their interest and love for the church,” Dziedziak said at the mass.
nother year of leading the Women’s Guild in its efforts to support the community lies before the newly installed officers.
Father Robert Dziedziak led an installation mass at St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church on April 8, crediting all the members in attendance that day for their dedication and artistic talents when it comes to guild activities.
He especially appreciated their efforts to coordinate the inaugural “Art for the Heart” show earlier this year.
“Everything you organize is so nice and pristine,” he said. Members voted in the officers at the guild’s fashion show fundraiser last month.
Kay Kochenderfer retains her role as president, along with Lyn Kennelly as vice president, Susan Gilmore Clarke as recording secretary, Mary Del Pup as correspond-
He continued, “As they assume their respective offices, it is their duty to plant and renew faith in the worthiness of the Venice Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, and to promise to help and assist these leaders.”
Members must work with intelligent effort, cooperation, humility, faith and perseverance to ensure the continued success of the guild in supporting the wider community, he said.
Dziedziak said the Lady of Ransom is the patroness of Davol. Del Pup’s patroness is the Holy Name of Mary; Gilmore Clarke’s is the Lady of Fair Love; Kennelly’s is the Lady of Divine Grace; and Kochenderfer’s is the Lady of Humility.
He told the reinstated president, “We are confident that you will lead with true dignity and wisdom and will keep the ideal of real achievement and honorable service before you.”
DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER
St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church installed its Women’s Guild officers.
Dana Kampa
From left, Marilyn Davol, Mary Del Pup, Susan Gilmore Clarke, Kay Kochenderfer and Lynn Kennelly swear to uphold their duties as the officers of the Women’s Guild at St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church.
Uplifting new talent
Dscholarship winners of this year’s “Launching Leaders in the Arts” awards delighted attendees with snippets of their works.
Writers read their works aloud, while artists held their canvases high to point out the standout elements. What truly stunned the audience this year was the music category. Organizers saved the first-place winning piece by Tristan Tran for a grand finale, “Vals Furiosa.”
His composition combines the gravity of a chamber orchestra with contemporary drums and other signature elements. Tran said he draws inspiration from Frédéric Chopin and fellow classical composers.
“For something that I created at home, I didn’t expect it to get me to this level of recognition,” he said. “I’m just really glad my music is able to connect with people.”
The local branch of the National League of American Pen Women Inc., which maintains a strong
Longboat Key membership, hosted the awards ceremony on April 9 at the Prestancia Country Club.
Jacob Gardner won first place in the writing division, receiving the Otto Group at Hightower Advisors Award of Excellence in Letters, for his short story called “Tiny Faceless Gods.”
Diver Jane-Ternay took first in the arts category for her painting titled “Inspired.” She drew upon memories of her upbringing on the road with her family band for her latest works, in which she has started incorpo-
rating color. She plans to pursue a career in entertainment, potentially as a music promoter.
The scholarship program recently shifted from a sole legacy source to public funding coordinated by the Pen Women, and Davidson said seeing such talent arise from within the community makes the fundraising work mightily worthwhile.
For more information about the program, visit SarasotaPenWomen.org/Awards-Program.
— DANA KAMPA
2025 AWARD WINNERS
The local branch of the National League of American
Inc., awarded the following students for their creative works.
ART
n Diver Jane-Ternay, first place n Anne Dorval, second place n Joyce Chen, third place n Ada Voight, honorable mention
n Madeline Alexander, honorable mention
LETTERS
n Jacob Gardner, first place
n Marisa Von Bender, second place n Emma Haughey, third place n Mackaylia DaCosta, honorable mention n Leianna Nguyen, honorable mention
MUSIC
n Tristan Tran, first place n Arjan Sandhu, honorable mention n Jaden Zomir, honorable mention
Pen Women
Mackaylia DaCosta
Arjan Sandhu accepts his award from judge Sandy Moulin, left.
Photos by Dana Kampa
Ada Voight
Jacob Gardner, Tristan Tran and Diver Jane-Ternay respectively won the firstplace awards for writing, music and art.
Jules Mackie | Tracey Stetler | Nicholle DiPinto McKiernan | Patrick DiPinto | Rene DiPinto | Steven Moore | Janet Coughlin
Regent Place condo tops
week’s sales at $3.9 million
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Scott and Carolann Hennessy sold their Unit 22A condominium at 675 Longboat Club Road to Barry Eckhold and Diane Eckhold, trustees, of Longboat Key, for $3.9 million. Built in 1995, it has three bedrooms, four baths and 3,564 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.8 million in 2011.
SANCTUARY AT LONGBOAT KEY CLUB
Angela Marian Russell sold her Unit B-504 condominium at 545 Sanctuary Drive to Karl Douglas Romine and Helen Cohen Romine, trustees, of Longboat Key, for $3,575,000. Built in 1991, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 3,115 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.55 million in 2007.
JOHN RINGLING ESTATES
Kerry Kasik, of Chula Vista, California, sold her home at 328 Monroe Drive to Kingdom Development St. Armands LLC for $3.6 million. Built in 2020, it has eight bedrooms, eight baths, a pool and 3,931 square feet of living area. It sold for $3,425,000 in 2021.
Daniel Denton, trustee, of Sarasota, sold the home at 117 S. Polk Drive to Garo Kholamian and Nancy Elaine Kholamian, of Barrington, Illinois, for $3 million. Built in 1952, it has three bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 2,583 square feet of living area. It sold for $275,000 in 1989.
ORCHID BEACH CLUB RESIDENCES
Mark and Kathy Morrison sold their Unit B904 condominium at 2050 Benjamin Franklin Drive to Tina Fisher and Robert Fisher, trustees, of Sarasota, for $2.8 million. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,936 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.6 million in 2011.
BAY ISLES
May Bsisu, trustee, and Aref Bsisu, of Sarasota, sold the home at 3365 Bayou Gate to Richard and Lauren Minero, of Longboat Key, for $2.5 million. Built in 2013, it has five bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,718 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.35 million in 2017.
BIRD KEY
Paul and Marie Pressel, trustees, of
Washington, D.C., sold the home at 432 Partridge Circle to Phillip Edward Younger and Fanny Cohen Younger, of Sarasota, for $2.15 million. Built in 1978, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,612 square feet of living area. It sold for $600,000 in 2012.
Payson and Lisa Adams, of Sarasota, sold their home at 483 Partridge Circle to MRP Properties Sarasota LLC for $1.65 million. Built in 1970, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,208 square feet of living area. It sold for $840,000 in 2015.
PRESERVE AT LONGBEACH
Adela 117 LLC sold the home at 590 Hibiscus Way to James and Melissa Fiala, of St. Louis, for $2,075,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths, a pool and 2,232 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,695,000 in 2021.
COUNTRY CLUB SHORES
Phineas and Sara Demink, of Bemus Point, New York, sold their home at 524 Gunwale Lane to PB3 524 Gunwale LLC for $2.05 million. Built in 1966, it has three bedrooms, twoand-a-half baths, a pool and 2,135 square feet of living area. It sold for $725,000 in 2014.
THE PROMENADE
Richard Freeman and Ann Courtney Freeman, of Atlanta, sold their Unit 706 condominium at 1211 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Walter Stone and Janet Stone, trustees, of Longboat Key, for $1.25 million. Built in 1985, it has two bedrooms, two baths and
TOP BUILDING PERMITS
1,598 square feet of living area. It sold for $910,000 in
PELICAN HARBOUR AND BEACH CLUB
Lawrence Clarke and Peggy Kopmeyer sold their Unit MH-4 condominium at 4239 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Victor Cuco and Melissa Rodocker, of Longboat Key, for $1,178,600. Built in 1950, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 1,549 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.12 million in 2021.
LIDO TOWERS
Edward and Annette Eliasberg, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 709 condominium at 1001 Benjamin Franklin Drive to Rex and Teresa Antinozzi, of Sarasota, for $920,000. Built
in 1980, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,702 square feet of living area. It sold for $162,500 in 1990.
GULF FRONT
David Atkinson, of Clear Lake, Iowa, sold his Unit 103 condominium at 5201 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Jeffrey Johnson Sizemore, trustee, of Mulberry, for $885,000. Built in 1980, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 1,184 square feet of living area. It sold for $650,000 in 2018.
LONGBOAT HARBOUR
John and Dawna Goodwin, of Hideout, Utah, sold their Unit 306 condominium at 4320 Falmouth Drive to Karen Sue Langmeyer, and Christopher Langmeyer, trustees, of Longboat Key, for $825,000. Built in 1969, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,316 square feet of living area. It sold for $725,000 in 2022.
GRAND BAY
Richard and Patricia Belford, of Leesburg, sold their Unit 544 condominium at 3080 Grand Bay Blvd. to Robert Cohn, trustee, of New Haven, Connecticut, for $800,000. Built in 1996, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,329 square feet of living area. It sold for $580,000 in 2011.
LONGBOAT TERRACE
Georgeanne O’Keefe, of Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, sold her Unit 216 condominium at 5393 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Nicole and Ronald Pawczuk, of Longboat Key, for $760,000. Built in 1979, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,300 square feet of living area. It sold for $175,200 in 2012.
ONLINE
See more transactions at YourObserver.com
Town of Longboat Key
Image courtesy of Chase Myer
The Regent Place home has three bedrooms, four baths and 3,564 square feet of living area.
2021.
THURSDAY, APRIL 17
GET FREE CPR TRAINING
10 a.m. at LBK Fire Rescue Station
91, 5490 Gulf of Mexico Drive. The Town of Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department presents a free onehour course on emergency medical training, specifically hands-on CPR and how to use an AED. Space is limited. Dates also include April 30, May 15 and 28, June 18, July 16 and Aug. 13. Email LBoggs@LongboatKey.org or call 941-316-1944.
SATURDAY, APRIL 19
SAVOR THE SOUNDS FINALE
4:30 p.m. at the Town Center Green, 600 Bay Isles Road. Easy Street Band headlines at the final performance for this year’s concert series organized by the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce. Tim Michael McCaig opens, and the main concert begins at 5:30 p.m. Cost is $25 for general admission; $250 for a VIP table for eight people, available by reservation. Pick up tickets at 5390 Gulf of Mexico Drive, suite 102. Call 941-383-2466.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23
HEALING OPEN HOUSE
Noon to 5 p.m. at the Mediterranean Plaza, 595 Bay Isles Road. Learn about Tesla Biophoton Energy at an open house at the Holistic Healing & Wellness Center. Call 941-299-9399 or email Info@MedgeJaspan.com to RSVP.
RECURRING EVENTS
WEEKDAYS
LONGBOAT LIBRARY
10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 555 Bay Isles Road. Call 941-383-6493.
SUNDAYS AND MONDAYS
YOGA
10-11 a.m. Sundays and 6-7 p.m. on Mondays at St. Armands Circle Park, 1 St. Armands Circle. This slow-flow yoga class is free to those 18 and older or accompanied by an adult. Bring a mat or towel and water. Register at Paige@YogaWithPaige.us or visit YogaWithPaige.us to learn more. No classes April 20 and May 25.
MONDAYS
MARKET ON THE KEY
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. first and third Mondays at the Town Center Green, 600
BEST BET
THURSDAY, APRIL 17
FOR A LAUGH
4:30 p.m. at Town Center Green, 600 Bay Isles Road. Comedy Night of “Arts in April” features three comedians, with Chicago-based laugh-inducer Don Tersigni headlining. Cost is $30. Visit LBKGardenClub.org/Events.
Bay Isles Road. The outdoor market features local artists, vendors of all types and food, continuing through April. Call 941-289-4141.
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. The focus is on strength training and flexibility for balance. Suzy Brenner leads the class. Fee is $20. Walk-ins welcome. Call 941383-6493.
TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS
PILATES SCULPT
9-9:50 a.m. at The Paradise Center, 546 Bay Isles Road. Pilates Sculpt is a combination class mixing traditional Pilates exercises into a fun, challenging workout to upbeat music. It will make you sweat, encourage your body to burn calories, and make you stronger and more flexible. This class is for all levels. Cost is $20. Walk-ins welcome. Call 941-383-6493.
IT’S READ EVERYWHERE
PYRAMID TEAM: Michelle Papier, Kevin Mulkern, Susan Loorete, Neil Avison, Pat and Fran McGettigan, Patti and Carl Cooper, Ellen Odenath — all residents of Longboat Key took a copy of the Longboat Observer to Kafr Nassar, Egypt.
File image
Cliff Hornsby
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NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH
FORECAST
TIDES SUNRISE /
MOON PHASES
BDOOTEN GLE GLSE. SOATNN XJTET VET XJETT LXJTE RTLRAT.” LENLO PTAATN “(MRBJL XADLEARWK) IX R GXW’E
LETTER DROP by Paul Coulter, edited by Taylor Johnson
Agnes Thambynayagam took this photo of the sun
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