Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer 11.20.25

Gratitude on tour

What might have started just like any other day for three Sarasota County teachers turned into a celebration on Nov. 14.

The celebratory bus tour by the Education Foundation of Sarasota made the rounds to celebrate three Teacher of the Year finalists for 2026.

Finalists are Becky Hoffman, a fifth grade teacher at Pine View School; Holly Pisaturo, an art teacher at McIntosh Middle School; and Andy Harshman, who teachers AP Capstone Research, AICE Global Perspectives (A Level) and Experimental Science Honors as the MaST Research Program director at Sarasota High School.

All-star advocate

The All Star Children’s Foundation says its work has drawn interest from state agencies, national child welfare leaders, and university research partners.

In fact, its CEO, Denise Marzullo (above), was among a select group of child-welfare leaders who visited the White House on Nov. 13 for the signing of an executive order on foster care, “Fostering the Future,” by President Trump.

“All Star is helping redefine what trauma-informed foster care can look like,” said Marzullo in a media release. “Its work is drawing national attention because it shows what is possible when mental health support, family stability and innovative foster care come together in one place.”

The organization’s Campus of Hope and Healing includes a 5-acre foster care campus and a pediatric mental health treatment center providing support to children and families impacted by foster care. For more information, go to AllStarChildren.org.

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County says ‘no’ to Siesta condo plan

Amendment would allow owners to voluntarily rebuild with same number of units. SEE PAGE 5

Sculptors take to the beach at Siesta Key Crystal Classic.

WEEK OF NOV. 20, 2025

BY THE NUMBERS

650 Square feet of land Plymouth Harbor must purchase from the city for its expansion on Coon Key PAGE 4

28 Years Capt. Demetri

Konstantopoulos served with the Sarasota Police Department before retiring PAGE 12

65 The number of years Father Fausto Stampiglia has been a priest, including 31 at St. Martha’s Catholic Church PAGE 22

CALENDAR

n Sarasota City Commission regular meeting — 9 a.m., Monday, Dec. 1, Commission Chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St.

n Sarasota County School Board retreat — 8 a.m., Monday, Dec. 8, Board Chambers, Landings Administration Complex, 1960 Landings Blvd. (black awning entrance)

“(John) Ringling was great at circus, but not so much land planning. Making a mound instead of a bowl at St. Armands would have made a little more sense.”

Sarasota County Commissioner Mark Smith. Read more on page 3

Waldorf Astoria condos to replace Zenith

One of the world’s most renowned luxury residential and hospitality brands is making its initial foray into downtown Sarasota. On Tuesday, Jebcore Cos. of Sarasota, in association with Winter Gardenbased WMG Development and Hilton, announced Waldorf Astoria Residences Sarasota as the redevelopment of the Zenith tower at one of downtown’s most iconic addresses. Located at the Five Points roundabout at Main Street and Pineapple Avenue, the 18-story

Waldorf Astoria Residences will replace the 12-story Zenith office tower, parking deck and adjacent two-story office building. WMG Development acquired the site in 2023. Designed by ODP Architecture & Design of Hollywood, with interiors by Workshop/APD of New York City, the 18-story tower will include 86 residences and luxury amenities complemented by Waldorf Astoria’s signature Sincerely Elegant Service.

The design includes more than 50,000 square feet of interior and exterior amenities, 20,000 square feet of which are indoor amenities such as the brand’s Peacock Alley lounge, fitness and Pilates studio, spa, movie theater lounge, golf simulator and guest suites. Outdoors, residents will have access to three-fourths acre of landscaped park space featuring a pool, cold plunge and hot tub, recreational lawns and landscaped gardens.

County approves Kirk Memorial Road

On Tuesday, the Sarasota County Commission approved a request to the state Legislature to designate a section of Fruitville Road as the Charlie Kirk Memorial Road.

The 2.5-mile stretch from McIntosh Road to Coburn Road, just east of Interstate 75, would receive rectangular brown signs noting the highway’s state memorial designation. A further 930-foot segment from Coburn Road to Lakewood Ranch Boulevard, which is controlled by Sarasota County, would receive similar signs with “In Memoriam” signs added.

Only the Florida Department of Transportation has the power to make such a designation on a statemaintained road and thus needs to grant the request.

County move causes livestreaming change

The move of Sarasota County’s administrative offices from downtown Sarasota to its new location east if I-75 is having an impact on the livestreaming of its County Commission meetings. Now moved out of its 1660 Ringling Blvd. location, until the new county headquarters is completed and opened in early 2026, commissioners are meeting in the South County Administrative Building meeting chamber at 4000 S. Tamiami Trail in Venice.

As a result the county’s Access Sarasota channel is off the air on Comcast and Frontier until the county moves into its new County Administration Center at 1 Apex Road. County Commission meetings, though, may be watched live via the Live TV button at the SCGov. net home page or by searching Meetings on Demand.

Meetings are recorded and may also be viewed on demand at the Access Sarasota page. Streaming is also available by downloading the Cablecast app in the Apple app store or Android Mobile and selecting “Sarasota County Government.” Sarasota County also has custom live streaming apps on Roku and Apple TV.

PATIENCE FOR A SAINT

City requests $24.5 million in Resilient SRQ funds for St. Armands. Even if approved, flooding relief is 4 to 5 years away.

OPEN RESILIENT SRQ TRANCHES

Among the current round of funding for the total $210 million in Resilient SRQ funds for 2024 hurricane recovery and mitigation are:

n $33.3 million for rehabilitation, reconstruction and reimbursement to eligible homeowners

n $57 million to repair, replace and enhance public infrastructure to mitigate future disaster risks and address urgent community needs

n $30 million for projects to support rivers, bays, creeks or canals that receive and carry stormwater drainage from a large area or have continuous flow

n $30 million for the Multifamily Affordable Housing Program to build or expand affordable housing in Sarasota County for low- and moderate-income households following the 2024 storms

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Recognizing the importance of St. Armands Key as an economic engine and vital evacuation route for the barrier islands, the city of Sarasota is seeking $24.5 million in federal funds to improve its resiliency to flooding.

Backed by the support of the town of Longboat Key, the city has identified five initiatives in hopes of keeping persistent flooding on St. Armands to a minimum, the worst of which occurred during the 2024 hurricane season.

The city is seeking a share of Resilient SRQ funds, a pot of $210 million granted to Sarasota County by the federal government for storm recovery and mitigation efforts from 2024 named storms Debby, Helene and Milton.

At its Dec. 16 meeting, the County Commission will decide how it will distribute $57 million in infrastructure improvement money. For St. Armands, the city would match $480,000 toward the nearly $25 million in projects.

In total, the city plans to:

n Retrofit pump stations and generators to improve reliability and capacity

n Install tide check valves to prevent seawater from entering the drainage system

n Install underground water storage vaults

n Install permeable pavement in strategic locations

n Assist businesses and perhaps residents to acquire deployable flood barriers

The county is still accepting applications from other municipalities for the infrastructure improvement

funds, so there is an undetermined number of requests. Sarasota Public Works Director Nikesh Patel, though, told city commissioners at their Nov. 3 meeting there will be competition for those dollars.

“Resilience SRQ is a competitive federal grant program administered by Sarasota County through the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program,” Patel said. “The city is serving as a co-applicant and technical lead in collaboration with the Sarasota County Stormwater Department.”

Back-to-back flood events from 2024 Hurricanes Helene and Milton virtually shut down St. Armands Circle for months and forced many residents out of their homes. More than 80 of the Circle’s 100 stores have reopened; several others either relocated or permanently closed.

Interim City Manager Dave Bullock told commissioners he believes St. Armands to be a regional priority and the work proposed for the Resilient SRQ funds is intended to dovetail with future general improvement plans there.

“As you know, we’re just in the beginning stages of an exercise to look into the future of St. Armands, and stormwater would be a central component of that,” Bullock said.

“We have to get the stormwater here in better shape in order to come up with those more resilient plans that we have and allow them to work.”

County Commissioner Mark Smith, whose District 1 includes St.

Armands, said he will be making a “strong recommendation” for the proposal to his colleagues.

“As with everything with government, the ask is always greater than the money available,” Smith said.

“So we are going to have to decide and prioritize how much money we’ll be able to give to each ask.”

Smith pointed out that, while imperceptible, St. Armands Key is in the shape of a bowl, with lower elevations in the center where more water can collect at a higher volume than its drainage systems can purge.

In 1917, John Ringling purchased the Key to build his vision for a shopping and residential area.

“(John) Ringling was great at circus, but not so much land planning,” said Smith, an architect by trade. “Making a mound instead of a bowl at St. Armands would have made a little more sense.”

If the city approves funding for all of St. Armands’ requests, Patel said design, engineering and construction could take four to five years to complete, the duration, in part, because of the entities involved. They include the Army Corps of Engineers, the Florida Department of Transportation, the city and the county.

More than an economic engine that draws thousands of tourists annually, St. Armands is one of two evacuation routes for Longboat Key. In recent years, major rain events have severed the southern access to and from Longboat for days at a time, causing flooding.

The 10-mile stretch of Gulf of Mexico Drive through Longboat Key is the lone connector between Cortez Road to the north in Manatee County and St. Armands to the south. When St. Armands’ roads are impassable, residents on the south end of the Key within Sarasota County must travel as far as 13 miles north to exit, or return to, the island.

“There was no ability to pass through St. Armands on the south after Helene, and Bradenton Beach was a disaster zone,” said Assistant Town Manager Isaac Brownman. “But we got through on the Bradenton Beach side through the craters and the asphalt and the houses in the middle of the roadway more easily than we could get through St. Armands. Any efforts to improve St. Armands we encourage.”

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City approves property sale to Plymouth Harbor

A 650-square-foot piece of unused city property presented an obstacle to the retirement community’s expansion plans on Coon Key.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Among the hurdles that remained in Plymouth Harbor’s plans to expand its campus as it works its way through the city’s development review process is a sliver of unused city-owned land on Coon Key.

At its Nov. 17 meeting, the Sarasota City Commission approved the sale of the approximately 650 square feet of ground, a 10-by-65-foot parcel under which lies a stormwater pipe that is no longer used nor is allowed to be used per current regulations.

Located at 700 John Ringling Blvd., Plymouth Harbor is planning to build 153 new apartments and relocate its fitness and wellness facilities from the current main building, all atop two levels of structured parking.

At 25 acres, Plymouth Harbor occupies most of Coon Key, which it shares with Sarasota Yacht Club, with the exception of that 650-square-foot parcel.

“We are in the middle of the DRC review right now for their new project, and that was one of the requirements when we all found out that the city owned this very strange piece of property,” project consultant Joel Freedman told commissioners. “It’s very unusual to have this, but we’re ready to buy it.”

Plymouth Harbor retained the city’s selected independent appraisal firm, Bass Fletcher Associates, for its assessment of the property, which determined a fair market value of $16,350.

The city-owned parcel encroaches on the Plymouth Harbor property and adversely affects its ability to design an efficient parking structure for the proposed new building.

Only two questions arose from the brief discussion. Mayor Debbie Trice asked who would be responsible for the cost of removing the pipe — the answer is Plymouth Harbor as the new owner once the sale is closed prior to March 1, 2026 — and how the $16,350 will be applied to the city’s coffers.

Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch suggested the windfall should go to the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund, a condition that was included in the unanimously approved motion to grant the sale. As previously reported by the Observer, should the project move through the city approval process on schedule, Plymouth Harbor expects to break ground on the expansion in 2027, with completion sometime in 2029.

Siesta Key condo replacement measure denied by county

In rejecting a comprehensive plan amendment, Sarasota County accepts that nonconforming coastal properties will eventually cease to exist.

early four years ago, architect and private citizen Mark Smith appeared before the Sarasota County Commission, making the case for an amendment to the county’s Comprehensive Plan to allow Sea Club V condominium owners to voluntarily demolish and rebuild the property at its current, nonconforming density.

On Nov. 12, now County Commissioner Smith was again before the board making the same argument not only for Sea Club V, but all other condominium communities built on Siesta Key prior to 1986 that do not conform to current density standards.

Needing a supermajority of four votes to transfer a proposed Comprehensive Plan amendment to Tallahassee for review — and himself recused from the vote — his colleagues instead unanimously, if not regrettably, sided with staff and the Sarasota County Planning Commission recommendations in denying the change.

Prior to the vote, Smith had argued the amendment would not further intensify density on any property, and the primary impact would be height and possibly coastal setback as any rebuild would require understory parking to raise the structures above coastal flood danger.

Under current FEMA regulations, condominiums such as Sea Club V

PROPOSED AMENDMENT HIGHLIGHTS

Had it gone forward, the Comprehensive Plan amendment would have permitted property owners to voluntarily demolish and rebuild existing, lawfully established, nonconforming, multifamily structures located within the Residential Multifamily Siesta Key Overlay District, provided they meet all the following requirements:

■ No increase in residential density beyond the number of dwelling units previously identified on the Sarasota County Property Appraiser’s official record prior to the voluntary demolition.

■ Rebuilt structures shall maintain the same housing type and shall not exceed the current number of residential units.

■ Rebuilt structures shall not

can rebuild to their current density — which is 41 units — if damage sustained from a natural disaster such as a hurricane exceeds 50% of the value of the property.

“And once you’re damaged to a certain extent, you’re not going to be able to raise the condominiums up to flood elevation, and so you’d have to rebuild,” Smith said.

However, should owners of a condo building voluntarily elect to demolish and rebuild to achieve greater storm resilience, they must follow post-1986 density restrictions. Sea Club V could replace its 41 units with only 18. Such aging, nonconforming condo properties are scattered throughout Siesta Key, Smith argued, and all of them facing a similar fate that the proposed Comprehensive Plan amendment would remedy.

“If we have more resilient buildings, it is in the best interest of the public,” Smith said. “This would allow demolition and rebuilding of condominiums before they’re destroyed or damaged severely by a storm, and before, perhaps, even the

include commercial or ancillary uses that are not residential.

■ All rebuilt structures shall comply with all other requirements of the Sarasota County code.

■ No additional variances other than a Gulf beach setback line variance shall be granted associated with the rebuilt structure.

loss of life.”

Seven members of the public spoke against the amendment, including Protect Siesta Key President Lourdes Ramirez, who cited concerns about developers taking advantage of an opportunity to buy, demolish and redevelop properties.

In addition, she referenced an inequity where a condo must be rebuilt if it’s destroyed by a natural disaster. Meanwhile, one voluntarily demolished and rebuilt to prevent such destruction will be permitted to exceed its footprint, height and setback requirements.

Commissioners also remarked that no representatives of Sea Club V, or any other affected condos, spoke in support. Smith said he advised Sea Club V owners not to appear since the publicly initiated proposal was instead about all nonconforming properties.

Once the matter turned to the dais for discussion, Commissioner Tom Knight — who found himself unable to disagree with unanimous Planning Commission votes to recommend denial — described the moment as

“uncomfortable.”

“It makes me very uncomfortable as a friend of Mark and who I have a deep respect for, and I work with,” said Knight, adding he watched the Planning Commission meetings. “I trust what I watched and I trust what I read, and I just can’t deviate.”

Chairman Joe Neunder, who passed the gavel to make the motion to deny, said his experience with the subject extends beyond the Planning Commission and staff recommendations and into the streets of Siesta Key.

“A little bit of Siesta is my district, and I get around the town and speak to people, but I just can’t recall anybody who has been adamantly supportive of this comp plan amendment,” Neunder said before directing further comment to Smith. “Like Commissioner Knight, you know you’re our friend up here. You’re a good guy. I can’t get behind this one for you for those reasons.”

Commissioners Ron Cutsinger and Teresa Mast joined them in denying the amendment proposal.

THE DENSITY CONUNDRUM

Under the current Sarasota County Comprehensive Plan:

■ If Sea Club V, for example, wished to voluntarily demolish and rebuild to resiliency standards, it would be permitted to replace its 41 condos with only 18 units to conform to post-1986 density restrictions.

■ However, if Sea Club V was destroyed by storm or other natural disaster, it would be permitted to rebuild to its original density of 41 units.

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New plan for Fourth and Cocoanut

333 Cocoanut joins a burgeoning multifamily city block where a prior project was abandoned.

Making a second effort to build a mixed-use project at the southwest corner of Cocoanut Avenue and Fourth Street, developer and new owner Colonial Brick Co. of Chicago has proposed an 11-story, 18-unit condominium tower under the working name 333 Cocoanut. The project made its first appearance before the Sarasota Development Review Committee on Nov. 5. Represented by Haflants + Pichette Architecture and project consultant Kimley-Horn, 333 Cocoanut will include 1,500 square feet of firstfloor retail space and five dedicated public parking spaces. The site is one-half block north of Fruitville Road and will share vehicle access via an existing alley between the vacant property and The Encore townhomes, which front Fruitville Road. It’s that access that in part soured prior plans by the now-dissolved 4th Street LLC, which was unable to secure a variance to build a driveway from Fourth Street from which, as a primary street in the city code, don’t

have permission for driveways. A driveway adjustment was denied by the Planning Board in April 2024.

In November 2024, however, Fourth and Trail Developments did receive approval for a rezoning, which included the Fourth Street driveway to access a planned multiuse development between Fourth Street and Fruitville Road, also adjacent to The Encore.

The 333 Cocoanut project conforms to the current zoning and future land use of Downtown Core, with no request for rezoning or Comprehensive Plan amendment. The block bounded by Fruitville Road, North Tamiami Trail, Fourth Street and Cocoanut Avenue is redeveloping as a residential-oriented mixed-use enclave. In addition to The Encore and the not-yet named Fourth and Trail Developments project, 333 Cocoanut joins Saravela, a dual-tower, 282-unit multifamily development at Fourth Street and North Tamiami Trail.

Currently under construction on the opposite corner across Fruitville Road from The Encore is The Edge, a 10-story, 27-unit condominium tower.

Also making its first appearance before the DRC was Old Bradenton, an 18-unit townhome development by DR Horton at the southwest corner of Old Bradenton Road and University Parkway. The 2.33-acre site is across Old Bradenton Road from the former Sarasota Kennel Club site.

The Art of Waterfront Living at Wild Blue

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The spectacular 30,000-square-foot clubhouse, opening Fall 2026, will feature resort pools, dining, putting course, golf simulator, cinema, and fitness center. Residents are already enjoying Midway Sports Park, now open with tennis, pickleball, and basketball courts.

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The fall and rise of the Bird Key Yacht Club

“Our membership is tremendously excited about this step.”

During early fall, the old building came down, and on Nov. 13, the first shovels of dirt were turned over on the site of the future clubhouse.

DANA KAMPA STAFF WRITER

Amoment months in the making arrived Nov. 13 on the grounds where the 65-year-old Bird

Key Yacht Club clubhouse once stood. Leaders and residents dug their shovels into the freshly turned dirt of the construction zone to break ground on a new, state-of-the-art, $20 million-plus facility.

Commodore Tony Britt invited not only club members, but also residents in the broader Bird Key area to participate in the momentous occasion.

“It’s disconcerting yet exciting,

because you realize one chapter is ending and another is beginning,” Britt said of seeing the bare grounds. He continued, “Our membership is tremendously excited about this step.”

Next steps include micropile testing to ensure the ground is compact enough to support the future facility.

The old 22,300-square-foot clubhouse came down during demolition in October and clearing the land began shortly thereafter.

The cost for the new clubhouse with new outside covered decks is $27 million with an opening date in December 2026.

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New Schools of Hope company requests space

South Florida company wants to utilize underperforming schools in Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Asecond charter school operator requesting to co-locate in unused space on Sarasota and Manatee County campuses says it has applied to “a number of locations” but does not intend to operate on all of them.

Miami-based Somerset Academy joined Mater Academy this week in transmitting notices under Florida’s Schools of Hope provisions to operate at Sarasota’s Brookside Middle and Emma Booker Elementary. Mater Academy had made a previous requests for space in Sarasota County — albeit before the permitted date of Nov. 11. In its request, Somerset referred to the north county elementary school as Emma Booker Elementary.

Both Sarasota campuses mentioned in the filings are part of a sweeping district plan to revise educational programming and eliminate empty seats. The Florida Department of Education received the filings Nov. 7 after unanimous approval by the Sarasota County School Board.

In Manatee County, space in Palmetto’s Lincoln Memorial Middle and Bradenton’s Sara Scott Harllee Center was similarly requested by both companies this week. Mater also made earlier requests for the same Manatee campuses.

“It is important to note that these letters are notifications of interest — not confirmation that a School of Hope will open at these sites,” a statement from Manatee County Schools said. “The District has not met with representatives from the charter operators, nor are any meetings scheduled at this time.” In Somerset’s case, a statement

from the company says it is casting a wide net with ambitions to later focus on a smaller number of campuses beyond next school year. The company refers to itself as a Schools of Hope operator but does not appear on the list of Schools of Hope-designated operators published by the state. The company did not immediately answer a question on how this is so.

An item on the State Board of Education’s Nov. 13 agenda entitled “Approval of Hope Operator Designation for Somerset Academy” was marked “withdrawn,” though documentation accompanying the item indicates the company meets approval criteria.

“Our purpose is not to replace or displace existing schools, but to collaborate with districts to expand public access to underutilized facilities and provide families with more educational opportunities,” the statement said. “While we have sent notices regarding a number of potential locations, our intent is not

to operate in all of them. In fact, we anticipate opening only a handful of schools for the 2027-28 school year. Once final locations are selected, we will rescind notices for all other sites.”

Both Manatee and Sarasota school districts say they intend to contest the applications. The school districts have 20 days from receipt of the request to do so.

Under the Sarasota school district’s reimagining plan, space at Emma Booker is slated to become a Junior Achievement center for business and financial simulation in the 2027-28 school year, similar to facilities now operating in Tampa.

Brookside is to become a magnet school with a curriculum focused on technical and computer learning.

Under the new visions, both campuses would shift from occupancy rates of 45% or less to around 75% or more. Ten other Sarasota schools would change in some form under the plan with the goal of reducing empty seats by elimination or by

attracting students who might otherwise have left for charter, private or home school options.

Proponents say Schools of Hopedesignated operations open options for parents by allowing the charter school to set up in established facilities of traditional schools without having to find and pay for facilities of their own. Opponents point to the predicament school districts find themselves in, potentially acting as an unpaid charter school landlord.

Asked about potential ill effects of Schools of Hope on public school campuses, Gov. Ron DeSantis in September said he remained behind the measure.

“I don’t think that that’s true,” the governor said of unintended campus consequences, adding the law would “attract charter operators in areas that are very poor performing, and one of the aspects of that was there’s excess space in the school buildings that the charter operator could use that excess space and then do a program.”

SCHOOLS OF HOPE

According to the Florida Department of Education, there are seven charter school companies certified as Schools of Hope operators. n Mater Academy n RCMA n Democracy Prep Public Schools Inc. n IDEA Public Schools n Success Academy n Renaissance/ Warrington Preparatory Academy n KIPP New Jersey

Meanwhile, a state senator from Pinellas County filed a bill last week for the next legislative session to overturn Schools of Hope’s most controversial component.

“By eliminating language requiring co-location in public schools, we are ensuring schools do not face the unintentional consequence of an unfunded mandate, and that students can continue thriving in their schools without losing access to spaces they need for academic success,” Sen. Darryl Rouson, (D-St. Petersburg) said in a statement.

WILD Close Encounters!

Newtown public housing approved

City Commission approves plans for Housing Authority apartments.

ANDREW WARFIELD

STAFF WRITER

The Sarasota Housing Authority has received City Commission approval for the final phase of a public housing redevelopment in the heart of Newtown.

On Nov. 17, the commission unanimously authorized a site plan for Amaryllis Park Place Phase IV on a 2.55-acre site formerly occupied by 32 single-story units, which were demolished as part of an overall redevelopment of SHA properties. Replacing those will be 61 apartments across two three-story buildings, completing a project that operates under the name Cypress Square.

With a street address of 1660 21st St., all Cypress Square units list as affordable and managed by SHA. The entire Cypress Square site used to be The Courts, which SHA has razed for redevelopment.

In September, the Housing Authority celebrated the dual groundbreaking of the second phases of Cypress Square and Lofts on Lemon. Cypress Square II will bring 108 units, 33 available as Section 8 housing and the remainder priced to match onethird of the monthly household income, whatever that may be, up to 80% area median income. Combined with the 83 units of the first phase, when complete, Cypress Square will offer 252 modern apartment homes ranging from one to three bedrooms.

Residents displaced by the demolition of the prior units moved either into the first phase of Cypress Square or other SHA communities, or relocated with their Section 8 vouchers, SHA Executive Director William

Russell told commissioners.

Mayor Debbie Trice noted as a consequence of the redevelopment, Bethune Court and Bethune Street no longer exist, the street names honoring Mary McLeod Bethune, noted civil rights leader, presidential advisor and founder of BethuneCookman University.

Russell told Trice a plaque at the community’s central amenity will bear Bethune’s name in addition to other notable names associated with the community.

“I’m really happy to hear that because Mary McLeod Bethune does deserve that amount of recognition,” Trice said.

Chris Gallagher of Hoyt Architects told commissioners that when converting blocks of streets into a single multifamily community, there are many entities that factor into how to handle addresses.

“The federal government has an opinion about it. The Post Office has an opinion. The fire department has opinion and our city has an opinion about it,” he said. “It is an unbelievably complicated thing to get something that actually works. There aren’t really streets that are left in there. It’s really just parking.”

$18,900,000

Retiring SPD captain gives tribute to his extended police family

Capt. Demetri Konstantopoulos flips his retirement ceremony to credit his law enforcement family, and his own.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

As Sarasota Police Department

Capt. Demetri Konstantopoulos paused for about 20 seconds amid his remarks to collect his thoughts and emotions, there was no sound among the approximately 100 who gathered in the Commission Chamber to celebrate his retirement.

The Nov. 7 ceremony came a week after the 28-year veteran shed his SPD badge for that of the Sarasota County Schools Police Department, where, after a weekend between jobs, he started Nov. 3 as deputy chief. The room filled with fellow officers including a former beat partner, command staff members, family members, including five of his six children, city officials and others who for just more than an hour expressed and received mutual gratitude for his 28 years of service to the SPD.

“Don’t look at me, because I’ll cry,” SPD Chief Rex Troche said to Konstantopoulos as he sat in the front row of the chamber with members of his large family.

One by one, members of the department and community leaders with whom he worked with over the years stepped up to the podium, expressed their admiration and gratitude and, in most instances, choked back tears.

“We’ve worked together for over 25 years,” said Capt. Johnathan Todd. “You’ve been an awesome partner, confidant and, most importantly, true friend in every sense of the word. We did some great things as policemen, but more importantly, we solved a lot of problems in most significant debates, like what’s the best mafia movie?”

of six children and his wife, Andria.

“They endured — just like every police family or first responder family — the delayed holiday dinners and even canceled holiday dinners; missed birthdays; when you’re on night shift and the next day, because you’ve been up all night, you’re grouchy,” Konstantopoulos said. “Certainly I have a lot of emotion retiring from SPD after 28 years, but they also have that emotion.”

And of Andria he said, “You can’t be successful in law enforcement unless you have someone at home holding it down.”

Representing the family, his son, George, who is serving in the U.S. Navy, spoke of the deep connection not only officers make with each other, but with their families, as well.

For 33 minutes, Konstantopoulos then weaved tales of prior partners, friendships, community engagement and the support of his family

“We all share a physical bond, the trials and tribulations of having our mothers and fathers serve the community,” he said. “Over the last 28 years, he loved working with you guys in a way that you may not really understand. You grow up and

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you think that you’re the one to see your dad go to work as a police officer, and it’s not until a while later that you actually realize you were watching him grow up in the police department.

“I just wanted to say from the bottom of my heart, on behalf of my family, thank you for letting him grow up with you guys. You guys are all my family.”

Konstantopoulos isn’t going far. His first day at his new job as deputy chief of the Sarasota County Schools Police Department was Nov. 3, just two days after retiring from SPD.

“This room really reflects the relationships that D.K. has built over the course of 28 years,” Troche said. “Seeing such a strong turnout is really a testament to what he’s done over the course of all these years and the personal connections that he’s fostered. The support in this room is a true reflection of the impact he has made on all of us within the department across the broader community.”

Restoring Vitality to Patients with Hormone Replacement Therapy

“We get this recurring story of, ‘You’ve changed my life. I feel like me again,’” said Ann Marie Catania, nurse practitioner and co-founder of the Anti Aging & Ketamine Center.

Catania and her business partner, Melina Magistri, are both experienced nurse practitioners who spent years working in traditional healthcare settings. Repeatedly, they saw patients-especially womensuffering from the effects of menopause and other age-related hormonal imbalances. These patients would confide in their primary care physicians about their symptoms, such as low libido and hot flashes, only to be told it was “normal for their age.” That frustration and compassion for their patients led them to open the Anti Aging & Ketamine Center in June 2022, with one goal: to help people feel like themselves again.

That mission comes to life in stories like these. One 55-year-old woman came to the center as a referral feeling defeated after dealing with weight gain, depression, anxiety, joint pain, and night sweats and hair loss. She had been dismissed by her primary care doctor. Six weeks after starting her hormone pellet therapy, she returned for a follow up. Magistri said the patient told her “I feel like a whole new person. I’m sleeping better. I am more connected with my husband, and I can’t believe I didn’t do this sooner.”

A peri-menopausal patient, aged 49, had brain fog, irritability, autoimmune issues and heavy and irregular menstrual cycles. Eight to 10 weeks after beginning a treatment plan of an estrogen patch, oral progesterone, and topical testosterone, the patient reported that her symptoms had greatly improved.

“Men and women deserve more than a shrug and a prescription,” Magistri said. “They deserve answers and a plan that truly works for them.”

At the Anti-Aging and Ketamine Center, patients receive personalized protocols

CAPT. DEMETRI’S CAREER MILESTONES

1994: Began his career as a deputy at the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office

1998: Joined the Sarasota Police Department as a member of the SWAT team and a street crimes officer, advancing to the rank of narcotics detective

2001: Worked the detail and escort of President George W. Bush when Bush was in Sarasota on 9/11

2012: Promoted to sergeant and served as patrol supervisor 2015: Led SPD partnership with Selah Freedom, helping combat prostitution and human trafficking by offering women social services needed to change their lifestyles

2016: Promoted to lieutenant, serving in internal affairs, as SWAT Team leader and responsible for dignitary protection, high-risk search warrants, hostage rescue and barricaded subject resolution

2019: Promoted to captain and served as a commander of the patrol division, his most recent assignment as a commander for the support services division

2024: Graduated from the FBI’s prestigious National Academy, a 10-week residency program to which fewer than 1% of all law enforcement officers are invited.

“He successfully made it through the 10-week academy, an intense program that tested his endurance and maybe even a few muscles he didn’t realize he still had,” quipped SPD Chief Rex Troche. Most recently, Konstantopoulos supervised the build-out of the SPD’s new Real Time Operations Center and the implementation of the school speed zone detection program.

built from advanced diagnostics as well as patients’ symptoms. It’s all based on a holistic approach to hormone replacement therapy.

“Everything is interconnected - hormones, weight, mental health, gut health. It’s all connected” Magistri said. “We treat the whole person.”

For women in particular, their perimenopause and menopause symptoms can vary widely.

“We’re actually learning more and more about what kind of symptoms are linked to hormones and such, including things like joint issues and hair loss,” Magistri explained.

The prescribed therapies depend on the patient. The Anti Aging & Ketamine Center focuses on hormone pellet therapy, but it also offers topical and oral treatments, in addition to patches and creams. “Every treatment plan is unique because every person’s health story is unique,” said Magistri.

The center’s hormone replacement therapy patients are primarily perimenopausal and menopausal women in their 40s to 60s and men in their mid-30s and up who want to preserve their virility. But Magistri and Catania also see older patients looking to have more vitality and longevity and to live a healthier, better life.

“What drives us to do what we do is seeing people regaining energy, confidence, and the pure joy that they have once everything is back in balance,” Magistri said. “It’s rewarding.”

If you’re ready to reclaim the real you, schedule your hormone optimization assessment today at the Anti Aging & Ketamine Center.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 22

MOTORCYCLE DAMAGED IN APARTMENT PARKING LOT

1:45 p.m., 2200 block of Ringling Boulevard

Criminal mischief:

CFMoto 675SS, a new model middleweight sport bike, had been knocked over, causing the kickstand to break off and leaving extensive damage to the left side of the motorcycle.

Asked if the apartment had any video of the incident, they said management would not investigate it until a generation of a case number. The police told the victims they would continue the investigation after the video became available. They estimated the damage to the motorcycle at $5,000 to $7,000. According to the CFMoto website, the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of the 675SS model starts $7,999.

COPS CORNER

A DREADED HAIRCUT

MONDAY, OCT. 21

LENDING KAYAK THIEF

2:16 p.m., 700 John Ringling Boulevard

Suspicious person: Officers met with a security manager at a senior living facility who pointed out a man walking out of the water onto the property. The subject had explained to security personnel his friend had asked to borrow his kayak to look for a floating wooden float he had dropped in the water west of the location. He said he had returned to look for the kayak borrower because he had not arrived with the kayak and he had to leave to pick up his son. The men, he said, had known each other for 50 years and, when asked if the suspect had been previously arrested responded, he “was possibly going to prison for theft of kayaks.”

Upon contact with the float hunter, a warrant check confirmed an active misdemeanor warrant with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, and he was subsequently taken into custody. Consistent with the kayak owner’s story, the warrant was indeed for theft of kayaks.

3:20 a.m., 2000 block of Cocoanut Avenue

Disturbance: A woman told a responding officer she had been awakened by her cousin, whom she said she believed to have used methamphetamine. At that, two officers entered the residence and made contact with the cousin, who was located in the living room holding several pieces of his own dreadlocks and appearing bewildered by the turn of events.

He stated he had awakened in his bedroom and discovered pieces of his hair inside his backpack, saying he believed his cousin had cut his hair in an effort to make him “sound crazy.” A risk assessment of the dreadshorn man revealed he did not meet criteria for either the Baker Act or Marchman Act. Both parties agreed to separate within the residence for the remainder of the night and avoid further contact with each other. Whether the man or his cousin engaged in amateur barbering was not determined.

SPORTS

FAST BREAK

Opening its playoff run with a bang, No. 1 seed Booker football (10-1) pummeled No. 8 seed Mulberry (4-7) by a 75-0 score in the FHSAA Class 3A Region 3 quarterfinals on Nov. 13. Senior quarterback Joel Morris was exceptional, throwing for five touchdowns and 217 yards while completing 10 of 13 passes. He received a Division I FCS offer Nov. 12 from Norfolk State and coach Michael Vick Senior wide receiver Dylan Wester — a Pittsburgh commit — led all pass-catchers with 117 receiving yards and three touchdowns on just three receptions. Booker will host No. 5 seed Bayshore (5-6) at 7 p.m. on Nov. 21 in the regional semifinals. ... Cardinal Mooney began its postseason in similar dominant fashion. The No. 1 seed Cougars (10-1) dealt a 55-7 drubbing to No. 8 seed North Broward Prep (5-6) on Nov. 14 in the Class 2A Region 3 quarterfinals. Senior safety/wide receiver LaRon Foye returned a punt 55 yards to the house. Junior running back Connail Jackson put on a clinic in the opening half with three touchdowns of 15, 36 and 2 yards. Next up is No. 5 seed Bishop Verot (5-6), scheduled for 7 p.m. on Nov. 21 at home. ... Completing a winning start for teams around the area, No. 2 seed Riverview (9-1-1) triumphed over Winter Haven (6-5) with a 42-13 result in the Class 7A Region 2 quarterfinals. The running game was the Rams’ bread and butter, as both senior Isaiah Belt and junior Toryeon James posted 100-yard efforts out of the backfield on 18 combined carries. The group advances to the regional semifinals, where it will battle No. 3 seed Sumner (9-2) at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 21.

“I

love how much it clears my mind. After I go for a run, I feel like I can just think better. It makes me just feel awesome when I run.”

FAB FIVE

JACK NELSON SPORTS REPORTER

The clink and chink of metal hitting metal rang throughout an emptied aquatic center. Medals collided while draped around swimmers’ necks. It accompanied the procession of Rams to the podium for photos with their trophy. Cheers rained down from the spectator seating above the deck.

Such ceremonies have become a rite of passage.

Extending its dynasty, Riverview girls’ swimming won the FHSAA Class 4A state championship on Nov. 14 at Florida Aquatics Swimming and Training in Ocala. Its latest triumph marks the 12th time in program history dating back to the first in 2006.

The Rams are the best of the best for the fifth year in a row. During their entire 21st-century dominance, that had never happened before — until now.

Titles, though, aren’t spoken into existence for a team synonymous with this stage.

“I don’t talk to the kids about winning state championships. We never talk about it,” said coach John Bruenning. “We just talk about working together as a team, doing what’s necessary, swimming fast, getting your hand on the wall and representing your school. And they buy into that.”

Bruenning staked his claim as a program legend last season when he broke a tie with former coach Mark Matuszak for the most championships won by a Riverview girls’ coach. He also oversaw the boys’ runner-up finish at this year’s statewide meet.

For the Riverview girls, 2025’s effort was unique from the runaway results of seasons past. Their margin of victory wasn’t quite as comfortable as +155 points in 2022 or +138 in 2023.

The squad’s score of 395 outlasted Windermere’s 305 and Creekside’s next-closest 192. En route to second place, the Wolverines collected six golds and three bronzes, besting the Rams in both regards.

Still, Riverview pulled away because of the influx of talent to its already-talented program. Two of three swimmers who medaled four times on Nov. 14 were freshmen.

“I’m really glad to know we’re in good hands after this. I just know they have so much potential,” said senior Taylor Schwenk. “They just need to keep being confident in

Riverview captures its fifth-straight girls’ state title.

dredths.

“The two free has always stuck out to me, because it’s the mix between a sprint and a distance event. You can’t go too slow, you can’t go too fast,” Schwenk said. “I really love the challenge of pushing that envelope … I saw that she was close to me at my third 50. I turned it on, and tried to hold it for the last 50.”

Also on the first-place 200-yard freestyle relay team and secondplace 400-yard freestyle relay team, Schwenk culminated her high school career as a four-time 2025 state medalist.

HARDWARE FOR THE BOYS

themselves.”

Entering states, both Sydney Hardy and Allie Pearson — the newcomers in question — were well-established.

Hardy won a team-high four golds at regionals, and Pearson was right behind her with three.

In her first FHSAA meet at the statewide level, Hardy finished toptwo in every event she swam. She topped the field in the 100-yard breaststroke with a personal-best 1:03.76 and also claimed the grand prize in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a 23.34 split. Her efforts in the 200-yard individual medley and 400-yard freestyle relay were good for silver.

Pearson contributed a 22.83 as leadoff for the triumphant 200-yard freestyle relay team — becoming a state champion for the first time. She also finished second in the 50-yard freestyle, 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay.

“They were lights out. They contributed more than I think either one of them expected to,” Bruenning said. “But once they got here and they got going, they started stepping up and realizing that they belong. That’s a powerful thing when you believe.”

Riverview’s trophy-clinching performance featured more than one down-to-the-wire finish.

Twice, Schwenk found herself in a battle. She won both in thrilling fashion.

The N.C. State commit claimed gold in the 100-yard butterfly (54.54) by just four hundredths of a second. And in the 200-yard freestyle, her victory of 1:47.97 was more narrow, edging out Wellington sophomore Veronica Metz by a mere two hun-

All season long, she competed alongside several Division I commits. Her senior teammates include Danica Aten, Clare Custer and Jessica Robie, who will swim for Navy, Harvard and South Carolina, respectively, next fall and beyond.

Schwenk was willing to do anything and everything in Ocala to ensure a five-peat.

“She’s been open to doing whatever the team has needed. She actually didn’t even do her best events here, because she said, ‘I’ll do whatever the team needs me to do,’” Bruenning said. “That’s just who she is.”

Leveraging her distance strengths, Custer brought home gold in the 500-yard freestyle with a 4:44.59, beating out the next-closest finisher by more than six seconds. That symbolized some personal redemption after settling for second in the 2024 edition of that event despite a first-place showing in preliminaries.

Then there was junior Angelina Lista — committed to Louisiana State — who earned one gold, silver and bronze apiece in a well-rounded day at the pool. Her best finish came as the anchor for the 200-yard freestyle relay team, clocking a 23.72 to secure first place.

Riverview is now the eighth program to win five titles consecutively on the girls’ side, joining Ponte Vedra (2021-25), Tallahassee Chiles (201014) and Orlando Dr. Phillips (199498).

Twelve medals won in 2025.

Five-time defending state champions. A dynasty that keeps on growing.

The Rams are on top of the state, again.

“We’ve just been building on the momentum year after year after year,” Bruenning said. “And the great thing is that when you have that tradition, kids walk in and they want to be a part of it.”

The 2025 state championships were also one of the most successful in years for Riverview boys’ swimming. They earned runner-up honors, representing their best finish since securing the 2017 state title in 4A. Depth was the name of the game for the Rams. Not one of their swimmers medaled, but their collective score of 208 was topped only by Sarasota’s 231.

Senior Jackson DeBruin — a North Carolina commit — contributed a team-best 28 points, thanks to a trio of fifth-place finishes in the 200-yard freestyle (1:39.11), 400-yard freestyle relay (3:08.59) and 500-yard freestyle (4:31.65).

Four other swimmers earned 16-plus points for Riverview. Freshman Fedor Igoshin wound up fourth in both the 100-yard breaststroke (57.00) and the 200-yard medley relay (1:33.87). Junior Maddax Harlan, meanwhile, wound up fifth in the 50-yard freestyle (21.14) while also contributing to that medley relay team. Joining DeBruin in the collegiate ranks next fall will be senior Vito Sgroi who’s headed to Arizona. His best finishes at states came on relay teams in the 200-yard medley and 400-yard freestyle — fourth and fifth, respectively.

Throne reclaimed

The Sailors overcame a coaching change to claim their fifth FHSAA state title in six years.

Something was missing from the Sailors entering the 2025 season. Not on their roster, but in their leadership.

Former coach Andrew Eckhart left in August to become an assistant for North Carolina swimming and diving. He was the architect behind a program-record four straight state titles.

But the Sarasota swimmers didn’t hit the panic button. There was no exodus to a neighboring program or lack of faith put in Eckhart’s successor. They stayed for this.

Sarasota boys’ swimming won the FHSAA Class 4A state championship on Nov. 14 at Florida Aquatics Swimming and Training in Ocala, marking its seventh title all time. The Sailors reached the pinnacle once more after settling for fourth at the state meet in 2024, snapping their streak of trophies from 2020 through 2023.

They’ve brought home the ultimate hardware in their first year under coach Andrew Antonetz.

“Last year, we kind of fumbled with that fourth, but now to win again — I could have never expected it,” said senior Bogdan Zverev. “It’s just so overwhelming.”

It wasn’t an easy victory by any means. Riverview was within striking distance most of the way, keeping the pressure firmly on Sarasota to execute.

When the 400-yard freestyle relay ended the meet, though, the Sailors’ score of 231 stood alone.

The group edged Riverview’s 208 and Winter Park’s 199 while tallying seven medals, the most of any team at the state championship.

Zverev was the key to it all. He was always going to be. Even entering this season, amid all the uncertainty a coaching change can bring, he never became a question mark.

“He’s definitely the valuable piece of this program,” Antonetz said.

At last year’s meet, he was the only Sailor to secure silver, and one of two alongside then-sophomore

Jackson Irwin — who earned bronze — to even medal.

Nov. 14 was Zverev’s coronation. The senior set two new

personal bests with golden efforts in the 200-yard individual medley (1:45.23) and 100-yard butterfly (46.99). That former time was just 0.21 seconds shy of tying a state record set by Carter Lancaster of Jacksonville Bolles back in 2022.

In addition to winning Sarasota its only two golds, Zverev contributed to a pair of second-place tandems. His splits of 44.40 in the 400-yard freestyle relay and 21.63 in the 200-yard medley relay each proved crucial.

But neither of those events featured his most thrilling finish. That would be the 100-yard butterfly, where one hundredth of a second separated him from Jupiter’s Charles Howard.

“In the last 25 (yards) of the race, I just shut my brain off. It was just my arms. And then whatever happens, happens,” Zverev said. “It just turned out that I beat him by 0.01.”

Currently ranked No. 41 in the Class of 2026, per Swimcloud, he concludes his high school career as a four-time 2025 state medalist and three-time team state champion.

He’ll compete at Alabama next fall for his next act.

Irwin may see him again one day at the collegiate level. In their final high school meet together, he earned three medals of his own to help usher the Sailors to victory.

The junior clocked a personal-best 4:25.14 in the 500-yard freestyle and submitted a 46.65 as anchor for the 400-yard freestyle relay, claiming second place in both regards. Irwin also won bronze via a 1:49.72 in the 200-yard individual medley.

Rounding out the major contributors, juniors Andrew Malaj — an Indiana commit — and Daniil Siutsou earned two medals apiece. Malaj posted a 1:37.43 for third in the 200-yard freestyle while Siutsou featured on both silver-medal relay teams.

Nine Sailors had qualified for states. Six of them earned medals individually, as part of a relay team or both. They didn’t need a huge roster to take back the throne.

“More quality than quantity,” Antonetz said. “We don’t have a lot of guys, but the quality is there, no

RA Sarasota: Lifting Homes & Spirits

Husband and wife team Roger and Angie fell in love with Longboat Key and moved to the island permanently in 2022. So, when Hurricane Helene pushed more than two feet of storm surge into their home,

they weren’t going to give up on their new hometown.

“Just like many people, we experienced catastrophic flooding and lost everything we owned,” Roger says. But the emotional toll was even greater. “Everyone talks about the damage, but it’s the feeling of being uprooted that changes you.”

With Roger’s background in high-tech and construction, and Angie’s experience navigating human-resource challenges, they quickly recognized what was missing when they researched lifting their home to prevent future flooding. The lifting process is eye-opening, and what they found is there is a lot more to it than just lifting your home.

“There was a huge disconnect between lifting companies and homeowners,” says Roger. “Different pricing models, different scopes of work… and little guidance through what is a very stressful, expensive journey. It’s still cheaper to lift than build new.”

Angie believes that “because of our own personal experience we fully understand

doubt.”

Plenty of quality, indeed. Championship quality.

Sarasota’s triumph was a testament to the power of swimming as one. The group didn’t allow itself to be divided when a new face entered the fold.

Instead, the Sailors maintained belief in what they knew was possible. Several of them, after all, carried memories of becoming a state champion when they first embarked on the 2025 season.

Eckhart’s departure did not cause the loss of a winning legacy. The Sailors extended it, trusting Antonetz to help them along the way. Their golden age rolls on.

the fear of what to do next. This is our community; our goal is to be a trusted company to those that need help and just don’t know how or what to do if they want to prevent their home from flooding again.”

So they decided to turn their hardship into something meaningful. RA Sarasota (R + A for Roger and Angie) was born from the belief that their experience could make this process clearer, easier, and simpler for others.

RA Sarasota becomes the homeowner’s single point of contact and consultant: answering homeowner’s questions, managing proposals, and comparing bids. Then, if the client decides to move forward, they can manage the entire project and own the finishing work. “A lift doesn’t just end when the house goes up,” Roger says. “There’s permitting, utility disconnects and reconnects, sewer lines, new slabs, decking and stairs, landscaping and even elevators. We stay until the job is truly complete.”

Their mission is driven by four principles: respond quickly, be clear and proactive, listen with empathy, and own the challenge. “We provide unfiltered insights to help our clients make the best decisions” Angie says with a smile. “Our goal is to help our community get high and dry again.”

And yes, the couple admits there are tears. “When a house finally lifts those first few feet, the relief on a homeowner’s face is incredible,” Roger says. “After everything they’ve gone through, knowing they’ll likely never flood again… it’s emotional. We’ve lived it. So, we get it.”

941-529-7550 www.rasarasota.com info@rasarasota.com

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Madison Muller

Madison Muller has done the unprecedented. The Riverview sophomore blew past the field at the FHSAA Class 4A Region 3 crosscountry championship on Nov. 15 with a 16:50.4 finish. That time represents a new course record at North Port in the girls’ 5K. It also qualifies as the fourth-fastest time clocked by a female high school runner in the cross-country 5K, per FLRunners.com. They’ll compete in the 4A state championship at 9 a.m. on Nov. 22 in Tallahassee’s Apalachee Regional Park. Muller is the Sarasota Athlete of the Week.

When and why did you start running?

I mainly started running because I played lacrosse. I’ve played lacrosse since I was in first grade, and my parents were like, “You need more conditioning,” so I got into track in middle school. I started running the mile and the 800, and then into eighth grade, I was like, “What if we try cross-country?” We found a really great program in Tampa called The Bayshore Project, and they really got me. I did three races, a little 3K at (Holloway Park in Lakeland), and I loved it. Then I started (with Riverview) in ninth grade.

What do you love most about cross-country?

I love how much it clears my mind. After I go for a run, I feel like I can just think better. It makes me just feel awesome when I run. I have a different feeling, and it’s really liberating just to get out and go for a run. Then, I also love all the girls here, and that’s the main reason I’ve stuck with it since last year, because I just love my teammates.

What has been the highlight of your running career so far?

Probably this weekend, it was really awesome. It’s been awhile since the girls’ team has qualified for states, and to know I was a big part of that was just really awesome. It was just a great experience. Everyone’s been super happy.

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

If you could meet any professional athlete, who would it be and why? Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. She is very cool. Also Parker Valby. I would love to meet either one of them.

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

I’d probably go to Greece. I’ve never been out of the country, but it just looks beautiful there.

If you could have any superpower, what would you choose and why? Flight, because you don’t have to deal with all the traffic. There’s just never-ending traffic here.

What’s your favorite TV show?

“Outer Banks” on Netflix.

Finish this sentence. Madison Muller is ...

Determined. I’m ready to make it happen.

A career sculpted of sand

Andy Daily grew up on the sands of Siesta Beach, and today, sand is his full-time passion.

IAN SWABY | STAFF WRITER

The artwork at the Siesta Key Crystal Classic Sand Sculpting Festival may be impressive to behold, but working across multiple days in the sun to create sculptures isn’t easy.

Crystal Classic Sand Manager

Andy Daily acknowledges the hard work involved in sand sculpting, but he says that once artists feel the bite of what he calls the “sand bug,” they don’t want to do anything else.

As someone who grew up on the sands of Siesta Key Beach, perhaps it isn’t surprising Daily would make a career out of sand.

The event, now in its 16th year and presented by the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce, took place Nov. 14-16 and featured 24 world-class artists.

Karlis Ile of Latvia, was the 2025 overall winner.

Initially, Daily entered the realm of sand sculpting to impress

“Sculpture was a little bit different, but it was a good medium, where I could practice without too much judgment, because I wasn’t very good when I first started.”

Daily worked at the Crystal Classic in 2011 and 2012 as a volunteer, and claimed a second place award in his first competition, the event’s amateur competition, during the second year.

“I was just so crazy about sand.

I just thought it was so fun. It just grabbed me, and I just wanted to spend time doing it,” he said.

He then went to Fort Myers, where he also won second place, before taking a break from festivals until 2019.

Since other artists invited him to work on their commercial projects, he began working full time in that field, establishing the company SandVenture Crew.

“I realized, like all of us with any sense do, if you want to make a living, you’ve got to work for yourself,” he said. He says for commercial jobs, clients aren’t looking for a “lifechanging masterpiece,” but simply a logo or a sea creature, but he’s comfortable with the lane he’s found.

Of course, there’s plenty

of work involved, which includes extensive traveling.

“That’s kind of sand in a nutshell,” he said. “It’s a being willing to go and be uncomfortable, because I think people have the notion about sand, that it’s all bikinis and sunsets, but it’s a lot of uncomfortable,” he said.

For his work, he travels to locations that include California and the Bahamas, while he has also competed in festivals in Texas, Clearwater, Fort Myers, Virginia Beach, Virginia, New Hampshire and Colorado.

Yet one of his favorite aspects of his job is local; he enjoys teaching sand sculpting lessons for kids, families and adults.

“It’s pretty crazy, really,” he said. “It’s not lost on me. I have a lot of gratitude for my life, but of course, I made it happen, just I worked hard to make it happen.”

From 2013 he was a paid volunteer, but after 2019, took over the role of “sand manager,” coordinating the activity within the sandy arena where the sculptures are located.

“This is where I have a lot of childhood memories,” he said. “This is where I feel the happiest, surrounded by this beauty.”

Circus of compassion

As Baby Basics of Sarasota County held its annual fundraiser at the Sarasota Yacht Club, it drew a record attendance of 270 guests, said President Sandy Slaminko.

If it seems like the crowds of a circus, there was also circus decor and a clown making the rounds.

This year’s theme was described by Slaminko as “trying to make every day a circus day for our babies.”

The event featured a silent auction and raffle featuring circusthemed items, as well as a fashion show, and Slaminko said amid the larger attendance, there were more items on offer as well.

The all-volunteer 501(c)(3) organization provides diapers, wipes and books to low-income working families who do not receive any government assistance, supporting a total of 160 babies.

“They’re struggling. They’re really working hard, and they appreciate it so much when they come to us, and it’s also more than just diapers,” Slaminko said. “It’s giving them a sense of security. It’s giving them a family.”

— IAN SWABY

Parishioners celebrate priest’s 65th year

Community members celebrate the Rev. Fausto Stampiglia’s service, kindness and humor.

IAN

SWABY STAFF WRITER

Joanne and Fred Gonet wanted to be part of a family. When they came to Sarasota, they were nonpracticing Catholics, but that changed when they found St. Martha Catholic Church and were drawn in by the Rev. Fausto Stampiglia.

“The parish, to him, was family, and it was his personality that made us want to be part of this parish, and help grow this parish, and help grow the events, and that’s how we ended up in hospitality,” she said, noting they joined a hospitality committee at the parish.

Although they now live out of state, they returned for the celebration of Stampiglia’s 65th year in the priesthood, held Nov. 14 at Michael’s On East. The event took place on the anniversary of his ordination as a priest of the religious order of the Pallottines in Rome in 1960.

DECADES OF SERVICE

To many, Stampiglia was the defining face of St. Martha Catholic Church for his 31 years in the role in which he is now succeeded by the Rev. Jerzy “George” Susko. He is often best known for reviving St. Martha Catholic School at a time it was struggling with enrollment.

In 2010, he was awarded the medal of Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice by Pope Benedict XVI, in recognition of distinguished service to the Catholic Church.

Now, at 90, Stampiglia says it was the opportune time for a celebration.

“If you are 75 years a priest … you

are ordained about 27, 28,” Stampiglia said. “You’ll be over 100. How many are? That’s why we have 65, and because 65 we can make it. I don’t think I can make another 10 years.”

His birthday had also taken place the previous month, on Oct. 7.

“It means a lot, because this is his 90th birthday,” Joanne Gonet said.

“We celebrated with him on his 80th birthday, which is 10 years ago, and we know his years are limited, and this is just us telling him thank you for everything you’ve done for your family at St. Martha.”

Many attendees brought a long history with Stampiglia, such as Kim McLeod, whose family moved to the area in 1982 when she was 12 and became involved with St. Martha.

Stampiglia married McLeod and her husband in 1994, then married her sister and her husband in 1998, as well as baptizing her children and her sister’s children.

“At times when you are so down and so sad and confused and whatever, he just turns it around to where, even though it’s a bad situation, that you just feel so blessed and so grateful to know him,” she said. “It’s just the best thing in the entire world.”

She said years ago he provided comfort when her daughter, at 3 years old, was very ill in All Children’s Hospital and it was said that she might not survive.

“He would just make us feel so much better, just from seeing him and visiting him and talking to him, even if it was just for only like 10 minutes,” she said.

Then three years ago, when her father was ill, she reached out to

Stampiglia. She did not realize at the time that he was in Rome, but as soon as he arrived at the airport in the United States, he didn’t waste any time in visiting with the family, sending her a text that he was on his way.

“He just showed up at the door,” she said. “He literally drove from the airport, jet lagged, I’m sure, crazy, to my mom’s house, and got to say prayers to my dad before he passed, which was only a few hours after that, and it just was the most meaningful thing in the entire world. I absolutely adore that man.”

Today, she often exchanges texts with him, and says the priest, known for his joviality, will send emojis.

“He’ll be like pray hands and like a thumbs up, and he is the cutest. He is just the best,” she said.

When Stampiglia became the pastor at St. Martha, the school was losing students and had substantial debt, Stampiglia says. Then-Bishop of the Diocese of Venice John Nevins suggested Stampiglia sell the school.

“I am a fruit of the Catholic

schools. I went to Catholic school since pre-K on. Closing a Catholic school is a sacrilege for me,” he said.

Nevins granted Stampiglia permission to construct a new school on a 20-acre property on Fruitville Road, in a facility known as Bishop Nevins Academy.

Stampiglia says the school, as well as its sister school St. Mary Academy, which serves special needs students, opened even despite an interruption to donations after 9/11.

“The two schools were made, were built and opened August 2002, like a miracle,” he said. “If God wants something for us to do, he gives us any means that we need to fulfill the plan.”

The Zazarino Center, which includes a gymnasium, was added in 2016.

Although Stampiglia’s retirement took place in 2022, it’s still not the end of his time at the church.

“Some weekends I can help in St. Martha, which is nice,” he said. “I was pastor 31 years and now three years, helping a little bit part time,

but it’s good to meet with the people again and again.”

When asked how it felt to be honored for his work, he said, “Humbled, because I didn’t do it.”

“God manipulates us to do what he wants us to do,” he said. “If you let him do it, you’re going to be successful, then you become love yourself, and God will fill you up with love, and whoever you touch are people to love.”

“So many people appreciate his priestly ministry in Sarasota,” Susko, current pastor, told event attendees. “His sermons will be remembered in St. Martha for a long time. His communication skills and persuasive character encouraged religious brothers of Christian service to become Pallottines. He helped many men to become permanent deacons in our diocese. Many diocesan priests, Pallottine priests, or from different religious orders, as well as of various nationalities … live in and work in St. Martha parish.”

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1- to 3-Bedroom Bayfront Residences priced from $1.5 to $2.5 Million.

Siesta Bayside home tops

$4.7

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

The 4544 Woodside Road LLC sold the home at 4544 Woodside Road to Christopher Pavlovski, of Siesta Key, for $4.7 million. Built in 2025, it has four bedrooms, four-and-two-half baths, a pool and 4,798 square feet of living area.

SARASOTA PAVER PARK ESTATES

Matt Crews, of Sarasota, sold the home at 2492 S. Milmar Drive to Marcus and Debra Miller, of Nappanee, Indiana, for $1,845,000. Built in 2023, it has four bedrooms, three-and-two-half baths, a pool and 3,432 square feet of living area.

VUE Argeris and Eloise Karabelas, of Boston, sold their Unit 706 condominium at 1155 N. Gulfstream Ave. to Mark Piekos and Kimberly Ruley Piekos, of Lake Forest, Illinois, for $1.7 million. Built in 2017, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,701 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.85 million in 2021.

SCHOOL AVENUE TOWNHOMES

Jeremy Gilbert, of Sarasota, sold his home at 52 Audubon Place to Shooting Star Vacation Properties LLC for $1,225,000. Built in 2023, it has four bedrooms, three-and-ahalf baths and 2,847 square feet of living area. It sold for $995,000 in 2023.

SARABANDE

Sarabande LLC sold the Unit 15 condominium at 340 S. Palm Ave. to Mark Hodgson and James Courter, of Sarasota, for $1.15 million. Built in 1998, it has three bedrooms, four baths and 2,761 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.25 million in 2008.

RUSTIC LODGE

Dale Shannon Canaday and Glenn Alan Canaday, trustees, of Richmond, Vermont, sold the home at 2462 Prospect St. to Luxa Construction LLC for $800,000. Built in 1925, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 984 square feet of living area.

CENTRAL PARK

J. Scott Needham, of Sarasota, sold his home at 1663 Fourth St. to Hadley Schnuck, of Sarasota, for $775,000. Built in 1926, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,859 square feet of living area. It sold for $186,500 in 2000.

CITRUS RESIDENCES

Timothy and Nancy Scannell sold their Unit 202 condominium at 555 N. Orange Ave. to James Riviello and Catherine Mikelis, of Sarasota, for $655,000. Built in 2021, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,198 square feet of living area. It sold for $524,300 in 2021.

SARASOTA BAY PARK

Neal Stubbs, of Longboat Key, sold

his home at 2454 Alameda Ave. to JIR Investments LLC for $574,000. Built in 1936, it has five bedrooms, three baths and 2,499 square feet of living area. It sold for $175,000 in 1999.

RIDGEWOOD

Kirk and Frances Bailey, of Sarasota, sold their home at 2220 Palm Terrace to Jennifer Ruffin, of Sarasota, for $563,000. Built in 1961, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,243 square feet of living area. It sold for $223,000 in 2014.

BAY HAVEN

Claudia Cumbie-Jones and Lance Ford Jones, of Hueytown, Alabama, sold their home at 2850 Bon Air Ave. to 2850 Bon Air Ave LLC for $560,000. Built in 1958, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,199 square feet of living area. It sold for $38,900 in 1977.

SOUTH GATE

6002 31st St. E LLC sold the home at 2430 Sunnyside Lane to Kimberly and Christopher Bridges, of Sarasota, for $542,000. Built in 1960, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,446 square feet of living area. It sold for $395,000 in 2024.

WTEM 2225 LLC sold the home at 2608 Hibiscus St. to Santa Saldivar Marroquin, of Sarasota, for $500,000. Built in 1957, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,720 square feet of living area. It sold for $279,500 in 2018.

SIESTA KEY

SIESTA BAYSIDE

Richard and Totney Benson, of Westport, Connecticut, sold their home at 4532 Woodside Road to James and Kimberly Staub, of Siesta Key, for $1.6 million. Built in 1974, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,189 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,185,000 in 2020.

Deborah Groben, of Bradenton, sold the home at 717 Treasure Boat Way to Nicholas and Nichole Bermel, of Elkhorn, Nebraska, for $735,000. Built in 1973, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,978 square feet of living area. It sold for $560,000 in 2017.

SIESTA KEY Maria Paulina Manning and Jeffrey

TOP BUILDING PERMITS

Manning sold their home at 185

Faubel St. to Luke T. Hazlewood Holdings Inc. for $1.55 million. Built in 1976, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,783 square feet of living area. It sold for $311,000 in 2001.

ROBERTS POINT

Brandon and Amy Caldwell, of Sarasota, sold their home at 4108 Roberts Point Road to Eileen Vitello and Gregg Vitello, trustees, of Point Lookout, New York, for $1.45 million. Built in 2001, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,511 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.6 million in 2024.

ONLINE

See more transactions at YourObserver.com.

Other top sales by area

SARASOTA: $2.8 MILLION

Condominium on the Bay James and Sally Owen, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 1017 condominium at 988 Blvd. of the Arts to Barry Jackson, trustee, of Sarasota, for $2.8 million. Built in 1982, it has three bedrooms, two-and-ahalf baths and 2,315 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.1 million in 2020.

PALMER RANCH: $1.26 MILLION

Prestancia

Nancy Jane Huber, trustee, of Cincinnati, sold the home at 3991 Boca Pointe Drive to Marvin Schreiber, trustee, of Sarasota, for $1.26 million. Built in 1990, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,076 square feet of living area. It sold for $690,000 in 2011.

OSPREY: $2.3 MILLION

Oaks II

Kathleen Mulhern, of New London, New Hampshire, sold her home at 264 Saratoga Court to Kevin Walbridge and Kellie Walbridge, trustees, of Syracuse, Indiana, for $2.3 million. Built in 1992, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,857 square feet of living area. It sold for $780,000 in 2015.

NOKOMIS: $1 MILLION

Mission Valley Estates

Kristine Vallrugo, trustee, and Patrick John Giambalvo Jr., of Fort Myers, sold the home at 601 Suffolk Circle to Craig William Parrott and Kelly Parrott, of Nokomis, for $1 million. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,678 square feet of living area. It sold for $914,000 in 2021.

FRIDAY, NOV. 21 MODERNS THAT MATTER: THE BAY ARCHITECTURE TOUR

10-11:30 a.m. at Blue Pagoda, 655 N. Tamiami Trail. Free. Join a guide from Architecture Sarasota for this tour exploring the Cultural District at The Bay and its historic buildings including the Municipal Auditorium (1937), the Chidsey Library Building (1941), the Blue Pagoda Welcome Center (1956), and the Sarasota Garden Club (1960). Visit TheBaySarasota. org.

MUSIC | MOROCCAN FUSION

2-3 p.m. at Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtis Ave. Free. Experience the music of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia with singer, dancer, and multi-instrumentalist Tahja, joined by Catalin Mihai, who will offer geographic and historical knowledge. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.

SATURDAY, NOV. 22

FAMILY SATURDAY

10 a.m. to noon at Selby Gardens Downtown Sarasota Campus, 1534 Mound St. Kids and families are invited to enjoy art and nature activities at multiple creative stations, with different projects each month. Find the event in the Ann Goldstein Children’s Rainforest Garden. Visit Selby.org.

SUNDAY, NOV. 23

SUNDAYS AT THE BAY FEATURING

SEAN ADAM WALSH

4:30-5:30 p.m. at The Oval, The Bay, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Sean Adam Walsh is a New York City‚ Äìborn rock musician and acoustic guitarist, trained at Frank Sinatra School of the Arts and known for his original songs and renditions of classic tunes, is the featured performer in this weekly concert series. The event promises “raw energy, refined skill, and a style that fuses grit with soul.” Registration required. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.

CHAPEL ON THE BEACH

FROM THE PLUMBING PLACE

9 a.m. at Patriots’s/Sunset Pier, 10 Beach Road, at Beach Access 2. Free. Free shuttle at 8:30 a.m. from Siesta Key Chapel, 4615 Gleason Ave. Bring a chair and meet at the pier for the weekly morning service on the beach. Coffee and a bakery are provided. Visit SiestaKeyChapel.org.

BEST BET SATURDAY, NOV. 22

BRICK UNIVERSE LEGO FAN EXPO General admission times are 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. to 5

MONDAY, NOV. 24

COOKBOOK CLUB | THE GAIJIN COOKBOOK

2-3 p.m. at Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Ave. Discuss new recipes and connect with fellow food lovers. This session of the event will discuss the tastes and techniques of Japan, featuring recipes from ramen chef Ivan Orkin. Visit SCGovLibrary. LibraryMarket.com.

MARIO KART TOURNAMENT

2-4 p.m. at Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Avenue. Free. Kids are invited for a Mario Kart Tournament. Registrants should arrive at least 15 minutes before 2 p.m. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.

TUESDAY, NOV. 25

FOREVER FIT

10:15-11 a.m. at Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library, 2801 Newtown Blvd. Free. In this exercise class for ages 55-plus, learn simple exercises to increase strength, balance, and endurance. Visit SCGovLibrary. LibraryMarket.com.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 26

PHILLIPPI FARMHOUSE MARKET

Beautiful AND Durable Exterior Door Hardware

9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Phillippi Estate Park, 5500 S. Tamiami Trail. Free. Shop local fresh produce, including USDA-certified organic produce, food trucks, prepared foods, and artisans with crafts, while enjoying live music, at Sarasota’s midweek farmer’s market. Leashed pets are welcome. Visit SarasotaCountyParks.com.

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& RATES: 941-955-4888 redpages@yourobserver.com •yourobserver.com/redpages

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