Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer 3.20.25

A path forward

A little more than 200 Florida panthers remain in the wild, according to the National Wildlife Federation.

An upcoming screening of the documentary “Path of the Panther,” followed by a panel discussion, will explore the efforts to save this endangered species from habitat loss.

Hosted by UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County, the event will highlight how multiple groups are working together to address habitat fragmentation, creating and restoring natural corridors for wildlife and how this also benefits humans.

The screening will be at the UF/IFAS office at 6700 Clark Road from 6 to 9 p.m. on April 2. Tickets cost $12 and include light refreshments. Seating is open to the public, but limited.

Peace out, paper

There was music in the air along with the shredding of documents in the parking lot of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

Shred Stock, a drive-thru document shredding event, allowed residents to dispose of as many as four boxes of documents, to the music of The Garbage-Men band, on March 15. The city of Sarasota hosted the event in partnership with The Bay.

“There’s a lot of identity theft going on in the world, especially right now,” said City Records Manager Nick Dazio. “This is a great way for them to bring those records, those invoices, those certificates ... copies of high school transcripts or college transcripts, stuff they don’t want to just throw in the garbage.”

$0.10

OF MARCH 20, 2025

BY THE NUMBERS

“Design is not a linear process … We’ve done this process. It happens on every project we do across the world.”

Renzo Piano Building Workshop architect Kerry Joyce

Read more on page 6A

Anew political action committee for local arts and cultural organizations has been created. PAC Sarasota, formerly the Sarasota Arts & Culture Coalition, will ensure the voices of arts and cultural organizations are heard in local elections.

“Our goal is simple — to inform and mobilize voters to support candidates who recognize the vital role arts and culture play in Sarasota’s economy and community,” said Chris Voelker, co-chair of PAC Sarasota in a news release. “Arts and culture

organizations are key economic drivers, yet they often lack representation in political discussions. We’re here to change that.”

PAC Sarasota was created in response to challenges faced by Sarasota’s cultural institutions, including delays and setbacks in city planning and funding decisions, highlighting the urgent need for political advocacy.

The PAC aims to support candidates who understand the economic and cultural significance of arts and cultural organizations and are committed to policies

that allow them to thrive. While PAC Sarasota does not take positions on broader political issues, it stands firmly against movements that indiscriminately oppose all development, including projects essential to Sarasota’s arts and culture landscape.

PAC Sarasota’s efforts will focus primarily on city and county elections with the potential to engage in state-level legislative advocacy when necessary. For more information about PAC Sarasota and its mission, visit SRQArts.org.

County reopens

Ted Sperling Park

Following months of extensive recovery efforts following the 2024 hurricane season, Sarasota County has reopened Ted Sperling Park at South Lido Beach.

The park sustained significant storm damage and was used as a storm debris management site for the Lido Key community.

For a list of beaches and parks open to the public, visit SarasotaCountyParks.com.

FST granted $1.25M by late ardent patron

Florida Studio Theatre is celebrating a legacy gift of $1.25 million from long-time supporter, the late Mary Jo Reston. The FST will recognize her in perpetuity as a platinum underwriter.

For more than 17 years, Reston was a consistent presence at FST, regularly attending main stage and cabaret performances. She held a subscription each year and donated consistently, giving an average of $500 per season. It was only after Reston’s passing in February 2024 that FST discovered the full extent of her generosity.

Without notifying FST, she had named the organization as a beneficiary in her estate plans. A residual gift of $250,000 followed her planned legacy gift of $1 million, which was received in July 2024, in February 2025.

“Mary Jo Reston was a steadfast supporter of Florida Studio Theatre for many years,” said FST Managing Director Rebecca Hopkins in a news release. “However, this was a tremendous surprise to us.”

CORRECTION

Because of an error, the Observer incorrectly printed in a letter to the editor, “Numbers for SPAC not adding up,” what Orlando receives from tourism annually. The Orlando area receives 75 million annual visitors, not $75 million.

Airport opens observation facility

The new plane-spotting area includes a playground, shade structure.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Aviation enthusiasts and plane spotters now have a new, safe place to enjoy watching air traffic take off and land at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.

As private aircraft taxied just 50 yards away and commercial airliners boomed down the runway, airport officials made brief remarks before cutting the ribbon on the new observation area at 8330 15th St. E., formerly a small gravel parking area next to Atlantic Aviation.

The spot has for years been a favored location for watching the comings and goings of aircraft at SRQ. What began as a plan to pave and secure the spot grew into a project that opened with a wing-shaped shade structure, an aviation-themed playground, striped parking spaces and an audio system that broadcasts control tower communications with aircraft.

“We started talking with Manatee County and the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau because this is in Manatee County, and decided we can make this much better project,” said SRQ President and CEO Rick Piccolo. “It grew from about a half-million-dollar project to a two-and-a-half-million-dollar project.”

The airport and Manatee County equally funded the total cost, which came in at $2.36 million.

Part airport museum, the project includes story boards that trace the history of the airport. Near the parking area is the former control tower beacon and a commemorative marker located just 500 yards from where Air Force One parked as President George W. Bush was visiting Booker Elementary School on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.

Workers installed guard rails to protect the space from passing traffic.

“This is an exciting project for me to see come to life,” said SarasotaManatee Airport Authority Board Chairman Jesse Biter. “I’ve been coming here for years, and to see this turn from what it was to what it is now is just super exciting for the community.”

The new SarasotaBradenton International Airport observation facility provides an up-close view of aircraft taking off and landing.

“I’ve been coming here for years, and to see this turn from what it was to what it is now is just super exciting for the community.”

Jesse

Biter, Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority Board Chairman

The observation-area opening is the latest in a series of completed projects at SRQ as Piccolo approaches the end of his 30-year tenure this summer with his impending retirement. It comes on the heels of the recent

completion of a new baggage handing system, the opening of the new Concourse A and ongoing improvements in the main terminal area and in Concourse B.

“With all the times I give speeches and I show all the projects — $100 million for the terminal and $50 million for a baggage system, $10 million cell phone lot, $10 million here and there — this $2 million project gets the most oohs and ahhs of all of them. I think the public really is going to like this and the partnership with Allegiant to add the playground is a really great thing.”

The project architect is Sweet Sparkman of Sarasota. The contractor is Stellar Development.

PROGRESS IS A FLIGHT OF FANCY

The opening of the new observation area is only the latest in a number of recently completed improvements at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. Inside the terminal area, SRQ has been in an expansion mode not only to accommodate the significant growth in passengers since 2020 — serving more than 4 million the past two years – it has also embarked on multiple projects to better serve them, some of it behind the scenes, particularly a new $10 million baggage handing system.

In January, the airport opened its new Concourse A with five new ground-based gates all leased by Allegiant Air, which has utilized the space to expand its routes significantly to and from SRQ, an investment of some $100 million. Now underway are projects to expand and improve the amenities available in the original Concourse B, including local favorite restaurant and bars, such as Mattison’s and Motorworks Brewing, popular eateries Wahlburgers and Huey Magoo’s Chicken, and a Salty Key Bar near the far end of the concourse.

Newly opened in Concourse B is the grab-and-go and specialty retailer Seaside Market.

In the passenger terminal area outside the TSA checkpoint, the downsized Dewar’s Clubhouse restaurant and bar and work on a new Suncoast Bar is in a portion of that space. The remainder of that area wrapping around the fountain will be reconfigured into smaller shops. All that represents upward of a $16 million investment borne by a pair of master concessionaires.

In February, the Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority received a parking expansion plan from its consultant, options that include building a four-story parking structure on the current short-term and rental car lots besides more surface parking that could add as many as 1,700 new spaces for a total of 4,400.

The airport is growing its aviation ecosystem around the airfield as well. Construction will begin soon on Swiss aircraft manufacturer Pilatus Business Jets, which projects more than 350 new jobs. Construction continues on fix-base operator Sheltair’s new facility and a plant for French small aircraft maker Elixer. Manatee Technical College continues its build out of a new aircraft and power plant school and the new Team Success A School of Excellence, an industry-specific Manatee County charter school that opened with 625 students in grades 6-12, is in its first year of operation.

City Commission sides with Planning Board on Hyatt appeal

The City Commission denied an appeal by developer Quay 1 and 9 to overturn the Planning Board adjustment for a nonconforming driveway.

For nearly three hours at the end of a marathon City Commission on Monday, much of the argument over whether the Planning Board properly approved an adjustment to a driveway at the proposed 1000 Boulevard of the Arts project focused on anything but the core issue.

It was, though, the first time commissioners got an official look at developer Kolter Urban’s plans for the redevelopment of the Hyatt Regency site, which shares property lines with The Quay to the west and south.

istrative approval of:

■ Curb cuts that violate provisions of the Comprehensive Plan and the Engineering Design Criteria Manual pertaining to and promoting the existence and maintenance of pedestrian walkways and bicycle lanes in the downtown area

The partnership of Property Markets Group of Miami and MoneyShow of Sarasota — collectively Quay 1 and 9 — appealed the Dec. 20 Planning Board adjustment to allow a departure from the city’s zoning code regarding the curb cut to allow 33 feet in width, nine feet wider than permitted. Kolter plans to use the driveway for two towers it plans to build on the site, currently on record as 224 condominiums and 166 hotel rooms.

With little discussion, once the lengthy quasi-judicial hearing was closed, commissioners affirmed the Planning Board decision by a 4-1 vote, with Jen Ahearn-Koch opposed.

The appeal was specifically about the width of the driveway, which Quay 1 and 9 argued would pose a hazard to pedestrians besides being 37% wider than permitted. It brought into the argument multiple other matters, including the admin-

■ Interference with both Quay 1 and 9 and the public’s pedestrian experience and access to the MultiUse Recreational Trail and to the bay, including vistas of the water

■ Claims the Kolter’s commissioned traffic study was outdated and inaccurate.

To the latter, Quay 1 and 9 attorney Tyler Stall attempted to enter into the record a traffic study it commissioned. However, it came in past the deadline of 10 days before the hearing to be considered per city code. Before beginning his presentation, Stall countered his firm prepared the study as quickly as possible after his clients learned of the hearing’s earlier date.

To that, Kolter attorney Brenda Patten accused Quay 1 and 9 of gamesmanship, and including the report in the hearing would violate her client’s due process. City Attorney Emeritus Robert Fournier advised the commissioners they would include the study at their discretion.

“It was dated March 11, and it was filed after the 10-day deadline,” Patten said. “In fact, it’s not even in your agenda package because it was filed too late. We found it just last Friday afternoon searching the city’s records, otherwise we would not have found it.”

Mohsen Salehi of Fort Myers, who prepared the study, was permitted to address the commission, providing both city staff and Kolter Urban had opportunity to rebut.

“One of the items that jumped at me was the old data that was used from Feb. 1, 2024,” Salehi said. “I don’t see any reason why much more up-to-date data collection wouldn’t have been possible for the developer.” Kolter Urban’s report was also incomplete, he said, because it did not factor other uses, such as trip generations generated by projects currently underway in The Quay nor by planned restaurants and the hotel ballroom.

Both city staff and Patten rejected Salehi’s findings. Assistant City Engineer Alyssa Thomas told commissioners the city selected, managed and paid a firm to conduct Kolter Urban’s study, ensuring impartiality for the developer. She further said Salehi does not have a professional engineer license in Florida, and as such would deem invalid.

“(Kolter Urban’s) traffic study was performed by somebody who ranked in the top of our recent ranking that we have with our consultants,” Thomas said. “The comments made earlier here (by Salehi), I didn’t see it refuted by a licensed PE. I didn’t see any license-stamped documents.”

A number of comments made by affected parties and the general public focused on concerns about additional traffic the 1000 Boulevard of the Arts project would generate. The dead end Boulevard of the Arts west of U.S. Highway 41, they pointed out, already serves more than 700 residences and abuts The Bay park, and that frequently snarls traffic. This is

before the future completion of One Park and the second Ritz-Carlton Residences towers in The Quay.

They were also concerned about the U-turn movement required for much of the traffic accessing the relocated driveway. That turn is where a turn movement exists for the current Hyatt driveway. Patten pointed out, though, that the U-turn location is farther east on Boulevard of the Arts — where the current left turn occurs — and is not at the end of the road as some mistakenly believed.

Representatives from Patten and Kolter, backed by commissioners, expect further review of most issues, and objections from Quay 1 and 9, during the site plan approval process; city-mandated alterations are possible, but not guaranteed.

Although the site plan requires only administrative approval, the challenge from Quay 1 and 9 may not be over as it is considering appeal of the site plan as currently designed.

Said Property Markets Group CEO and President Kevin Maloney, “We are certainly aware that appealing the site plan is an option and we are looking into it.”

IN OTHER BUSINESS

During its March 17 meeting that began at 9 a.m. and went well into the evening, the City Commission did more than discuss the 1000 Boulevard of the Arts matter. In other business, the commission via consent agenda:

■ Authorized the release and termination of a city utility easement located within a public right-ofway to facilitate the construction Sarasota Station. The city no longer requires a utility easement over the alley for its existing utility facilities to remain.

The designation as a public right of way is sufficient to protect the city’s rights within the alley.

The plan for Sarasota Station is to include 67 market-rate townhomes and 202 affordable and workforcepriced apartments.

■ Amended the budget for the current fiscal year to establish a revenue and expenditure line in the amount of $125,110 within the Special Revenue Grant Fund for a United States Department of Energy grant for micromobility hubs. The project consists of implementing five micromobility hubs located throughout

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the city. The grant does not require a local match.

■ Amended the budget for the current fiscal year in the amount of $63 million within the Water and Sewer State Revolving Fund for funds received from the State Revolving Fund Loan Program for the U.S. Highway 41 Water Main Replacement Project and the Water Treatment Plant Water Quality Improvements Project Strategic Plan.

In August 2024 the state, through the State Revolving Fund loan program, awarded the city $113 million in low-interest loans for four projects. The budget amendment requests funding to be allocated for the U.S. 41 Water Main Replacement Project for $29 million and the Water Treatment Plant Water Quality Improvements Project Phase 2A for $34 million.

■ Amended the current fiscal year budget for the amount of $200,000 within the Special Revenue Grant Fund for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Local Trail Management Grant for the Multimodal Trail Network Expansion Project.

On Jan. 28, 2025, the city manager

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signed a standard grant agreement between the city of Sarasota and FDEP for the Local Trail Management Grant-Ringling Trail Project in the amount of $400,000. The project consists of widening the trench drains to allow for more water flow access to the drainage system so the trail is clear and safe for users. The grant requires a match of $200,000. This match of $200,000 is currently funded through multimodal transportation impact fees.

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A low interest State Revolving Fund loan from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection will fund the project. Construction will start in summer 2025 and the estimated completion in winter 2028.

■ Authorized execution of an agreement between the city and Archer Western Construction for Water Quality Improvements Phase 2A in the amount of $23.7 million at the 12-million-gallon-per-day water treatment plant at 1850 12th St.

A low interest State Revolving Fund loan from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection will fund the project. Construction will begin in summer 2025 and estimated completion in the summer 2027.

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City decides to revise SPAC pact

A twice-postponed implementation agreement between the city and the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation to be revisited before May 5.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Seeking the green light to advance to the next design phase for a new Sarasota Performing Arts Center, the status of the public-private joint venture remains decidedly yellow. The delayed and oft-revised implementation agreement between the city and the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation remains under revision as the Sarasota City Commission has parsed the language of the document that obligates both parties beyond the conceptual phase provided by project architect Renzo Piano Building Workshop.

As evening loomed near the end of a lengthy meeting with a complex hearing remaining, Monday’s discussion concluded with no resolu-

tion other than requested changes to make to the agreement to be brought at a special meeting to be held prior to the May 5 City Commission meeting. Much of the discussion focused on the cost of the project — now estimated at $365 million, $407 million including escalation — split equally between local government and the foundation. Whether the local government involvement includes Sarasota County remains to be seen. Of the total project cost, 50% is in public dollars, mostly revenues derived from the tax increment financing district around and near The Bay park, where the new SPAC would be located. Other public sources include penny tax revenue and local, state and federal grants. Should the county, which has thus far demonstrated little interest, choose to participate in the project,

the city and county would each cover 25%.

The interlocal agreement between the city and county dedicates the TIF revenue to The Bay park improvements and capital projects within it, as well as improvements to streets and accessibility around the park, making the SPAC eligible for that funding.

At current projections based on 2024 property taxes collected, the TIF would generate $376 million combined city and county revenue through its expiration in 2049. If the city has to go it alone, it would have $188 million, not including its remaining obligation to fund its portion of The Bay park buildout. That is currently in the second of three, perhaps four, phases. The city’s total obligation to the SPAC, minus the county, projects at upward of $383 million — $160 million in financing costs — including construction of parking facilities and site work.

The financing model shows $27 million in revenue from a $5 ticket surcharge to apply toward revenue bonds with parking revenue, which would be applied to a parking bond, to be determined.

The TIF revenue, though, is based on current tax value within the district. Foundation financial consultant Alex Stokes of HR&A Advisors, though, projects the TIF will generate $775 million by 2049, $387.5 million collected by the city. That estimation includes improvements as residential towers in The Quay either under construction or approved, the redevelopment of the Hyatt Regency and multiple other projects within the TIF district.

Taxes collected on the improved value of the properties, benchmarked against 2019 assessed value, is for The Bay park capital improvements.

“What we look at, and always have looked at from the beginning, are individual built property sites within the TIF district, what the city has approved, what’s under construction, what’s on the tax rolls that just started paying but wasn’t in the last year’s model,” said Bill Waddill of project consultant Kimley-Horne.

As for the philanthropic half of the financial equation, foundation CEO Tania Castroverde Moskalenko told commissioners the organization cannot begin to raise funds until the

city demonstrates its commitment to the project.

“They’re hesitant to make a commitment, whether it’s $50,000 or $10 million, without seeing a commitment from the city,” Castroverde Moskalenko said of donors. “This is one of the reasons why we are eager to get an approval of the implementation agreement, even if it is a conditional approval or a two-step approval, where we come back to you with an alternate design — an alternate site — so that we can start working on that philanthropic campaign.”

That “alternate site” is a location south of the 10th Street boat basin.

The current design places the main, 2,700-seat theater on a portion of the boat launch parking lot at Centennial Park and a multipurpose building hovering above the canal. To move the complex south, either resolve a view corridor restriction for two condominium buildings across Tamiami Trail or lower the building to remain below the 90-foot height restriction on any new structure on the current Van Wezel parking lot.

During discussion, Vice Mayor Debbie Trice sought assurances before the city signs off on the next phase of design, to keep the functionality plan of the new facility.

Throughout the hearing, Renzo Piano architect-in-charge of Kerry Joyce, here from his home office in Genoa, Italy, sat listening to the machinations of American local government at work. Invited by Castroverde Moskalenko to make a few remarks, he offered the assurance sought by Trice.

“I wanted to address some of the points you made earlier, vice mayor, and assure you that design is not a linear process,” Joyce said. “You’ve seen this in The Bay park Phase 1. It’s not that the very first design on paper is what we see. It’s a process that’s formed by many factors on the site, and we wouldn’t be good architects if we didn’t come here and ask questions.

“We asked questions of the city commissioners. We asked questions of our clients, both on the city side and the foundation side,” he continued. “We’ve done this process. It happens on every project we do across the world. All the concerns that you raised will be addressed.”

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Serious questions for Fauci

Dr. Anthony Fauci was deceitful and dishonest throughout the pandemic.

During his Ringling Town Hall Q&A, he should be asked for the truth.

To their credit, the organizers of the Ringling College Town Hall Lecture Series over the decades have attracted as speakers some of the most powerful and influential world leaders in modern times.

That is quite extraordinary for a small arts college and its library association in the minor market of Sarasota.

As many long-time Town Hall attendees know, however, more often than not, these world and national leaders seldom reveal, or have revealed, inner-circle details and never-been-told newsworthy information. For obvious reasons, to an extent.

What’s more, attendees also have witnessed speakers such as John Brennan and James Comey avoid addressing what the audiences really wanted to hear — the truth.

On April 14, the Town Hall audience should expect more of the same — more obfuscation and evasion — when Dr. Anthony Fauci takes the stage. He has been the master of dishonest discourse over the past five years.

Indeed, among the most accomplished doctors and scientists from around the world agree unequivocally that the following is true:

Dr. Anthony Fauci is the, or one of the, most deceptive and dishonest American public servants in modern history. The evidence is irrefutable.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and a team of lawyers present documented evidence in their book, “The Real Anthony Fauci,” which we urge you to read. Likewise, similar evidence is documented in “The Pfizer Papers,” by Naomi Wolf and Amy Kelly, another book worth reading.

Dr. Peter McCullough, the nation’s most published physician in the field of kidney-cardiac disease and a pioneer in creating effective nonvaccine, life-saving treatments for COVID-19, told us:

“Of the 1.2 million Americans who died with COVID-19, it’s my estimate 85% could’ve been saved by early treatment protocols that Dr. Anthony Fauci strongly suppressed.

“To make matters worse, Fauci was a relentless promoter of the disastrous COVID-19 vaccines … Sadly, we have between 550,000 to 600,000 Americans who have died as a result of COVID-19 vaccination. Fauci, in my view, is guilty of two crimes: fraud and mass negligent homicide.”

So, after Dr. Fauci delivers his lecture to the Town Hall audience April 14, rather than lob him the usual, nonconfrontational questions during the Q&A session, we have composed 33 detailed questions to which Fauci owes answers to the world and American people. We’re publishing 17 of the questions on this page. To read all 33, go to YourObserver.com/Opinion.

WUHAN & LOCKDOWNS

■ 1) Why did you deny your/ NIH’s role in the gain of function research associated with SARSCoV-2?

■ 2) Why did you so vehemently deny the Wuhan lab leak “theory” (now considered to be a fact) when all evidence showed it was most likely that COVID-19 got introduced into the human population?

■ 3) Why did you recommend social distancing when it had no scientific basis and was only based on a high school science experiment by a New Mexican teenager?

■ 4) Why did you support closing schools, as well, downplaying the mental and educational fallout to children, knowing the minuscule risk of COVID-19 to that age group, as well as the extremely small risk of them transmitting it to other age groups?

FAILURE OF HEALTH AGENCIES

■ 5) Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in “The Real Anthony Fauci,” wrote that not once in your press briefings from March to May 2020 did you ever instruct Americans how to bolster their immune response to COVID. Not once did you mention avoiding tobacco, to get plenty of sunlight, maintain adequate Vitamin D levels, lose weight or avoid sugar, soft drinks, processed foods and chemical residues, all of which amplify inflammation and compromise your immune responses.

Nor did you advise the use of zinc, which has been a widely peerreviewed antidote to viral replication. Said Dr. Pierre Kory, a widely acclaimed critical care specialist: “It is absolutely shocking that he recommended no outpatient care, not even Vitamin D, despite the fact he takes it himself and much of the country is Vitamin D deficient.”

Why did you not advise Americans of these steps?

■ 6) By Sept. 30, 2021, the U.S., with 4% of the world’s population, suffered 14.5% of total COVID deaths worldwide — 2,107 per 1,000,000, the highest death rate.

Now consider the following comment:

Dr. McCullough told RFK: “Using repurposed drugs (e.g. ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine), we could have ended this pandemic by May 2020 and saved 500,000 American lives.”

How do you respond to that statement?

■ 7) Dr. Kory: “The outcome we should have been trying to prevent is hospitalizations. You don’t just sit around and wait for an infected patient to become ill. Dr. Fauci’s treatment strategies all began once all these under-medicated patients were hospitalized. By that time, it was too late for many of them. It was insane. It was perverse. It was unethical.”

Please comment.

DISCREDITING HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE

■ 8) The Philippines, Poland, Israel, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Niger, Congo, Ivory Coast, Bangladesh, Senegal, Pakistan, Serbia, Nigeria and Ukraine, among other nations, all allowed access to hydroxychloroquine.

published in the world’s premier, scientific journal, the Lancet. In contrast, RFK reported your remdesivir study was not peer reviewed. What’s more, he reported that as you were sitting in the Oval Office one day, in spite of having knowledge of the Chinese abandonment of remdesivir, you claimed your study had proven remdesivir so remarkably beneficial to COVID-19 patients that you decided it would be unethical to deny Americans benefits of this wonder drug. Will you admit that during that Oval Office pronouncement you were deceiving the American people? Or, explain otherwise.

KILLER VACCINES

■ 12) Why didn’t you and NIH disclose all of the many known adverse events, including death, of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, including those reported by clinicians in the clinical trial post-marketing documentation?

■ 13) From “The Pfizer Papers:”

and Andrew Hill presented data to the National Institutes of Health COVID-19 Treatment Guideline Panel, with Kory testifying that: “IVM could reduce hospitalizations by almost 90% and deaths by almost 75%. If hydroxychloroquine and IVM had been widely used instead of systematically suppressed, we could have prevented at least 500,000 deaths and 4.8 million hospitalizations.”

And yet, in the face of persistent evidence of the effectiveness of IVM, your organization (NIAID), the FDA, CDC, the European Medical Association and the WHO all issued statements advising against the use of ivermectin for COVID-19.

Why did all of you sabotage the use of ivermectin? The evidence is overwhelming that you did.

■ 10) Consider these statistics:

According to court filings by attorney Andrew Schlafly, who represented the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, “The mortality rate from COVID-19 in these countries that allowed access to hydroxychloroquine is only onetenth the mortality rate in countries where there has been interference with this medication.”

And yet you, public health agencies and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation persisted in denying Americans access to this drug. Will you admit and acknowledge that with all of the worldwide data that existed in 2020, you knew the drug was effective?

Furthermore, will you admit you, the HHS, FDA, the WHO, the Gates Foundation and major pharmaceutical companies all participated in an intentional campaign to discredit hydroxychloroquine, even though all of you knew that it was effective in treating the early onset of COVID-19 in 2020?

If your answer is you will not admit that, how can you convince us that you are not lying?

DISCREDITING IVERMECTIN

■ 9) Throughout 2020, there were multiple legitimate studies confirming the effectiveness of ivermectin. In addition, countries all over the world were reporting how ivermectin was hugely successful in reducing the outbreak and deaths from COVID-19.

In January 2021, well into the pandemic, three leading COVID-19 physicians, Drs. Kory, Paul Marik

In more than 30 years, ivermectin has been associated with only 379 reported deaths — a death per dose reporting ratio of one to 10,584,408.

In contrast, over the 18 months after remdesivir received emergency use authorization, about one-and-a-half million patients received the drug, with a death per dose reporting ratio of one per 1,000.

Among recipients of COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. during the 10 months after their rollout, 17,000 deaths occurred following vaccination — a reported death per dose ratio of one per 13,250.

Ivermectin, therefore, is thousands of times safer than Remdesivir and the vaccines.

But even as late as Aug. 29, 2021, during a CNN interview you said: “There is no evidence whatsoever that ivermectin works.”

When will you acknowledge to the American people that you lied to them, and that instead of promoting two effective drugs, you promoted drugs and vaccines that were thousand times less safe and less effective than hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin?

DEADLY REMDESIVIR

■ 11) A Chinese study showed remdesivir ineffective at keeping hospitalized patients alive or reducing the duration of hospitalizations. The Chinese study also confirmed severe deadly toxicity.

The Chinese shuttered its remdesivir trial because of its potentially lethal side effects.

This study was a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled, multicenter, peer reviewed study

“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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“By the time Pfizer’s vaccine rolled out to the public, the pharmaceutical giant knew that it would be killing babies and significantly harming women and men’s reproduction. The material in the documents makes it clear that damaging human’s ability to reproduce and causing spontaneous abortions of babies is ‘not a bug; it is a feature.’” Why were Americans not informed of this?

■ 14) Why did you or public health officials not report to the American people that Pfizer knew within three months that its vaccines did not work to stop COVID, that, in fact, its vaccines were linked to a myriad of adverse vents?

■ 15) Why weren’t the American people informed that by April 2021 Pfizer knew that its injections damaged the hearts of young people?

■ 16) We could go on and on with questions about horrific stories of people who are suffering, have suffered and died from the mRNA vaccines.

Here is the key question: You and other federal officials, along with the pharmaceutical companies, knew about the risks and likely adverse effects of these vaccines. And yet you did not inform the public. Rather, you spent millions and millions of taxpayers’ dollars to shame every American into getting jabbed with these faulty drugs.

Why did you not tell the American people the truth?

■ 17) Final question: In the March 4 edition of the Wall Street Journal, Scott W. Atlas, a COVID-19 adviser to President Trump during the pandemic and a senior fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, wrote:

“Failure to demand and issue official statements of truth about the pandemic management after the devastation endured by millions would eliminate all accountability. And accountability is just what we need to restore trust in institutions and among fellow citizens.

“What about setting the record straight, officially recognizing the truth, demanding accountability?”

Are you, Dr. Fauci, willing to apologize tonight to the American people that you purposefully misled them and were wrong about hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin, remdesivir and the mRNA vaccines?

Postscript: Sadly, there has been no accountability and no one held accountable for what Naomi Wolf’s book, “The Pfizer Papers,” calls “Crimes against humanity.”

Dr. Pierre Kory is one of the courageous warriors and heroes who fought for the use of hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin and helped create life-saving protocols as a founding member of the FLCCC. He was severely ostracized from the medical establishment — and still is, as are Drs. McCullough, Paul Marik and many others. Being on the front line of this worldwide tragedy and travesty, Kory told RFK Jr. that he has seen first-hand “some of the worst people in human history. They are responsible for the deaths of millions.”

And with no accountability.

Amy Kelly, one of the authors of “The Pfizer Papers,” contributed to this report.

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County breaks ground on Kensington Park

The site of a former wastewater plant will become a new county park by summer.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

By this summer, a blighted area of open space in the heart of the Kensington Park neighborhood will undergo a rebirth as a new community park. Sarasota County held a groundbreaking ceremony on March 13 for the project, which District 1 County Commissioner Teresa Mast said the residents have been awaiting almost a decade. In 2016, the Sarasota County Commission accepted the Kensington Park neighborhood plan, which included a priority project to convert a portion of a decommissioned wastewater treatment facility site into a neighborhood park.  Located on the southeast corner of the intersection of 27th Parkway and Monica Parkway, the county acquired the 3.48-acre site from Aqua Utilities Florida in 2013 as part of a multiple asset acquisition. The county demolished the plant in 2020. Approximately three miles northeast of downtown Sarasota, the Kensington Park neighborhood began development in the 1950s by Paver Construction Co., across

Lockwood Ridge Road from the Glen Oaks community, then the winter home of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus.

The park will cover approximately 1.1 acres of the tract. Based on the feedback from Kensington Park residents, it will include perimeter and privacy fencing and gates, a parking area with ADA accessible parking, open grass areas, concrete sidewalks, picnic tables with ADA seating, grills, trash and recycling receptacles, benches and playgrounds for ages 2-5 and ages 5-12.

“This community, for the longest time, had what we’d call a blighted area right here on this property,” said Mast.

“When I was working for Sarasota County, I fielded many phone calls that expressed they were not happy about that blight in the middle of their community, and they wanted something done about it. The community said we are willing to own it. We are willing to work for it.”

DMK Associates of Venice completed design of the park. The contractor is Sully’s LLC of Venice.

The project is part of the Surtax III program, which extended an added sales tax through 2024 and applies toward countywide capital and infrastructure improvement projects. The total cost of the project, including design and construction, is $810,271.

Finding community in Farmers Market

When looking for a nice place to live after graduating from Florida State University, I knew what I was looking for: a warm, walkable city with a strong sense of community. I knew Florida would be warm, and by choosing to live downtown, I ensured it would be walkable. Shortly after graduation, I moved to Sarasota without knowing anyone and hadn’t found my community — until I discovered the Sarasota Farmers Market. On my first visit to the market, I was amazed by its scale. Coming from Miami, I had underestimated what this city had to offer, but I was quickly blown away. With over 80 vendors, I wandered from stall to stall, attracted by new smells and sounds. The scent of fresh bread and fresh flowers filled the air, live music played in the background. Vendors, many of whom have spent years side by side, greeted each other like old friends.

As a new resident, they welcomed me, too — not just with their products, but with stories of Sarasota. Those same vendors are now the ones I return to, week after week, for both goods and conversation.

The Sarasota Farmers Market isn’t just a marketplace — it’s a cornerstone of community in Sarasota.

JAMES MYRTETUS

SARASOTA

Keep The Ringling under FSU stewardship

I have just read your March 6, 2025, Opinion from the Longboat Observer regarding the possible transfer of the Ringling Museum to New College of Florida. As a past chair and board member of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Foundation, I am deeply disturbed by the prospect of this transfer. I cannot think of a worse thing that could happen to The Ringling. I visited the museum when it was under the stewardship of the secretary of state’s office, and there were 50-gallon trash cans collecting

rainwater in the Rubens Gallery!

FSU President Sandy D’Alemberte appointed me to the board in 2003. When he agreed to take control of the museum, D’Alemberte requested the Legislature provide funds to cover the deferred maintenance at the museum and for several projects that were in the planning stages.  When these funds were approved, the FSU Board of Trustees released one-half of the funds and challenged the Ringling Foundation trustees to confirm they could raise the funds that would help with the projects and cover the increased operating costs of the expanded Ringling campus.

I worked with the Foundation Chair, Vern Buchanan, and the other board members to raise the required funds in fewer than 12 months. These funds were used for the McKay Visitors Center, the Searing Wing, the Tibbals Learning Center and the restoration of the Ca’ d’Zan.

Thank goodness for the hard work and foresight of Bob Johnson, Bob Blalock, John McKay and Sandy D’Alemberte.

I do not believe that New College has the capacity to manage the Ringling Museum, maintain its facilities and continue the high level of programming that has been and should be provided in the future to the citizens of and visitors to Florida.

As the State Museum of Florida, the Ringling Museum needs to remain part of FSU.

FRANK “SANDY” RIEF III TAMPA

SEND US YOUR LETTERS Have something to tell us? Send your letters to Michael Harris at MHarris@ YourObserver.com.

If you or a family you know would like to discuss options for services, cremation, Life Story Celebrations, or returning to their home state up north, we have answers available.

One Stop’s Sarasota Station moves one step closer

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

After a decade of the Vengroff family attempting to build affordable housing on its property in the Park East community, a development partner has taken a significant step in making Sarasota Station a reality.

On Wednesday, the Sarasota Planning Board approved by identical 4-1 votes the final plat and alley and utility easement vacations for a 69-unit townhome development on 3.19 acres of the Sarasota Station property. The project street addresses are 300 Audubon Place and 2211 Fruitville Road.

The sale of the parcel for Audubon Townhomes, planned by development company S.S. Sasquatch principal Paxton Kinol, will help fund the 202 affordable and workforce-priced rental apartments planned by One Stop Housing.

The lone dissenter among the Planning Board was Terrill Salem, who declined to support the applications for lack of clarity during the meeting of the bedroom mix of the 92 affordable housing units among the 202 apartments, identified as phases 1 and 2 of Sarasota Station. Audubon Townhomes is identified as Phase 3 of Sarasota Station, but will be developed first.

Phase 1 and 2, One Stop Housing CEO and Managing Partner Mark Vengroff told the Observer, will be built at the same time.

Member Douglas Christy, as did the rest of the Planning Board, took the position that the affordable apartment bedroom mix was irrelevant to the matter at hand, which was clearing the way for the townhomes.

“There are issues in this application that relate to, as I understand it, the Phase 1 and Phase 2, but the bulk of what we discussed today is the Phase 3, which has no (affordable housing) component to it,” Christy said.

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Since the late Harvey Vengroff introduced Sarasota Station as a concept in 2015, the project has frequently morphed as the founder of One Stop Housing made multiple attempts to bring it to fruition. His son, Mark Vengroff, made the decision to divide the 16-acre site into a hybrid market rate/affordable housing concept to assemble the capital stack necessary for the project.

The sale of the land for the Audubon Townhomes netted One Stop Housing $11 million.

The 92 affordable apartments are required by the city’s affordable housing ordinance to be priced as attainable to households earning 120% or below area median income. Vengroff said it is his intention for most of the affordable units to be below the 80% AMI threshold.

To punctuate the railroad theme of the project, the iconic diner Bob’s Train will relocate on the site and continue to operate. Vengroff said One Stop Housing is working with Sarasota County on details of an agreement for a $15 million federal Community Development Block Grant via the Resilient SRQ program.

“Once this is completed, we will be ready to finalize our building plan permits and start moving forward with construction,” Vengroff said.

STEPSTOBEACH

You’ve dreamed of building your own custom island home for years, but the idea of dedicating three years to making that dream a reality can feel overwhelming. Seaward Homes has the solution: 1212 Center Place in Lido Shores.

This custom-designed home, just steps from your private beach access, is now available. Built by Sarasota’s premier home builder, Seaward Homes, this property is part of our exclusive Seaward Curated Collection. We take pride in delivering a very limited number of custom homes each year, ranging from 5,000 to 20,000 square feet, West of the Trail and on the Sarasota islands.. Our business model focuses on delivering fewer homes while maintaining the highest quality. A reputation we’ve built over the past 30 years.

• 5 bedrooms | 6 bathrooms | 2-car oversized garage nearly 5,000 sq ft

• Exciting 1,100 sq ft rooftop terrace with views of Sarasota Bay the Gulf of Mexico, and the Ringling Bridge

• Concrete and block masonry

• High quality hurricane safety glass throughout

• First floor master suite

• Large second floor family room and dry bar, perfect for guests

• Yoga room or art studio

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• 8’ solid interior doors with Emtek hardware

We use only the finest materials, collaborate with top consultants and trades, and leverage the latest technologies to ensure every detail of each project is a success. Our Seaward Curated homes feature elevated first-floor designs, superior concrete structural elements, and glass systems that often exceed code requirements-ensuring beauty, strength, and durability. Additionally, we offer clients construction schedules, open-book pricing, and a dedicated full-time project manager for added peace of mind. May we assist you with your new build? Seaward Homes would love to talk to you about building your Dream Home. 941.323.0033

• Large designer format 24x48 porcelain tile

• European hardwood floors on the second floor

• Designer quartzite stone countertops in the kitchen

• Cucine Ricci custom fabricated Italian cabinets throughout

• Designer Hansgrohe plumbing fixtures

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• AV package including home security, shade prewire, and security cameras

• Summer kitchen with stainless steel appliances

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• Gorgeous pool, with waterfall feature and built-in spa

Bill aims to increase boating safety

A bill known as ‘Lucy’s Law’ would increase penalties for reckless driving and implement new education requirements.

According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida leads the nation in boating fatalities, averaging 65 per year.

A new bill currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee would impose stricter regulations on boating activities.

House Bill 289 or “Lucy’s Law,” would bring changes that include increasing penalties for crashes because of reckless boating and for driving a boat under the influence, requiring violators to take a boating education course, and requiring fines for noncriminal infractions.

The legislation is named after 17-year-old Luciana Fernandez, who died during a 2022 crash in Miami, which also left other passengers injured, including now permanently disabled 18-year-old Katerina Puig. Sarasota boaters were supportive of the push for more safety.

Cmdr. Barbara Warshaw of the Sarasota Power & Sail Squadron, a boating safety organization that teaches safety courses, said boating should have the same safety requirements as driving a car.

“We see too many unnecessary accidents and deaths and people being hurt because they don’t know what they’re doing on the water, and it really is our fault because ... we don’t mandate them to be educated on how to operate a boat safely ... ” she said. “We’re dedicated to educating our community so that people will be safe on the water.”

“Unfortunately, states do this after learning a terrible but large lesson,” said John O’Keefe, a registered captain with the U.S. Coast Guard who

boats in Sarasota and created the app YachtWave.

He also criticized current laws, which require a safety course only if drivers of a vessel of 10 horsepower or more are born during or after 1988.

“That’s the ridiculous part of it ... ” he said. “The people that have a million to two million to buy a boat are probably over the age of 38,” he said.

O’Keefe said he did not think the legislation was strong enough and that current laws were “really not taking the education process seriously enough.”

“If you’re in New Jersey, New York or Connecticut, you have to sit in a proctored room and take a test,” he said. “Here, you can go online and take it.”

Jan Solomon of local sailing charter Key Sailing appreciates the bill.

“We applaud their courage, and this bill,” Solomon wrote. “Those of us who run professional sailing, fishing and dinner charters from Marina Jack have noticed a rapid increase in boating on Sarasota Bay, especially during spring break.

“We are pleased to note that in our area, at least basic instruction is given to those who are given keys to a rental. We know which companies are going over and above current requirements. But lack of experience mixed with a lack of safety instruction is dangerous enough without adding alcohol to the mix. Lucy’s Law is a necessary first step.”

Make A Plan.

It Makes a Difference.

Taking a few moments now can make a significant difference for your loved ones down the road. From removing the stress and financial burdens to fulfilling your exact wishes for your celebration of life, pre-planning is the best gift you can give your family.

We’re here to help. Give us a call today to start the conversation.

Mira Mar developer accused of scare tactics

Seaward Development paints scenario of twin 18-story towers to provide capital to preserve the Mira Mar building.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

To save the locally historic designated Mira Mar building on South Palm Avenue, Sarasota-based Seaward Development needs to maximize the bulk of the property to set aside the more than $30 million needed to rebuild the structure from the inside out.

To do that, Seaward needs the city to approve both a comprehensive plan amendment and a rezoning to allow it to build two tapered, 18-story towers on land between the structure and Mira Mar Court, where current the Downtown Core zone permits only 10 stories. This despite the 18-story Demarcay immediately to the north on a site zoned Downtown Bayfront.

Zoning for the Mira Mar is the lower intensity Downtown Core. That was the subject of a lengthy discussion at the March 12 Planning Board meeting, which because its self-imposed stopping time of 6 p.m. expired, is continued to Wednesday, April 9.

The options presented by Seaward are either the two condo buildings with setbacks from the lot line with a tapered design both vertically and horizontally to allow light and air between them; or a 10-story apartment “cube” built lot line to lot line and merely maintaining, not rehabbing, the Mira Mar until the wood structure on sand foundation eventually crumbles.

Although it has stood for 100 years, the two-story Mira Mar, with its 400-foot span along Palm Avenue, is showing signs of self-demolition and is only a matter of time, according to the developer.

Planning Board member Shane Lamay said the either/or scenario comes across as something of a threat, a sentiment echoed by some nearby residents who spoke during the public comments portion of the quasi-judicial hearing.

Rather than a threat, Seaward Development Principal and CEO Patrick DiPinto characterized it as more of a reality check. If the community desires a full restoration of the Mira Mar, the financial model of the condo towers is the only one that works.

“With an apartment building, the numbers barely work,” DiPinto said. “There is no sales element. With 18-story buildings with some views up on top, we can increase the sales prices and then put that revenue back into the building. That is the only mechanism that provides the dollars to save the Mira Mar.

“It’s not like we haven’t tried to fix the building,” DiPinto continued. “There are no foundations, so we would have to clear all the tenants, rip out the floors and put the foundations in, so it’s not just a fix. We either invest the $30 million and save the building, or it’s on limited time.”

DiPinto’s statement was in rebuttal to some public comments previ-

ously made by nearby residents who said they were opposed to the rezoning.

Among them was Derek Paquin, who said he purchased a condo on the upper floor of the Demarcay to protect his investment. He doesn’t want another 18-story tower next door. He also took exception with Seaward’s claim that either option will result in similar density.

“I don’t buy the 18 stories for extra money to preserve those buildings,” Paquin said. “I think it was very telling when the architect or somebody says there’s less volume on 18 than there is in 10. So let’s make it 10. That’s what it’s been zoned for. That’s what people made their decisions on.”

Steve Martinucci, who lives in the 101 Condominium directly across Palm Avenue from the Mira Mar, accused Seaward of deploying scare tactics during its community workshops by presenting the alternative as a “10-story brick” and perhaps preserving only the facade of the Mira Mar rather than the entire structure.

“They paint this gruesome picture,” Martinucci said of the apartment building option, adding the towers will “dwarf” his condo.

“Then we can longer see out. We are now being encapsulated by the twin towers that are going to be there. The question is, if they’re not able to do that and they put the one-story brick in there, do they still have to leave the Mira Mar as is and build behind it? If that’s the case, that would be awesome, because it will still all be set back.”

That is not necessarily the case, as setbacks from the lot line are not required by code. Fellow 101 Condominium resident Jim Toale supports the Seaward plan.

“I will vote for height every single time over mass,” Toale said. He compared Seaward’s apartment building option to One Palm on Palm Avenue across McAnsh Court from the Mira Mar, “Which is basically just a big cube,” he said. “One of the advantages of this project is it sits back behind the historic property, and the developer has been pretty frank that it has to be a financially successful project to have the $29 million to do this renovation.”

The Planning Board’s decision on the Mira Mar is a recommendation to the City Commission, which must first approve the Comprehensive Plan Amendment by a 4-1 vote — initially to refer it to Tallahassee for comment and then a second vote to approve — followed by the rezoning by simple majority.

March 22, 2025

COMING SOON

Emerson Lakes Is Now Accepting Reservations.

Our first phase of construction is now underway. It includes the beautiful Coral Ridge Clubhouse and three residence buildings: Sandhill Point, anticipated to open in the fall of 2026, followed by Laguna Springs and Mangrove Run, opening in the first half of 2027.

At Emerson Lakes, Every Day Is a Holiday

Here are just a few resort-style amenities you can expect:

• Multiple dining venues

• Outdoor pool with a walk-up bar

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• Pickleball and bocce ball courts

• Outdoor fitness center with meditation garden

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A Financial Structure You Can Count On

Our community’s smart financial structure will provide peace of mind and security by streamlining most bills into an easy monthly payment. Your Monthly Service Package covers:

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A New Community With Decades of History

When you start a life at Emerson Lakes, you’ll be part of a community you can trust. The Erickson Senior Living network of managed communities has provided quality care for seniors like you across the nation for more than 40 years. Our track record is one you can count on.

SATURDAY, MARCH 8

12:08 p.m., 2000 block of Adams Lane Lewd and lascivious: A complainant advised an officer that there were two males in Laurel Park engaged in intimate acts and exposing themselves to the public. The officer spoke with the amorous couple who both admitted they were “being touchy” with each other, to which they were advised it was improper decorum to engage in such conduct outdoors within view of the public.

As for the exposure, it did not appear it was being directed toward, but perhaps was in view of, the public.

Both were issued trespassing warnings from the park.

MONDAY, MARCH 10

DOOR JAMMED

12:05 a.m., Freedom Avenue at Bee Ridge Road

Disturbance: The victim advised an officer that his girlfriend kicked the passenger door of his vehicle, resulting in damage. The man said the two engaged in a verbal kerfuffle, at which time the woman requested he pull over, to which he complied. After exiting the vehicle, she kicked the door three times. The man said he exited the vehicle to survey the damage and was unable to open the door due to the dents.

The subject told the officer she did nothing wrong, at best comprehension because of her slurred speech and droopy eyes. She also could not answer questions regarding the incident and instead spoke about the couple’s relationship issues. In the end, the complainant said he did not wish to pursue charges.

DAMSEL IN DISTRESS

1:01 a.m., 1500 block of Main Street

Sarasota Memorial Presents

Intoxicated person: While on patrol, an officer encountered a woman lying on the curb at North Pineapple Avenue and Main Street, where a man appeared to attempting to help her upright. While being held up by her arms, the man continually attempted to answer the officer’s questions directed toward the woman. When told to let her speak for herself, he rolled his eyes, according to the incident report.

As the woman continued swaying and showing signs of disorientation and intoxication, she identified

FREE LECTURE SERIES

Maintaining Vascular Health The Signs, The Screening & The Solutions

From the aorta to the smallest capillaries, the human body contains approximately 60,000 miles of blood vessels. Carrying oxygen and nutrients while removing waste, the circulatory system is a wonder of biological logistics — and a lot of ground to cover for the vascular surgeons and specialists at Sarasota Memorial. Join our vascular experts this month as they discuss the importance of screening, modern management of vascular disease, and the latest in surgical innovation. A brief Q&A will follow each presentation.

Tuesday, April 1, 4:30-5:30pm

} Ryan S. Suplee, MD, RPVI - Lower Extremity Swelling – Causes and Treatments

Thursday, April 3, 4:30-5:30pm

} Jason K., Wagner, MD, FACS, FSVS, RPVI - Carotid Disease

Tuesday, April 15, 4:30-5:30pm

} Richard C., Hershberger, MD, FACS, RVT, RPVI - Vascular Disease and You – To Screen or Not to Screen

Thursday, April 17, 4:30-5:30pm

} Inkyong K., Parrack, MD, FACS, RPVI - Lower Extremity Pain – Treatment Options

Thursday, April 24, 4:30-5:30pm

} Jeffrey Edwards, MD, FACS, RPVI - Minimally Invasive Aortic Surgery: Advancing Care with New Technology

THURSDAY, MARCH 6

TIRE(D) OF FALSE COMPLAINTS

9 a.m., 1300 block of Boulevard of the Arts

Dispute: A repeat complainant told an officer his ex-wife had, yet again, slashed his tires although, as usual, he could not demonstrate any damage. Although all tires were inflated, he reiterated his formerly betrothed was responsible for the inapparent damage. The officer explained that he and other officers have watched the security footage and saw no one near his vehicle, proving his ex-wife was not a legitimate suspect of the damage that did not exist. The only marks the complainant could show appeared as normal wear and tear. In addition to being told there was no damage, he was further advised that further such reports lacking any evidence may result in criminal charges against him.

the man as her boyfriend. Unable to identify where their car or home were, the man said they were heading to their hotel, although he could not say which one. His inability to identify their hotel and the way he was trying to assist the woman, which resembled dragging her along, were concerning as he continued to speak over her when questioned and attempting to carry her away while they were speaking.

Two more officers arrived at the scene to assist in separating the two so the initial responding officer could question the woman alone. That’s when the woman became uncooperative, dropped toward the ground and began to flail while being restrained for her own safety. She was eventually guided into a cruiser and taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital. Meanwhile, the other officers on the scene interviewed the man, learning that he does not, in fact, know the woman and they had just met. The report does not specify any action regarding the man.

SPORTS

FAST BREAK

Championships through March 22.

ormer Riverview High

Fswimmer Emma Weyant will represent the University of Florida at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in three events — the 500 freestyle, the 1,650 freestyle and the 400 IM. Weyant will compete in the 500 freestyle on March 20, the 400 IM on March 21 and the 1,650 freestyle on March 22.

The events will be broadcast on ESPN+.

... Two of the top prep softball teams in the Sarasota area needed an extra inning to decide the outcome. In the end, Riverview (10-0) prevailed over Sarasota (7-4) with a squeeze play in which Makenzie Carcifero bunted home Nicolette Forkan to win 7-6 in eight innings. The Rams are now ranked as the No. 17 overall team in the state per MaxPreps.

... The Cardinal Mooney beach volleyball team has won four straight matches since opening the season with a 3-2 loss to Charlotte High. The Cougars (4-1) swept Sarasota and Calvary Christian on backto-back days from March 10 and 11.

... Riverview’s beach volleyball team (5-0) extended its undefeated start with a 5-0 win over The Classical Academy of Sarasota on March 11 and a 4-1 win over Sarasota Christian on March 12.

... The Riverview High track and field team hosted the Ram Invite on March 13 and finished well on its home turf. The girls team took first among 17 teams and the boys placed third among 14. The Rams girls had first-place finishes by Ella Dabringhaus (1:01.37 in 400-meter run), Evelyn Saxton (1.52 meters in high jump), Kyrsten Montas (10.53 meters in triple jump) and the 4x400 relay team — Dabringhaus Lyla Johnson Addy Miller Noelle Tenaglia — with a time of 4:12.80.

“I hit my first home run on the big field with my wood bat team. It was my first game with my new summer team and I hit one out.”

Fourth-generation Sailor Mark Metcalf returned to Sarasota to spark the Sailors.

VINNIE PORTELL STAFF WRITER

The last name Metcalf has become synonymous with Sarasota High School over the past 90-plus years.

Mark Metcalf is doing his best to make sure it stays that way.

Beginning in the 1930s with Roland Metcalf, there have now been four generations of Sailors baseball players thanks to Mark’s determination to keep his family legacy alive.

However, when Mark’s father, Mike, moved the family up to Tallahassee, those dreams seemed as if they might never come true.

“I was out here (at Sarasota High) since I could walk,” Mark said. “Ever since I can remember, I’ve been out here fielding ground balls with the older guys and looking up to them. (Moving away) was really tough. It was something I thought about all the time.”

Mark, now a junior in high school, persuaded his parents to let him move back to Sarasota this year so he could finally play for the Sailors.

It’s likely no coincidence that Sarasota (11-3-1) has turned back into a winning team following one of its worst seasons in program history last year.

A LEGACY LIVES ON

When Roland Metcalf went to Sarasota, baseball was just a club sport, but that’s far from the case today.

The Sailors are regarded as one of the most storied prep baseball teams in the state. They’ve won eight state championships — tied for fourth in state history — and have sent countless athletes to play beyond high school.

Roland’s son, Clyde Metcalf, is a big reason that came to be.

After his playing days at Sarasota were over, Clyde came back to coach the baseball team for 41 years and serve as the school’s athletic director for 22.

Clyde, now in the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame, won six state championships, two national championships and helped several of his baseball players go far beyond Sarasota High.

One of those players was his son, Mike Metcalf, who finished his playing days at the University of West Florida.

Mike followed in his father’s footsteps at first, coaching at Charlotte High and South Florida Community College. Then, for 11 years, he was a scout for the San Francisco Giants.

When Florida State University

Keeping the legacy alive

hired Mike as the recruiting coordinator in 2019, it looked as though Mark wouldn’t be able to live out his childhood dream of playing for Sarasota.

Mike moved his family to Tallahassee and they remain there today — except for Mark.

Mark played for Florida State University High School, beginning as an eighth grader in 2021 until this past year as a sophomore, and life was good.

In 2024, he hit .433 with 25 runs and 13 stolen bases in 21 games, and that was good enough to earn him a commitment to play for the University of North Florida.

There was just one problem. Mark wasn’t playing for Sarasota.

A CHANGE OF PLANS

Clyde said if not for Mike moving to Tallahassee, there’s a good chance he would remain at Sarasota.

Clyde retired after the 2022 season to spend more time with his wife, Jan, who had become ill, and so he could make trips to Tallahassee to visit his family.

Though Clyde is no longer coaching, he can shape at least one more high school baseball player.

Knowing his opportunity to play for the Sailors was growing less likely by the day, Mark pitched an idea to his parents: He’d move back to Sarasota to help his grandparents around the house and live out his dream of playing baseball as a Sailor.

“He brought it to our attention and then we had a lot of long conversations,” Mike Metcalf said. “It’s

really hard. When you get home and a quarter of your family is missing every night, that’s hard, but they all leave at some point, and the Sarasota community is very supportive.

If you’re gonna do it before they go to college, we couldn’t ask for a better support system.”

Having Mark in the house has encouraged Clyde to go out and watch more Sarasota baseball games, and he said having a 17-year-old around has given him and his wife a burst of energy.

Clyde said he tries his hardest not to be a “dinner-table coach” with Mark and steers their conversations toward school rather than baseball.

Mark said he views his grandfather as his mentor.

“It’s awesome. He’s like my best friend,” Mark said of Clyde. “We go home and talk. He’ll tell me little things I mess up on. We go out and hit all the time. It’s a great relationship.”

There have been some adjustments for Mark, the biggest one being his wake-up call.

He said school starts 30 minutes earlier for him now, which means he has to go to bed before 9 p.m. to be well-rested for his 5:45 a.m. wake-up.

Another difference is that baseball is “more intense” in this area, which means longer practices and tougher competition. So far, that’s been no issue for Metcalf.

SPARKING A TURNAROUND

Mark’s impact with the Sailors was immediate.

“That first game when we went to watch him play, I’m not a big emotional guy, but I got as close to emotional as I’m gonna get.” — Mike Metcalf said of watching Mark play for Sarasota

Locked in a 0-0 game with Palmetto in its preseason opener on Feb. 5 is where Metcalf made a difference.

After reaching on an error to open up the home half of the sixth inning, he stole both second and third before scoring on an error by the catcher. Sarasota won the game 1-0.

“That first game when we went to watch him play, I’m not a big emotional guy, but I got as close to emotional as I’m gonna get,” Mike said of watching Mark play for Sarasota. “It was cool seeing him in orange and black on the field where my dad helped put together the program that I played in and dear friends of mine played in.”

Starting off the season with a win like that was sorely needed.

The Sailors went 9-17 last season and were eliminated in the first game of the district tournament against North Port. It was one of the worst seasons in program history.

It already looks like the Sailors have put that well behind them.

Sarasota was missing an offensive spark last season, and Metcalf is providing that now. The team’s starting shortstop and often its leadoff hitter, Metcalf is leading the team in batting average (.435), runs (21), hits (20), walks (10) and stolen bases (13) through 15 games.

Mark said he thinks his baseball IQ and his speed — he said he runs a 60-yard dash in 6.2 seconds — are his best attributes.

Clyde agrees.

“He grew up around really good players and I think his baseball IQ is pretty high,” Clyde said. “He grew up on that field. He came to every camp we had. He would take pre-game BP with the team when he was 5 years old. He grew up in that dugout.”

Clyde added Mark is the best athlete of the Metcalfs, possessing a “fast-twitch muscle” that neither he nor Mike had.

As a team, Sarasota holds a No. 137 ranking in the state, which is far below its glory days, but it couldn’t be more fitting the Sailors are playing winning baseball with a Metcalf.

“Obviously, the goal is a state championship, but right now, it’s just game-by-game,” Metcalf said.

“My goal for today is to win tomorrow, and my goal for tomorrow is to win my next game. Big picture, I’d love to win a state championship, but I really just go day by day.”

Riverview’s Miller won’t rest until he finds success

Anthony Miller is at the top of his game in a way he never envisioned.

High school hasn’t looked like Anthony Miller pictured it would, but that might be one of the best things to happen to him.

The Riverview High junior has transferred schools, switched positions in football and tried new sports to find his path to success. After years of setbacks and frustrations, Miller is breaking records and putting himself in a position to contend for a state championship in a way he didn’t envision until recently.

The 5-foot-10, 190-pound athlete has broken the Rams’ record for the longest javelin throw twice this season despite just starting the sport two years ago.

His personal-best throw of 55.81 meters — a mark he hit on March 13 at the Ram Invite at Riverview High — currently has him ranked second in 4A, less than one-tenth of a meter away from the top spot.

“I try to make the most of every opportunity I have,” Miller said. “My main thing is being the best version of myself I can be, whether that’s playing quarterback, receiver, running back or in track. Whatever comes, I 100% believe I will deal with it however I have to.”

The mindset that helped him get here might have never developed if not for the detours he’s had to take along the way.

Miller was a starting quarterback throughout Pop Warner with the Venice Vikings and won several long-throw competitions at various youth football camps growing up.

That led him to believe he’d soon be starting under center as a varsity football player for the Venice High football team early in his high school career.

Miller made the Venice varsity football team as a freshman in 2022

— a rare accomplishment — but didn’t have much of a chance to play meaningful snaps.

The Indians have had a highly recruited senior transfer in to play quarterback for each year of Miller’s high school career. After sitting behind Brooks Bentley during his freshman season, Jadyn Glasser, now at Central Michigan, and Ryan Downes, now at Booker and committed to play for Cornell, joined the team the following spring.

Facing a crowded path to playing time, Miller transferred to Riverview.

That didn’t work out as imagined either.

Braxton Thomas, a senior quarterback in 2023-24, beat out Miller for the job. Despite not playing quarterback, Miller’s hard work in the weight room — his max bench press is 325 pounds and his max squat is 425 pounds — gave him the chance to play receiver.

He finished the season as the team’s second-leading receiver with 26 receptions for 321 yards and three touchdowns.

Miller finally had the chance to play quarterback this season for the Rams. However, Riverview leaned into its running game, and Miller had to split snaps with Parker Nippert and Logan Carrillo.

Now three years into his high school career, Miller is still undeterred despite having good reason to be frustrated.

“If you have a goal and you’re really trying to achieve that goal, you have to have perseverance,” said Mark Miller, Anthony’s father. “Those little setbacks, in the bigger picture, they don’t matter. You have to stay focused and use any setback as a springboard to the future, and I think (Anthony) is extremely mentally tough.”

Gerald Perry, the boys track and

field coach and defensive coordinator for the football team at Riverview, said Miller’s work ethic has been “amazing since Day 1.”

“He pushes the guys to get better,” Perry said. “He challenges the guys to run. He’s the ultimate leader and the ultimate competitor. That’s the best thing a coach wants in an athlete.”

Miller could have spent his spring semesters stewing about missed opportunities in football. Instead, he devoted that time to teaching himself how to throw a javelin and running sprints — he’s the team’s second-fastest runner in the 100-meter and is a member of the Rams’ 4x100 relay team.

Riverview doesn’t have a coach who specializes in javelin, so Miller did whatever he could to train himself.

That meant watching YouTube videos and recording this throw to

compare them. That also led him to reach out to former U.S. Olympian Tom Petranoff via social media. Petranoff held the world record for the longest javelin throw (99.72 meters) from May 1983 to June 1984. Miller made the trip up to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs to work with Petranoff.

Miller isn’t satisfied yet. He said his technique throwing a javelin still needs some work and there’s room to improve. Any improvements would mean Miller, who is 3.49 meters short of the longest throw in Florida, would be among the best javelin throwers in the state. If anyone can find a way to get the most out of themselves, Miller has proven to be one of those people.

Vinnie Portell is the sports reporter for the Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer. Contact him at VPortell@ YourObserver.com.

Wyatt Hossenlopp

The Cardinal Mooney baseball team is off to one of the best starts in the Sarasota area, and Wyatt Hossenlopp has played a big part in that success.

The junior infielder/pitcher leads the Cougars in walks (9), runs (13), RBIs (14), doubles (3) and stolen bases (7) while batting .400 across 51 plate appearances. Hossenlopp has also pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing one run on five hits and one walk with six strikeouts.

When and why did you start playing baseball?

I started playing baseball around 4 years old. I tried many sports, but I found baseball the most interesting. It was the first ball I ever picked up as a kid, so that’s when I truly got into baseball.

What has been the most memorable moment about this season?

Last week we had three district games, but we lost the first one. The second one was a comeback win against ODA, and then we beat Imagine. We were down and there was some talk going on, so we had to fight through it.

What’s your favorite all-time baseball memory?

My favorite baseball memory happened this past summer. I hit my first home run on the big field with my wood bat team. It was my first game with my new summer team and I hit one out.

What’s sparked Cardinal Mooney’s hot start this season?

Our team chemistry and being able to fight for each other. If the top of the lineup isn’t hitting, the bottom of the lineup has our backs and vice versa. And as a pitcher, we know the defense has our back and can make the plays.

What is your favorite meal?

My mom makes this good Buffalo chicken pasta whenever there’s a big occasion, like if it’s my birthday or if I

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

do something good. That’s definitely my favorite meal.

What’s your favorite TV show or movie?

I actually have two that I’ve gotten into. One is “Criminal Minds” and the other one is “House MD.”

Do you have a go-to warm-up song?

My walk-up song is “AOK” by Tai Verdes. I do like listening to that song, but before a game, that’s tough. I listen to rap, but it’s more like the 2010s type of songs. Those get me locked in before a game. I have a playlist I go to.

If you’re not playing baseball, what are you doing?

If I’m not playing baseball, I’m probably playing golf. I do play football, too, so I get some football work in. I also work out and like to hang out with friends.

What does your ideal weekend look like?

Baseball practice on Saturday morning, and if I have the chance, I would like to play golf. Saturday night and Sunday I’d hang out with friends.

Who is your favorite baseball player and why?

Evan Longoria. I like the Rays and the way he played third base. It really intrigued me and I wanted to get better defensively.

SHOWCASE OF LOYALTY

Art by Ringling College students will showcase service dogs and guide dogs’ relationships with handlers.

Although she had not been around guide and service dogs specifically, Anna Wilkinson had an idea of the impact they might have on their handlers.

The junior at Ringling College of Art and Design had volunteered with dogs throughout high school, including working with rescue dogs and performing dogsitting.

“I knew how much these pets can change people’s lives and help them so much, even without the training, so I just think it’s incredible how much of a difference that these dogs can make for people,” she said.

Bringing together students and faculty, while contributing her own work, she led the creation of a showcase of about 20 pieces of art created from photographs of the guide, ser-

IF YOU GO DISCOVERY

DAY

March 29

Where: Dogs Inc. campus, 4210 77th St. E., Palmetto

Tickets: Early Entry (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

$8

General entry (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

$5

More info: Visit DogsInc.org.

vice and skilled companion dogs of Dogs Inc., and their relationships with their handlers.

The art will be on display during Discovery Day, a behind-the-scenes open house event at the Dogs Inc. campus on March 29.

PAWSITIVE PORTRAYALS

Wilkinson is part of the Lazarus Engaged Learning Assistantship program, a four-year service-oriented program which involves partnering with a nonprofit and creating a capstone project in which students apply their skills toward the organization.

However, another factor drawing her to Dogs Inc. was being a military child, and the fact the organiza -

tion often helps veterans and family members who have lost a loved one during military service.

“That stood out to me because I would be able to one, work with dogs, which I love, and then two, help out people who were close to me, like military families,” she said.

Each artist gets a photograph to use as a reference, without knowing the story behind it. After Discovery Day, the graduate receives their piece of art.

Artists rendered the images in a variety of styles and mediums, but Wilkinson said they have one commonality.

“I think all of the artwork shows how positive all of it is,” she said. “I noticed a lot of students used bright colors and saturated colors and everything is just very happy and exciting, which is something that I don’t know if initially you could just get from photographs.”

Katie McCoy, who joined the staff of Dogs Inc. after receiving her first guide dog Bristol, said an image by Lexi Guthridge, which depicted her relationship with Bristol, took her back to their experiences together.

Bristol now lives with her parents about 10 hours away, while her cur-

rent guide dog is Quincey.

“I do miss her a lot, but she’s not here, and it just brought up all the great memories that I have with her,” she said.

She noted in the image, Bristol is licking her face, which she described as “something she does a lot.”

McCoy was born with a condition called retinitis pigmentosa, which negates her peripheral vision and causes her difficulty with night vision and depth perception, but she says a new world was open to her when she adopted Bristol.

She could do activities like visit Disney World, travel and attend concerts, and she said she gained the ability to navigate the world without anxiety and take in what she was seeing around her.

At the time she first left Dogs Inc. with Bristol, she also left behind her resume, eventually becoming hired by the organization as director of philanthropy.

“Seeing the love that they were able to capture in the art ... It’s just beautiful to see, to see that put out there, and it really shows that bond and how much our dogs truly mean to us and how much they’re doing for us,” she said.

When creating her art piece, Wilkinson chose to work from a photography of Kenneth Hughes and his guide dog Buddy.

“I was drawn to their photograph in particular, just how Kenneth was smiling. It was just so like a glow, and it was very positive,” she said.

She painted the image digitally with a software called Procreate.

Wilkinson said it was also interesting to see the artwork her fellow graduates produced.

“It was cool to see how everyone approached it, because the photographs were all different, with different colors, and some put their own spin to it, so that was really fun to see,” she said.

She said she hopes people will come away from the showcase inspired to support and learn more about nonprofits like Dogs Inc., as well as the importance of guide and service dogs.

“It was cool to see how everyone approached it, because the photographs were all different, with different colors, and some put their own spin to it, so that was really fun to see.”

Anna Wilkinson

“Maybe they’ll be like, ‘Oh, I want to be a part of that,’ whether that’s through volunteer time or just sharing about the nonprofit, or even, I think would also be wonderful if maybe people would be inspired to try to make their own projects with causes that they’re passionate about,” she said.

The showcase is not the only collaboration between Ringling College and Dogs Inc. that attendees will have the chance to experience on Discovery Day.

Dogs Inc. also worked with the Ringling Studio Labs to create an audio experience, “Heartbeats of Hope,” which will share stories of Dogs Inc. graduates and their animals.

Farming to ferris wheels

IF YOU GO

When: Various times (Gates open at 5 p.m. on Friday) through March 23

Grace’s father.

Johnston’s parents, Chuck and Peggy Johnston, have been cattle ranchers in Sarasota since 1979.

Now, as Grace, a homeschool fifth grader, made her first foray into showing animals in 2025, it resulted in her receiving the grand champion dairy goat award on March 15.

“It’s really fun doing it,” Welden said. “(The goats) finally get to know you, then they will listen to you and then they will know their name and stuff,” she said.

Johnston called it “kind of a full circle moment for us as parents now.”

“Whenever I was showing, we showed together, and now that we

Where: Sarasota Fairgrounds, 3000 Ringling Blvd.

Prices: Ages 13 and up, $12 at gate, $10 online; Ages 6 to 12, $6 at gate, $5 online; Senior citizens (55 and over) $6; Military $6; Children (5 and under) free More info: Visit SarasotaFair.com.

have Grace, now she’s showing, so we had a 20-year break, but we’re back at it,” she said.

The Sarasota County Fair is being held from March 14-23, and also features rides, food, live entertainment, art projects by community members and more.

— IAN SWABY

Walkable Luxury is Coming Soon to the Quiet Side of Downtown

A symphony of Sarasota living has everyone buzzing for the future of S. Palm Avenue. The soon-to-beunveiled Adagio Sarasota is planned to infuse fresh energy into this arts-focused district near Bayfront Park. Its name, inspired by the musical term for a flow, slowing tempo, reflects its plan to balance vibrant city life with the calming rhythm of waterfront tranquility.

Steps from Sarasota’s Best Walkability is inspiring the design for these spacious residences. Residents of Aadagio will be steps away from dining, shopping, and cultural experiences galore. They’ll enjoy easy access to iconic destinations like the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ downtown campus, as well as an array of art galleries along S. Palm Avenue. The Sarasota Opera House, Florida Studio Theatre, and Jazz Club of Sarasota will also be just a short walk away. Yet, after enjoying Sarasota’s buzzing cultural scene,

residents will return to what is planned as an urban coastal retreat, complete with sweeping views of Sarasota Bay.

Industry-Leading Partnerships

The team behind Adagio Sarasota brings decades of global experience in luxury development. R&P Holdings, a firm with over 30 years of success, was the first to recognize the potential of this prime S. Palm Avenue location. With a track record of creating high-end communities in Florida, Michigan, Arizona, and Pennsylvania, they saw an opportunity to deliver something truly special. R&P Holdings partnered with Southwest Florida innovators Barron Collier Companies and The Lutgert Companies to bring Adagio Sarasota to life.

Barron Collier Companies has shaped the region for over a

century, dating back to 1911 when its founder introduced the area’s first telephone service, railroad, and bus company. Today, the firm is known for developing luxury condominiums like Genova, the Fronterra community, and the expansive 5,000-acre town of Ave Maria.

The Lutgert Companies, with a six-decade legacy in residential and commercial development, have also left their mark across the Southeast. In Southwest Florida, they’ve worked alongside Barron Collier Companies to create mixeduse destinations like Mercato and The Village on Venetian Bay.

An Architectural Icon in the Making

To bring their vision to life, the development trio has enlisted award-winning Kobi Karp architecture. Based in Miami, this renowned firm has nearly 30 years of experience in high-rise

residential, hospitality, and retail designs. Their $36 billion portfolio spans the Caribbean, Far East, Black Sea, Gulf, and Middle East, with a strong presence on Florida’s East Coast. The development team saw the firm’s innovative design and expertise as the perfect fit for this dynamic and evolving location. Adagio Sarasota will be Karp’s first venture in the Downtown Sarasota region.

Backed by a world-class development team, Adagio Sarasota has been designed to become a defining landmark in downtown living. Details on floorplans, residential features, and resortstyle amenities will be unveiled soon. To be among the first to receive updates, register your interest at AdagioSarasota.com.

Luxury Unleashed

Untangling the writing process

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

It was a YouTube video of an octopus that set Shelby Van Pelt on the path to writing her bestselling debut novel “Remarkably Bright Creatures.”

Deanna Ferguson hoped by attending Van Pelt’s lecture and book signing at Selby Library on March 14, she might come across something to inspire her as well.

“I’m hoping I have some sort of great American novel in me, and sometimes, they say you go near the people who are doing the things,” she said. “Not that I think she’s going to rub off on me, but what if something that she says sparks me?”

Ferguson read the book at the time of its publication in 2022, even before Sarasota County Libraries chose it as the selection for its One Book, One Community program for 2025.

When she learned Van Pelt was speaking in Sarasota, she quickly purchased a plastic octopus and brought along her mom, Debbie Ferguson. The mother and daughter were part of a large crowd that filled the rotunda of Selby Library, including the upper level.

“It blows my mind to even think that I am on a stage that Stephen King might have once stood on, or anywhere in the same sphere as someone like him, in this level of success,” Van Pelt said. “I’m not kidding when I say I wake up a lot of days and I’m just like, ‘What happened?’”

bination of two fields.

“I love the chapters from the perspective of Marcellus, because it embeds science in there, but then I love that outside of it, with all the other human characters you have ... the loss themes, and the grieving themes, the way that humans, some of them are so deep and some of them are so shallow, and I feel like her book navigates through that really beautifully,” she said.

Van Pelt recounted writing the book, which began after a move to Georgia, while taking time off from her consulting job to find the career she truly wanted.

When she stumbled into the world of “naughty octopus” YouTube videos, it was inspiring to write a piece, the diary of an octopus, for a creative writing class, with her professor finding it funny.

The novel is the story of a 70-yearold widow, Tova, a night janitor at the fictional Sowell Bay Aquarium who befriends Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus who reluctantly resides there and helps unravel the mystery of her son’s disappearance.

According to Van Pelt, the book has been a New York Times bestseller for 64 cumulative weeks.

The One Book, One Community program, now in its 22nd year, features a variety of programming built around a specific book each year.

For Ferguson, a former biology teacher who now teaches English, the appeal of the novel was the com-

She said her grandmother, who was always cleaning even when it wasn’t necessary, inspired the character of Tova, as well as by the marine life she would observe for inspiration at the Georgia Aquarium, always stuck in the same swimming patterns.

Attendees said they enjoyed hearing about the process behind the bestselling novel.

“She was very down to earth ... ” said Joan Pifer. “I was inspired by the fact that clearly, she’s a first-time author, and clearly this took awhile to go through, but her discussion about perseverance and luck. I was inspired.”

Portraits of dedication

aul Sykes, owner of Art Avenue, said those coming from homelessness deserve to look at an expensive piece of art just as much as anyone else.

He has donated repeatedly to the housing projects of Second Heart Homes, which held its fourth annual Hands Up for Homes Art Auction at the gallery on March 15.

Attendees at the auction also had a chance to take in the power of art, as familiar faces to the crowd appeared in some works donated by 25 local artists. Continuing in the tradition of past years, the event featured a portrait of Megan Howell, founder and CEO of Second Heart Homes, painted by Li Jian Volk.

However, it also unveiled a portrait of volunteer Bubba Henson, who has spent over 500 hours with the nonprofit, painted by Mary Sencabaugh.

“I had no idea,” Henson said. “I was completely blown away. It was such an emotional moment. I have given my heart and soul to this organization, because I have seen it, and I see it work, and I love what they do, and so honestly ... to have, all of a sudden, me be included in that, I was like, ‘Wow! Am I worthy? I don’t know if I’m worthy.’ It was really cool.”

The organization, which relies on private donations, has a mission of reviving the dignity of homeless individuals with mental illness in Manatee and Sarasota counties, providing housing, as well as critical services, to individuals committed to improving their lives. Funds raised totaled $150,000, surpassing the goal of $100,000, and will go toward renovating two newly acquired duplexes.

“It’s just incredible what they do,” resident Ritchie Mood told the audience. “They have given me so much love ... They are so kind to us. Everybody feels loved. We feel accepted. I feel very safe living in their homes. Thank you, Mr. Paul.”

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RARE BEAUTIES

TThirty-some exhibitors showcased their stunning vehicles Saturday afternoon on the Sarasota Yacht Club lawn, where particularly sunny skies brought out the radiant shimmer of rare original paint coats and allowed convertible car owners to pop the tops.

Of particular historical interest was the 1974 Ferrari 246 GTS Dino showcased by Oaks Automotive Enthusiasts Club member Nathan Clary on behalf of a private collector, who is an SYC member and has owned the car for three years.

It is one of only three cars produced in the color “verde medio nijinsky,” a bright green with olive undertones. Even among the trio, this car is unique for being the only one built for the United States in the color — the other two being in Europe.

Beyond its physical attributes, the vehicle holds a distinct place in history because its ownership. The first buyer was Beverly Hills socialite Sandra West, who notably is buried in one of her other Ferraris, a 1964 Ferrari 300 America.

The Dino escaped entombment and

has accumulated fewer than 10,000 miles since the 1970s, continuing its journey to a collector in Texas — who painted the car red. California-based Legendary Motorcars rediscovered and restored the car to its original color in 2017, completing its journey in Osprey.

Chairs Bill Hadley and Vic Lippa said the show, held annually in the spring and fall, allows YachtRodders to share such one-ofa-kind rides with fellow members.

— DANA KAMPA

PET PICS

Keep the checks flowing

or the past several years, the Longboat Key Lawn Party held by the Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key has benefited the Children’s Guardian Fund in Sarasota, said club President Michael Garey. Last year, the event wasn’t able to happen because of the three successive hurricanes, two of which severely affected the island.

Yet, that didn’t stop the efforts of the club, which decided to draw from its account to fund the organization, which responds to the needs of children in state or foster care.

“Our club felt that although we couldn’t have the event, couldn’t raise the money, the need is still there, so we decided to take $50,000 out of our Kiwanis operating account,” Garey said.

While the highlight of the Kiwanis club’s monthly meeting, held March 13 at Lazy Lobster of Longboat Key, was the check presentation to the Children’s Guardian Fund, announcements also emphasized another charity effort.

Staff at the Children’s Guardian Fund said the check will help provide the services of the Sarasota-based organization, which is privately funded.

“This check is really important,

because we typically get about ($80,000) to $90,000 from Kiwanis in December through the Lawn Party effort,” said Executive Director Svetlana Ivashchenko.

The organization responds to the needs of children when abusive or neglectful homes forces the removal of them and state and local agencies cannot meet their needs.

Its emergency essentials and support include provisions not limited to clothes, tutoring, summer camp, driving lessons and other observed needs, which can even be an item, such as a musical instrument. The organization tries to provide one guardian for each child.

President Andrew Chiang said currently there are about 800 children in its care.

Past President Cynthia Craig said she thinks the major need of the children is tutoring and recounted a story in which a child formed a parental bond with his tutor.

“In the last session, he started to cry because he said, ‘I’ll never see him again,’” she said. “The tutor said, ‘You can see me as many times as you want, for as long as you want.’”

She said the tutor agreed to continue regardless of being paid.

“There are a lot of very good people in this organization,” she said.

SARASOTA’S MOST Extraordinary NEW ADDRESS

Bold design. Breathtaking views. Boundless possibilities. This is 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, Kolter Urban’s newest luxury condominium at the Quay waterfront district. Here, striking condominium residences will mingle effortlessly with a hospitality-inspired lifestyle, overlooking The Bay Park, Sarasota Bay and the Quay Harbor. We invite you to be among the first to discover this curated collection of premium amenities and coastal urban indulgences. Come live the art of having it all. Residences are priced from $1.4 Million.

Here come the Irish

Patrick Dinneen moved to Sarasota four years ago from Melrose, Iowa, known as “Iowa’s Little Ireland.”

On St. Patrick’s Day, he headed to Shamrock Pub, an Irish-themed establishment and a popular spot for celebrating the occasion.

“It means a lot for tradition for me, because I’ve got such Irish roots …” he said of the holiday, noting his grandparents came from Ireland. “I always celebrate this day. Now that I’m here, I miss celebrating it back home in Melrose.”

The pub’s owner, Derek Anderson, said as of last year, he decided to downsize and not hold the large block parties he had in the past, despite a positive relationship with the city of Sarasota.

However, he said this year’s fourday party, which started Friday and continued into St. Patrick’s Day, was the longest in Sarasota. He said the scaling down of the party has resulted in a different experience.

“It’s more intimate, more local; we get a little more one on one with our customers,” he said.

The party kicked off Friday and featured dancers from the Irish dance school Kavanagh Porter Academy on three out of four days, as well as musicians, bagpipe players and a limerick contest.

“Everyone makes a pilgrimage, everyone’s Irish for a day,” Anderson said. “Some customers I see only once a year, and that’s on St. Paddy’s Day.”

Siesta Key home on Robert Point Road sells for $8.1

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Sicilian-C-Men LLC

sold the home at 3960 Robert Point Road to Marcus Alexander Schulz and Denise Schulz, of Sarasota, for $8.1 million. Built in 2023, it has four bedrooms, four-andthree half baths, a pool and 5,297 square feet of living area.

SARASOTA

SANSARA

Johannes Waals sold the Unit 801 condominium at 300 S. Pineapple Ave. to Michael Seery, trustee, of Sarasota, for $2,475,000. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,702 square feet of living area. It sold for $2,218,100 in 2017.

VUE Larry Johnson, trustee, of Marathon, sold the Unit 1406 condominium at 1155 N. Gulfstream Ave. to Ciel Sarasota LLC for $2,125,000. Built in 2017, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,701 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,475,000 in 2018.

THE LANDINGS

Carol Horton, of Marco Island, sold her home at 4884 Peregrine Point Circle N. to David and Ashley Thompson, of Sarasota, for $2,095,000. Built in 1984, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 3,434 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.74 million in 2023.

SAPPHIRE SHORES

Jennifer Ann Brown and Dorene Loew, trustees, of Jacksonville, sold two properties at 4844 Brywill Circle to Lisa Rooks Morris, trustees, of Sarasota, for $1,625,000. The first property was built in 1957 and has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,331 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 1960 and has one bath and 341 square feet of living area. They sold for $1.35 million in 2021.

SARASOTA BAY CLUB

Sarasota Bay Club LLC sold the Unit 607 condominium at 1301 Tamiami Trail to Ernest Werlin, of Sarasota, for $1.35 million. Built in 2000, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,546 square feet of living area. It sold for $810,000 in 2018.

Sarasota Bay Club LLC sold the Unit 603 condominium at 1301 Tamiami Trail to Lois Lowsky, of Sarasota, for $905,000. Built in 2000, it has one bedroom, one-and-a-half baths and 1,161 square feet of living area. It sold for $553,000 in 2018.

WORRINGTON STREET

John Soucy sold his home at 1712 Worrington St. to Andrew and Gina Krinsky, of Sarasota, for $1.23 million. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,566 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.2 million in 2024.

ONE HUNDRED CENTRAL

Dennis and Margaret Adams, of Sarasota, sold their Unit F-812 condominium at 100 Central Ave. to Lynne Koy, trustee, of Sarasota, for $1.05 million. Built in 2005, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,532 square feet of living area. It sold for $625,000 in 2011.

HOLIDAY HARBOR

Clay Caldwell, of Sarasota, sold his home at 7761 Holiday Drive to Joseph and Lisa Marie Belenardo, of Sarasota, for $825,000. Built in 1972, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,819 square feet of living area. It sold for $425,000 in 2018.

JACKSON COURT

Tonya Laughlin, of Sarasota, sold her home at 2127 S. Jefferson Ave. to Wojtek Pajor, of Sarasota, for $800,000. Built in 1949, it has five bedrooms, two baths and 2,825 square feet of living area. It sold for $375,000 in 2019.

BROOKSIDE

Peter Currin, of Sarasota, and Amy Currin, of Corpus Christi, Texas, sold their home at 4004 Brookside Drive to Klajdi Mulla and Brittany Murchie Mulla, of Sarasota, for $775,000. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,267 square feet of living area.

SOUTHPOINTE SHORES

Pratt Court LLC sold the home at 7636 Cove Terrace to Courtney Church-Del Buono, of Sarasota, for $710,000. Built in 1963, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,025 square feet of living area. It sold for $283,000 in 2014.

LANDINGS TREEHOUSE

Alan and Nicole Maio, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their Unit 67 condominium at 1449 Landings Circle to Arthur Feltman and Dale James Wallington, of West Hartford, Connecticut, for $680,000. Built in 1982, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,136 square feet of living area. It sold for $532,500 in 2020.

WESTLAKE ESTATES The Bristol Co. LLC sold the home at 5360 Fox Run Road to Dawna Eldringhoff, of Sarasota, for $674,900. Built in 1979, it has three

bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,023 square feet of living area. It sold for $412,000 in 2024.

SARASOTA BAY PARK

John Olenski and Laura Campbell, of Sarasota, sold two properties at 2325 Ixora Ave. to Raymond Nimrod, of Sarasota, for $615,000. The first property was built in 1925 and has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,140 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 1925 and has one bedroom, one bath and 352 square feet of living area. They sold for $328,000 in 2015.

ONLINE

See more transactions at YourObserver.com

Other top sales by area

SARASOTA: $3.3 MILLION

Nichols

Harry and Sandi Jannetta, of Sarasota, sold their home at 1718 Hillview St. to Lauren Wisnowski, of Sarasota, for $3.3 million. Built in 2014, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,220 square feet of living area.

PALMER RANCH:

$2,085,500

Legacy Estates on Palmer Ranch

Julie Ann Rosenkrantz and Ira Craig Rosenkrantz, of Sarasota, sold their home at 5305 Greenbrook Drive to Jeffrey Philip Mayer and Donna Mayer, of Canoe, Georgia, for $2,085,500. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, threeand-two-half baths, a pool and 3,639 square feet of living area. It sold for $915,400 in 2018.

OSPREY: $2 MILLION

Parrot Bay

Triton Holdings and Development LLC sold the home at 3805 Parrot Bay Court to Simon Beemsterboer, of Osprey, for $2 million. Built in 2024, it has three bedrooms, three-and-two-half baths, a pool and 3,382 square feet of living area.

NOKOMIS: $507,500

Sorrento

Jerzy Jan Letkowski and Zofia Jadwiga Letkowska sold their home at 15093

Shady Palms Lane to Regina Compton, of Nokomis, for $507,500. Built in 2023, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,796 square feet of living area. It sold for $530,000 in 2023.

Your Island Oasis Awaits!

Listing

Ashley Goldstein

Ashley.goldstein@cbrealty.com 941.587.3876

Jordan Cadavid-Jones

Jordan.cadavidjones@cbrealty.com 941.900.5968

YOUR CALENDAR

SATURDAY, MARCH 22

MAGICIANS TALENT SHOW

6:30 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, 4150 S. Shade Ave. $10; children younger than 12 free. Ring 81 of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, the world’s largest organization dedicated to the art of magic, presents this “magical evening” for all ages. All funds raised will benefit Trinity United Methodist Church. Call 941-924-7756 for information.

PROTECTING OUR WATERS

WALK & LEARN

10:30-1:30 a.m. at Blue Pagoda, The Bay, 655 N. Tamiami Trail. Free. Join UF/IFAS Water Resources. Agent Michael D’Imperio for a walk highlighting park features that improve water quality. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.

THE Y: WATER SAFETY FOR ALL

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Ibis Playground Pavilion, The Bay, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Southwest FL YMCA shares “must know” tips to keep you safe and having fun in and around the water. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.

SUNDAY, MARCH 23

MUSICAL IMAGINATION

ADVENTURE WITH CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHOR CHRISTINA SHAWN

11 a.m. to noon at Bookstore1Sarasota, 117 S. Pineapple Ave. General admission free, admission with book included $18. Intended for kids in preschool and Grades K-5. Children’s book author Christina Shawn will read her book “Lucas Plays,” inviting kids to try out the violin. The book is about Lucas, who loves to play cars, monsters, superheroes and space invaders, but most of all, his violin. Visit EventBrite.com.

THE TITAN & THE MUSE: RALEIGH & JAZZMIN IN CONCERT AT THE BAY

6-7 p.m. at The Oval, The Bay, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Enjoy a free performance by Raleigh Mosely II and Jazzmin Carson, a duo of beloved Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe artists, at The Bay. This concert series features a different local performer each week. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.

BEST BET

SATURDAY, MARCH 22

SARASOTA WINE FESTIVAL

5-10 p.m. (Tastings from 6-9 p.m.) at Selby Five Points Park, 1 Central Ave. Free to attend, sampling tickets $62.50 to $250. Sample wines from around the world, taste fine spirits, listen to live music, enjoy from local food trucks, shop lifestyle vendors, attend expertled tasting seminars and more. The festival partners with the Women’s Resource Center, a nonprofit that provides critical programming in Manatee and Sarasota counties. Visit SarasotaWineFestival.com.

TUESDAY, MARCH 25

ONE BOOK ONE COMMUNITY — SHELLYFISH RESIN CANVAS ART 4-6 p.m. at Fruitville Library, 100 Apex Road. Free. Recommended for teens. Join The Artful Giraffe to create a jellyfish resin art piece using shells, glass and ribbon, celebrating this year’s One Book, One Community selection “Remarkably Bright Creatures.” All supplies are provided. Online registration is required. Check in at the youth desk starting at 3 p.m. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26

READ WITH THE DOGS 4-5 p.m. at Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Ave. Free. Children are invited to meet a furry reading companion, as they enjoy reading with certified therapy dogs. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.

The Titans of Wealth: From 19th Century Moguls to Today’s Tech Billionaires

Though many of us don’t want to acknowledge it, the pursuit of wealth is an important part of what defines the American experience. The last 150 years have generated the greatest production of wealth in the United States, unparalleled anywhere else in the world.

On Thursday, April 10th University of Texas History Professor Jeremi Suri will present Wealth in America, as he examines the lives and careers of some of the most important men who launched the American economy. A small group of individuals drove this wealth-creation, who went on to benefit in remarkable ways that are hard for the rest of us to even imagine.

The presentation will trace the careers of some of the most celebrated (and sometimes despised) men who expanded the American economy and became super-rich. In fact, the individuals Professor Suri will discuss created sums of money that even the phrase superrich do not do justice! The focus will be primarily on Cornelius Vanderbilt, Andrew Carnegie, and John Rockefeller, comparing their remarkable drive and ingenuity as well as their often-questionable behavior. Participants come to understand their actions, their risk-taking, and even their values. Professor Suri will assess both their contributions and their crimes.

Cornelius Vanderbilt was a self-made multi-millionaire who became one of the wealthiest Americans of the 19th century. After working on various steamships, Vanderbilt went into business for himself in the late 1820s, and eventually became one of the country’s largest steamship operators. In the 1860s, he shifted his focus to the railroad industry, where he built a far larger intercontinental empire and helped make railroad transportation more efficient, often to the detriment of other operators. He was the richest man in America when he died, but his wealth was soon eclipsed by someone else.

Andrew Carnegie made his fortune in the steel industry and controlled the most extensive integrated iron and steel operations ever owned by a single individual in the United States. He perfected the cheap and efficient mass production of steel by adopting and adapting the Bessemer process, which allowed the high carbon content of iron to be burnt away in a controlled and rapid way during steel production. Steel prices dropped as a result, and his steel was rapidly adopted for railways. In addition, Carnegie vertically integrated the entire industry. He came to own nearly a dozen different large steel companies, and then combined his assets and those of his associates in 1892 with the launching of the Carnegie Steel Company.

Carnegie spent his last years as a philanthropist and is often credited with developing the very concept of philanthropy to levels never even considered previously. He had written about his views on social subjects and the responsibilities of great wealth in an 1889 book titled The Gospel of Wealth, devoted the rest of his life to providing capital for purposes of public interest and social and educational advancement. He is best known for building Carnegie Hall in New York as well as the establishment of nearly 3,000 public libraries throughout the United States, Britain, Canada, and New Zealand, Professor Suri will then turn to the life of John D. Rockefeller, one of the wealthiest Americans of all time in fact one of the richest people in modern history. Beginning at age 20, he concentrates his business on oil refining. and eventually founded the Standard Oil Company in 1870. He ran it until 1897 and in retirement focused his energy and wealth on philanthropy as Carnegie had, but focusing instead on higher education and medicine.

The final section on of the presentation will focus on three modern ultra wealthy individuals: Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk. We will also see how earlier generations influenced these recent moguls. The presentation will conclude with some reflections on the historical role of wealth in our democracy.

This is your last chance to experience insights from one of the nation’s leading historians. Dive deep into American history as our expert speaker brings the past to life with captivating stories and fresh perspectives. Don’t miss out!

THURSDAY | APR. 10

JEREMI SURI University of Texas

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

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TUTOR: