“I don’t want to hold Mr. Jeffcoat here against his will.”
Sarasota Vice Mayor Debbie Trice. Read more on page 6
Fire Department awarded for cardiac care
The Sarasota County Fire Department has won recognition for excellence in emergency cardiac care, earning the Heart Safe Community award for a large community from the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
The award recognizes EMS systems around the world that demonstrate effective strategies to address cardiac emergencies. The award was presented to SCFD during the Fire-Rescue Med Conference held May 7 in Las Vegas. Utilizing multi-faceted com-
munity risk reduction programs, including hands-only CPR with automated external defibrillator (AED) training at Sarasota County public high schools, local businesses and homeowner associations, SCFD trained 2,737 students and 347 residents on the techniques in 2024.
Residents are encouraged to help SCFD continue building a heart-safe community by learning hands-only CPR at an SCFD Open House and by downloading the PulsePoint app. The app provides real-time alerts for nearby cardiac arrests, maps the
locations of registered AEDs and
assists with dispatch-aided care.
Across Sarasota County and its municipalities are 887 registered PulsePoint AEDs. Since 2021, SCFD has helped increase the number of registered AEDs by 700 through community outreach and education.
The SCFD has also been recognized for nine consecutive years by the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline awards for excellence in heart attack, stroke care and hospital collaboration.
Memorial Day parade set for May 26
Sarasota’s annual observance of Memorial Day will parade down Main Street on May 26, culminating at Chaplain J.D. Hamel Park with a ceremony honoring the sacrifices made by servicemen and servicewomen. Sonny Bywaters, a U.S. Marine veteran and state vice commander of the American Legion, will serve as the ceremony’s keynote speaker. The parade will step off from Osprey Avenue at 10 a.m., with the ceremony expected to begin around 11 a.m. Law enforcement agencies, first responders, veterans groups, community organizations, color guards, the Sarasota Military Academy Band, schools and local officials are expected to take part.
Bywaters in 1980 helped form the parade’s organizing group, the Sarasota Patriotic Observance Committee. He joined the Marines in 1959 and served aboard the USS Boxer. He’s been a member of the American Legion since 1976 and has earned the distinction of a life membership.
City adds new app to alert network
Neighbors by Ring, a popular mobile app for doorbells and security cameras, is now one of the communication tools employed by the city of Sarasota for community outreach and notifications.
A social networking platform that allows users to connect with their community, Neighbors is a free standalone app available to anyone whether or not they are a Ring customer.
Through its verified Neighbors account, the city will share important community notices including critical information during hurricane season.
The verified Neighbors account was launched in conjunction with Hurricane Preparedness Week observed May 4-10. The Neighbors app may be downloaded through the Apple app store or Google Play. It also is available within the Ring app. Neighbors by Ring joins other cityutilized social media platforms for news and alerts such as Facebook, Instagram, X and Nextdoor.
Courtesy of Sarasota County
SOLVING CRIME IN REAL TIME
Only in its infancy, the SPD’s Real-Time Operations Center managed by an unretired former detective is already paying dividends.
ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER
Less than a month after the four new workstations hummed to life in Sarasota Police Department’s Real-Time Operations Center came its first high-profile test.
At approximately 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 10, a car driven by 72-year-old June Fenton crashed into Taylor Bennett and her two children — 2-year-old Rio and 5-month-old Kiylan — as they were crossing U.S. 301, killing the children at the scene and leaving Taylor in a coma for two months before succumbing to her injuries.
Fenton fled the scene and went into hiding in her home.
Within 48 hours, the Real-Time Operations Center identified her as the suspect and, after an investigation, SPD arrested her on March 3.
Immediately following the incident, the center’s four technicians and manager John Lake sprung into action, tapping into some of the latest law enforcement technology to solve the crime.
It all started with a piece of Fenton’s car found at the scene.
“One of the traffic homicide officers at the scene found a part of what he believed was a Lexus,” Lake said. “We started digging into that piece and were able to determine it was from a white Lexus.”
That’s not much to go on, but it was enough.
A search of vehicle registration records found there were 450 white Lexus cars in Sarasota County. From there, the investigation turned to license plate recognition (LPR) cameras located throughout the city.
“We were able to narrow that down to 50 white Lexuses that touched those cameras within a five-hour period of the crash,” Lake said. “One of the analysts saw one that after the crash kind of disappeared. It was hitting all the LPRs weeks before the crash and then none of them after the crash for two days.”
The plate matched Fenton’s address, and a dispatched detective
went to the home where he observed through an open garage door a white Lexus with a smashed windshield. The car was impounded, processed and determined to be the vehicle that crashed into the young family.
“Let’s say it took us a week to find that car,” Lake said. “If we weren’t operating this center, she could have already taken it to a body shop and had it repaired. Without us working on this for two solid days, anything could have happened.”
Soon after implementation, the new center also helped solve, within 48 hours, a road rage case in which someone in a black sedan shot twice into another black vehicle. With two bullet holes in her car, the victim could only describe the color of the suspect’s car.
Video provided by a homeowner captured the incident and provided enough of a blurred image of a Honda Civic, which started the investigation by narrowing suspects by license plate and travel pattern. The center detected the prime suspect leaving the city toward the east, returning a short time later.
“We sent detectives and the suspect ended up confessing to it,” Lake said. “He admitted the gun was in the house, so they recovered the gun and he was charged. We didn’t have much to go on, and this was done in two days. They might not have ever found it if not for this technology, and if they did, it might be a week or two later.”
Those examples are investigations after the fact. An example of real-time assistance occurred just last week when SPD executed a successful high-risk nighttime search warrant.
“We had body cams up for our SWAT team, which was executing the warrant. We had drone footage up so
enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of law enforcement responses.
The opening of the first phase coincides with SPD’s acquisition of its new $1 million mobile command center in February.
“It started with the Chief Troche’s vision, and he tasked the entire department to leverage technology to help make Sarasota a safer place,” Konstantopoulos said. “Over the last year, we’ve done that. “We’re still building this thing out. We don’t even have all the software yet, but this is the hub for all of our technology and we’ve had immediate success on high-profile cases.”
A BRIEF RETIREMENT
In 2023, John Lake received an award from Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche as detective of the year, Troche’s speech about Lake’s accomplishments over a 37-year career tinged with news about his impending retirement.
He did retire in December 2023 … for 11 days.
“I came back in January and we started working on this project,” Lake said. “I’ve been here now for 18 months.”
According to Konstantopoulos, Lake’s experience is key to the success of the real-time operations center.
“He’s super humble, but he’s been a top guy here at the department for his entire 37-year career,” Konstantopoulos said, “and we couldn’t ask for a better manager.”
we’re watching live body cam footage from the SWAT team as they’re executing the warrant and drone footage of overhead with a night vision view,” said Support Services Division Capt. Demetri Konstantopoulos. “As command staff, we’re able to monitor how everything is transpiring in real time and if something were to go awry, we could make decisions from here.”
CHIEF’S VISION Sarasota Police Rex Troche pitched the operations center to the Sarasota City Commission as part of its fiscal year 2025 budget, $690,581 for the first two phases, with a mission to leverage existing technology to
Situated on the second floor in a former community room are four workstations arranged in a circular pattern, each with three monitors covering live cameras throughout the city. Many are city-owned cameras, but the ops center can tap into private cameras, with the owners’ permission, as well. Technicians can monitor the cameras during special events and at public venues — there are 50 at the Sarasota County Fairgrounds, for example — as well as the new school zone speed cameras. They can also monitor officers’ body-worn cameras and drones to provide guidance in real time and locate officers nearest to a scene to dispatch backup faster than an officer can request it.
“We’re looking to do things in minutes, not hours or days,” Lake said. “We can live tap into an officer if we want to. We can go right in there if we hear him calling for help. We can go in and watch his body cam on the call.”
Noise monitors, which can move throughout the city, can pinpoint exact locations of gunshots and nuisance noises. The LPRs can track suspect vehicle movements in real time or after the fact or — as in the Fenton case — suspiciously no movement at all.
By mid-summer, Lake said, the space will look entirely different with the installation of the first phase of a video wall, which will allow technicians to cast their screens for investigators to view. The second phase installation, which is scheduled for 2026, with two more workstations.
All six arranged in two rows of three, plus high-top seating for pertinent personnel needing to view operations — such as monitoring execution of a search warrant — as it happens.
More screens will come in future phases, “because the video wall gets pretty expensive,” Lake said.
The entire build out will be three phases, each about $300,000 according to Konstantopoulos. It currently employs four technicians, six when fully staffed with overlapping shifts.
When not assisting with live operations or investigations, the technicians monitor cameras throughout the city, assisting in the red light and school speed zone programs.
Courtesy image
Detective John Lake, with Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche, came out of retirement to help with the RealTime Operations Center.
Andrew Warfield It may not look like much in its infancy, but the Sarasota Police Department’s Real-Time Operations Center is already assisting in quickly solving high-profile cases.
Obsidian stopped ... for now
Residents of the adjacent Bay Plaza succeed in their long-awaited chance to thwart the development of the city’s tallest tower. Now it’s likely headed to court.
fter two years of waiting, the red shirt-wearing opponents of the condominium project at the 1200 block of North Palm Avenue known as Obsidian finally had their day before the Sarasota City Commission.
Eventually, they will likely have their day in court.
By a 4-1 vote with Mayor Liz Alpert
opposed, the commission on Tuesday sided with the appellate Bay Plaza Owners Association, reversing the Planning Board’s denial of its appeal of the administrative approval of the 18-story, 14-unit, 327-foot-tall Obsidian, which developer Matt Kihnke proposes to build an adjoining 0.28-acre parcel.
Kihnke, represented by attorneys Brenda Patten and Robert Lincoln, is now likely to appeal the ruling to the 12th Judicial Circuit Court where it will argue, once again, that despite its planned height the project conforms to the city’s Bayfront Zone District code requirements, save for three administrative adjustments that are not out of character in several downtown residential towers.
The three administrative adjustments were:
■ Parallel façade: To reduce the coverage by 20.8%, from the 133.61
feet required to 105.87 feet proposed. The lot has 148.45 feet of total frontage.
■ Habitable space: To reduce the required 20-foot depth of habitable space by 6.5% on the ground floor from 105.87 feet to 99.02 feet; and by 8.6% on the second floor from 148.45 feet to 135.7 feet.
■ Retail frontage: To reduce the required retail frontage by 9.4% to 95.89 feet of frontage from the 105.87 feet required
Those adjustments are necessary, the developer’s attorneys have argued, in order for any multi-story structure to be built on the site, whether it’s 18 stories or two. To conform with utility, vehicle and pedestrian access and fire code requirements, the reductions in parallel façade and retail frontage will be necessary no matter what is in place of the current mid-century
OBSIDIAN TIMELINE
FEB. 15, 2024: Application was received by the city.
SEPT. 16, 2024: Following Development Review Committee sign-off, final plans were received by the city.
OCT. 2, 2024: Administrative adjustment application was approved. The administrative site plan was then subsequently approved on the same date as the proposed development is deemed compliant with all development standards of the zoning code, including height, parking and façade requirements.
OCT. 17, 2024: An appeal was filed on behalf of Bay Plaza Owners Association of the administrative site plan application and the basis for approval under the zoning code.
DEC. 11, 2024: The Planning Board affirmed Bay Plaza Owners Association’s aggrieved party status and scheduled the public hearing for Feb. 12, 2025.
FEB. 12, 2025: A public hearing on the appeal application was held before the Planning Board, which voted 4-1 to deny the appeal.
MAY 13, 2025: The Sarasota City Commission reverses the Planning Board’s denial of the Bay Plaza residents’ appeal by a 4-1 vote.
retail strip. Dozens of members of the public who spoke about the project — none of them in favor — brought complaints about the out-of-scale height and alleged abuse of interstitial space — the vertical space between floors — to achieve it. They also complained of plans for staging refuse collections, construction safety issues and more. None are factors commissioners under consideration at the outset of the day-long special meeting.
“When Bay Plaza was built in 1982 it towered over the adjacent uses, including the one-story commercial on Palm Avenue, which they’re now saying that they want to protect,” Patten said. “That’s how Bay Plaza would like to remain, just the way things are. So the question is, would Bay Plaza accept anything else? The answer is no. They really don’t want anything next door.”
Patten cited as an example when developer Mark Kaufman, who previously owned the property, attempted to build a seven-story development there, which the Bay Plaza board unanimously opposed.
Representing the Bay Plaza residents, attorney Morgan Bentley based his case in the quasi-judicial proceeding primarily on neighborhood compatibility. Bentley punctuated his arguments by saying if Obsidian was a conforming structure, the hearing before the commission wouldn’t have been necessary as it would be in compliance with the city’s land development regulations (LDRs).
“They fail by definition. How do we know? Because they’re here,” Bentley said. “If they had a project that was in keeping with all the standards and criteria described in the pertinent sections of the LDRs, they wouldn’t be here. They have to be here because they don’t meet all the requirements.”
In rebuttal, the city’s Manager of Development Services Allison Christie countered Bentley’s statement.
“It was stated that ... if they complied with the zoning code, we wouldn’t be here today,” Christie said. “We’re here today because it was appealed, so it has nothing to do with whether or not it’s compliant with the code. Someone appealed the decision, and that’s why we’re here today.”
In her motion to uphold Bay Plaza’s appeal, Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch cited multiple code inconsistencies, which were backed up by Kathy Kelley Ohlrich, Kyle Battie and Vice Mayor Debbie Trice. That left Alpert as the lone supporter of the project.
“My conscience says that it meets the criteria for the Sarasota City Plan and should be approved,” she said.
Andrew Warfield
Opponents of the Obsidian condominium tower demonstrate their solidarity by wearing red shirts.
OPINION
Manatee does it again
Learning Manatee commissioners voted to pursue voiding a contract was too much for SMR’s Rex Jensen.
On May 6, the Manatee County Commission voted 6-0 to begin steps to determine whether it can terminate a contract with Schroeder-Manatee Ranch to copay for a roundabout at University Parkway and Legacy Boulevard. The next day, Schroeder-Manatee Ranch CEO Rex Jensen learned of the commission’s surprise vote. What follows is a May 12 memorandum from Jensen to six of the seven Manatee commissioners — George Kruse, Amanda Ballard, Carol Felts, Jason Bearden, Tal Siddique and District 5 Commissioner Robert McCann.
“I am fed up with the disregard for the law,” Jensen told us. It’s yet another embarrassing blemish on the antics of the Manatee County Commission and Commissioner McCann.
— Matt Walsh
Background
Forgive the tone of this memorandum as it is necessitated by your unilateral, inconsiderate and ill-advised kneejerk action.
Commissioner (Mike) Rahn is copied as opposed to being directly addressed because he did not participate in the travesty that I’m about to discuss.
On May 6, on a 6-0 vote, you as a group were attempting to terminate a legally enforceable and binding contract for the construction and cost sharing of certain traffic improvements at the intersection of Legacy Boulevard and University Parkway. This contract was approved by UNANIMOUS vote of the prior commission (which included four of you, so it wasn’t a BOCC from Mars) on Nov. 12, 2024.
Rex Jensen “If
This effort to terminate was made at the behest of the District 5 commissioner who falsely claimed (as usual) that SMR “forced these improvements on the County,” and that his legal experience (which frankly is rather limited) led him to believe that the county had the right to terminate this agreement or rescind.
I believe that your very capable real attorney saved you from immediate legal action by having you cast the vote as a request to negotiate a termination. You were wise to listen to her, instead of the District 5 commissioner with the “law degree.”
Because you elected not to include me in the deliberation, I would like to discuss your conduct openly and in public via a public record memorandum (hence this memorandum to all of you) so that the District 5 commissioner is not free to misquote me.
II. What Happened Wasn’t Right
What you did was not right in any sense of the word and not respectful of the usually good and decades long mutually beneficial relationship between SMR and the county. This item was added to your agenda at night after the deadline in direct violation of your vaunted pledge of transparent conduct.
We, a party to the contract, were not even given notice or the courtesy of a telephone call or an email.
Commissioner Kruse was correct in thinking this was the case.
Do you not have telephones? Do you not have professional manners?
You couldn’t have given proper notice and allocated a later time to discuss this?
Can you not communicate to someone with whom you have a contract? Did any of you think your high-handed and unilateral actions would be well received?
We have multiple joint projects underway that serve the broader community’s interests. That makes
the lack of communication all the more troubling, particularly in light of the longstanding, collaborative relationship between SMR and the county. It seems to me that mutual respect and basic professionalism should guide our interactions — even when opinions differ.
You also believed and acted upon the lies, distortions and hyperboles (and terribly stupid jokes) of the District 5 commissioner, despite the fact that all of you know that this man neither cares about facts, nor is capable of keeping them straight.
Yet you believed him, knowing from other situations that he lacks credibility. Just like in the earlier post-hurricane drainage situation, he either can’t understand the truth or doesn’t care or maybe both.
In support of his attempt to turn what should be an engineering process into a political one, a few citizens were paraded to the podium in show trial fashion who opposed the roundabout. One of the District 5 commissioner’s star witnesses admitted to being legally blind as his reason for opposition to a roundabout. Seriously?
And you fell for this tripe? I even saw one of you nodding your head in agreement with this nonsense when I watched your spectacle after the fact. Also, with due respect, I doubt there were 5,000 emails; not many more than 5,000 people live in the community under discussion.
The assertion SMR forced the roundabout on the county is false, politically motivated and completely unproductive.
Attached as Exhibit A is the sketch of improvements to the intersection that we proposed to make in our first meeting with the county. You can readily see that it is a signalized intersection with turn lane improvements and not a roundabout.
In that initial meeting, however, county staff made a persuasive case that a roundabout would be a better long-term improvement. My staff agreed with their rationale. Because a roundabout is much more expensive than a signalized intersection, a cost-sharing arrangement was suggested, to which we also agreed and the BOCC (again, including four of you) unanimously approved the same on Nov. 12, 2024.
We began performance under that contract immediately since time is of the essence in fixing that intersection, and unlike you, we have a sense of urgency in accomplishing our projects. In the seven months of the life of the contract we have spent significant sums and spent very valuable time on improvements that are your suggestion, not ours.
SMR has moved forward in good faith and at considerable expense, believing we were working with a partner who shared our goal of improving public infrastructure. The suggestion that this decision was imposed on the county or lacked public process is revisionist and inaccurate.
III. Where Do We Go from Here?
There are a variety of ways to deal with this — ranging from professionally to not so much.
You have behaved in a rather unprofessional manner with your May 6 action. Would you like a return serve?
One way of moving forward is to say that we have a valid contract, and we are in the middle of performance, and this is the position that I am taking. (In fact, we may even have gotten around to tying up materials due to rapidly rising
because the light must cycle for each movement. I believe a roundabout would speed up peak traffic to a degree as well because of this fact. Additionally, we are working with ODA to create a back entrance through the corporate park that would remove much of its pickup/ drop-off traffic. This would make the roundabout even more efficient. There are other positives to roundabouts. First, they have been shown to be safer. According to the Federal Highway Administration, roundabouts reduce injury crashes by 75% and fatal crashes by up to 90% when compared to traditional signalized intersections. (Many of you commissioners have expressed on several occasions you want to eliminate traffic fatalities.)
construction and material costs. I’d have to check on that to be sure.)
We are taking the legal position that we have every right to continue performing, build the improvement and collect the agreed-upon reimbursement. If you fail to pay, you will be sued for damages, costs and attorneys’ fees.
As to negotiating a termination, such termination would minimally require things like:
1) A written public apology from each of you individually
2) Reimbursement of every cent spent together with interest
3) The acknowledgement that the delays that you’ve caused us have resulted in highly increased per unit construction costs and your agreement to front (not reimburse) these costs to us as liquidated damages, and we could then build what we initially proposed and not the roundabout
4) If, however, a future analysis shows the need for a roundabout, the county will, as part of the settlement, contractually and irrevocably assume full liability to fund and complete that improvement, not SMR, as we were prepared to do so under the approved contract which you are wanting to terminate.
There would certainly be other things that would go into this termination, but I am not prepared to take that approach. As you can see, a termination would be an economically worse deal for taxpayers.
You, as stewards of public funds, should consider that fact.
IV. A Suggested Approach
The better approach is to continue with our valid and enforceable contract. Our experts agree with your staff that the roundabout is the best long-term solution.
To do less may mean tearing up the intersection multiple times if other improvements are required in the future. We are not accustomed to wasting money, whether it’s our money or yours. This roundabout is the improvement that provides the greatest long-term capacity.
The community and residents deserve the right long-term improvement, not the most popular improvement, and that’s what we are going to give them.
Traffic optimization wins, not who writes the most and nastiest emails or wears the most T-shirts, and that’s an end to it.
I don’t always favor roundabouts. They have pros and cons. In fact, I opposed one at Players Drive and Lorraine Road. The reason for that opposition was that:
1) It didn’t physically fit the site. (The Country Club gates were too close to provide adequate storage for morning construction and service traffic.)
2) It was imposed by another political opportunist solely to curry favor with her neighbors. (I hate politics, can’t you tell?)
3) There is a disproportionately high number of golf cart crossings in that location.
4) Your staff agreed with me that a signalized intersection was best in this situation. In this case, however, the roundabout does fit the physical footprint. Moreover, the roundabout is the right solution. That intersection is not always busy. There have been many times that I have personally sat there with little or no oncoming traffic waiting for the light to turn.
At many times of the day a roundabout would allow traffic to proceed without much, if any, delay. At busier times (morning and afternoon Out-of-Door Academy times) traffic stacks up artificially
With roundabouts, accidents are typically fender benders, not headon or high-speed collisions you see with signalized intersections.
Second, roundabouts work during hurricanes that knock out the power. (Some of you commissioners have expressed on countless occasions your concerns about hurricanes and big storms.) Roundabouts work in all weather!
Remember from Hurricane Milton, signals don’t work in the aftermath of such storms and we all need to work to increase resiliency.
Third, the maintenance is reduced; there is no need to ensure the signal timing is correct or to replace traffic lights.
Fourth, just modifying turn lanes may require additional future improvements. The improvement we are designing under the contract provides the maximum capacity that we can achieve for that intersection.
We are not going to set ourselves up for multiple construction projects in the future and knowingly disrupt the community more than once in a key location by going halfway. This is a crucial intersection that needs fixing now, and we are only tearing it up once, not twice. To delay the project by redesigning it again doesn’t serve anyone who travels through it on a daily basis.
I am not making my community suffer twice just because you get emails. You encourage them with your behavior, so enjoy the emails and stop worrying about your convenience. Think of those stuck in traffic.
The choice should be about what’s right. The roundabout may not be politically popular, particularly at first impression. Popularity, however, shouldn’t be the basis for infrastructure decisions. Traffic engineering should be left to the professionals.
Your staff and mine have the expertise to evaluate the best improvement. They have already done that. We are not revisiting it. In all future road improvements, should we just count T-shirts and not cars on everything we do?? My community deserves the right functioning improvements NOT THE POLITICALLY CORRECT IMPROVEMENTS.
We also aren’t terminating valid agreements every time a politician wets his pants or seeks public relevance over emails. I’m sorry that you are getting emails, but you will live.
We have never done improvements by a vote. I’m not starting now and won’t do it in the future. When I see someone’s name on a check that pays our property taxes, I’ll listen … otherwise not so much.
Roads shouldn’t be political, and communities aren’t built by polls.
In the roundabout I opposed, for example, the county told me the opinion split was about 50/50. What would you do with that? The right thing should prevail, and that should be an end to it. We have an agreement, let’s stay with it.
Meantime, I have referred this matter to legal counsel (with a real law degree rather than one from the ACME school of law or whatever).
I realize this communique could have been more civil. Next time, pick up the phone and act with civility if you want civility in return.
Your interference with a binding legal obligation in the middle of a project isn’t appreciated. We have no intention of rescheduling our trains every time the District 5 commissioner’s cuckoo clock sounds.
Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944
President and Publisher / Emily Walsh, EWalsh@YourObserver.com
Executive Editor and COO / Kat Wingert, KWingert@YourObserver.com
Managing Editor / Michael Harris, MHarris@YourObserver.com
Staff Writers / Ian Swaby, ISwaby@ YourObserver.com; Andrew Warfield, AWarfield@YourObserver.com
Advertising Graphic Designers / Luis Trujillo, Taylor Poe, Louise Martin, Shawna Polana
Digital Developer / Jason Camillo, JCamillo@YourObserver.com
Information Technology Manager / Homer Gallego, HGallego@YourObserver. com
Chief Financial Officer / Laura Strickland, LStrickland@YourObserver.com
Controller / Rafael Labrin, RLabrin@ YourObserver.com
Office and Accounting Coordinator / Donna Condon, DCondon @YourObserver.com
Observer Media Group Inc. is locally owned. Publisher of the Longboat Observer, East County Observer, Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer, West Orange Times & Observer, Southwest Orange Observer, Business Observer, Jacksonville Daily Record, Key Life Magazine, LWR Life Magazine, Baldwin Park Living Magazine and Season Magazine
CEO / Matt Walsh
MWalsh@YourObserver.com
President / Emily Walsh
Chairman Emeritus / David Beliles
Vice President / Lisa Walsh (1995-2023)
1970 Main St. Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-3468
1500 block of Main Street
Disturbance: A security guard had detained a man who was in an altercation with another man in a dispute that began at a different downtown bar on the same block.
The subject advised he had been at a nearby location when a woman sat next to him and a conversation of unknown subject ensued. That’s when he was grabbed by his back, he told an officer, by a man who advised him the woman had a boyfriend.
The forewarned man removed himself from the situation, soon after crossing paths with the woman’s boyfriend, with whom unpleasantries were exchanged. The detained man said although there was a brief physical altercation with the boyfriend, he did not wish to pursue any charges.
boyfriend, who had been detained by other officers. He confirmed the other subject’s account of the earlymorning events, but added that the other man balled his fists and he did hit him in self-defense.
determined to be mutual combat, and all parties left the area without further incident.
SUNDAY, MAY 4
YOU CAN’T STAY HERE
1:40 a.m., 1500 block of Main Street
Disturbance: downtown bar flagged down an officer regarding an intoxicated subject who was refusing to leave.
The officer enlisted the help of a sergeant to deal with the man who was highly intoxicated and argumentative. He was given multiple opportunities to leave the area and take a ride home, but he refused and became belligerent toward law enforcement. He also nearly fell multiple times and his speech was described in the incident report as “extremely slurred.” to leave the area, he was placed into protective custody under a Marchman Act and transported to Sarasota Memorial Hospital.
SATURDAY, MAY 3
HOLDING
DRYWALL HOSTAGE
1800 block of Irving Street
Dispute: Officers responded to a residence under construction where three former employees of a construction site were threatening the complainant and possibly damaging the property.
The three subjects were at the rear of the property and the complainant was called by phone who advised he was responsible for the interior build out of the home and had fired
Charting the path forward
Sarasota County hosts community conversation on hurricane preparedness.
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
In the time period from 2017 to 2024, the United States has experienced as many landfalls of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes as it has from 1960 to 2016, according to Jennifer Hubbard of the National Weather Service’s Tampa office. However, Sarasota County shared some advice to help residents be prepared for hurricane season, which begins June 1, during its community conversation on hurricane preparedness, held May 8 in the auditorium of Riverview High School. County, state and federal officials turned out to speak before a largely full auditorium, with preregistrations totaling 600 according to County Administrator Jonathan Lewis. The lineup of speakers included
Hubbard; Sandra Tapfumanyei, emergency management chief in Sarasota County; Kevin Guthrie, executive director of Florida Division of Emergency Management and John Brogan, federal coordinating officer of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
THE INS AND OUTS OF PREPARATION
Hubbard noted some changes at the National Weather Service.
She said the time frame has changed for advisories of potential tropical cyclones.
The forecast now provides these advisories for possible impacts from a system that has not yet formed into a storm 72 hours in advance; previously, it was 48 hours.
She said last year, the introduction of new graphics emphasizes watches and warnings outside of the projected path cones.
She said many people misunderstand the cones, which only show the average error of where the center of the storm will track — not how far the impacts could extend.
“Last year’s storm, we saw we don’t have to be in the cone to expe-
rience those impacts, and so we want people to take every storm seriously, even if it is 100-plus miles off our coast,” she said, noting the flooding impacts of Hurricane Helene despite its distance.
She also said in the past decade, there has been an increasing risk from rip currents, and hurricanes. gov will highlight the presence of any rip currents in the Atlantic basin.
Hubbard said while storm surge used to be the biggest cause of deaths from hurricanes, rainfall now holds that status.
She said water has at least an 85% fatality rate, whether storm surge or floodwater, and more than half of flood-related fatalities result from people trying to drive through flood waters.
Tapfumaneyi said Sarasota County is looking to boost its graphic imagery and its explanations of storm surge.
The county has purchased a new warehouse large enough to fit all disaster supplies and is trying to increase its capacity to receive resources from the state, she said, noting upgrades to its staging area at Twin Lakes Park.
She said the county will con -
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Visit SCGov.net for more information on the event, as well as materials including the county’s emergency preparedness guide.
tinue implementing improvements throughout the season.
Guthrie spoke on how residents can be prepared for flooding, emphasizing the intention of FEMA is not a service to be relied on for all needs.
He said the average payout from FEMA for a Floridian over the past 10 years is about $4,000.
“FEMA is there to help the worst of the worst, the situations that truly are emergency, dire situations,” he said, asking residents to take protective actions for themselves and their properties.
However, Brogan said, even if they have insurance, people should still register for FEMA assistance, stating the service is intended to supplement what insurance provides.
“We can’t duplicate those benefits
that you’re already provided by your insurance company,” he said. Guthrie urged attendees to consider flood insurance, stating if they cannot afford an insurance policy, to think about a contents policy. He said in Palm Beach, Florida’s most expensive market, a contents policy can cover $40,000 in home contents for $298 per year.
He said Florida is doing everything it can in terms of hurricane preparedness.
In his speech, he noted the state division of emergency management will approach visiting communities differently, gathering at a community center in a neighborhood rather than traveling door to door.
“I want to give you some comfort tonight and say, look, hurricane season in Florida is going to be, the response to it, the recovery from it, is going to look the exact same way it always has,” he said. “Our federal partners are going to be here to support us with whatever we need them to do, and then we’re going to take the lead on … what resources are coming into the state, and then we’re going to give those down to the local emergency management directors to do those.”
Sandra Tapfumaneyi speaks at the event.
Photos by Ian Swaby
Kevin Guthrie speaks with Valérie Mélignon.
SPORTS
FAST BREAK
“I have so much more in the tank, so I know what I’m capable of now, and I’m so motivated to accomplish more.”
Ibre Edwards of the Booker girls track and field team placed in two events at the 2A state championships at UNF on May 9. Edwards was second in the 100-meter hurdles (14.68) and eighth in the 400 hurdles (1:03.94). The Tornadoes boys team placed in six events at the state championships. The 4x100 relay team of Turi Bell Imani Estrada Chauncey Kennon and Jacobey Mobley (42.01) placed fourth, Treyvion Timmons placed seventh in the triple jump (13.24 meters), Kennon placed ninth in the 200-meter dash (21.85), Mobley placed ninth in the 400-meter dash (49.37) and Maleek Lee placed 18th in both the shot put (12.62 meters) and the discus (40.25 meters).
... The Cardinal Mooney girls track and field team placed in four events at the 2A state championships. Zoe Kirby led the way in three events. She placed seventh in the javelin (34.30 meters), 15th in the shot put (9.60 meters) and 17th in the discus (29.12 meters). Grace Hroncich finished 11th in pole vault (3.15 meters). The boys’ 4x100 relay team of Kymistrii Young Liam McKay Mason Jordan and Bo O’Daniel (43.73) placed 17th.
... The Riverview boys track and field team brought home two silver medals from the 4A state championships at the UNF on May 10. Alex Bates placed second in the pole vault (4.35 meters) and Anthony Miller placed second in the javelin (58.76 meters). Madison Muller placed fifth in the 3,200-meter run (10:56.95) and eighth in the 1,600-meter run (5:02.45) for the girls team.
... The Sarasota girls track and field team placed in three events at the 4A state championships. The 4x800 relay team of Marley Bowen Alexa Daverio Annabella Cicilioni and Indy Grajalez (9:35.46) finished in third place and Grajalez placed eighth in the 3,200-meter run (11:06.36) and 12th in the 1,600-meter run (5:12.05).
BOOKER REGROUPS
The Tornadoes’ goals remain high despite the loss of head coach Scottie Littles.
VINNIE PORTELL STAFF WRITER
The 2025 season was shaping up to be one in which the Booker High football team was best positioned to win a state championship.
When Scottie Littles became the team’s head coach in February 2022, the Tornadoes were experiencing a three-year stretch of struggles.
Booker had gone 3-24 from 2019 to 2021, including a winless 2021 season.
Littles turned that around quickly.
Booker went 6-5 in his first season and has made it to the Class 3A state semifinal round the past two years.
Many of Booker’s best playmakers are incoming seniors this fall and have plenty of experience playing deep into the season.
However, Littles resigned from his position in April following a string of disciplinary-related issues, which begs the question: Will Booker take a step back?
crash, but we’ve actually uplifted it,” said rising senior defensive lineman Kevontay Hugan, a three-star recruit committed to play for the University of Louisville. “Everyone came together and supported coach Littles. He was more than a coach to all of us.”
Aside from Littles’ departure, many familiar faces remain at Booker.
NEW COACH, FAMILIAR FACE
Carlos Woods, the defensive coordinator last season, applied for the head coaching position when the job opened up and was named interim head coach.
The interim label lasted just two weeks.
He became the full-time head coach thanks to what he said was “overwhelming support from the community.”
Woods said the rest of the coaching staff is staying as well, with Shavion Howell, Corey Williams and Anthony Hubbard collaborating on defense and Derrick Timmons and Alton Lilly handling the offense.
final four but falling short, and they want another chance to finish on top.
“We are all invested,” rising senior quarterback Joel Morris said. “I feel like everyone has the sense that it’s all or nothing with this 2026 class. With what we have right now, we can win it all. It’s still going to be the same team regardless.”
Though no Booker players have transferred this offseason, the Tornadoes are losing some impact players to graduation. Offensively, Booker is losing quarterback Ryan Downes, running backs Rashawn Peterson and DJ Johnson and receiver Ryan Simmons Jerrod Jr. Defensively, they will be without defensive lineman Jordan Radkey, edge rusher Dajien Walton, defensive back Abraham Brown III and athlete Anthony Speciale.
Those losses pale in comparison to what the Tornadoes return, however.
Morris, who split time with Downes before breaking his fibula in Week 6, is now healthy for his upcoming senior season with a loaded receiving corps.
TORNADOES FEATURE A POTENT AERIAL OFFENSE
The Booker football team has one of the deepest wide receiver corps in the state, which should make life easy on rising senior quarterback Joel Morris.
Tyren Wortham: 67 receptions for 1,360 yards and 17 touchdowns.
“Tyren is really a deep threat,” Morris said. “Whenever we need a big play or a ball thrown down the field, we know Tyren is going to come down with it. A 50-50 ball for Tyren is a 100% ball.”
“People think that when coach Littles left, the Booker program was going to
Rising senior quarterback Joel Morris is healthy again after breaking his fibula halfway through last season.
“My whole thing is creating continuity for these guys, creating some familiarity,” Woods said. “I just want to keep a steady hand with these guys. They’re used to working with me in the weight room and the last couple of years as their defensive coordinator. Now it’s just a different position, but I still treat it the same as far as my approach. I’m going to give it my all, and I ask the same from them.”
This technically is Woods’ second stint as head coach at Booker.
He started at Booker during the summer of 2012 fresh off of four years serving as an assistant coach with the Indianapolis Colts and the Cincinnati Bengals, but wound up never coaching a game.
Woods resigned before the 2012 season because of personal reasons. This time around, Woods said the program he’s leading is in a much better position to win.
“It’s a complete 180,” Woods said of the football program from 2012 to now. “They’ve built a couple of new buildings. They moved the practice field. We have a new fieldhouse that’s going to be complete in July that we’ll move into at the start of the season. They’ve made tremendous upgrades to the season. I’m excited about everything that’s on the horizon.”
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Some football programs see players transfer to other schools when a head coach leaves in the offseason, but that hasn’t been the case at Booker.
Talented juniors and seniors on the Tornadoes experienced the bittersweet feeling of reaching the state
Booker returns receivers Tyren Wortham, a three-star UCF commit, Dylan Wester, a three-star Pitt commit, Chauncey Kennon, a fourstar prospect, and rising sophomore Tyree Mannings Jr.
One position Woods will have to figure out is running back. With both Peterson and Johnson graduating, the Tornadoes won’t return a ball carrier who had 10 or more carries last season.
Whoever that back is will be running behind an offensive line full of experienced players such as Kayden Hunt, Nate Rodriguez, Khamarius Phelps, Jaleel Williams and Jamarius White.
Playmakers abound on the defensive side of the ball as well.
Kennon and Wester have been two of the team’s top defensive backs, along with safety Karaijus Hayes, a rising senior three-star prospect committed to Vanderbilt, and rising senior safety Jason Thomas.
Hugan and rising junior Maleek Lee, who recently received an offer from Penn State, are back on the defensive line, as well as outside linebacker Torry Holloman, a rising senior.
The Tornadoes will put their lofty aspirations to the test early in a spring game jamboree in Miami on May 22 in one half against Miami Norland and one half against Miami Hialeah, two teams that went to the regional playoffs last season.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to be back as the head coach to have the opportunity to lead this great program,” Woods said.
Dylan Wester: 37 receptions for 675 yards and six touchdowns.
“Dylan is really good at route running,” Morris said. “He’s very tactical. I always see Dylan working on his craft in route running and creating separation.”
Tyree Mannings Jr.: 35 receptions for 838 yards and seven touchdowns.
“Tyree is a different person,” Morris said.
“He’s real smooth in his route running. He’s very fluid and also very fast. He brings a different dynamic to the game. When you get the ball in his hands, he’s going to score.”
Chauncey Kennon: 10 receptions for 317 yards and six touchdowns.
“Chauncey is a freak athlete,” Morris said. “I remember throwing a hitch to Chauncey, and he took it to the crib. I remember throwing a screen to Chauncey, and he took it to the crib. Chauncey is just Chauncey — I don’t know how to explain it.”
— Anthony Miller, Riverview High junior SEE PAGE 16
Vinnie Portell Booker High track and field senior Ibre Edwards earned a silver medal in the 100-meter hurdles at the 2A state championships on May 9 at the University of North Florida.
New Booker head football coach Carlos Woods has united the Tornadoes after former coach Scottie Littles resigned in April.
Photos by Vinnie Portell
WELCOMES
Keyur Kurani, MD
Dr. Keyur Kurani brings to Intercoastal
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
University of Medicine and Health Sciences, St. Kitts, Basseterre, SKN
Family Medicine Residency, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Jackson, TN
Board Certified, American Board of Family Medicine
Hospital Affiliations: Sarasota Memorial Hospital; Doctors Hospital
Cattleridge Medical Building I 3333 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota, FL 34232
THANK YOU!
SARASOTA CITY COMMISSIONERS
Jen Ahearn-Koch, Kyle Battie, Debbie Trice, and Kathy Kelley Ohlrich
Thank you for listening to your constituents and voting to overturn the Planning Board’s approval of the “Obscene” Obsidian at 1260 North Palm Avenue.
We are very grateful.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Anthony Miller
Riverview High junior Anthony Miller figured his ability to throw a football 73 yards would translate well to throwing a javelin.
Riverview doesn’t have a track and field coach who specializes in the javelin, so Miller taught himself. His studying and training paid off on May 10 at the Class 4A track and field state championships at the University of North Florida.
Miller earned a silver medal with a second-place finish thanks to a personal-best javelin throw of 58.76 meters.
When and why did you start throwing a javelin?
At first, it was just a thing I discovered. I was kind of hesitant about it because I had never done it before. We don’t even have a javelin coach here. We have a throwers coach, but not a javelin coach. I’ve always been good at throwing a football far, so I was like, ‘I can probably throw a javelin far.’ I worked on it a little bit last year, but didn’t have a lot of time to do it. This year was more of my learning year and experiencing how to throw it. I ended up second in the state, so I’m going to keep working on it.
What was your most memorable moment in track and field? Definitely at the state championships because every throw I made was a personal record. That was by far the best meet I’ve ever had. At such a high stage, I was able to compete and perform at my very best.
If you would like to make a recommendation for the Sarasota Observer’s Athlete of the Week feature, send it to Dylan Campbell at DCampbell@ YourObserver.com.
What’s your all-time memory in track and field? I would say the big personal record I just had because earlier I thought 55.8 (meters) was far. I’m able to throw it farther. I threw it 58.76, and I was like three meters behind the line. I have so much more in the tank, so I know what I’m capable of now, and I’m so motivated to accomplish more. I don’t really have an official run-up yet. I’ve been freestyling it all year.
What went right for you this year? Javelin is so much technique. It’s not just throwing it as far as you can like a football. You really have to be flexible, so I had to work on flexibility. I had to watch a lot of videos and teach myself how to really throw a javelin. It’s a lot harder than someone might think. You have to know how to do it. You can’t just throw it.
What’s been your most humbling moment in track and field?
I got my ankle rolled up on in football two weeks ago before regionals, and I was worried I wasn’t going to compete. I went out with an ankle brace and I was still able to win regionals. I was so grateful to be able to go out there and compete, and some people don’t have the same opportunities I have. Some people wish to be in the spot that I am, so I was super grateful and humbled by that. I’m never going to take my abilities for granted because this is truly a pleasure.
What’s your favorite meal?
Gotta go with all-you-can-eat sushi at Ichiban. My favorite roll is the Mexiset roll with crab meat on top with some avocado.
What’s your go-to warm-up song? I like all of the ‘Rocky’ soundtracks.
Finish this sentence. Anthony Miller is ... Gritty.
Student
letters FROM PAGE 17
Hi James
I am a fifth-grade student in Sarasota, Florida. Today our class will be answering your questions. I live in Florida because it’s really good out here, and there’s really good people out here. What first brought my family here is that it really looks cool out here. My family makes money by working hard. My mom works at McDonald’s. The stuff I do for fun is that I hang out with my friends, and that I play soccer with my friends. The animals that live here are eagles, lizards. People like to eat burgers, pizza, and many other things. Sometimes people like to listen to XXXTentacion, Juice WRLD, NLE Choppa, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Billie Eillish, and Lady Gaga, sometimes Drake.
No, I don’t have a Florida athletic team. Some interesting geographic features of florida are coastal plains, wetlands and uneven karst landscape.
Sincerely, Dilan Innovation Academy Fifth Grade
Dear James,
Hi! I am a fifth grader in Sarasota, Florida. I will be happy to inform you on the Sunshine State Florida!
I live in Florida because of the beaches, weather and friends. My family was brought to Florida for the same reason.
My dad makes money from working as a video producer.
Florida looks sunny, crowded and sometimes dry.
I like to go to the beach, the UTC mall, or hangout with friends for fun.
Some animals that live in Florida are alligators, dolphins, and wildcats. Music is everywhere, but from my experience, most likely country or rap.
As of right now, I do not have a favorite athletic team.
Some interesting geographic features in Florida are the Everglades, karst, and Lake Wales ridge.
Sincerely, Katerina Innovation Academy Fifth Grade
A MAGIC METHOD
IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER
evin Spencer began his career traveling with a large magic illusion show.
Yet during that time, he formed connections with performing arts centers around the country to benefit his work since 2015: bringing the therapeutic benefits of magic to children with disabilities and life challenges.
During the week of April 21, he shared his mission in Sarasota, through a weeklong residency with the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation.
“I think everybody’s fascinated by the impossibility of a magic trick,” said Spencer, who has a Ph.D in education with a focus on special education. “I think that, especially the kids I work with, they know what’s supposed to happen and what’s not supposed to happen, and when something happens and it clicks in their brain like, ‘Wait, that’s not supposed to happen,’ that taps us at a really, really deep level of curiosity.”
After visiting local schools like Fruitville Elementary, Oak Park School and Pinnacle School, and organizations including The Haven, Easterseals and All Children’s Hospital, his time in the area concluded with the show The Magic of Kevin Spencer at USF Sarasota-Manatee’s Selby Auditorium.
The foundation’s residency program brings nationally recognized artists to the area, and it says the residencies help to address diverse needs in the community.
“It’s just been great to see the teachers, the students, and just how everyone responds to him and that joy, that unexpected awe of getting to see their students do something that is out of their comfort zone, that might normally not have happened,” said Kelli Maldonado, the foundation’s executive director of mission and impact.
Spencer’s exploration of the therapeutic benefits of magic began when he was involved in an automobile accident around 1990, which
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information on Kevin Spencer, visit KevinSpencerLive.com.
For more information on the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation, visit PerformingArtsFoundation.org.
resulted in a traumatic brain injury and a lower spinal cord injury that left him in rehab for almost a year.
“It was really boring, the kinds of things that they ask you to do, putting pegs into boards or marbles in a glass, or you’ve got word problems that you’re trying to do to work on speech,” he said.
However, after being released from the hospital into a day program, he changed his focus to magic tricks, which he said required all the same movements.
Likewise, he said the elements are a magic trick align with the skills he is teaching to children, promoting abilities like motor skills, and communication and social skills.
In fact, he compares magic to having a conversation.
“There’s a beginning, there’s a middle, there’s an end, and a magic trick has all of those things,” he said.
He said he’s learned that kids will rise to the challenges that they meet, and says society’s expectations limit those individuals only.
Ian Swaby Kevin Spencer performs in a Fruitville Elementary classroom.
PET PICS
Have
Wild Blue at Waterside captivates homeowners with its prime Lakewood Ranch location, exceptional residences, and resort amenities. This awardwinning Stock Development community features homes by notable builders and incredible amenities, including the new 13-acre Midway Sports Park with
tennis, pickleball, basketball, outdoor sports and more. Opening in fall 2026, the 30,000-square-foot clubhouse will feature indoor/outdoor dining, pools, movie theater, fitness center, and 9-hole premier putting course. Come discover Sarasota’s most desirable nature-centric luxury community.
NOW OPEN. MIDWAY SPORTS PARK
Siesta Key home tops sales at
ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR
Jerald and Kathleen Anne Kamiel, of Sarasota, sold their home at 3500 Bayou Louise Lane to Il Prossimo Capitolo LLC for $7,825,000. Built in 2002, it has five bedrooms, five baths, a pool and 5,934 square feet of living area. It sold for $8.05 million in 2021.
SARASOTA SARASOTA BAY CLUB
Sarasota Bay Club LLC sold the Unit 328 condominium at 1299 Tamiami Trail to Robert and Carole Kay, of Sarasota, for $2.45 million. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,206 square feet of living area. It sold for $875,000 in 2012.
Sarasota Bay Club LLC sold the Unit 523 condominium at 1299 Tamiami Trail to Nikola and Doris Zlatar, of Sarasota, for $1.4 million. Built in 2003, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,790 square feet of living area. It sold for $620,000 in 2015.
SARABANDE
James and Carol Noah, of Chicago, sold their Unit 45 condominium at 340 S. Palm Ave. to Martin and Diana Rosansky, of Sarasota, for $2.35 million. Built in 1998, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,761 square feet of living area. It sold for $975,000 in 2010.
DESOTA PARK
Cheryl Burns-Noble, trustee, of York, Maine, sold the home at 1923 Hibiscus St. to Scott Goffstein, trustee, of Sarasota, for $1.85 million. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,360 square feet of living area. It sold for $710,000 in 2018.
KENTWOOD ESTATES
Debra Werman, trustee, and Michael Werman, of Sarasota, sold the home at 1563 Eastbrook Drive to Jaime and Olga Carrion, of Sarasota, for $1.5 million. Built in 1967, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,633 square feet of living area. It sold for $178,000 in 1990.
TERRACE GARDENS
Clayton and Jennifer Owens, trustees, of Sarasota, sold the home at 2326 Gull Lane to David and Jennifer Kozlowski for $1.2 million. Built in 1949, it has five bedrooms, five baths, a pool and 2,619 square feet of living area.
THE 101 Brett Stolson and Gregory Creech, of Sarasota, sold their Unit 15H condominium at 101 S. Gulfstream Ave. to Johnson Real Estate Properties LLC for $1.1 million. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,320 square feet of living area. It sold for $550,000 in 2017.
BAYVIEW HEIGHTS ADDITION
James Lynch, of Sarasota, sold his home at 1773 Harmony Lane to
William and Emily Coggins, of Tisbury, Massachusetts, for $899,000. Built in 1953, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,098 square feet of living area.
PHILLIPPI LANDINGS
Andrew McIntosh Rauch, of Osprey, sold his Unit 704 condominium at 5531 Cannes Circle to Jeffrey Cohen, of Sarasota, for $895,000. Built in 2006, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,706 square feet of living area. It sold for $630,000 in 2022.
PAYNE PARK VILLAGE
Joseph James Belenardo and Lisa Marie Belenardo, of Sarasota, sold their home at 2320 Lindstrom St. to Darby Aspen Dietrich, of Sarasota, for $850,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,123 square feet of living area. It sold for $481,700 in 2020.
ESPLANADE BY SIESTA KEY
Owen and Joan Murray sold their home at 8140 Gabanna Drive to Joanne Cashetto and Maya Maria Coffield, of Sarasota, for $800,000. Built in 2015, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,104 square feet of living area. It sold for $652,700 in 2016.
GRANADA
Mike and Shannon Backofen, of Bossier City, Louisiana, sold their home at 3529 Jacinto Court to Mark David Beckerman and Pamela Roberts, trustees, of Inlet Beach, for $800,000. Built in 1926, it has three bedrooms, one bath and 1,062 square feet of living area. It sold for $735,000 in 2022.
SOUTHPOINTE SHORES
Mary Carol Costigan sold her home at 1846 Sandalwood Drive to Andrew Huie and Vanessa Guzman, of Sarasota, for $800,000. Built in 1960, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,954 square feet of living area. It sold for $337,000 in 2010.
LA LINDA TERRACE
Matthew and Samantha Chin, of Sarasota, sold their home at 2141 Hyde Park St. to Christian and Corrine Rutt, of Freehold, New Jersey, for $775,000. Built in 1953, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool
TOP BUILDING PERMITS
and 1,511 square feet of living area. It sold for $405,000 in 2020.
RENAISSANCE
Donald Logan and Tamara Owens Logan, of Sarasota, sold their Unit PH-09 condominium at 750 N. Tamiami Trail to David Meadow and Robert Silvagni, of Sarasota, for $745,000. Built in 2001, it has one bedroom, one-and-a-half baths and 910 square feet of living area. It sold for $399,900 in 2013.
ONLINE
See more transactions at YourObserver.com
Other top sales by area
SARASOTA: $4,475,000
Bayso Sarasota
Sarasota Real Estate Partners LLC sold the Unit 1904 condominium at 301
Quay Commons to Walter Gregory Lehmkuhl, of Sarasota, for $4,475,000. Built in 2023, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 3,614 square feet of living area. It sold for $3,556,500 in 2023.
PALMER RANCH: $3.1 MILLION
Beneva Oaks
Adam and Megan Heller sold their home at 3759 Beneva Oaks Blvd. to James and Linda Stallings, of Sarasota, for $3.1 million. Built in 1981, it has five bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a pool and 6,215 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,875,000 in 2017.
OSPREY: $1.6 MILLION
Oaks II
Julia Griffith, of Winter Park, sold the home at 916 Mac Ewen Drive to Anthony DeLorenzo, of Osprey, for $1.6 million. Built in 1991, it has five bedrooms, seven-and-a-half baths, a pool and 5,987 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,475,000 in 2005.
NOKOMIS: $3.25 MILLION
Bayshore Road
William Turner, trustee, of Dayton, Ohio, sold the home at 1523 Bayshore Road to Steven and Amanda Kane, of Nokomis, for $3.25 million. Built in 1989, it has five bedrooms, three-anda-half baths, a pool and 4,616 square feet of living area.
Sarasota County, city of Sarasota
Photo courtesy of realtor Judy Kepecz-Hays
The house at 3500 Boyou Louise Lane has five bedrooms, five bathrooms and 5,934 square feet of living area.
FRIDAY, MAY 16 TO SATURDAY, MAY 17
NESTING SHOREBIRDS AND SEABIRDS OF TAMPA BAY
2-3 p.m. at Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Ave. Free. Learn about the shorebirds and seabirds of the Gulf Coast that lay eggs and raise chicks during the spring and summer months. This presentation is offered by Kara Cook, Audubon Florida’s shorebird program manager. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.
SATURDAY, MAY 17
FARMER’S MARKET
7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Main Street and N. Lemon Ave. Free. The weekly farmer’s market is a social opportunity for residents and visitors that supports the downtown area and offers complimentary booth space to local nonprofits each week. Visit SarasotaFarmersMarket.org.
LIMELIGHT MARKET
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Bazaar on Apricot & Lime, 821 Apricot Ave. Free. The third Saturday of each month, the Bazaar on Apricot & Lime opens its courtyard for guest vendors, adoptable dogs, live music and other offerings. Visit HameltsEatery.com.
MICRO WRESTLING
8 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Robarts Arena, 3000 Ringling Blvd. $24.99 to $46.99. This traveling professional wrestling performance features a cast of people under five feet tall. Visit SarasotaFair.com.
SUNDAY, MAY 18
SUNDAYS AT THE BAY
FEATURING GUSTAV VIEHMEYER
6-7 p.m. at The Oval, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Gustav Viehmeyer performs in this version of the free concerts held each Sunday at The Bay. His style features a blend of jazz, folk, metal, and Gypsy Fusion described as “sensuous, passionate and filled with ire.” Visit TheBaySarasota.org.
MONDAY, MAY 19
TO TUESDAY, MAY 20
SARASOTA MUSIC ARCHIVE PRESENTS ‘COMPOSER FEST’
1:30-3:15 p.m. Monday and
Ian Swaby Sarasota’s Declan Morrison, 2, tries the fire hose with the help of Firefighter/EMT Marshall Germond.
SATURDAY, MAY 17
FIRE DEPARTMENT
OPEN HOUSE
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Station 4, 3530 Old Bradenton Road. Free. The Sarasota County Fire Department’s familyfriendly, open house events are held one Saturday each month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Visitors can meet firefighters, explore fire apparatus, learn about fire safety and prevention and other topics including hands-only CPR and how to use an AED. Free car seat safety inspections and bike helmet fittings are offered. Visit SCGov.net.
Tuesday. Free. This event begins Monday with Part I, which includes “Discovering Old Souls through Historical Recordings with Max Tan” at 1:30 p.m., “Lecture and Q&A about Juilliard’s Musical Manuscripts with Jane Gottlieb, VP of Library and Information Resources at Juilliard” at 2:15 p.m., and a tour of Sarasota Music Archive at 2:45 p.m. On Tuesday, Part II features the lecture-performance “Music and Conservation” with discussion by Sean Friar, chair of the composition department at the University of Denver, at 1:30, and the discussion “Concert Programming for Today” with actress and curator Annie Dutoit-Argerich at 2:15 p.m. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket. com.
FAB FIVE POINTS
Having attended the Be Fabulous Music & Arts Pride Fest for three years, Matthew Isoldi called this year’s event the best experience yet.
On May 10, the festival made its return to Selby Five Points Park, while marking 15 years.
Shannon Fortner, president and executive director of the Fabulous Arts Foundation, said the location means that “folks can ... find a Pride event in Sarasota that’s in the heart of downtown.”
“I think it really unites our community in a different way, being here at Five Points, and it’s one of my favorite places, and I know a lot of people were just so excited to hear that we have come back to Five Points,” Fortner said. “We look forward to staying here.”
Bringing together a lineup of musical groups including headliners Berra of Washington, D.C., and GeeXella of Atlanta, the event celebrated LGBTQ+ artists and voices. Proceeds will support the foundation’s LGBTQIA+ Center, which opened at the end of January and offers services that include mental
GOING OUT OF BUSINESS!
health support and art classes.
Roberra Djalleta, who performs as “Berra,” said it felt “really special” to be selected for the even.
“I was like, ‘This is so nice that someone understands it,’” said Djalleta, who is transgender. “I love pop music, and I write a lot of pop mu sic, and so as a Black, Queer artist, it felt really good and af firming that people in the South, where I’m from, really liked it.”
SWABY
David Curran of MeteorEYES gets the music equipment started.
Samantha Ponzillo fills the air with bubbles.
Photos by Ian Swaby
Mackenzie “MJ” Jianelli of Orenda Health and Wellness brings his new dog, Gunner, to greet emcee Brianna Summers.
“B WK KXY YOASA LGC WAY ZU AUAM WKXWAC, ZU GKMA PXMYAC, ZU PKCU MDLZZAC. B DKFA YOA JLBG KI YOA WLZA.” CAGGBM
BXYKD CKNCT.” YNFBYN RHECG
SELF-STARTERS by Jonathan Raksin & Jeff Chen, edited by Jared Goudsmit
By Luis Campos
Cipher cryptograms
RED PAGES
INFORMATION & RATES: 941-955-4888 redpages@yourobserver.com •yourobserver.com/redpages
DEADLINES: Classifieds - Tuesday at Noon Service Directory - Friday at 3PM • PAYMENT: Cash, Check or Credit Card
The Sarasota and Siesta Key Observer reserves the right to classify and edit copy, or to reject or cancel an advertisement at any time. Corrections after first insertion only.
*All ads are subject to the approval of the Publisher.
*It is the responsibility of the party placing any ad for publication in the Sarasota and Siesta Key Observer to meet all applicable legal requirements in connection with the ad such as compliance with towncodes in first obtaining an occupational license for business, permitted home occupation, or residential rental property.
Notice: All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.
