Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer 5.29.25

A second chance to dance

Some people who have attended the Senior Prom never had the chance to attend their senior prom in high school, said Erin McLeod, president and CEO of Senior Friendship Centers.

However, the organization’s third annual prom, held May 23 at its Sarasota location and May 28 at its Venice location, showed that one is never too old for a prom experience.

“We try to do the Senior Prom because it’s just fun,” McLeod said. “It’s just yet another way for us to party, and we love to have parties around here.”

Attendees dressed in stylish attire to enjoy punch, jazz music and dancing, and had the chance to elect a prom king and queen.

Making change with spare change

Each Friday, kids at The Gan at Temple Sinai early learning center bring spare change. By the time the center held its end-of-the-year showcase on May 23, the amount collected by the students, who range in age from 15 months through pre-kindergarten, totaled to $832.50.

The showcase included a Tzedakah, or an act of generosity and justice, gifting the funds to Humane Society of Sarasota County. Laurie Lachowitzer, the temple’s VP of programming, wrote the Observer, saying the center is teaching kids the importance of creating a better world.

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WEEK OF MAY 29, 2025

BY THE NUMBERS

40

13

Acres, the

2 The number of events Sarasota hosted honoring fallen veterans for Memorial Day PAGE 18

CALENDAR

■ Sarasota County Commission regular meeting — 9 a.m., Tuesday, June 3, South County Administration Building, 4000 S. Tamiami Trail, Venice.

■ Sarasota County Commission regular meeting — 9 a.m., Wednesday, June 4, County Administration Building, 1660 Ringling Blvd.

“There’s always this impression that 50 apartments ... are going to be just incredible traffic. That is not my experience.”

Chris Gallagher of Hoyt Architects. Read more on page 5

Extension office offers self-guided tours

Residents have a new way to learn about landscaping practices, conservation initiatives, solar options and more with a virtual tour now offered by UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County.

The tour includes 19 distinct stops — with more to be added — set around the Extension complex, where visitors may use their smart phone, tablet or other web-connected device to watch brief videos sharing information about the stations.

Those visiting in person can walk the Extension grounds to

locate tour stops, but anyone can find and visit stations online by using a locator map available at SFYL.IFAS.UFL.edu.

Each tour stop is located outside the Extension building and marked with a sign emblazoned with a QR code unique to that station. The codes provided access to videos 60 to 90 seconds in length, with information about each topic available for in-person and remote visitors.

While each stop focuses on a single topic, the overall tour is organized by broad themes for

ease of navigation and to showcase the programs and information available through the Extension. Themes include: Ecology and natural resources, Floridafriendly landscaping, gardening, horticulture, sustainability, waste reduction and water resources.

The initiative is part of a broader effort to increase online access to educational resources, including several story maps connecting people with community and demonstration gardens, natural areas and more.

American to offer SRQ-MIA

flight

Starting this fall, Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport will have a new flight. American Airlines is launching service between SRQ and Miami.

The nonstop service will begin Nov. 3 on a 76-seat Embraer 175 jet departing SRQ at 6:30 a.m. and arriving at MIA at 7:40 a.m. For the return trip, officials say flights will leave MIA at 9:30 p.m. and arrive at SRQ at 10:40 p.m. The schedule is subject to change.

“We are thrilled to announce that American Airlines will be adding Miami as their sixth nonstop destination from SRQ,” said Rick Piccolo, president and CEO of SRQ, in a news release.

Currently, American Airlines also offers nonstop service between SRQ and Charlotte, North Carolina (CLT); Washington, D.C. (DCA); Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW); Chicago (ORD); and Philadelphia (PHL).

City garage access goes Gateless June 17

Gateless parking garages are coming to Sarasota.

Beginning Tuesday, June 17, all three city-owned parking structures — Palm Avenue, State Street, St. Armands — will convert to gateless entry and exit.

Beginning that day, entrance and exit gates will be in an upright position until they are removed. Drivers of each vehicle must pay within 15 minutes of entering the garage through mobile apps (Passport, ParkMobile), text-to-pay, or physical pay stations.

Parking fees will remain the same.

In addition, garage parking enforcement hours will be extended from 7:30 a.m. until each garage closes. Hours of operation for each garage are:

■ Palm Avenue and State Street: Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-midnight; Friday-Saturday, 7 a.m.-2 a.m. ■ St. Armands: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-midnight.

More information will be distributed in coming weeks leading to the launch. Learn more at SarasotaFL. gov.

Following a six-year hiatus with the Bay Park Conservancy, the former head of the Sarasota office of Kimley-Horn is back and focused on completing the downtown Sarasota puzzle.

BILL WADDILL 2.0

ANDREW WARFIELD | STAFF WRITER

In the 18 months since his return to planning, engineering and design consulting firm Kimley-Horn following a sixyear “sabbatical” with the Bay Park Conservancy, Bill Waddill has carved a new niche.

Career 2.0, he calls it, is not so much a reinvention as it is a refocus.

In his first 31 years with the firm, the 61-year-old Waddill worked individual projects, rising in the ranks through the nationwide firm while cultivating expertise as a senior planner, senior landscape architect and “frustrated civil engineer and frustrated architect,” as he describes it.

“That’s just kind of what happens,” he said of his professional osmosis, “but over the last 15 years, what I was really interested in is collaborating on and leading talented multidisciplinary teams to implement important public or private projects.”

Those 15 years were in Sarasota, transferring within the firm across the state in 2002 — along with his wife, Kathy, and two young daughters — from Vero Beach at the behest of company principal and former Sarasota County Commissioner Al Maio.

Here, the San Antonio native and Texas A&M graduate found his ideal match of lifestyle and career opportunity in a city poised for explosive growth, armed with a new vision for its downtown, thanks to its Downtown Master Plan 2020 crafted by famed land planner and new urbanism guru Andres Duany.

Now, Waddill focuses on the larger picture, a self-described facilitator who, while representing the interests of the client, works to resolve points of friction between developers and the community to find the balance to better, if not best, serve the interests of all parties involved.

Most recently, Waddill was chief facilitator in ushering two downtown mixed-use projects that were opposed by neighbors and nearby residents, via crucial preliminary approvals. They were the rezoning of a combined two acres of parcels between Fourth Street and Fruitville Road and, most recently, the partial vacation of an alley for Saravela, a multifamily development on the next block between Fourth and Fifth streets along North Tamiami Trail.

A BRIEF RETIREMENT

During Career 1.0, Waddill lent his expertise to site-specific projects up and down the Gulf Coast of Florida, including an emphasis on developing nearly three dozen public parks and all that it implies when working with local governments and community stakeholders. That experience served him well in his stint with the Bay Park Conservancy in its work to collaborate, secure master plan approval, build Phase 1 and secure

Phase 2 funding for The Bay park.

“Career 1.0 with Kimley-Horn was fantastic, but I was looking for something where I could have meaningful impact on our community, really focus on one thing and use some of the skills I had learned over the years and also to keep learning,”

Waddill said.

While no stranger to community collaboration, that education included a master class in bringing parties together — via hundreds of community outreach sessions — to develop concepts that while not everyone will get all they want, they will get enough to move the forward and eventually achieve consensus.

Waddill’s last day at Kimley-Horn, where he had risen the ranks to the top local executive, was Jan. 2, 2018.

His first day at the Bay Park Conservancy was Jan. 3.

“So I had about eight hours of retirement,” Waddill said. “I was too young to retire, and I still am, but I went there and had an amazing six years.”

At that point, The Bay was about two years into planning.

“It’s not that the work I was doing wasn’t meaningful,” Waddill said.

“There were certainly a lot of amazing projects and clients over the years, but I really wanted to focus not on 10 things, but one thing that could really have an impact in the community.”

He found that opportunity in The Bay, and as managing director of the Bay Park Conservancy he was deeply immersed in the community collaboration the public-private venture process prescribes.

BUILDING CONSENSUS

What residents on the edge and within the Rosemary District want, Waddill found, is a pleasant, shaded, cohesive and walkable pedestrian experience in the three-block area between Fruitville Road and Fifth Street bounded by North Tamiami Trail and North Cocoanut Avenue.

With multiple projects in the works in a variety of stages within those blocks, none of which addressed the streetscape to their liking, that piece was poised to change from what it had been for a century to what it will be for next 100 years.

While running through the city approval gauntlet to secure rezoning for its project off Fruitville Road, Palsar Developments encountered stiff opposition in its quest to rezone the property from Downtown Edge to Downtown Core, the property downzoned in 2018 by a prior owner for a failed redevelopment plan.

input,” said David Lough, president of the Downtown Sarasota Condominium Association. “My read is what makes him effective is that he’s a good listener and a strong communicator when it comes to getting community needs across to the developer. He helps developers understand what it’s going to take to earn neighborhood support. He also brings technical knowledge, experience, and long-standing relationships into the mix.”

BUILDING THE PUZZLE

Career 2.0 finds Waddill viewing downtown at the macro level, especially the area within the tax increment financing district for The Bay, which includes much of the Rosemary District. Twenty-five years into Duany’s plan — he is also a member of the city’s recently appointed Downtown Master Plan Update Committee — Waddill regards the city’s core and economic engine as something of a jigsaw puzzle.

The pieces with straight edges have fully formed the perimeter of the plan, and what remains are the irregularly shaped fragments that comprise the picture within.

His work at The Bay, and now in Career 2.0, is part of putting that puzzle together.

“We’re filling in the middle. In a way, you could argue that creating the edge was the John Nolen plan over 100 years ago that laid out the grid network and created the idea of being next to the water,” Waddill said.

“Jump ahead to when I moved here almost 25 years ago, Main Street had good bones and had been up and down in its evolution,” he continued.

BILL WADDILL AT A GLANCE

Born: San Antonio Texas

Age: 61

Education: Texas A&M University

Career:

■ Senior planner/landscape architect, Kimley-Horn, October 1986-December 2017

■ Managing director, Bay Park Conservancy, January 2018-November 2023

■ Senior planner, Kimley-Horn, December 2023-present

In February 2024, the Planning Board recommended against rezoning approval by the City Commission for the project by a 4-1 vote, at the time opposed by the neighboring The Encore condominiums and other neighborhood advocates.

Enter Waddill, who joined project lead and Kimley-Horn colleague Phillip DiMaria to guide a dialogue between the developer and the community. By the time the project reached the commission, Palsar proposed proffers that resulted in the support of The Encore and Rosemary District neighborhood leaders.

Sent back to the Planning Board for reconsideration given the changes, the rezoning received its unanimous endorsement and, in November 2024, a 5-0 approval by the City Commission.

Waddill’s approach was to forge a coalition of community leaders, city staff and developers of other planned projects on the block to devise a cohesive streetscape plan of wider sidewalks and planting strips, deeper setbacks and mature shade trees to enhance the safety and ambience of the pedestrian experience.

“The opposition became support,” said Waddill. “You meet and you talk and you humanize each other. You talk about what’s important to you and what are the commonalities. You find a way to agree and the elected officials say, ‘How can I not support this?’’’

About the same time, developer GSP Sarasota was crafting plans to convert the western half of the block, across the street from the Palsar project between Fourth and Fifth Streets along Tamiami Trail. The entire 282-unit plan hinged on the partial alley vacation of Fourth Way, which also met opposition at the Planning Board level, resulting in its recommendation of denial in April 2025.

By May 19, after weeks of collaboration with the community led by Waddill, multiple proffers resulted in the unanimous approval of the alley vacation, capped by the congratulations by city commissioners for demonstrating how developers, residents and staff can come together for a successful conclusion.

“Bill often steps in when there’s no formal process for community

“Then Andres Duany came in and did a master plan and codes were updated. Of course, we’re in 2025 now so we’re a little past due to be updated, but that served us incredibly well.”

For now, much of Waddill’s focus is on the southwestern edge of the Rosemary District and helping to facilitate the connectivity within its perimeter. Critical pieces include creating bicycle and pedestrian access across Tamiami Trail into The Bay and encouraging new developments to include wider sidewalks, trees, decorative street lights, townhomes at the street level — part of the Saravela Plan — and retail frontage.

Piece by piece, over time, the full picture comes into view.

“If you take the long view, and you recognize that so many of these projects are going to be there for 100 years, it’s worth it,” Waddill said.

“Most of these puzzle pieces are done by the private sector, and then at some point, the city can come in and fill in the gaps and you end up with a finished street.”

“So I had about eight hours of retirement. I was too young to retire, and I still am.”

Bill Waddill

North Tamiami multifamily project wins alley vacation

A developer worked with concerned residents on concessions to win support for plans to build 282-unit Saravela.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Changes proffered in the intervening weeks since the Sarasota Planning Board recommended denial of a partial alley vacation made allies of foes and won unanimous approval of the Sarasota City Commission.

During its May 19 meeting, the commission paved the way for design work to continue on Saravela, a mixed-use, 282-unit multihousing

development along North Tamiami between Fourth and Fifth streets.

To make for a more cohesive project, GSP Development and principal Larry Debb requested partial vacation of Fourth Way, an alley that bisects the center of the property between U.S. 41 and Cocoanut Avenue, just one block north of the Fruitville Road roundabout. Downtown residents who spoke against the project before the Planning Board expressed support before the City Commission, thanks to several

“It’s a great example of how a project can be better for you as well as for the community, and it’s a great example of why we do need community workshops.”

Commissioner Kathy Kelley Ohlrich

concessions made by the developer between the two meetings.

Those proffers include:

■ A minimum of 40 attainable dwelling units within the project on the Subject Property

■ Setbacks to enable a sidewalk and landscape pedestrian zone of 20 feet minimum between the building on Fourth Street, Fifth Street and U.S. 41

■ Ten-foot-wide amenity/tree planting strip adjacent to roadways

■ Eight-foot-wide clay brick sidewalk, 2-foot landscape area adjacent to building and 10-foot planting strip for canopy trees

■ Existing water line on Fifth Street adjacent to the project will be relocated out of the tree planting strip as a part of the required upsizing at no cost to the city

“I went to the Planning Board and argued against this proposal, and then we had some serious discussions with the developer, and I think we got some significant concessions,” said Peter Blanton, a resident of The Quay, directly across North Tamiami Trail from the project site. Rosemary District resident and Downtown Sarasota Condominium Association President David Lough, who also did an about-face in the interim joined Blanton in his opposition at the Planning Board.

“We had lots of coffee together and some discussions and I think on balance, we ended up with a better project for Mr. Debb and I think for the community,” Lough said. “This project is an outlier. It shows what can happen when the public is really meaningfully engaged.”

To facilitate the two-tower building over a podium, the preliminary design of Saravela covers the western portion of Fourth Way, the alley primarily used for sanitation collection with no sidewalk, lighting or viable pedestrian use. The access to

and from the eastern half of the alley, which runs between residences facing Fourth and Fifth streets, will be relocated to Fourth Street.

The project is taking advantage of the city’s attainable and affordable housing density and height bonuses, originally planned to include the minimum of 29 affordable units.

“We’re going to put 40 of them in,” Debb said, including a bonus of his own. “We’ve worked out with U.S. Bank that they’ll provide 90% financing to anybody who has a certificate from the city that they are certified to buy one of these. In addition to that, we will not charge those 40 units any HOA expenses, again saving them money because we think it’s extremely important to have those types of affordable units in the in the building.”

The developer hasn’t determined whether some, all, a mix or any of the units will be available for purchase.

The building design includes townhomes along Fourth Street, creating a more welcoming pedestrian experience in contrast to a wall up against the public right of way.

To allay concerns about vacating a right of way that is lost forever in the event Saravela is not built, Debb has proffered that until clearing all predevelopment hurdles and an issued building permit, the vacation will not occur.

“I know there have been reasonable and justified concerns with this commission in the past,” said attorney Patrick Seidensticker, who represents the developer. “It never leaves the city’s ownership unless and until we are approved both for the administrative site plan and all of our administrative adjustments that we’re asking for, and receive a building permit.”

Prior to the vote, there was little discussion among commissioners regarding the merits of the alley vacation, other than to compliment all parties involved for the process.

“I’d like to commend you for having your conversations with the neighbors,” said Commissioner Kathy Kelley Ohlrich. “It’s a great example of how a project can be better for you as well as for the community, and it’s a great example of why we do need community workshops.”

Planning Board sides with The Strand residents against apartment project

A developer proposes 58 apartments between North Tamiami Trail and condos in a matter to be settled by the City Commission.

WARFIELD

uring a Planning Board meeting briefly interrupted by an emotional outburst by an audience member ended with a recommendation to deny an apartment development between North Tamiami Trail and The Strand condominiums that stand along Whitaker Bayou.

Central to the controversy in comments made to the Planning Board at its May 14 meeting by residents of The Strand was the 15 days’ notice they had about the hearing to amend a 2022 rezoning to permit residential rather than commercial on the 1.78acre site comprised of two parcels. Owned by Illinois-based Tammy II LLC, the developer is seeking to build 58 apartments over two buildings and using a driveway to be shared with residents of The Strand, the latter which was part of the original approved plan from 2015.

Although some residents cited matters not relevant to the hearing — flooding problems they are already experiencing chief among them — most objected to the fact that the required community workshop on changing the parcel from commercial to residential held before completion of The Strand in 2022 and, as new owners, had no chance to participate.

The project faced delays for multiple reasons, chiefly the illness and death of the original project engineer and abandoning plans to use the lift station on site and instead tie into the city sewer system.

As affected parties, residents of The Strand received their notifications of the hearing — which came as a surprise. With the developer, through its consulting team, declining to accept a continuation of the

petition to provide more time to work with the residents, the Planning Board voted 3-1 to recommend against approval to the City Commission, which has final say in the matter. The vote did not include Chairman Dan DeLeo, who left the meeting prior to the matter being discussed.

Original developer Jim Bridges had intended the entire site as mixeduse, but when it became apparent commercial was not viable at that time in that location, sold the property to the current owner. One of the commercial tenants was intended to be Starbucks, which instead built on a location north of the site.

“At the time, residential along the North Trail wasn’t even considered as viable,” said project consultant Joel Freedman. “Now, residential along the trail is very viable and that’s why when the applicant purchased the property and decided they were going to capitalize on that trend of having residential along the Trail rather than commercial.”

Even though some residents argued 58 apartments would bring more traffic to the neighborhood than would 16,500 square feet of previously approved commercial, Development Review Chief Planner Tom Sacharski said residential traffic generates far fewer vehicle trips than would a commercial use.”

“There’s always this impression that 50 apartments and 50 condos are going to be just incredible traffic. That is not my experience,” said Chris Gallagher of Hoyt Architects, whose firm has been retained to design the project. “It’s just not that much traffic. The removal of the commercial actually lowers the intensity of the site, because traffic counts for commercial is much higher than residential. It essentially is a lower overall intensity with less trip

generation than what the commercial would be.” Gallagher went on to explain the delay in bringing the project forward and the surprise experienced by The Strand residents was not a matter of “dropping the ball.”

“Some unfortunate things happened,” Gallagher said. “It was actually kind of tough starting all over work that basically was almost done when we had to bring in a new engineer.”

Planning Board members were sympathetic to the element of surprise endured by residents of The Strand and encouraged a continuation of the hearing set against the likelihood of a negative vote.

“If I had to thread a needle, I would probably lean toward a continuation of the hearing,” said board member Douglas Christy. “But if that’s not

going to be an option, my personal perspective is it’s going to be (commission) approved. They’re presumably making use of property rights they have. They’re not building to the max. They’ve exceeded the parking and they check the boxes.”

Manager of Development Services

Allison Christie said while a 3-year gap between a community meeting and a hearing is out of the ordinary, the project is in compliance with the code and with the North Trail Overlay District, and it conforms to the standards for parking, density and land use requirements.

Caught in a quandary between project compliance and The Strand residents’ inability to participate — and without a continuation on the table — the Planning Board backed the opposition and passed the matter to a higher authority.

Bird Key Yacht Club wins endorsement

Planning Board approves plan to replace existing clubhouse.

ANDREW WARFIELD

STAFF WRITER

Light and noise leaking into the surrounding neighborhood were the primary concerns expressed by residents of Bird Key during a May 14 Planning Board hearing on applications by Bird Key Yacht Club to rebuild its clubhouse facilities.

Satisfied with the club, staff and architecture firm DSDG Architects, the Planning Board unanimously endorsed the plan to the Sarasota City Commission, as recommended by staff who has adequately addressed those concerns.

The project is more than a renovation or expansion. The plan is to demolish the existing 22,300-square-foot clubhouse and replace it with a 21,500-square-foot structure plus 3,500 square feet of covered outside decks, replace the pool, relocate two bocce ball courts and add a fourth tennis court with new, modern lighting.

The 4.99-acre site, positioned in the middle of the Bird Key residences, is zoned Residential Single Family-1 and both the site plan and major conditional use permit require City Commission approval.

Bird Key Yacht Club Vice Commodore Tony Britt said the tropical weather events of recent years drove the club’s decision to rebuild rather than to renovate and, while at it, make improvements to the site plan.

“This process has been in place for about four years,” Britt told the Planning Board. “It started as a renovation, and then after more consideration and thought we realized that to make it FEMA-compliant, which is critical for the long term — given the club has been on the island for 65 years and we certainly intend to have it last another 65 years — that a renovation really didn’t make any

sense. We’re literally putting a BandAid on an issue that was never going to go away.”

Anna Keitel, of DSDG Architects, told the Planning Board the new single-story clubhouse will be located in the exact footprint of the current facility, but elevated to meet FEMA standards. The addition of underground vaults to mitigate stormwater runoff and a new driveway on East Royal Flamingo Drive will provide for egress only from the parking lot.

That curb cut concerned some residents about possibly adding traffic to East Royal Flamingo Drive and the additional tennis court and lighting bringing noise and light pollution to nearby residents.

Keitel explained the Sarasota County Fire Department requested the new driveway.

“It was easier for them turning out of the site from that route versus coming up our new three-foot incline ramp and exiting out of the existing entrance and exit that currently exists,” Keitel said.

As for light and noise emanating from the tennis courts — three of which will remain in place — the club

has proffered lights-out at 9 p.m. A photometric plan has not yet been submitted but will be subject to code at the building permit stage.

Keitel and landscape architect Phil Smith assured the Planning Board the combination of modern, targeted LED lighting and the landscape buffer plan will contain light and even sound within the court area.

“The foot candles where it reaches the property line are required to be in the neighborhood of 0.2,” Smith said. “The beauty of the fixtures that are LED now is that they’re so accurate they can cut the light off at the property line.”

Lining the perimeter of the tennis courts will be two layers of landscaping material, Smith added, including brushy areca palms planted at 16 feet in height, maturing to as tall as 30 feet with a spread of 10 to 20 feet. A layer of saw palmetto, the fanshaped frond plant, will augment those that can spread four to six feet.

Britt, who will assume the title of commodore in just more than a month, said the club intends to continue to be a good neighbor.

Restaurant on US 41 sells for $2.1

A veteran restaurateur purchased the building on South Tamiami Trail, which spans more than 5,500 square feet.

ELIZABETH KING BUSINESS OBSERVER

Aveteran restaurateur has purchased a freestanding vacant restaurant on U.S. 41 in Sarasota.

Ramiro Ramirez, owner of Avocado’s Cocina Mexicana & Bar in Bradenton, bought the building at 6131 S. Tamiami Trail for nearly $2.08 million. The property is just north of Stickney Point Road. The deal marks the second time Realtor Adam Seidel of American Property Group handled the sale of the more than 5,500-square-foot property, according to a statement from the commercial real estate firm; he also brokered a deal for the build-

million

ing that closed in 2022. At that time, New Dynasty bought the property for $1.62 million.

“It was a pleasure working with Ramiro,” Seidel says in a statement.

“We were especially excited to secure a buyer who not only understands his craft but also immediately recognized the outstanding potential of this property — from its high visibility along U.S. 41 and proximity to Siesta Key Beach to the expansive 81-space parking lot.”

The deal closed April 18, according to Sarasota County property records, which indicate Nata Investment LLC, with Ramirez as the registered agent, was the buyer.

“Given his strong commitment to food quality and customer satisfaction,” Seidel says, “we’re confident he’ll have no trouble filling those (parking) spaces with loyal, happy guests.”

Avocado’s Cocina Mexicana & Bar currently has two locations in Bradenton, one on Manatee Avenue and another on Cortez Road.

Two stormwater storms

County commissioners are facing two storms that could blow them away: how to pay for and prevent another 2024 and dumping stormwater on the city.

Talk about storms. Sarasota County commissioners are fighting two storms — before the 2025 hurricane season even begins, and, if not handled well, these storms could blow the commissioners away.

Storm 1: Stormwater management, specifically, figuring out what to do; how much to do; how to do it; how much money it’s going to take; and how much more everyone is going to pay to avoid a repeat of the 2024 flooding. It could grow to an electoral Category 4.

Storm 2: A proposal by the county to end its 34-year agreement with the city of Sarasota to manage the city’s stormwater and cause the city to create and fund its own stormwater utility operation. This one could become a Cat 5 war between the city and county.

And we thought Hurricanes Helene and Milton were bad. Ha.

1) STORMWATER MANAGEMENT

Judging from last week’s County Commission workshop on stormwater management, large swaths of unincorporated county residents along and near the banks of the county’s creeks (e.g. Phillippi and South Creeks) and between Clark Road and Venice, as well as east of Interstate 75, remain quite agitated over last fall’s flooding and the county’s stormwater management. They’re demanding action before the 2025 storm season begins.

One testy comment repeated to commissioners during the public portion of the meeting: “We are not going away.”

After an hour of mostly terse public comments (and a few compliments) and three hours of discussions with Sarasota County Public Works Director Spencer Anderson on how to address stormwater flowing through the county’s waterways, Anderson gave commissioners three funding scenarios to address the dredging and maintenance of the county’s waterways:

■ 1) Raise the county’s base stormwater fee 33.5% in fiscal 2026 to $67.35 from $50.44

■ 2) Create a new countywide ad valorem tax of 0.1312 mills

■ 3) Issue bonds and assess affected residents in specific watersheds on a per project basis

Commissioners all agreed the county first must commit to raising its level of stormwater service to avoid a repeat of 2024. As Commissioner Teresa Mast noted: Make the commitment to manage and maintain the county’s waterways in perpetuity (e.g. keep them dredged

and free of debris) and figure out later how to pay for it.

Another workshop is yet to come. And count on this: The county’s fees for stormwater management, inevitably, are going to increase.

2) TRANSFER STORMWATER TO CITY

The county administration dropped this bomb on the city last April.

Not much progressed publicly since then, until last week. County commissioners were expected to address the matter at their May 21 stormwater meeting. But after four-and-a-half hours of debating how to manage stormwater in the county’s waterways, they decided to go home and address the issue another day.

To be blunt: If county commissioners vote to disengage from the three-decade interlocal agreement, that would be an unbelievable cost to city taxpayers and, to be sure, a future management mess.

City officials have been preparing for the worst. And it is the worst.

The city is estimating taking on responsibility for the city’s portion of stormwater management (and the infrastructure) would require an upfront cost to the city of between $14 million to $20 million. Of that, an estimated $5 million would go toward equipment and $1.7 million to $2.2 million in the first year to hire 20 utilities staffers.

Those are just the upfront costs.

Here are the responsibilities the city would have to take on and be ready to manage:

■ Operate and maintain 2,831 storm inlets, 67 miles of pipes, swales and ponds and six pump stations

■ Maintain and upgrade infrastructure, dredging, tide gates and water quality

■ Procure, operate and maintain a new fleet of vehicles and machinery for ditching, excavation and digital inspections

It’s not as if the county’s current utilities staff would just switch to becoming city staffers and change the logos on their shirts.

To a degree, it’s akin to starting a new utility business. Things always go wrong in startups.

What’s more, there are larger consequences to this. Instead of a consolidated stormwater utility managing all of Sarasota County, the county’s divestiture would create two separate systems that would have to be coordinated every step of the way. You can envision the inevitable conflicts, blame games and mismanagement.

Indeed, this is such a bad idea it compelled the Argus Foundation to send a letter to county commissioners urging them to scrap it. We have reprinted the guts of the letter, in which Argus Executive Director Christine Robinson, a former county commissioner, makes a compelling argument against divestiture.

The saying is “timing is everything.” Given all that the county must confront with stormwater management countywide; all that the county and city are still doing to recover from 2024; preparing budgets for 2026; and all the city is confronting on other fronts (hiring

Speaker Perez has it right

While President Donald Trump and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson gloat over the passage of their “big beautiful bill” (which it is not — the spending and borrowing continue), Florida Speaker Danny Perez (R-Miami) is preparing for his own budget battle next month in the June special session.

Let’s hope Perez and his House colleagues show Trump and Johnson how to cut spending for real.

First, give Perez a lot of credit. He is one of the few Florida legislators who actually acknowledges that the Legislature, along with Gov. Ron DeSantis, have a spending problem. Like most lawmakers, past Legislatures typically spend however much money they collect. And

ARGUS: STORMWATER TRANSFER DEFIES LOGIC, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

First, stormwater flows transcend political boundaries. Consolidated management under a single entity, particularly in the northern county region, represents the most logical approach. This principle was acknowledged in the original 1990 agreement, which stated:

“WHEREAS, drainage basins overlap political boundaries, and intergovernmental cooperation is required to effectively manage stormwater runoff;”

The agreement further recognized:

“WHEREAS, it is the mutual desire of the COUNTY and CITY to establish relationships and responsibilities for planning, control, operation, maintenance and improvements to identified stormwater systems within the limits of the CITY in order to more efficiently and economically manage and coordinate the planning, operation, maintenance and improvements to such systems.”

The Argus Foundation has consistently advocated for government consolidation to enhance efficient service delivery to taxpayers. Our community has successfully implemented this approach through the integration of 911 services and fire departments.

Creating duplicate stormwater management departments divided by political boundaries defies operational logic and fiscal responsibility.

While we acknowledge certain challenges within the current agreement, these issues can and should be resolved collaboratively to benefit all residents, recognizing that city residents are also county citizens.

We recommend directing county administration to address these concerns prior to considering agreement termination, with commission intervention if administrative efforts prove insufficient.

We recognize that the aging infrastructure and impervious surface challenges within the city differ significantly from those in the unincorporated county. Should city-specific challenges necessitate a separate stormwater district with adjusted fee structures, we would support such an approach. This would undoubtedly prove more cost-effective than establishing an entirely new department that duplicates county resources, personnel, equipment and expertise.

We also recognize the development planning challenges that exist. These issues warrant thoughtful collaboration and formal documentation of solutions within the interlocal agreement. Termination should represent the absolute last resort rather than the initial response to these challenges.

We understand that dissolving the agreement might ease ad-

a city manager; figuring out what to do with the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall and a new performing arts center), and on the eve of the 2025 hurricane season, the timing

ministrative burdens for staff still addressing maintenance backlogs following the 2024 storm events. However, the commission’s primary obligation must be to the residents and businesses of both city and county, rather than to administrative convenience.

County government serves as the representative entity for the entire area, and the integrated management of water flowing between jurisdictions should remain a county responsibility to ensure comprehensive protection for all constituents.

The commission represents taxpayers, not government itself, and should prioritize resolving these issues rather than transferring responsibility during challenging periods.

Finally, the timing of this proposal presents significant concerns for both city taxpayers and administration. Implementing substantial fee increases to fund a new department would undermine the city’s impressive affordable housing initiatives recently codified in their comprehensive plan and zoning regulations. According to the Sarasota Observer, approximately 900 housing units are currently under development through combined public and private efforts within city limits. While any fee increase presents challenges, establishing funding for an entirely new department would significantly impede housing affordability progress.

Additionally, with city government undergoing administrative transition and unlikely to secure permanent leadership until early 2026, the City Commission faces unavoidable delays in its management search process. Imposing the creation or planning of a new department upon the city during this period when county support is most critical demonstrates neither responsible governance nor cooperative partnership. We must collectively aspire to better serve our shared constituency.

In conclusion, we strongly urge the removal of this item from the agenda without presentation or action …

As our community continues storm recovery efforts, transferring stormwater responsibilities back to the city — along with unresolved city issues in areas like St. Armands and Harbor Acres — constitutes an abdication of responsibility to residents and businesses, particularly during the city’s administrative transition.

Stormwater will inevitably cross our jurisdictional boundaries. We respectfully request that you honor the collaborative spirit of the original 1990 consolidation agreement by pursuing constructive solutions rather than disengaging from this shared challenge.

for this could not be more wrongheaded. And to do it would be even worse.

thanks to Florida’s robust economy, our lawmakers (They control the purse.), typically spend it all. Just look at the growth in Florida’s budget during DeSantis’ six budget cycles — up 33%. Has your household spending increased at that rate? Perez has been harping on how this spending needs to stop. And for good reason. State forecasters show state spending barreling into deficits for fiscal 2026 and 2027 unless lawmakers cut recurring spending.

Source: Florida Department of Economic & Demographic Research

As the table above shows, the House proposed a 5% cut in spending; the Senate much less. Read the May 13 letter Perez sent to House colleagues (see YourObserver.com/Opinion). Cheer him on for doing the right thing. — MW

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SUNDAY, MAY 11

1:12 a.m., 1500

Impaired person:

and well-being. Another officer who had previously arrived on the scene advised the man had just regurgitated “all over the sidewalk” according to the incident report.

The man was asked if he had been with someone previously, responding he had been taking in the downtown nightlife with his father and a friend. Attempts to contact his father were unsuccessful. Unable to stand without assistance, the man said he thought he was on Siesta Key. Whether he actually had been on Siesta Key earlier in the evening — and if he was how he came to be outside a pub in downtown Sarasota abandoned by his companions, presuming there actually was someone with him — was not determined.

Given his condition, the man was transported to Sarasota Memorial Hospital and admitted under the Marchman Act.

TUESDAY, MAY 13

NOTHING TO SEE HERE

1:11 p.m. 200 block of South Palm Avenue

Dispute: Responding to a call from a complainant regarding a dispute between two residents in a condo tower lobby, officers first encountered a concierge who informed him there was nothing with which they need be concerned.

The complainant, a woman, told a different story, explaining when a man was speaking with the concierge at the front desk, she admittedly stood too close to them, causing the man to lash out and call her rude. She said because of the man’s stature and how loudly he spoke to her, she felt threatened and called law enforcement. The concierge admitted to officers the incident was the latest in “an ongoing thing” between the two who live eight floors apart.

The officers advised the woman to avoid encounters with the man, to which she agreed.

FRIDAY, MAY 9

TOTAL NON-RECALL

11:38 p.m., 300 block of Bayfront Drive

Dispute: Officers responded to a call regarding a loud argument emanating from inside a parked vehicle at Bayfront Park. The witness advised the vehicle pulled into the parking lot as an unpleasant-sounding exchange of words continued.

Having separated the pair, an officer spoke with the man who stated while returning from the beach an argument began regarding his girlfriend’s missing phone. After learning from an officer who was speaking with the woman about scratches on her legs, the man informed that his dog caused those. Otherwise vague in his responses to officers’ questioning, he said the two had been dating for two months.

The woman confirmed the argument was about the phone but was otherwise “standoffish” toward the officers, according to the incident report. As for the scratches, she said they were self-inflicted.

Officers determined neither were suited to drive because of their level of intoxication.

The woman’s brother arrived to take her back to his home while the man hailed an Uber transport to his residence.

As an addendum to the report, the woman and her brother returned to the scene to tell officers the phone had not been lost, but rather her boyfriend tossed her phone from the car and was later located by her brother. However, the report reads she was “quite intoxicated” and her statements about what really happened with the phone were inconsistent. Her brother told officers he would take care of her.

City sale of Marian Anderson property inches closer

A developer plans to build a medical plaza and light industrial use on the former unlicensed landfill in Newtown.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Delayed by the hurricanes of 2024, a proposal to purchase the city-owned 13-acre Marian Anderson site in Newtown is back on track.

Buyer Newtown Gateway intends to divide the property into two distinct parcels: a northern parcel to develop as a health care clinic and medical office complex, which is a permitted use by right under existing zoning; and a southern parcel for light industrial use, which requires a Comprehensive Plan amendment and rezoning.

The latter also necessitates a second amendment, which was unanimously approved by the Sarasota City Commission at its May 19 meeting, to the May 2023 purchase and sales agreement between the parties.

Once an unlicensed landfill that operated until the early 1960s, the

property just west of the railroad track that runs parallel to U.S. 301, has been a challenge to develop because of environmental contamination. The city intends to sell the property to Newtown Gateway for $50,000, heavily discounted because of the required mitigation. At the time of purchase agreement approval, the timing for the development steps had not yet been determined and the entire process delayed as the city used the property as a vegetative debris staging area following Hurricanes Helene and Milton. That prevented the buyer from accessing the site for approximately seven months, delaying its ability to perform environmental testing and advance the remediation process.

With that work now complete, Newtown Gateway has fulfilled several contractual obligations including payment of the required escrow deposit, delivery of a property survey to the seller, notification to the city of specific encroachments, submission of a brownfield site rehabilitation agreement to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and held a community workshop related to the rezoning process.

“The last component of the second amendment would allow, but not require, two separate closings between north and south parcels,” said Wayne Appleby, the city’s economic development manager, telling commissioners.

Several steps toward closing will remain prior to development of the long-vacant property. They include completion of environmental remediation activities on both parcels by the buyer, presentation of the amendment to the Planning Board and subsequently to the City Commission by staff, and submission and processing of a rezoning application by the buyer through the city’s development review process.

SPORTS

FAST BREAK

The Sarasota High softball team’s season ended in the Class 7A state semifinal round at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park in Longwood in a 15-0 loss to top-seeded Wellington in four innings on May 23. The momentum swung wildly as the Sailors loaded the bases in the top of the first inning. Gianna Williams and Ashlan Guengerich walked and Carley Ramsden reached base on a dropped third strike, but Sarasota couldn’t bring home runs. Wellington responded with an eight-run first inning, including a three-run home run by Erryn Lowe. Sarasota finished its season with a 21-8 record and the team’s first regional championship since 2015.

... The Booker football team didn’t have a chance to put a winning stamp on its spring season. The Tornadoes were leading North Miami 6-0 at the Coconut Creek spring game jamboree in Miami on May 22, when a lightning delay began. The inclement weather resulted in the cancellation of the game, and the cancellation of Booker’s second game against Coconut Creek. Rising senior athlete Chauncey Kennon scored the Tornadoes’ only points on a jet sweep.

... The Cardinal Mooney football team won its spring game jamboree matchups against Clearwater, 21-7, and Trinity Mitchell, 35-7, at Clearwater High School on May 22. Rising junior quarterback Davin Davidson threw for five touchdowns across the two wins.

... The Riverview football team won its spring game 4221 over the Largo Packers on May 22.

... The Sarasota football team played Land O’ Lakes Sunlake and St. Petersburg Gibbs in a spring game jamboree on May 23. The Sailors lost to Sunlake 14-0 and lost to Gibbs 21-0.

“I’ve gotten remarkably stronger through my offseason this year compared to last year. I just think I’ve grown into my body a lot better.”

Few teams want to face Cardinal Mooney football

The Cougars struggled to find opponents for the 2025 season.

“We called, I think over 100 schools, and either they wouldn’t play us or their schedules were already full or they couldn’t make it happen with travel.”

—Jared Clark, head coach

VINNIE

The Cardinal Mooney football team is quickly becoming one of the premier programs in Florida, but that comes with a downside.

Many teams didn’t want to play the Cougars this fall, which made scheduling a challenge for sixth-year coach Jared Clark.

As a result, Cardinal Mooney will play teams from Tampa to Miami, and even one from Colorado.

“We called, I think over 100 schools, and either they wouldn’t play us or their schedules were already full or they couldn’t make it happen with travel,” Clark said.

“We called a bunch of people, and the ones who are on the schedule are the ones who agreed to play. We even had to go to Colorado and get one of the best teams in Colorado to come down here. It was a difficult job creating that schedule.”

Cardinal Mooney, the 2023 1-Suburban state champion, has cemented itself as a state championship contender over the past two years.

That was far from the case when Clark started in the spring of 2020.

The Cougars were coming off a 2-8 season and hadn’t won a state cham pionship since 1972.

It wasn’t an overnight rise to rel evance.

Cardinal Mooney went 2-7 in Year 1, 8-4 in Year 2 and 4-7 in Year 3 before its breakthrough state title in Year 4.

This past fall, Cardinal Mooney had a legitimate chance to win a second straight state championship until it ran into Cocoa, the eventual Class 2A state champion, in the state semifinal round.

Cocoa wide receiver Jayvan Boggs broke the Florida high school singlegame receiving yards record in that matchup with 17 catches for 378 yards and three touchdowns.

“We have another offseason and a spring and summer, and we’re going to continue to get better,” Clark said. “We do a lot on defense, and hopefully, if that situation arises again, and it will, there’s going to be good players and we’ll have an answer for it.”

Cardinal Mooney is already winning in 2025.

The Cougars defeated Clearwater 21-7 and won 35-7 over Mitchell in a spring game jamboree at Clearwater High on May 22.

Clark said he’s excited about players up and down the roster and on both sides of the ball, but had particularly high praise for his defensive line.

That defensive front includes rising seniors Blake Roulund (30 tackles for loss, 10 sacks), Elijah Golden (29 tackles for loss, 10 sacks), Bryce Fulda (28 tackles for loss, nine sacks), Zackery Samuel Jr. (nine tackles for loss, three sacks in five games) and rising sophomore Tra’Vion Lester (19 tackles for loss, nine sacks).

That group is getting a boost this season with the addition of rising senior defensive tackle Amani Armstrong, a transfer from Ocala Vanguard.

“I think our D-line has a chance to

played together, held their gaps and controlled the line of scrimmage.”

A secondary will back that defensive front with some key playmakers.

The Cougars are returning rising seniors Laron Foye (25 pass breakups, four interceptions) and Macaiden Brown (13 pass breakups, two interceptions) and Clark said rising senior Rymen “RJay” Mosely has a chance to be a lockdown cornerback.

The offense displays talent, as well.

Running back Connail Jackson (1,604 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns) is back for his junior season, along with rising senior receivers Kymistrii Young (626 yards and 10 touchdowns), Bo O’Daniel (420 yards and three touchdowns) and Mosley (171 yards and two touchdowns).

The only uncertainty is who will be the primary player taking snaps under center.

Rising senior Devin Mignery led the offense last season with 1,637 passing yards and 22 passing touchdowns along with 1,199 rushing yards and nine rushing scores. However, rising junior Davin Davidson is impressive. Clark said Davidson threw for 313 yards and five touchdowns in the spring game jamboree.

“We’re discussing it,” Clark said. “We have two really talented quarterbacks, and we’ll make a decision next year.”

Regardless of what happens between now and the start of fall camp, Cardinal Mooney will feature a bevy of exceptionally talented seniors, and schedule creation might become an annual headache for Clark.

Sarasota High athletics are on the rise

When BJ Ivey was a student at Riverview High, nearby Sarasota’s reputation was as a baseball school.

Now the athletic director at Sarasota, Ivey’s trying to rewrite that narrative.

This year showed the Sailors are turning into more than just a onesport school.

Ivey’s boys basketball team won the first regional championship in 56 years. The softball team won its first regional title in a decade.

And the baseball team proved it’s not going anywhere. It bounced back from one of the worst seasons in program history to win 22 games and make it to the regional semifinal round.

Ivey is optimistic those success stories are only the start, and it’s no accident.

Sarasota County Schools reported a 92.5% graduation rate for the 2023-24 school year — the highest in district history.

Sarasota High made the most notable improvement, graduat-

SARASOTA HIGH 2024-25 TEAM SPORT RECORDS

Football: 3-7

Volleyball: 10-11

Boys basketball: 28-3

Girls basketball: 9-15

Boys soccer: 8-8-2

Girls soccer: 6-7-4

Baseball: 22-8-1

Softball: 21-8

Boys lacrosse: 5-11

Girls lacrosse: 11-4

Beach volleyball: 7-9

ing 6.7% more students than the prior year to reach a 93.2% graduation rate. It was the school’s best improvement in graduation rate in five years.

The administration is being recognized for its excellence, too.

Assistant Principal Lindsay Gallof is the 2024 Assistant Principal of the Year and Principal Ryan Chase,

who joined Sarasota High in 2023, is the 2024-25 Principal of the Year.

“I just think Sarasota High’s school culture as a whole is truly remarkable,” Ivey said. “It’s not just athletics. A lot of really good things are happening, and a lot of good people are doing good work. It’s elevating everything that’s taking place. It’s not just with one team.”

Ivey is being recognized for his work, too. The county, which celebrates a teacher’s impact on their students, peers and the community, awarded him the 2023 Ripple Effect award.

Ivey elevated to athletic director in January 2024, and the effect he’s made in athletics is hard not to notice.

It’s not a rare occasion to find a coach in the stands at Sarasota supporting another team, and that starts during the school day.

Ivey said at any point in the day, anyone who stops by his office could wind up finding several coaches, such as girls basketball coach Sara Nuxol, football coach Anthony “Amp” Campbell, baseball coach Greg Mulhollen and golf coach Barry Cheeseman, game planning.

“One, we’re all really good friends,” Ivey said. “We’re all like-minded. We all have similar coaching philosophies. We share ideas and we feed off of each other. It’s definitely collaborative, but we also support each other. Coach Campbell is at everything. He’ll go from spring football practice to the softball field and then the track.

A lot of our other coaches are the same way.”

Though it’s clear that athletics at Sarasota are on the rise, there are still some areas that are in need of further improvement.

The next step for Sarasota is to improve its football program.

The Sailors have made the regional playoffs just nine times in

the past 30 years, with one appearance in the regional final round in 2004.

Most recently, the Sailors won a regional quarterfinal game in 2022, but that stands as the program’s only playoff win since that 2004 season.

Ivey’s first day on the job tasked him with hiring a new football coach. Former Sailors head coach Josh Phillips accepted a job with Wagner College, and Ivey didn’t hesitate for his first call.

When a fifth grade Ivey was a ball boy for the football team at Riverview, Campbell was a star on the football team. When Ivey asked for an autograph, he received a message.

“He talked about hard work, consistency, overcoming adversity,” Ivey said. “All of these things as a fifth grader, I probably didn’t understand. I followed his career, and he broke his neck at Michigan State and ended up coming back

Steffany’s

college

“I was living a completely normal life. I worked full time, went to school full time and was always on the go,” she said.

When she began feeling sick on April 18, she wasn’t overly concerned and attributed it to anxiety, as she had occasional panic attacks during times of stress at school. When she started to lose strength on her left side, her boyfriend encouraged her to call 911, but she still believed it to be a panic attack. Then, she began vomiting. “All I tasted was iron,” she said. After he helped her to the bed to lie down, Steffany’s left arm began to contract, and she could no longer control her left hand. It was then that her boyfriend insisted she call the paramedics.

By the time she arrived at a local acute care hospital, doctors told Steffany’s family

she had experienced a stroke. Though the bleeding had stopped, she still had a large amount of swelling in her brain that was leaving her unable to walk, talk or swallow on her own. After seven days in the ICU, Quintana was deemed medically stable enough to be transferred to Encompass

and playing. When that happened, I said, ‘Hey Mom, do you still have that helmet?’ I read it, and everything he wrote, he embodied. That floored me and always stuck with me because it’s a profound statement of who that man is.”

The on-field results haven’t shown yet, but Ivey is confident that it’s only a matter of time before they do.

The football team finished 3-7 last season in Campbell’s first year. If the success of other teams on campus is any indication, however, those losses might be far less frequent.

Heath Rehabilitation Hospital to begin her recovery.

Though she was determined to progress as much—and as quickly—as possible, Quintana soon found that her stroke had also caused her to lose her ability to control her emotions. “The first day I came in, someone in the gym was ringing the bell,” she said. “I broke down crying. The director of therapy told me that would be me soon.”

Steffany’s used the AutoAmbulator®, a treadmill-like device that allowed her to get in a standing position in a harness. Robotics assist the patient’s legs, simulating walking. Though she was skeptical of the equipment at first, she admits, soon she realized its purpose. “My therapist kept repeating ‘Heel, toe’ to remind me how to move my feet,” Steffany said. “As time progressed, I noticed I was doing it on my own.”

Occupational therapy helped her regain fine motor skills and prepared her to walk with a backpack for when she returned to school. Regaining her ability to swallow—Steffany’s most important goal—was celebrated with Coke, her favorite beverage.

Steffany’s team knew when to push her and when to comfort her and showed her that she was capable of doing more than she thought. Most importantly, her team taught her to be patient with herself and trust the plan put in place for her.

“In the first two or three days, I was thinking, ‘Why am I here, this isn’t going to work,’” Steffany said. “It did. I definitely came out stronger.”

SWIMMING LESSONS

OF THE WEEK

ATHLETE

Luke Chappell

The Riverview High football team is hoping this fall is a better season after finishing 2024 with a 4-6 record, and rising seniors like Luke Chappell will be counted on to make that difference. Chappell, an offensive lineman, helped the Rams out to a strong start in a 42-21 win over Largo on May 22. He finished with a 91% win rate on blocking assignments and didn’t allow any sacks or pressures against the Packers, according to Rams head coach Mark Cristiani.

When and why did you start playing football?

I started playing football in eighth grade. I always grew up as a bigger kid, but I played baseball from when I was 5 until eighth grade when my mom finally let me play football. I played football with the Sun Devils at Twin Lakes Park. I have older cousins (Trevor and Cody Duncan) who play football at Tennessee, and I’ve always wanted to play big-time football like them.

What’s been the most memorable moment of this spring?

The most memorable moment would be watching coach C being named the head coach because I’ve known him the entirety of being at Riverview from when I was a freshman to now.

What’s gone right for you this spring?

Just the maturity of my body. I’ve gotten remarkably stronoffseason this year compared to last year. I just think I’ve grown into my body a lot

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 been your most humbling moment in football?

Last spring I started my first game against Bishop Verot and I was pulling out on a tunnel screen and I got laid out by a linebacker who was much bigger and stronger than me. It was frustrating. Yeah, it hurt, but it just made me want to go harder and got me a little riled up.

What’s your favorite meal? I would say steak or venison. I cook my steak medium-rare. We’ll cook it up at the house. I like mashed potatoes and asparagus on the side.

What’s your favorite TV show or movie?

Probably ‘Breaking Bad.’ I think the plot of it is really good, and it’s a long show. It’s not something I can watch over the weekend. I’m still not even done with it.

What’s your go-to warm-up song? I don’t have a specific song, but I listen to ‘Creed’ a lot. I like the intensity of the songs they have.

If you’re not playing football or working out, what are you doing? I fish and hunt as much as I can, and I like to hang out with my family. I fish a lot in the bay and I have some freshwater spots in some neighborhoods around Twin Lakes because I live there. I go hunting in the Daytona Beach area and Kentucky.

Who is your favorite football player and why?

I would say probably Quenton Nelson. I think his story from how he started out playing football is a lot like mine. He came from a family with big football players and wanted to be like them.

Finish this sentence. Luke Chappell is ... Hard-working and determined.

Reinventing the wheel

Sarasota hobbyist used recycled parts to rebuild Volkswagen Beetle.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

Jae Honda has bought and sold close to 100 vehicles during his lifetime.

“You have an obsession, I guess, is the right word, when your whole life you’re still doing the same thing you did when you were a little kid,” he said.

He says if you have to blame someone, it would be his father, Myk Honda. Myk Honda had always liked cars, and was a mechanic when he was drafted into the Korean War.

Jae Honda describes his family as not being rich at the time he was growing up on Maui in Hawaii, but says a running car cost only about $50.

“Cars were cheap, like dirt cheap, back then,” he said. “Granted, it wasn’t much of a car, and it probably needed to be gone through, but so long as it steered, stopped and went, you just rolled with it.”

His passion for bringing used cars back to life continues today.

Among the six cars found at his home, is one he says has proven popular at shows and events: the TripleR Atelier, an old 1974 Volkswagen Beetle he bought for just $175.

The term Atelier is French meaning workshop and suggests a custom build, and Honda rebuilt the Beetle using mostly recycled parts.

A ROLLING INVENTORY

Honda’s early driving experiences took place on the beaches of Hawaii.

He first learned to use a clutch and gas when he was about 10 years old, after his father built a dune buggy from a Volkswagen Beetle.

“At that time, growing up on Maui, it was pretty deserted, so there were beaches, and nobody enforced anything, so we were just driving on the sand, goofing around,” he said.

He says from that point on, his

father’s work with cars became nonstop.

“One car would come in, one go out, and again, mostly pretty rough cars, and I guess it was a combination of cost, and he just liked to challenge himself to see if he could bring these cars back, from the dead, so to speak,” he said.

By age 12 to 14, there were few jobs

Honda couldn’t perform.

He was able to manage brakes and tune-ups, and began working at a shop owned by the uncle of Debra Honda, who is now his wife.

The business was a gas station, dealership and repair and body shop in one.

“He gave us decent enough instruction, but at the same time, I think back about the things that he let us do, especially the mechanical part, I’m like, ‘Wow, that was some pretty good faith he had in us,’” Honda said.

After attending technical school at a university on the island, he began working for a car dealership.

After that point, he and a group of friends rented a land development business from Debra’s uncle. They wanted to head in a different direction, but were ultimately unsuccessful in the venture.

In 1982, he and Debra decided to make a move to the San Francisco Bay area, where Debra was from.

After Debra worked in the technology industry there, and Jae worked in multiple jobs, the couple came to Sarasota around 2012.

Jae says Southern California was the “mecca for Volkswagen,” but fans of the car can also be found in Sarasota, as well.

“Even to this day there, that’s where all the shops are, and not to say there’s not shops throughout the entire United States, and there’s not a humongous following in this part of the country,” he said.

The car he calls his “pride and joy” is his 1963 Chevrolet Corvette (C2), which he bought in 1999 and has a rare double window on its rear. The garage also contains another 1960

Volkswagen Beetle, two 1951 Studebaker Champions, and Debra’s 1968 Chevy II.

However, he said many people, including kids, have taken an interest in his TripleR Atelier, named for its motto of “reuse, repurpose, recycle.”

The car was an abandoned project when he purchased it for $175, from a Nokomis hobbyist, roughly nine years ago.

Initially, the car had sat in a side area of the Hondas’ yard, behind a fence, for two years.

However, that changed when Debra was on vacation with family in the Bahamas.

Completely on his own, Jae began thinking about the fact he was free to do whatever he wanted, and he began working on the vehicle.

He says “almost anything and everything” on it has been repurposed, and it’s evident in the car’s appearance. Its setup has a makeshift feel, and little of the polish and comforts of a traditional vehicle.

“The only thing new on this car, that I bought, is the battery,” he said.

Components, including the armrest and door handles, consist of repurposed hand tools. The gas pedal is a vehicle hub cap, which had to be flattened. The wooden seats come from a pallet board.

The steering wheel is from a series of rocker arms, which are valve train components from a car engine. By

forming a circle of the rocker arms around a five-gallon bucket, Honda created the round shape of a wheel.

Suspended over the rear of the car is a box for storing items, and it comes from a part of his fence that blew down during Hurricane Irma in 2017. The box attaches to an old bunk bed frame given to him by his brother-in-law.

Even from the outside, the car is clearly no ordinary vehicle, with no paint and no clear coat, resulting in a patina left by rain and moisture.

“The car is just becoming what it becomes,” he said.

Originally, he said, he had sanded the vehicle more lightly, but after the rust began, he ended up more thoroughly scraping away material.

Honda says Volkswagens have always been the vehicle a person uses for learning, but he’s never stopped retooling them.

His endeavor with the TripleR Atelier may be unusual, and he says when a person takes a car out in public, they’d better be able to take the criticism with the compliments or not take it out at all.

Some might accuse the owner of ruining the vehicle, but others might appreciate the design of a car.

“Anything that looks like that’s not the way it should be is because I did it that way, because I can and I wanted to,” he said. “I tell people I build cars for my own personal satisfaction.”

Moving forward with strength

Juan Muñoz came to Sarasota from Seattle two years ago and calls his time at Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School the “greatest experience I’ve ever had.”

“The best decision we’ve ever made is coming here,” he said. “At Mooney, we had our highs and lows, but overall, it’s been such a great experience, meeting so many people.”

As more than 200 students departed the graduation ceremony at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on May 23, Muñoz celebrated with his best friend, Keaton White.

“I’m going to miss him so much, but I’m looking forward to the next chapter,” Muñoz said.

During the ceremony, speakers discussed the character students had built throughout high school. Salutatorian Sy’monique Simon called herself “a competitor, now and forever.”

“This class has embodied that spirit, whether athletics, academics, the arts, we’ve stretched ourselves, challenged

one another and raised the bar,” she said. “As we move into the next chapter, competing for internships, leadership roles and careers, let us do so with courage and character, knowing we are created by God to rise to these moments and succeed.”

Valedictorian Porter Strand reflected on the challenges of recent years, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the successive hurricanes.

He honored the memory of classmate Aidan McDonald, who died in 2024.

“Through that experience, we learned the importance of mental health,” he said. “We learned how to be there even when we might not have the right words, and how to carry someone’s memory with us. That kind of growth can’t be taught in a textbook. It’s something we learned from living through it, and that perspective will stay with us far beyond graduation.”

— IAN SWABY

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Steps of remembrance

Sonny Bywaters recalled his time visiting schools to teach students about the significance of the American flag and the sacrifices of military personnel.

“It’s up to us to do it ourselves,” he said, noting the young people who were present May 26 at the Memorial Day Parade.

The parade was one of two Sarasota events honoring those who served and died in the U.S. Armed Forces as the SRQ Veterans Walk over the Ringling Bridge took place on Saturday.

Bywaters, a Marine veteran, is a founding member of the Sarasota Patriotic Observance Committee, which hosts the parade and ceremony at J.D. Hamel Park each year. This year’s ceremony honored Bywaters who is stepping down as the emcee.

The parade, beginning at Main Street and Osprey Avenue, brought together local law enforcement agencies, first responders, organizations and government officials.

On Saturday, beginning at J.D. Hamel Park, the 10th Annual Memorial Hike crosses the Ringling Bridge and then back to the park for live music and a cookout.

Army veteran Rick Stegmeier enjoys gathering with his fellow veterans.

“The Saturday before, we all get together, we get some sweat equity and it’s just in remembrance and honor of the ones that can’t be here with us to do it today,” he said.

After attendees returned, the event offered further honors by providing cars to Navy veteran David Mattis and Navy and Marine Corps veteran Gerry Jones. — IAN SWABY

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Rolling out appreciation

Army veteran receives refurbished car through NABC Recycled Ride program.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

Preparing a vehicle for United States Army veteran David Quintano required staff at Crash Champions Sarasota to donate their time and effort.

After speaking with his staff, Albert Andujar, a general manager, volunteered the store for the giveaway, which was facilitated by the National Auto Body Council’s Recycled Rides program.

The shop repaired the front bumper and hood, replaced a fender, and painted 90% of the 2018 Hyundai Elantra, with other companies contributing, as well.

On Wednesday, May 21, Quintano, nominated by SQR Vets, received the fully refurbished vehicle when at The Westin Sarasota.

“It’s amazing. It’s beyond what I thought it would be,” he said.

The giveaway brought together multiple organizations including vehicle donor Nationwide and event presenter and NABC member Automotive Body Parts Association.

KEYS TO FREEDOM

According to the NABC, Quintano grew up in a single-parent household and spent much of his childhood raised by his grandmother.

As a teenager, he became involved with gangs, but had abandoned that life by high school, where he performed well academically and played the clarinet, saxophone and trumpet.

The NABC said after his mother became a police officer, creating tension with his friends and the community, he joined the Army.

He served in the Army from 1980 to 1988.

“We don’t serve for the accolades,” he said. “We just do it

ABOUT THE RECYCLED RIDES PROGRAM

The NABC Recycled Rides program brings together teams of businesses from the collision repair industry, to repair and donate vehicles to individuals and families in need of reliable transportation. Since the program’s inception in 2007, it has donated more than 3,500 vehicles valued at about $51 million.

Visit NationalAutoBodyCouncil.org.

because it’s our duty. It’s what we’re supposed to do, so to be appreciated for that, it means a lot.”

In 1990, he became a paramedic in New York City. He later moved to Florida with his wife and daughter, serving as a volunteer with Manatee County EMS before working for the DeSoto County Fire Department. In 2021, he went to for Pennsylvania to care for his mother, who died from cancer in 2023, but after

SATURDAY, MAY 31

NATIONAL WATER SAFETY DAY

10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at City of Sarasota YMCA branch, 1075 S. Euclid Ave. and Palmer Ranch YMCA branch, 8301 Potter Park Drive. Free. YMCA of Southwest Florida is holding National Water Safety Day, which features interactive safety demonstrations, swim assessments, and fun family activities designed to educate and engage children and parents. Visit Facebook.com.

SALSA SATURDAY

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Hamlet’s Eatery, 821 Apricot Ave. Free to attend. Enjoy live Latin music throughout the day, and Latin-inspired foods, at Halmet’s Eatery, with free Salsa line dancing lessons with Sonia at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Taste the salsas inside The Bazaar and vote for the people’s favorite for $1. At 2 p.m., judges Chef Mitch of Hamlet’s Eatery, Chef Marc of Tamiami Tap, and Sonia will choose their favorite salsa. Visit HamletsEatery.com.

returning to Florida to stay with his daughter, her apartment was condemned and he became homeless.

However, he has now received housing through the Salvation Army and is in training as a 911 dispatcher with Manatee County.

Quintano said what he’s most looking forward to with the new vehicle is using it to get to work, as it will turn a two-hour bus ride into a 10-minute commute.

However, he also appreciated the extent of the repair job.

“For one thing, I wasn’t expecting that,” he said. “Usually, you hear about these things and it’s just a car with some tires and a motor, and it works. This is, like, showroom floor.”

Andujar said repairing a vehicle for a veteran had been a daunting process that involved removing every nick to make it appear new.

“You want to put out a good product,” he said. “You want your company to be represented well ... and obviously, being involved with something like this is a great thing, to be able to give back to a person that’s protected us, and gave his time to make sure we were all safe. It’s the least I could do.”

FABULOUS FOREVER: ALL ABOUT WOMEN: SKELETAL FITNESS — THE BAY SARASOTA

11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Sarasota Garden Club, 1130 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. In recognition of National Women’s Month & National Osteoporosis Month, join health and wellness expert Mirabai Holland in this interactive session designed to empower attendees to take care of their bones. Some of the topics covered will be keeping bones healthy, calcium risks and rewards, which foods to eat and others. Holland is the health columnist for the Sarasota Observer and Longboat Observer. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.

SUNDAY, JUNE 1

SUNDAYS AT THE BAY

FEATURING BRYAN SPAINHOWER

6-7 p.m. at The Oval, The Bay, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Enjoy Bryan Spainhower’s farewell performance at The Bay before he leaves for Costa Rica. This outdoor concert series features a talented local performer each week. Spainhower is known for his passion for and understanding of world music, having traveled extensively to countries that include Spain, India,

SATURDAY, MAY 31

SARASOTA FARMER’S MARKET

7 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Downtown Sarasota at Main Street and North Lemon Avenue. Free. This weekly market is intended to support downtown Sarasota as well as local nonprofits, with products from and services of local farmers, businesses and artisans. Visit SarasotaFarmersMarket.org.

the Middle East and Cuba. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.

MONDAY, JUNE 2

KICK OFF YOUTH SUMMER

LEARNING PARTY — DJ MUSIC & PHOTO BOOTH WITH DJ JAMAAL

2-4 p.m. at Fruitville Library, 100 Apex Road. Free. All ages. Dance with D.J. Jamaal Day and use funny props pose in a free photo booth. Come to the youth desk for tickets starting at 1 p.m. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.

TUESDAY, JUNE 3

LEARNING TO SAIL

2-3 p.m. at Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Ave. Free. Join sailor and instructor Charles Ritt from the Englewood Sailing Association for an engaging discussion covering the fundamentals of sailing. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.

THURSDAY, JUNE 5

CINEMA AT THE BAY: ‘NATIONAL LAMPOON’S VACATION’

7:30-9:10 p.m. at The Oval, The Bay, 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Enjoy a free outdoor movie under the stars at The Bay. In “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” (R), the Griswold family embarks on a cross-country road trip to Walley World, but not everything goes as planned. The Nest Café will be serving food, fresh popcorn and refreshing drinks. Visit TheBaySarasota.org.

Distinctive Lakewood Ranch Lifestyle

At Waterside, choose from a range of award-winning homes – from lock-and-leave living to neighborhoods with their own resort-style amenity centers. Each neighborhood is connected to Waterside Place, Sarasota’s only lakeside town center packed with shopping, dining, and yearround events and entertainment.

Movement for safety

Ride of Silence honors cyclist victims of roadway accidents.

For many local cyclists who participate in the annual Ride of Silence, the reality of dangers on the road is personal.

For instance, Eugene Rider of the Sarasota Manatee Bicycle Club is reminded of the death of his neighbor, Michael Schalberg, who died at 33 years old during a crash in 2023.

The 23rd annual Ride of Silence, held by SMBC and the Village Idiots Cycling Club, drew a turnout of riders as they started at Robarts Arena and continued on a 6.8-mile course looping through downtown.

The event, which is held globally, involves cyclists taking a silent ride through local streets in honor of those injured or killed while cycling on public roadways.

“Most of us are both drivers and riders, so it’s very important that we recognize each side of the story, especially the safety aspect,” said Peter Miko, a ride leader with SMBC.

RAISING AWARENESS ON THE STREETS

According to Don Stuart, the vice president of SMBC, there are also two other purposes of the ride.

One, he said, is advocacy creating awareness of the need to share the road, and there is also attention to safety and how drivers, and everyone, must behave responsibly.

He said the event is an opportunity for the wider community to come together to promote those causes.

Others supported the event, including Playtri Sarasota Bike Shop & Triathlon Store at UTC, whose owner Rickard Garrison participated, and by the Sarasota Police Department, which provided an escort, clearing roadways for the procession.

Dawn Zielinski, president of the Village Idiots Cycling Club, said the event is important because of increasing traffic on local roads.

According to a 2024 analysis of

highway data by the Georgia-based firm Bader Scott Injury Lawyers, Sarasota ranks as the nation’s second-deadliest county for cyclists, with Manatee third.

“I think part of it is that we have these great trails here and we have really great road systems, but that also means that there’s more people on the roads, more cyclists on the roads, and then also, we’ve had exponential growth in the last five years since COVID happened, with people moving to our area,” she said.

Zielinski said it’s important for people to realize cyclists have a legal right to be on the road.

“We do try to stick to bike lanes as much as we can, but there’s things that prevent us from always being in the bike lane all the time, like debris, so they need to be a little patient with us,” she said.

She notes for many cyclists, biking isn’t a recreational activity, but an essential mode of transportation.

Colbe Heidke, who founded Sarasota Mobility Alliance, often bikes from where he lives on Fourth Street to his workplace on 12th Street.

“It felt really important to recognize the folks that have lost their lives to traffic violence in the metro area,” he said. “It’s something that we see all the time, and often it ends up being something that’s in the news for a day, and then everyone forgets about it, so it was nice to reflect on all the folks that were victims of that and acknowledge their absence.”

Zielinski said the presence of the police department for the last three years, has encouraged participation, due to its ability to stop traffic.

“Having them escort us through the town has been just phenomenal, to have the support of the police department and clearing the roadways for us, and also hopefully getting other people in the community to be able to come out, and feel safe doing that,” she said.

Dailey hopes more people will have the chance to gain awareness of a cyclist’s perspective on the roads.

“As a cyclist, when you’re driving, your awareness is so raised ... and if everybody had that opportunity to cycle out on the roads, then their awareness of how to handle and react when there’s cyclists in the area would be so much better than it is for people who don’t cycle,” he said.

PET PICS

A Cherokee Park properties sell for $3.3

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

Denise Buckley, of Saint Simons Island, Georgia, sold two properties at 1744 South Drive to Michael and Caroline Galati, of Sarasota, for $3.3 million. The first property was built in 1936 and has three bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths and 4,696 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 1936 and has one bedroom, one bath and 264 square feet of living area. They sold for $1,625,000 in 2014.

SARASOTA

GOLDEN BAY

Ewald and Linda Hoelker, of Naples, sold their Unit 70 condominium at 166 Golden Gate Point to Elizabeth Davis, of Sarasota, for $2.75 million. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 4,200 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.85 million in 2013.

BAYSO SARASOTA

Robin Davenport, of Sarasota, and P. Scott Francis, of Cleveland, sold their Unit 1708 condominium at 301 Quay Commons to Michael and Alisha Pacetti, of Sarasota, for $1,915,000. Built in 2023, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,589 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,400,400 in 2023.

HARTSDALE

Ellen Wells and David Gallagher, of Longboat Key, sold their home at 1888 Boyce St. to Copper Elephant LLC, trustee, for $1.45 million. Built in 1950, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,879 square feet of living area. It sold for $375,000 in 2004.

OAK STREET

David Jones, of Sarasota, sold two properties at 1668 Oak St. to Oak Street Lot LLC for $1,362,500. The first property was built in 1926 and has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,424 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 1926 and has three baths and 1,080 square feet of living area. They sold for $140,000 in 1997.

LAWRENCE POINTE

John Thomas, of Sarasota, sold his Unit 202 condominium at 97 Sunset Drive to Paul and Jayanthi Smucker, of Granger, Indiana, for $1.25 million. Built in 1978, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,474 square feet of living area. It sold for $869,000 in 2021.

DESOTA PARK

Alexander Rigopulos and George Birkhold, trustees, of Belmont, Massachusetts, sold the home at

has

HUNTINGTON POINTE

1904 Hyde Park St. to Bailey Gabrielle Balderston, of Sarasota, for $1.05 million. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 3,121 square feet of living area. It sold for $640,000 in 2014.

MORNING GLORY RIDGE

Dayani Rochelle, of Sarasota, sold her home at 3925 Bell Ave. to ILG Admissions LLC for $960,000. Built in 2023, it has four bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,528 square feet of living area. It sold for $115,000 in 2001.

THE LANDINGS SOUTH

Deborah Lynn Battiston, of Ontario, Canada, sold her Unit 9 condominium at 1666 Pintail Way to Nancy O’Donoghue, of Sarasota, for $650,000. Built in 1984, it has two bedrooms, three baths and 1,389 square feet of living area. It sold for $230,000 in 2010.

SCHINDLER’S

Happy Houses of Sarasota LLC sold two properties at 919 N. Osprey Ave. to Greenvale Development LLC for $640,000. The first property was built in 1948 and has two bedrooms, one bath and 1,041 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 1948 and has one bedroom, one bath and 495 square feet of living area. They sold for $81,000 in 2013.

LA LINDA TERRACE

Norwood Restoration Group Inc. sold the home at 2226 Arlington St. to Triton Exteriors LLC for $625,000. Built in 1950, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 980 square feet of living area. It sold for $405,000 in 2023.

PHILLIPPI LANDINGS

Christopher Fitzsimmons, trustee, of Coventry, Rhode Island, sold the Unit 501 condominium at 5591 Cannes Circle to Robert Brandon Vettorel and Tracy Marie Vettorel, of McDonald, Pennsylvania, for $600,000. Built in 2006, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,024 square feet of living area. It sold for $487,500 in 2021.

TOP BUILDING PERMITS

in order of dollar amounts.

Karen Hannah and Katherine Hannah, of Ontario, Canada, sold their home at 4106 Hearthstone Drive to Stefan Rene Adair and Carina Ingrid Susanne Renault, of Beverly Hills, California, for $575,000. Built in 1992, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,137 square feet of living area. It sold for $435,000 in 2006.

ONLINE

See more transactions at YourObserver.com

Other top sales by area

SIESTA KEY: $1.5 MILLION

Sarasota Beach

Palm Holding Group LLC, trustee, sold the home at 417 Island Circle to Freeman and Beth Chakara, of Lititz, Pennsylvania, for $1.5 million. Built in 1967, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,972 square feet of living area. It sold for $775,000 in 2011.

PALMER RANCH: $1.55 MILLION

Prestancia

Laurie Lombardi, trustee, of St. Pete Beach, sold the home at 4098 Las Palmas Way to Cragin Godley, of Sarasota, for $1.55 million. Built in 1987, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,162 square feet of living area. It sold for $930,000 in 2020.

OSPREY: $710,000

Rivendell

Christian and Amanda Bernsen, of Wiltshire, United Kingdom, sold their home at 710 Shadow Bay Way to Elizabeth Marie Farrell and James Stephen Farrell, of Osprey, for $710,000. Built in 2002, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,533 square feet of living area. It sold for $435,000 in 2004.

NOKOMIS: $3.1 MILLION

Casey Cove

John Myers, trustee, of Venice, sold the home at 924 Casey Cove Drive to Lance Stockhausen, of Nokomis, for $3.1 million. Built in 1989, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,582 square feet of living area. It sold for $610,000 in 1997.

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

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