Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer 8.21.25

Making music and new members

The Sarasota Garden Club periodically invites the public for its “Music in the Gardens” events, allowing them to explore the historic venue it maintains.

However, Christy May, of the garden club, said during the Aug. 17 event, the club welcomed an unusually high number of new members, with eight people joining, as attendees enjoyed light bites amid live music by The JAM.

She said those joined because of the free activities hosted by The Bay, which often take place at the club venue.

Proceeds from the club go toward a college scholarship program, civic beautification awards for local businesses and maintaining the signature gardens around the clubhouse.

Early support excellence

For more than four decades, The Florida Center for Early Childhood, based in Sarasota, has provided therapeutic services, early education and other support services for young children in Southwest Florida. However, on Aug. 5, the center announced national accreditation from COA Accreditation, a service by Social Current that recognizes best practices in early childhood care and behavioral health services.

Services provided by the center include developmental therapies, mental health counseling, early education, and family support and cover Sarasota and Manatee counties and other areas.

$0.10

Purple Countdown extended by committee

For now, Ribbon group advises city to keep operating Van Wezel optimally.

PAGE 5

WEEK OF AUG. 21, 2025

BY THE NUMBERS

$60.9 MILLION

1996

The year the Siesta Key Drum Circle started and has been ongoing today on the beach PAGE 17

CALENDAR

n Sarasota County Commission regular meeting — 9 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 26, South County Administration Building, 4000 S, Tamiami Trail, Venice.

n Sarasota County Commission regular meeting — 9 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 27, County Administration Building, 1660 Ringling Blvd.

n Sarasota City Commission regular meeting — 9 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 2, Commission Chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St.

“Our needs are growing, and I think it’s important to think long term about

what we have, where we want to be, what we want to do with our current assets, and just be very strategic and careful about that.”

City Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch. Read more on page 9

ing on forging connections with local organizations. O’Neil, who had written and published with American Heritage and The New York Times, died in 2013. To continue their shared dedication to the arts, Hight established the Muriel O’Neil Fund for the Arts.

CFSC’s Muriel O’Neil Fund for the Performing Arts. Upon retiring to Sarasota after accomplished careers, sisters Muriel O’Neil and Gertrude Hight immersed themselves in the city’s arts community, focus-

The grant will create and name a state-of-the-art mainstage sound and light booth in a new mainstage theater.

The new mainstage is part of the $57 million McGillicuddy Arts Plaza planned for FST property next to its current facilities on

“The mainstage sound and light booth is where all the magic comes together in real time,” said FST Producing Artistic Director Richard Hopkins in a news release.

“It’s the unseen hub that controls the lights, the sound and the seamless flow of production. To have Muriel O’Neil’s name there presiding over every cue and every performance is a beautiful way to honor her enduring passion for the arts.”

Legislative delegation meet set for Nov. 13

Sarasota County residents who wish to provide input into the 2026 session of the Florida Legislature may address the county’s legislative delegation in person on Nov. 13, at the Sarasota County Robert L. Anderson Administration Center in Venice.

Beginning at 9 a.m., the delegation will hold its 2025 Sarasota County Legislative Delegation Meeting, chaired by Rep. Fiona McFarland. Those wishing to make a presentation must submit a request form to McFarland’s office by Friday, Oct. 31. To obtain a form or for more information, contact her office at 941-899-0940 or Andrew.Parker@ FLHouse.gov.

The Robert L. Anderson Administration Center is at 4000 S. Tamiami Trail in Venice.

Culverhouse sustains Teen Court support

Prominent Sarasota businessman and philanthropist Hugh Culverhouse Jr., a former practicing attorney, has donated $25,000 to Teen Court of Sarasota, a nonprofit youth diversion program.

During the past six years, Teen Court has served more than 3,900 local youth, with participation increasing by more than 110% since 2020. In 2024, 829 teens went through the program, diverting them from traditional prosecution while saving Sarasota County an estimated $4.2 million in juvenile justice costs.

In addition to his support for Teen Court, in 2023, Culverhouse donated $150,000 to sustain Sarasota County’s Comprehensive Treatment Court, a jail diversion program that provides treatment and support for non-violent offenders with serious mental illness.

Teen Court of Sarasota will host its inaugural fundraiser, dubbed Justice & Jammies Gala, at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7, at the Art Ovation Hotel in downtown Sarasota. Sponsorship opportunities and tickets are available.

For information or to make a donation, visit SarasotaTeenCourt.org.

When the city of Sarasota contracted with Indigo Sports to operate its newly restored Bobby Jones Golf Club, the company was tasked with three challenging directives: make it high quality, make it accessible especially to city residents and, ideally, make money.

SARASOTA

*All Tee times are approximately 10 a.m. on

BOBBY JONES

GOLF COMPLEX

Par: 71

Yards: 6,714

Address: 1000 Circus Blvd., Sarasota

Phone: 941-3654653

Wednesday: $57

Saturday: $79

THE PALMS AT FOREST LAKES

Par: 64 Yards: 4,540

Address: 1990

Beneva Road

Phone: 941-3887241

Wednesday: $40

Saturday: $40

BENT TREE COUNTRY CLUB

Par: 72 Yards: 6,570

Address: 4700 Bent Tree Blvd.

Phone: 941-3715854

Wednesday: $40 Saturday: $45

TATUM RIDGE

GOLF LINKS Par: 72 Yards: 6,524

Address: 421 Tatum Road North

Phone: 941-3784211

Wednesday: $40

Saturday: $45

STONEYBROOK COUNTRY CLUB

Par: 72

Yards: 6,483

Address: 8801

Stoneybrook Blvd.

Phone: 941-9661800

Wednesday: $90

(through October)

Saturday: $90 (through October)

All three don’t often find synergy — particularly among public golf clubs and especially municipal courses — but in the 18 months since reopening as the original Donald Ross layout it is receiving largely favorable reviews for course quality and value and offers a 40% discount off greens fees to city residents.

And to the pleasant surprise of many, it is earning enough revenue not only to make the payments on the city’s $20 million bond, to which it will transfer $1.1 million in fiscal year 2026, but has also carry a $1.65 million fund balance, all according to the city’s proposed FY26 budget.

The bond provided capital to restore the Ross course, rebuild the 9-hole Gillespie course and create the adjoining nature park,

“I was optimistic that this would work,” said Sarasota Parks and Recreation Director Jerry Fogle, “but it has far exceeded my expectations. It has been just an overwhelming success when it comes to the revenues. Not only have they made the revenues to pay the bills, but they actually are able to pay the bond payment, which is unbelievable,”

While Bobby Jones is arguably the only championship 18-hole golf course 100% accessible to the public, there are some options within or near the city limits.

Those include The Palms Golf Club at Forest Lakes on South Beneva Road, an executive course of 4,545 yards in length, and the semi-private Stoneybrook Golf and Country Club in Palmer Ranch. Both courses offer daily public play as well as memberships. For a more casual experience, located across 15th Street East from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport is Suncoast Golf Center & Academy, with nine synthetic greens that play as 18 holes with two flag locations on each. The facility includes a driving range with available Top Tracer bays.

Two Sarasota County public courses east of Interstate 75 are Bent Tree Country Club and Tatum Ridge Golf Links, which are similar in size at just over 6,500 yards, both are par 72s and in price at $40 during the week and $45 on weekends.

More than a city asset, Bobby Jones has been a regional draw. Even with the steep discount to city residents — and no matter what players pay they also receive lunch and a sleeve of balls and/or other value-added enhancements — some 88% of the club’s 50,000 rounds so far this fiscal year on the Ross course come from outside the city limits.

General Manager John Sparrow said golfers regularly travel from St. Petersburg to the north and Venice to the south to experience a Donald

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES

With fewer options for public golf locally, the city of Sarasota’s Bobby Jones Golf Club offers a private club experience accessible to all.

Ross original, slightly lengthened and enhanced for drainage by golf course architect Richard Mandell of Pinehurst, North Carolina.

“What better golf course that you can have than an original 1927 Donald Ross paired with the name of Bobby Jones?” Sparrow said.

The course was named in honor of legendary golfer Jones, who played an exhibition round there on Feb. 13, 1927.

Like many industries, Bobby Jones employs a dynamic pricing system for its greens fees, the rate based on the volume of website and app traffic at the time of booking. Walk-ups will pay the target rate, which fluctuates by season.

A scan of tee times and fees for a midsummer Thursday, one day in advance, revealed rates of $64.99 starting at 7:15 a.m. dropping to $55.90 at 2:03 p.m. where it remained throughout the afternoon. Saturday tee times and fees started at 7:15 a.m. for $74.99, increasing to $84 at 2:03 p.m. where they remained throughout the afternoon. Sparrow said greens fees during season last year were typically around $99 for a round on the Ross course.

Those are the rates for people who are not city of Sarasota residents. Players who live in the city and book tee times at a 40% discount, which means in high season they can play Bobby Jones for about $60, including lunch and a sleeve of balls and, depending on the day, $10 off the next round.

The price to play the 9-hole par-3 Gillespie course across Circus Boulevard is a steady $25 throughout the day.

FREE PRACTICE AREA

Similar to Ross’ signature masterpiece — Pinehurst No. 2 — free to the public is an expansive 25-acre practice facility designed by architect Mandell. It includes a 10,000-square-foot putting green and three chipping greens. For the price of however many range balls they wish to purchase, the 200-yardwide tee area always offers grass. There are no mats at Bobby Jones.

The practice area, at least two local golfers say, is second to none — country club or public course — in the area. “I work on the sales rep and I travel

YOUTH ON COURSE

To make golf more accessible to junior players, Bobby Jones Golf Club has partnered with Youth on Course, a Monterrey, California-based nonprofit that provides opportunities for juniors to purchase a membership for $40 per year.

“Then you can get rounds of golf for as low as $5, and we’ve done almost 2,500 rounds since October,” said Bobby Jones General Manager John Sparrow. “They come in, give us a $5 bill, and they go out and walk 18 holes. If you come here after three o’clock you might see 20 kids out here.”

all the Florida for work, and I would have to say they have one of the best practice facilities not only for a public course, but for a lot of private courses as well,” said Bo Jaffe, a nonresident Bobby Jones regular who lives near the course. “To have that size driving range it’s always on grass, being able to move it 200 yards left or right. And 50 to 60 yards deep, you’re always hitting off nice grass.

SEE GOLF, PAGE 4

ABOUT THAT CLUBHOUSE

Due to come before the Sarasota City Commission later this year is a proposal for the permanent clubhouse at Bobby Jones Golf Club. Early discussions favored a two-story, $9 million facility complete with full-service restaurant and an expansive wraparound veranda positioned above cart storage rather than a more utilitarian $2 million to $3 million building. The concept is to provide greater opportunity to generate revenue opportunities such as hosting special events there and a higher-level dining experience for late-day golfers and nature park visitors. The 17,000-square-foot proposal, designed by Fawley Bryant Architecture, to pay homage to Old Florida architecture of the original clubhouse. The clubhouse has been at a standstill since the Planning Board approved the site plan for the clubhouse in April 2024 as the city has dealt with higher priority budgetary issues such as paying for tens of millions of dollars in recovery efforts following the 2024 hurricane season.

How that new reality impacts the decision on the clubhouse remains to be seen. The original plan was to include the clubhouse cost in the $20 million bond for the golf course restaurant and nature park, which still has about $2.5 million available. The larger clubhouse option would mean additional debt.

Should the larger clubhouse be approved, it would include:

■ A 34-foot high, two-story structure of 17,000 square feet.

■ A 472-square-foot golf shop.

■ Cart storage area of approximately

Having those practice greens to be able to chip on and the big putting green, it’s kind of unheard of.”

Brad Knight, the reigning Sarasota City Championship winner, had been a member at a few local private clubs before Bobby Jones reopened. Once he experienced the course and practice facility, he gave up his most recent membership.

“It’s amazing what they’ve done. The practice facility, the driving range, the entire course, it’s amazing,” Knight said. “I don’t think anybody expected it to be this good. The practice facility; I’ve been a member at three different clubs and I would put up Bobby Jones’ practice facility against theirs.”

More than a golf course, the city’s Bobby Jones complex projected plan includes a 90-acre nature park, much of which was reclaimed from land occupied by 18 of the former 36-hole property. The course and the nature park work in harmony to capture, naturally filter and dispel stormwater that enters from the north and exits to the south into a Phillippi Creek tributary.

Prior to closing in 2020, the course flooded regularly, sometimes leaving it unplayable for days at a time. The restoration design directs water into dry ponds via swales and subterranean drains where it is held before gradually moving downstream, which keeps the course open to golfers after storms.

“I think the nature trail is huge,” Jaffe said. “ I’ve walked it a few times, and a lot of times I will be hitting balls at the range in the early evening after work and my fiancé will bring the dog and she’ll go walk the trail.”

“It’s public, so anybody can go out there and just practice, and there is so many different types of players and different types of people,” added Knight. “There are kids, there is the nature walk, and people walk in their dogs and I love it. I’m out there almost every day after work.”

PRIVATE CLUB SERVICE

For now, “every day after work” means accessibility to the practice

area for several hours. Come fall and winter, that window of opportunity ends much earlier.

The practice facility is open until dark, and golfers regularly have to be chased away after sunset, according to Sparrow. There is some discussion about adding lights to the practice area, which would mean more public access, more revenue from selling buckets of balls and, eventually, perhaps more business for the restaurant in the proposed permanent clubhouse.

For now, though, Bobby Jones operates out of a conjoined triplex of temporary trailers, and Sparrow said, quite effectively at that.

“We sell a lot of merchandise out of this little pro shop,” he said.

The staff — which includes more than 80 from the general manager, head professional and chief agronomist to the cart attendants and grounds crew — is receiving high marks from regulars.

“Everyone knows your name or it doesn’t take long for everyone to ask,” Jaffe said. “It just has that feeling of being at a private course. When you walk up and the cart guys know your name and are willing to do whatever it takes, whether I’m just going there to practice or whatever it may be, all things like that are important make you want to come back.”

Added Fogle, “I get all kinds of compliments about the customer service, about the quality of the course and the accessibility of the course.”

Stay purple and carry on

Committee recommends to keep Van Wezel running optimally until — or if — there is a new PAC.

Just after the Purple Ribbon Committee had embarked headlong into its second year of work to recommend a future use of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, the final act of Hurricane Helene and the curtain call of Hurricane Milton changed everything.

Crashing waves hurled boulders onto the shoreline of Sarasota Bay as water rushed into the building via the bay-facing doors, flooding in feet-deep water the basement, kitchen, orchestra pit and the Grand Foyer, causing cancellation of half the 2024-25 performance season and leaving $10 million worth of damage.

That brought the committee to the conclusion that, given the location of Sarasota’s signature performance

venue just a few dozen yards from the bay and the increasing intensity of hurricane seasons, the best use of the Van Wezel is to keep it operating as optimally as possible until — or if — the city moves forward with a new Sarasota Performing Arts Center.

After two years of work, the Purple Ribbon Committee conveyed that message to the Sarasota City Commission, presenting its findings and recommendations at the commission’s Aug. 18 meeting.

“The 2024 hurricanes were game changing for the committee’s work and with the impact on the Van Wezel we came to realize that the Van Wezel’s location was so vulnerable to storms that the liability to the building, plus the findings of obsolescence and deferred maintenance of the building, could lead to more disruptions of presentations,

or with unrecoverable storm damage, no presentations,” said Charles Cosler, who chaired the committee following the resignation of Lee En Chung in December 2024.

During the first 18 months of its work, the committee focused mostly on receiving reports from various arts, tourism, convention, exhibit

and other entities to entertain ideas of possible reuses of the Van Wezel. Those ranged from hybrid exhibit hall/performance spaces, interactive museum installations, and even e-sports. None of those organizations or groups, though, possessed the wherewithal, nor the appetite, to take over and operate such a massive structure, committee facilitator Jim Shirley told commissioners.

“I thought it was interesting that you were unable to find anybody willing to take over the building and be able to use it,” said Mayor Liz Alpert.

“It was not that they were not willing, but if you look at the cost of running that building, almost nobody else could do that,” Shirley said. “Honestly, it’s just way beyond their means of being able to pay the bills to run something like that.”

Should the new Performing Arts Center be built nearby, given the lack of a qualified suitor for the building, the committee’s conclusion was that the Van Wezel be storm-proofed as recommended in both the 2021 and 2024 city-commissioned Karins Engineering reports and only critical maintenance be applied. After that, barring further developments, the site is best suited to be incorporated into The Bay park, which is being developed around the building.

The 12-point list of recommendations include:

■ Keep the Van Wezel operating optimally as the community performing arts hall until a new PAC is completed and fully operational.

■ Immediately begin efforts to dry-proof the building per the 2025 Karins Van Wezel Theater Building Evaluation Report.

■ Accelerate the development of a new PAC to help lower the risk of interruption of performances from future storms.

■ Prepare a contingency plan to equip alternate venues should a major storm damage the Van Wezel.

■ Hire a team of consultants to develop immediate and phased critical deferred maintenance on the building envelope, HVAC/electrical systems and theater equipment to keep the Van Wezel running for the next five to seven years.

■ Move the existing scale model of the Van Wezel to a temporary location that is safe from hurricanes and

LABOR DAY SALES EVENT

tropical storms.

■ Refurbish the scale model of the Van Wezel and find a suitable permanent public display location to honor its legacy.

■ Future use of the Van Wezel is contingent upon increasing the storm resilience, effectiveness of climate-proofing, insurability, compliance to current building standards, progress of a new PAC and alignment with The Bay park’s mission.

■ Should a National Register of Historic Places nomination be a consideration, prepare and submit appropriate documentation.

■ The Van Wezel staff should continue to monitor and assess how well the hall withstands the environmental challenges and report findings to help make more informed final decisions on the reuse of the building.

■ Consider trends of successful ventures centered on shared experience, virtual reality and catering to a wide demographic lacking in the greater Sarasota area.

■ Should the Van Wezel sustain unrecoverable storm damage, it would seem prudent to clear and incorporate the site into The Bay park.

That last recommendation caught the attention of Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch.

“What is unrecoverable storm damage?” she asked. “Is there a number? Is there a threshold? Who makes the determination? That’s a big thing to determine, and it’s very subjective.”

“We would think that the city would ask an engineer to look at the building and say, ‘Can we recover and how much is it going to cost?’” Cosler replied.

“Anything can be recovered and rebuilt,” Ahern-Koch responded, “For me, that word is really important. That recommendation is pretty serious, and the determining word is very flexible and subjective.”

Despite that concern, the commission unanimously approved

Vice Mayor Debbie Trice’s motion to accept and receive the Purple Ribbon Committee’s report and another motion to instruct interim City Manager Dave Bullock to consider the recommendations from the report and develop an action plan for review and consideration by the City Commission.

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Selby Gardens wins Planning Board approval for Master Plan Phase 2

Despite concerns over tree removal and mitigation plans, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens gets the green light to proceed with $61 million project.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Although some of its members expressed concerns over an alternate tree removal plan absent from the agenda packet, the Sarasota Planning Board, by a 4-0 vote, approved at its Aug. 7 meeting a site plan for Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Master Plan Phase 2.

The missing material, staff explained to the board, was an oversight resulting from turnover among the city arborist staff, one not discovered until hours prior to the meeting. While that, in particular, rankled board member Douglas Christy, and, to a lesser extent alternate member Alexander Neihaus, Manager of Development Services Allison Christie said the plan before the planning board had passed Development Review Committee muster and, thus, that of the city arborist.

“This was formally addressed during DRC review,” Christie said. “The arborist who reviewed this is no longer with the city. My assumption is he did meet on site several times with applicant’s arborist team. I think the alternative designs were discussed extensively with him, and so he signed off and it just got missed that we did not have the hard copies of those alternative designs in time.”

The approval, according to an email sent to Selby Gardens supporters by President and CEO Jennifer Rominiecki, means ground will be broken on the project before the end of 2025 with estimated completion by late 2027.

The Sarasota City Commission

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN CONTINUES

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ capital goal for Phase 2 is $60.9 million with $50.4 million already raised. The cumulative total of funds raised for both Phases 1 and 2 have exceeded $115 million, including $9.5 million for endowment with 99% of all funds secured from private philanthropy. Naming opportunities begin at $2,500 and range upward to the leadership level.

To make a tax-deductible contribution at any level, visit Selby.org/Support. To request the list of naming opportunities, contact Ashley Jimenez at 941-248-3583 or AJimenez@ Selby.org.

approved Phase 1 of the plan in 2021. The grand opening was held in January 2024. Master Plan Phase 2 consists of the new conservatory complex, learning pavilion and landscape features. The new conservatory complex, the email describes, “will be the crown jewel of our downtown Sarasota campus — a stunning crystal palace filled with more than 20,000 plants from our living research collections (including the best scientifically documented collections of orchids and bromeliads in the world).”

Currently, visitors can view only about 5% of Selby Gardens’ collections. The new conservatory, Planning Board members were told, will make more than 95% of the collection accessible to the public.

Rominiecki and Chris Cianfaglione, of development consultant Kimley-Horne, stressed to the Planning Board that the tree removal and replacement plan presented was the only way to fit the needed buildings

of the discussion focused on two grand trees — an either/or scenario Cianfaglione explained preserved the grand tree that best worked with the site plan, was the healthiest and had the best chance to survive nearby construction.

“Of course, Selby was intentional about the trees, and not only is it required for the standards for review, but Selby is a botanical gardens. They care about trees, as we do, and worked in Phase 1 to preserve and protect the best trees on site,” Cianfaglione told the Planning Board. “Beyond that, the trees that are saved will benefit from enhanced preservation tactics like aeration of compacted soils and enhanced tree protection techniques. This is a very thoughtful process, and we had a world-class team working on this.”

Selby being a botanical garden, Cianfaglione explained nearly 200 trees and palms are being planted as a part of the second phase.

Acting Chief Planner Rebecca Webster told the Planning Board there were 241 trees on site at the time of the tree survey, 102 of them proposed to be removed. Of those trees to be removed, 79 are located in the development area, and of the remaining 23 to be removed, three

were determined to be in poor condition. There are 12 grand trees on site, and a proposal for seven to be removed, all but two determined to be in poor condition. The removal of one of those two, pending the location of a Phase 2 building, formed the basis of the scrutiny.

Factoring the building space and the removal of unhealthy trees, the project was left with the 23 required for mitigation. Those will be replaced with 37 trees.

Despite concerns over standard procedural document protocol, all that was enough for the Planning Board, minus the absence of Chairman Dan Deleo and Vice Chairman Shane LaMay for the vote, to unanimously approve the project.

Christy said, for procedural reasons, he would have voted against the plan had the documentation never materialized, albeit at the 11th hour.

“I’m going on the record that I find that the documentation was supplied in a way that fulfills the requirements of the zoning code,” Neihaus said. “We saw it here and had a chance to evaluate it.”

“I’m happy to support this,” said Dan Clermont, who chaired the hearing in the absence of Deleo and LaMay. “Yes, we do lose some trees, but the net gain that we get from it more than accounts for that. So to me, this is an easy one.”

LIFE, IN PLASTER

Sculptor Rigoberto Torres is bringing his community lifecasting to the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art for its upcoming exhibition Nuestro Vaivén (Our Sway).

The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art is often recognized for sculptures like its copies of David and The Discobolus.

Yet, sculptor Rigoberto Torres says museums are also a space where people in the community can be represented through art.

In fact, he says what he loves about lifecasting, which he typically performs in the streets, is the chance to meet the people he casts in plaster, and immerse himself in the various communities he visits.

His work is found in the collections of institutions that include The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and he has been practicing his craft since the late 1970s.

On Aug. 5, the Observer joined Torres in the Ringling Museum’s education building as he created a cast of a local woman, Bélen Lopez, for the upcoming exhibition Nuestro Vaivén (Our Sway).

Starting Oct. 4 and running to March 8, 2026, it will be the museum’s first major exhibition of contemporary Latino art, featuring 22 artists representing 11 Latin American nations.

For some sections, artists have been partnered with community leaders, and Torres, along with local photographer Karen Arango, partners with Ada Toledo, owner of Carmichelle’s Hair Design.

On-site at The Ringling, Torres has casted Toledo and four young women, including Lopez, who are her clients, while Arango is contributing recent and childhood portraits of the young women, along with audio interviews.

Torres says people may tell themselves they are “nobody” or “zero,” but he notes, “You are, in my book, somebody.”

— IAN SWABY

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Sarasota Square gets Whole Foods

Market and Homesense are expected to anchor a more than 500,000-square-foot mixed-use project.

City, county to discuss possible land deal

Sarasota County has asked for possible use of a parking lot on Ringling Boulevard.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

Sarasota County officials would

clearer what will take shape there.

Two key and previously undisclosed tenants: Whole Foods and Homesense. Those two chains will anchor the mixed-use redevelopment project, according to Metro Commercial, the New Jersey-based commercial real estate company handling leasing. Sarasota Square opened in 1977 and closed last year. The redevelopment project, which, including property purchases, will cost well over $50 million, is expected to bring 1,200 apartments and approximately 300,000 square feet of new retail space. The project is one of several former shopping mall sites across the region to get new life as a mixeduse development.

Rod Castan, a principal at Metro Commercial in Miami, says the first phase of the development will be delivered in 2026, according to a LinkedIn post, where he invites tenants to “join Whole Foods and Costco” in a “prime location with excellent visibility and modern development plans.”

In addition to the high-end grocer, phase one will include 3,000 to 12,000 square feet of retail space near Whole Foods; 2,000 to 2,500-square-foot pad spaces; and 3,000 to 7,500-square-foot restaurant spaces, his post says. Castan did

not immediately respond to a request for comment for this article.

To make way for redevelopment, demolition of the mall began this winter. Signage went up shortly thereafter around the site promoting “SSQ” coming in 2026. SSQ is the name that Metro Commercial, property owner Torburn Partners and Chicago-based OKW Architects use in the marketing brochure for Sarasota Square on the Metro Commercial website.

A couple of permits have been filed with Sarasota County in August related to the redevelopment.

Project officials have filed for a permit to construct a more than 75,000-square-foot commercial building on the Sarasota Square site, with an address of 8249 S. Tamiami Trail. It will cost $8.4 million to build and stand 32 feet high, according to the permit application, which is under review as of Aug. 15.

The Sarasota Square brochure on the Metro Commercial website shows the building will have Whole Foods on one end, Homesense on the other and retail space between them.

Whole Foods will occupy 35,828 square feet, while Homesense will have 24,214 square feet, according to the brochure.

Whole Foods did not respond to questions from the Business Observer, a sister publication, about its projected opening. The building that will contain Whole Foods and Homesense appears in marketing materials to be off South Beneva Road midway between U.S. 41 and Sarasota Square Boulevard. Homesense is a home furnishings retailer

that is part of TJX, which operates chains including TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods.

In total, Metro Commercial is marketing the Sarasota Square project as having 585,822 square feet of retail space. In its brochure, it shows that already existing stores Costco and JCPenney account for 155,521 square feet and 130,857 square feet, respectively, making up more than 286,000 square feet. That leaves about 300,000 square feet of new retail space to come.

The plans displayed in the Metro Commercial brochure also show 1,200 Class A apartments will be built on the Sarasota Square site. The apartments appear to be off Sarasota Square Boulevard between Beneva and Costco. The brochure also says there will be a two-story building with 36,000 square feet of medical office space.

Illinois-based real estate investment firm Torburn Partners owns the property where most of the Sarasota Square redevelopment is taking place. It has spent tens of millions of dollars in recent years buying up Sarasota Square parcels, including the mall structure itself for $19 million in 2021 and JCPenney for $18 million in 2024.

Costco purchased the property where its store is located in March for $10.5 million from an LLC that corresponds to Torburn Partners.

While most of the mall has been demolished, Costco and JCPenney have remained open. AMC Theater, which closed last Halloween, is also to stay, according to previously announced plans.

like to have a discussion with their Sarasota city counterparts about a piece of land owned by the city for a potential new location of its Criminal Justice Center.

The building, which currently houses the offices of the state attorney, the public defender and some records departments at the northwest corner of Ringling Boulevard and East Avenue, will need to eventually be razed for a future expansion of the Sarasota County Jail.

The county wants to explore using — either via lease or purchase — a city-owned parking lot across Ringling adjacent to the county courthouse, formerly the site of the Sarasota Police Department headquarters.

By unanimous vote at its Aug. 18 meeting, the Sarasota City Commission unanimously approved Deputy City Manager Patrick Robinson’s request to engage in that exploratory conversation and report back.

“What the county has asked is a thumbs up or thumbs down if you would like city staff to engage with the county, to have a discussion about if we would even be willing to entertain a building going on that lot,” Robinson said. “If there’s no taste for it, they just would like to know ahead of time so they can work on other options.”

At least one other option is a surface parking lot at the southwest corner of Ringling and South School Avenue, a less than ideal location that is farther removed from the courthouse.

Exactly what kind of deal that could be made is not yet evident. According to Robinson, it could be a partnership between the two governmental entities. It could be a sale or possible a land lease.

Currently, most usage of the parking lot is for city paid parking. Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch asked how much revenue the lot is generating.

“Some,” Robinson replied, his tone suggesting the sum may not be considerable. Although voting to approve the discussion to move forward, Ahearn-Koch said she is not inclined to consider selling more city land at the present.

“We as a city are growing,” she said. “Our needs are growing, and I think it’s important to think long term about what we have, where we want to be, what we want to do with our current assets and just be very strategic and careful about that.”

Vice Mayor Debbie Trice said she is under the impression that the city buys land high and sells low, and that any negotiation regarding the site should stop short of an outright sale. Whatever the outcome of the initial discussion, Robinson said any decisions remain well into the future.

“I think it makes sense to entertain it,” said Mayor Liz Alpert, an attorney by profession. “I don’t think we should limit what can be discussed. I think they should be allowed to talk about whether it’s a sale or a lease — or whatever it is — and let that discussion happen. We don’t have to agree to it, but in my view, as a user of the courthouse and the Justice Center, I think that’s a great location because it’s right next to the courthouse.”

City manager search firms file their submissions

With executive firms narrowed to three, the city has received the proposals to supply candidates for Sarasota city manager. A special commission meeting is proposed to discuss.

Sarasota city government’s process for searching for a search firm to search for a new city manager has progressed to the point of receiving proposals from the three companies the City Commission selected to pursue.

City Auditor and Clerk Shayla Griggs told commissioners at their Aug. 18 meeting that as of Friday, Aug. 15, her office is in possession of those proposals and, to keep the nearly year-long start-and-stop process moving forward to find a permanent replacement for the retired Marlon Brown, the commission needs to hold a special meeting later this month.

A special meeting is preferred over a workshop, Griggs said, because it will give the commission latitude to take official action, if it so chooses.

“Our goal would be to possibly bring this topic to you all in a special meeting instead of waiting until the September meeting to talk about this,” Griggs said.

Two dates had already been reserved on the commissioners’ calendars for candidate interviews — Tuesday, Aug. 26, and Thursday, Aug. 28.

“We’re not going to have interviews ready then because you guys have to select the firm,” Griggs said. “Our goal would possibly to use one of those days to have a special meeting so you talk about it, and if you want to make a decision you can make a decision at that meeting instead of waiting until the September meeting.”

Or, commissioners can talk about it and wait until September, which, given the history of this process, is a possibility.

Since Brown retired in October 2024, the city is on its second interim city manager in Dave Bullock since Doug Jeffcoat stepped back into his official role as public works director until his own official retirement date of Sept. 2 after serving the city for 30 years. Nik Patel, formerly the city engineer, took the reins of the department on Aug. 20, with Jeffcoat staying on for two weeks to ensure a smooth transition.

Dissatisfied with the city manager search process conducted by Colin Baenziger and Associates of Daytona Beach Shores, the city and the firm parted ways in May 2025 and restarted the process.

At its July 7 meeting, the commission selected three firms to pursue — Slavin Management Consultants of Norcross Georgia, Sumter Local Government Consulting of Alpharetta, Georgia, and MGT Impact Solutions of Tampa.

Griggs told commissioners she would inform them once the special meeting date is set.

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TUESDAY, JULY 15

WANTED IN OHIO

2:36 p.m., 0 block of Boulevard of the Presidents

Trespassing: Speaking by phone with the owner of a restaurant that is under renovation, an officer was advised his chef had arrived at approximately 11:30 a.m. and noticed clothing lying in the rear of the property and liquor bottles that belong to the business that were now empty and outside the storage shed in which they were stored.

Officers searched six sheds at the rear of the property that are used for storage when they encountered a homeless man who advised he does not want to be near other homeless people in downtown, opting to seek shelter on St. Armands Key. He said he had been living in the shed for about a week.

Searching the shed, officers found several wine glasses from inside the restaurant and a self-styled laundry area with clothes hanging from a line and other garments in a bucket with soap.

A warrant check showed the man had two in-state-only warrants in Ohio for probation violation and failure to appear for attempted vandalism to a government facility. The warrant information also mentioned the man having previous charges for a weapons violation, assault and domestic violence.

The restaurant owner did not wish to press charges but did want the man trespassed from the property. Officers watched as the man gathered his belongings and left the area.

MONDAY, JULY

WORKPLACE

3:18 p.m., 2000 block

Disturbance: Having just been terminated from his job, a newly minted former employee threatened his now-former boss by exclaiming he had “16 shots” in his vehicle and to meet him outside.

Suspecting he wasn’t being welcomed to partake in celebratory shots of tequila in the parking lot, the complainant declined the invitation and instead contacted law enforcement. As officers arrived, the subject was observed exiting the building and spitting in the direction of the complainant, who when interviewed said he believed the “16 shots” referenced by the subject meant he had a gun in his vehicle and, in his irate state, was not afraid to use it.

While speaking with the complainant, an officer overheard the subject tell other officers he indeed had a

firearm in his vehicle. The subject told that same officer he was on the phone earlier with his attorney regarding possible litigation with the business and that he had issues with the complainant being racist, as evidenced by him placing watermelon Sour Patch candy and grape soda on his desk.

The subject said the complainant overheard his legal consultation with the attorney about how to proceed with filing a hostile work environment complaint when the complainant said, “Oh, you think this is a hostile work environment? Fine, you are fired!” That’s when he made the thinly veiled threat out of frustration, adding that he did not intend to harm the complainant.

The subject was advised he was being trespassed from the business, to which he replied he never intends to return.

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

TIME FOR MISBEHAVIN’

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe tells the larger-than-life story of jazz pianist Fats Waller.

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

During his brief 39 years on Earth, jazz composer and musician Thomas Wright Waller believed in living large. He was a big man with an enormous appetite for food, drink and women, which is how he gained the nickname “Fats.”

In the movie “Stormy Weather,” even as Waller proclaims in the song “Ain’t Misbehavin’” that it’s just “me and my radio” until his sweetheart returns, the ladies’ man reveals himself in the song’s finale, when he sings, “I’m saving my love for you ... and you ... and you” as he looks around the room.

So it’s fitting that Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s musical ode to Waller is called “Big Sexy.” Credit for coining that title goes to the show’s leading man, Leon S. Pitts II. He suggested it, somewhat in jest, to WBTT founder and artistic director Nate Jacobs, creator and director of “Big Sexy: The Fats Waller Revue.”

“I was standing in front of a mirror after a dress rehearsal for the Marvin Gaye show, and I ran my hand through my wig and said, ‘Mr. Jacobs, you should create a show for me and call it “Big Sexy,”’” Pitts recalled in an interview, where he was joined by Jacobs and Ariel Blue, the show’s leading lady.

It wasn’t long before Pitts got a call to come visit Jacobs in his office to discuss his vision of a show that would use Pitts as the focal point to tell the life of Waller through music.

Pitts got his introduction to Waller’s life when he was 18 years old. That’s when he played the char-

acter André in WBTT’s 2010 production of“Ain’t Misbehavin’,” the Broadway tribute to Waller’s music that brought back the days of Harlem’s legendary Cotton Club.

Unlike that show, “Big Sexy” tries to tell the story of Waller’s often outrageous life using Pitts as the star who describes how he has been inspired in his own life by the legendary jazz musician.

“When I was in ‘Ain’t Misbehavin,’’ I was so excited that I kept asking the director, ‘Is it time to go on stage? Is

it time?’ He would say, ‘No, Leon, you’ve still got 30 minutes.’” Jacobs said that director, Harry Bryce, told him that it had been years since he had worked with an actor who was as enthusiastic as Pitts. “He told me Leon literally brought tears to his eyes,” Jacobs said.

In learning about Waller, Pitts was impressed by the entertainer’s tenacity and drive, which may have contributed to his premature death from pneumonia while he was on tour.

PUSHING THE ENVELOPE

“He had a willingness to push boundaries, to go into places where we were not invited,” Pitts says, describing Waller’s refusal not to be pushed out of a recording session by white musicians. “He went in there and did his thing in the midst of pressure and ignorance.”

Another way Waller pushed the envelope during his career was by

FATS WALLER, PAGE 14

IF YOU GO ‘BIG SEXY: THE FATS WALLER REVUE’

When: Aug. 22 through Sept. 7

Where: Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave. Tickets: $52; students younger than 25 and active military $22. Info: Visit WestcoastBlackTheatreTroupe.org.

sprinkling his song lyrics with double entendres and sexual innuendo that left his audiences in stitches.

The joyful tunes of Waller, which include such standards as “The Joint is Jumpin’” and “Jitterbug Waltz,” allow “you to be free in the music,” Pitts says.

Waller was in such great demand as a performer that he was once kidnapped, blindfolded and made an offer he couldn’t refuse — performing at the birthday party of gangster Al Capone.

It would be impossible to tell the story of Fats Waller’s life without depicting his relentless pursuit of women. That’s where leading lady Blue comes in.

“Once I started building a show around Leon in my head, I knew that it had to include Ariel,” Jacobs says. “They play off each other so well.”

“There’s not a whole lot of dialogue, just quick, popping comedic moments,” Jacobs says, as the two stars play out endless variations on the mating dance that has been going on since the beginning of time.

To prepare for “Big Sexy,” Pitts learned all he could about Waller’s life. In his research, he discovered an interview online with the jazz musician’s son, who remembered being told as a child that the numerous women coming and going from his house were all “aunties.” It was only later on that he figured out he couldn’t have had that many aunts, Pitts says.

Since Blue’s character is not based on a single person, she says she draws her inspiration from the lyrics of the music. “Then I act out my ‘’isms,’ my little Ariel quirks,” she says. The diva character she plays runs hot and cold, sometimes beckoning come hither and other times playing hard to get, Blue says.

With more than 30 songs in the show, Blue’s got plenty of material to work with to create her elusive everywoman that exercises the feminine prerogative of changing her mind.

Jacobs said he dug deep into Waller’s music catalog and discovered some of his lesser-known songs that he added to the song list that includes well-known favorites such as “Sit Down and Write Myself a Letter,” “All That Meat and No Potatoes,” as well as the titular number for the Broadway musical, “Ain’t Misbehavin.’”

“Big Sexy” also features songs by other composers of the era to help move the show along, including “Two Sleepy People,” “Your Feets Too Big” and “Stormy Weather.”

THE SEARCH FOR SUMMER FUN

To help celebrate the life and music of Waller, “Big Sexy” has its music director, Michael McKinnon, dressed in period costume and playing an upright piano on stage. In addition to Pitts and Blue, the production includes three other cast members — Jazzmin Carson, Andrea Coleman and Ulric Alfred Taylor.

This is the second time that WBTT

The cast of Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s “Big Sexy” performs tunes of jazz pianist and composer Fats Waller and other composers.

has performed “Big Sexy.” The first was in April 2023, when it was the last show in the main season. Jacobs said he decided to revive the revue for the dog days of summer this year because of demand from WBTT’s patrons.

Two recent WBTT summer cabarets, one a Harry Belafonte tribute show starring Michael Mendez, and the other, “The Titan and the Muse: Love Deluxe,” showcasing the talents of Raleigh Mosely II and Carson, were more popular than anticipated, Jacobs says.

“More people are moving to Sarasota, and more people are looking for something to do in the summer,” he says.

Prior to the disruption to theater during COVID-19, it was traditional for WBTT to present a full-blown mainstage production during July, Jacobs says. In the early days of WBTT, which is starting its 26th season this fall, having a summer show was a necessity “so we could get through to the fall,” he says.

Thanks to the generosity of donors and the demand for subscriptions, those hand-to-mouth days are behind the company, which is dedicated to telling African American stories with Black performers. Nevertheless, Jacobs is not one to rest on his laurels. Pointing to a space next door to WBTT’s campus at 1012 N. Orange Ave., he says, “I’d like to have another theater there one day.”

In the meantime, get ready for a little misbehavin’, Fats Waller style.

Music group executive director goes back to the future

Keren Shani-Lifrak returns to the arts after a stint in real estate.

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

When Keren Shani-Lifrak arrived at Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota earlier this summer to start her job as executive director, it was a homecoming of sorts.

The group’s offices are in the same building at 1226 N. Tamiami Trail where Lifrak once worked as director of events for the group now known as the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County.

Today, Artist Series Concerts rents space from the Arts and Cultural Alliance. “I feel like I’m back where I belong — in the arts,” said Shani-Lifrak. For the past 13 years, she worked in real estate in Sarasota.

A native of Tel Aviv, Israel, ShaniLifrak grew up surrounded by the arts. As a child, she played the flute and “lived and breathed for dance,” she recalled. She attended a performing arts high school and was a member of a dance troupe called Tzabar. After finishing her mandatory military service in Israel, ShaniLifrak took her life savings and bought a plane ticket to New York. She landed on Yom Kippur, Jewish New Year, in September 1994. Some young people might have been terrified to be on their own so far from home, but Lifrak relished the challenge. “I was discovering my boundaries and discovering how to survive on my own,” she said.

As she tried to break into the arts, Shani-Lifrak held a variety of jobs, from selling clothing to working as a hostess at the upscale French restaurant Jean-Georges.

After meeting her husband, who is now a sports psychologist at IMG Academy, the couple moved to Sara-

sota. Once in Florida, Shani-Lifrak held a variety of arts marketing and development positions.

When she learned that Artist Series Concerts Executive Director Marcy Miller was retiring, ShaniLifrak says she thought, “Somebody has to do this job.”

Conceived in 1996 by co-founders Jerold Ross and Lee Dougherty Ross, Artist Series Concerts presents about 25 programs a year. When she was chosen to succeed Miller, ShaniLifrak says it “felt good to be back in the artistic realm. I feel alive.”

You can hear her enthusiasm when she describes how Artist Series Concerts brings audiences close to the musicians and vocalists.

“When you go to the orchestra, you are sitting in a hall and it’s a passive experience,” Shani-Lifrak said.

“By holding our concerts in smaller venues, we create intimacy between the audience and the artists.”

Artist Series Concerts kicks off its 2025-26 season Oct. 12 with “Contrasts,” a concert featuring Grammy Award-winning violinist Nicholas Eanet.

Eanet will be joined by Jungeun Kim, director of instrumental accompaniment at the Curtis Institute, and Sarasota Orchestra’s Natalie Helm and Bharat Chandra.

The ensemble will perform Bartok’s “Contrasts” and piano trios by Schubert and Dvorak. Audience members can meet the musicians at a post-concert reception. For more information, visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org.

THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

‘A BAND CALLED HONALEE’

7:30 p.m. at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret, 1239 Palm Ave. $39 and up Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

The subtitle to Florida Studio Theatre’s last summer cabaret show is “A Tribute to Peter, Paul Mary … and Friends,” but any self-respecting folk rock fan can spot the play on words in the name “A Band Called Honalee.” ICYMI, it refers to the mythical land made famous by the children’s song “Puff the Magic Dragon.” The incarnation of the Band Called Honalee appearing in Sarasota includes Brian Ott, a veteran of FST’s “59th Street Bridge,” as well as Michael Grieve, Geoffrey Neuman and Sigrid Wise. Runs through Oct. 26.

‘TOO DARN HOT: SONGS FOR A SUMMER NIGHT’

7:30 p.m. at FST’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $39 and up Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

Songstress Carole J. Bufford easily skips eras and genres in this showcase of stories and songs featuring the months June, July, August and September. Whether she’s singing songs made famous by Janis Joplin or Randy Newman, she leaves the audience with something they never knew before. What’s more, her cool costumes evoke everything from flappers of the 1920s to the neo-swing era of the 1990s. Runs through Sept. 14.

DON’T MISS ‘THE HIGH LIFE: CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE BIRDS’

Organized by the Foundation for the Exhibition of Photography, the exhibition features 70 breathtaking works of birds in a variety of locales, including nature, the studio and the museum. The show is curated by William Ewing and Danaé Panchaud, the same team that brought “Flora Imaginaria” to Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in 2022. The photos are displayed in the Museum of Botany & the Arts and throughout the gardens, where some appear right at home. Runs through Sept. 14.

IF YOU GO When: 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug.

23 Where: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St. Tickets: $28; $23 online Info: Visit Selby.org.

‘THE PRINCE OF EGYPT’

7:30 p.m. at Manatee Performing Arts Center, 502 Third Ave. W., Bradenton $42.50 Visit ManateePerformingArtsCenter. com.

Directed and choreographed by Rick Kerby, ”The Prince of Egypt” brings the biblical tale of Moses to the stage. The musical from the creators of “Wicked” features such memorable songs as “When You Believe.” Runs through Aug. 31.

FRIDAY

‘DON’T DRESS FOR DINNER’

8 p.m. at FST’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St. $42 and up Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

Even the best laid plans for adultery can go awry, especially when a scheming wife sees an opportunity for a little hanky-panky of her own with her husband’s best friend. Written by Marc Camoletti (“BoeingBoeing”) and Robin Howdon, “Don’t Dress for Dinner” is a high-speed farce sure to shake anyone out of their summer torpor. Runs through Aug. 31.

SATURDAY

SARASOTA YOUTH OPERA FAMILY DAY

Noon at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. Free Visit SarasotaOpera.org.

OUR PICK

OPENING RECEPTION

Celebrate the opening of four new exhibits at Art Center Sarasota, a gallery whose admission is free and whose curated artworks are for sale. The four new shows are contemporary bookbinder

Jacob Z. Wan’s exploration of identity, “Vol. 3: me, myself, and I,” “INK: Quilt of Identity” by youth artists, “Praxis,” Dorothea (D’) Calvert’s sculptural and ceramic works, and a juried show with the artists as subjects, “Self Portrait.” Runs through Sept. 27.

IF YOU GO

When: 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 21

Where: Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail

Tickets: Free Info: Visit ArtSarasota.org.

Kids are invited to participate in singing lessons, acting games and workshops to learn more about the Sarasota Youth Opera. In addition to a behind-the-scenes tour of the historic opera house, there will be costume and makeup demonstrations, crafts, a photo booth and the opportunity to win fun prizes.

SUNDAY

PATTI SMITH: ‘A BOOK OF DAYS’

10 a.m. at Selby Gardens Historic Spanish Point, 401 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey Included with $20 admission Visit Selby.org.

Selby Gardens collaborates with poet and musician Patti Smith, its artist-in-residence, on an outdoor exhibition of large prints taken from her newly published bestseller, “A Book of Days.” Runs through Aug. 31.

TUESDAY

‘LILLIAN BLADES: THROUGH THE VEIL’

10 a.m. at the Sarasota Art Museum campus of Ringling College, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail Free for museum members; $20 Visit SarasotaArtMuseum.org.

Award-winning artist Lillian Blades invites visitors to get lost in her first solo museum exhibition. Her installation of “veils” combines handcrafted and found objects to create a mesmerizing display. Blades attributes her use of dazzling color to her childhood in the Bahamas and her process of creating large-scale assemblages to her late mother, an accomplished seamstress. Runs through Oct. 26.

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Sex, lies and artichokes

Florida Studio Theatre’s ‘Don’t Dress for Dinner’ serves up a frenetic farce.

MARTY FUGATE THEATER CRITIC

Marc Camoletti and Robin Hawdon’s “Don’t Dress for Dinner” plays a farcical game of liar’s poker at Florida Studio Theatre. The play’s lying lovers keep losing. The simple truth would set them free. But they stay in the game with insanely complicated lies. Their lying game unfolds at a family cabin in the woods. Bernard (Gil Brady) is vacationing with his wife, Jacqueline (Katharine McLeod). He’d rather vacation with his mistress, Suzanne (Lily Kren). Conveniently, Jacqueline’s visiting her mother over the weekend. Bernard’s made some well-laid plans for hanky-panky while she’s gone. Exit wife; enter mistress! To set the mood, Bernard hired Suzette (Ellen Grace Diehl) — a caterer who’ll cook up a gourmet meal. His best friend, Robert (Jack Berenholtz), will also pop by to provide an alibi for the catering bill. Inconveniently, Jacqueline is Robert’s mistress. Once she knows he’s arriving, she stays put for some hanky-panky of her own.

Robert’s perfect plan is shot to pieces. A frenetic farrago of mistaken identity, costume swaps, heavy drinking, lies, evasions, excuses and pratfalls ensues. Along with a dinner from hell.

Farce runs on intricate clockwork. If it feels mechanical, nobody laughs. Be artificially natural! Tough job. Director Nancy Rominger somehow pulls it off. Her comic timing is perfect. But the action always feels spontaneous. The laughs don’t stop.

The actors never wink at the audience. They stay in character — and always keep a straight face while spouting preposterous balderdash.

Brady’s Bernard has a refined,

IF YOU GO

‘DON’T DRESS FOR DINNER’

When: Through Aug. 31

Where: FST’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St. Tickets: $25-$46 Info: FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

upper-class gentility. His character can be charming. But he’s entitled, self-satisfied and smug — and overestimates his cunning.

Berenholtz’s Robert is Bernard’s reluctant accomplice. He looks and acts like Mr. Nice Guy. But he’s really a dirty rotten scoundrel. He’s cheating with his best friend’s wife, after all.

Kren’s Suzanne is Bernard’s mistress. She’s a chic, sexy, well-paid fashion model. Suzanne has many talents — but she’s no cook. But she pretends to be, so Jacqueline won’t think Robert has a second mistress.

Diehl’s Suzette is the savvy chef who’s roped into pretending to be Bernard’s mistress. She sees it as a business opportunity — and gets paid for every fib she supports.

Like Oliver Douglas in “Green Acres,” her no-nonsense character is the farce’s anchor to sanity. It’s a mad, mad world — but Suzette’s the exception. Will Harrell puts in a comic turn as her husband — a gruff rustic who’d murder any lothario he suspected of touching his wife.

Isabel A. and Moriah CurleyClay’s set is a lovingly detailed, converted barn.

Kathleen Geldard’s costumes aptly capture the era’s class distinctions. Suzanne and Suzette’s quick changes into sexy, suggestive outfits are à propos to the French farce tradition.

As Mark Twain once said, “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.” If the characters had taken his advice, they wouldn’t have made such a fine mess. No cheating schemes. No dinner from hell. The evening would’ve gone smoothly. But that’s not funny at all.

bout an hour before sunset, the rhythms begin, with drummers gathering and colorful banners flying through the air.

Morgan Crane said she doesn’t know of anything else like the Siesta Key Drum Circle.

The event, which started in about 1996, performs every Sunday, rain or shine. Other drum circles go on each week in Englewood and Nokomis.

Attendees say their spirits soar as well, as was evident when they drummed, danced, juggled and hula-hooped in the sand on Aug. 17.

For some, the circle was a place to enjoy life even amidst the challenges they were facing.

A group that included the family of Luke Zoetmulder and his wife, Kyra McElroy of Parrish, traveled the circle in a conga line.

Although there were smiles on their faces, they were there to honor Zoetmulder and McElroy’s son, Finn Hammerl, who died in a car accident on Aug. 9 at the age of 19.

Hammerl had been a frequent visitor to Siesta Key, where he would watch the sun rise and set, waking up early in the morning in order to catch the sunrise.

“The kid lived life like no one else, so we’re trying to live the way he wanted us to live,” Zoetmulder said.

For Frances Chandler, the circle was likewise part of an opportunity to live life to its fullest.

She has survived diagnoses of breast cancer, colon cancer and, most recently, pancreatic cancer.

“I don’t feel sick,” she said, and called herself “just happy to be alive and happy to be here.”

Chandler lives in Maryland, but loves visiting the Key.

“I’m just living my live as best I can, and I spread that word that God has helped me to keep going,” she said. “I don’t know if I’m healed forever, but he has extended me so I can be here for my grandchild, my husband, my best friend.”

She says she wakes up every day deciding to rejoice in the “glorious” new day she finds.

Next week, the community will be back again.

Attendee Vykky Contreras said what inspires the circle’s participants each evening is everything around them, including the sky and the water.

“Siesta Key is not like any other place,” she said.

Crane thinks the circle’s longevity is due to the fact that it has resisted commercialization, with no vendors at the site.

“I think people feel good, like they feel so much good energy when they’re here,” she said.

— IAN SWABY

Homegrown harmony

Jazz Jam SRQ lets the community play together.

IAN SWABY

WRITER

STAFF

Chris Cournoyer listened to his first real jazz records at the age of 16 or 17, thanks to the Selby Public Library, which was then located at 1001 Boulevard of the Arts. He checked out one vinyl of Charles Mingus, another of Oscar Peterson and another of Modern Jazz Quartet.

It was perhaps fitting that he could be found at the library’s current location, 1331 First St., as he lent the sound of his bass to Jazz Jam SRQ on Aug. 18.

Cournoyer said he has been coming to the event because it was “a good thing to commit to” and a chance to be involved in the community.

Held twice a month and sponsored by the Sarasota Jazz Club, the jazz jam sessions allow people of different skills levels to gather for an improvised musical session, while providing a free experience for those who come to listen.

Recently, Jazz Jam SRQ has also expanded to serving those learning the fundamentals of jazz.

The event is part of the Music in the Libraries series of events by Sarasota County Libraries, which features free performances for the public.

A COMMUNITY ENSEMBLE

The event “started by accident,” according to its founder, Ron Kushner. Kushner, an intermediate jazz pianist, said when he moved to the area in November 2021, he didn’t know anyone, so he created a group on the website Nextdoor for fellow jazz jammers.

Within two weeks, 40 people had responded.

Still, around spring 2022, the group encountered the need for a

IF YOU GO

When: Upcoming sessions are 5:30-7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8 and Monday, Sept. 29

Where: Selby Public Library, 1331 First St.

About: This free-to-attend event is held twice each month

Visit: SarasotaCountyLibraries. LibraryMarket.com or JazzClubSarasota.org.

venue that wasn’t cost-prohibitive because of insurance.

Selby Library, where the group was considered eligible to perform without insurance, turned out to be a fit.

“We’re really thankful for the libraries, to allow us to use their space,” said Prince Knight, who took over leadership of the program from Kushner about a month ago.

Since October 2022, the event has been held on a twice-monthly basis.

“What we were interested in is not just having jam sessions every now and then, but trying to build a community of people who like to play jazz, so that was really the objective that I had in mind,” Kushner said.

Indeed, the music itself is described by performers as a conversation between people.

One individual is designated as the lead, calling the tune, key, rhythm and tempo, and then improvising on the music before passing their role off to someone else.

The group will find a way to bring the song to a close, and performers alternate across the course of the event.

“It’s all about listening to what other people are doing, and when you do that, you don’t interrupt,” said Dave Becker, a professional musician who plays with the group and is working toward playing jazz.

“You try to avoid interrupting, or you try to guide them verbally or nonverbally to go with you in a certain direction. There’s a conversation,

and when it’s working, there’s conversations back and forth, musical conversations.”

Although there is a core group of musicians who attends, visitors are common, as well. Knight says the

events draw up to 30 musicians and anywhere from 50 to 150 visitors.

There are even professional musicians who will stop in to play with the group. And then, there are those people

who attend but are intimidated by the prospect of performing, an issue for which the club created a program to address.

Eight months ago, it began offering a fundamentals group, which hosted its first performance for the public on Aug. 18 at the start of the jam session.

These sessions are part of its educational outreach that also includes sessions for more experienced players, which can delve deeper into theory.

Leading the fundamentals group is John Hill, a former professor of percussion at Murray State University in Kentucky.

Hill found his way into the role while filling in for a drummer, and says his inner educator revealed itself when he began offering advice and corrections to other members.

As a result, he was hired to serve as an instructor.

“What is so cool about the jam session is we have many levels,” Hill said. “There’s some people that are pros and some people are not, and it’s a jam session, so there’s no mores per se, other than try to play better ... Sometimes, it sounds amazing. I’ve had some Mondays here, I walked out and went, ‘That was awesome. That really was awesome.’”

He’s says he’s also found a family in the group.

“They welcome me with open arms, and they’re a lot of fun,” he said. “They have a good sense of humor ... Everybody just tries to do their best, and it’s just a real joy to come here.”

Ken Carle attended the fundamentals group for the third time on Aug. 18.

“I just enjoy playing with the other guys there, and it’s just a lot of fun,” he said.

He also praised Hill’s leadership.

“John, the leader of our group is very good,” he said. “He’s very encouraging, as well as very knowledgable as far as what to tell everybody. You always go away from the group here feeling that you’ve accomplished something.”

Suzanne Elizabeth Lenz Janney passed away in Sarasota on August 9, 2025 after a long battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and pneumonia.

Born in Suffern, New York on May 20, 1946, to William E. Lenz, Jr. and Elizabeth Burroughs Lenz, she grew up in Haverstraw, New York, where she attended Haverstraw High School. She attended Mount Holyoke College and, while there, spent a summer at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Bologna, Italy and another summer as a White House intern. After graduation from Mount Holyoke in 1968, she earned a M.A. from Columbia University in 1969. She married Oliver

James Janney on June 21, 1969, at St. Thomas Church in New York City. The couple lived in Boston for over a year and returned to New York, where she and Oliver eventually settled in Scarborough-on-the-Hudson. There she brought up her son, Oliver Burr, and her daughter, Elizabeth Flower. Suzanne worked for the Institute of International Education, where she served as Assistant Director of the Foreign Fulbright Programs and Assistant Manager of the American Fulbright Programs. She also served as President of the Mount Holyoke Club of Westchester. In 1991, she followed her husband to Sarasota, Florida. After a brief period as an adjunct at the University of South Florida, she joined New College of

Florida, the state’s honors college. She began as the National Grants Consultant; The first grant she secured exceeded $600,000. Later, she became Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations and Director of Special Projects. When New College became independent from the University of South Florida in 2001, she became the Special Assistant to the President for Gordon “Mike” Michalson and then Donal O’Shea. Her duties included obtaining New College’s accreditation, serving as liaison to the Board of Trustees, advising applicants for Fulbright scholarships, coordinating the Duke TIP Program at New College, and special projects. She also served as Secretary of the Sarasota World Affairs Council. After she retired in 2019, she served as a volunteer at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, the Episcopal Thrift House and the Caritas Food Pantry.

Suzanne was active in the Sarasota Mount Holyoke Club, which she served as President for many years. She also was President of her

Mount Holyoke Class for five years, including their 50th reunion. In 2008, Mount Holyoke College awarded her the Alumnae Medal of Honor. Suzanne loved reading, gardening and her Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. She enjoyed the cultural events that Sarasota had to offer, including the Sarasota Orchestra, the Sarasota Music Festival, the Sarasota Ballet and the Asolo Theatre. She also loved travel, both for business and pleasure. She and Oliver visited many countries over the years.

Suzanne is survived by her husband, her son, Oliver Burr Janney, her daughter, Elizabeth Janney King, and her brother, William E. Lenz, III.

SERVICE:

In accordance with her wishes, there will be no memorial service.

DONATIONS:

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Selby Botanical Gardens.

To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Suzanne Elizabeth Lenz Janney please visit our Sympathy Store at www.toalebrothers.com/store

PET PICS

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Feel-good day of flowers

Alex Wise-Brewer and her sister, Devyn Wise, grew up in the shop Bee Ridge Florist, which their parents, Carl Wise and Paula Wise, have owned since 1996.

Wise-Brewer says she initially didn’t see herself transitioning from her role in the corporate world, where she worked in employee benefits, to running the shop.

Yet, when it came to the choice of selling the shop, which was founded in 1978, or taking over, the sisters decided to make it theirs.

“That was kind of a wake-up call,” she said. “My sister and I decided that we did want to take over, and this business is like another family member to us. We grew up in it, with it, alongside it, so to give it up forever did not seem like a possibility.”

She said they’re working to modernize the store, a process that includes hosting events to draw in the community.

On Aug. 16, they hosted the Feel Good Fair, a wellness-focused event that invited vendors from the local community to share their services, with a build-your-own flower bouquet station.

Wise-Brewer said the shop takes pride in being honest with customers and fair about pricing and that this is something she is working to continue.

The shop’s offerings include flowers for different occasions, as well as flower deliveries. WiseBrewer says perhaps her children and her sister’s children will carry on the business.

“I’m sure my parents were hoping that, and it worked out, so maybe it will happen with ours,” she said.

— IAN SWABY

receives a

from

MICHAEL SAUNDERS & COMPANY PROUDLY PRESENTS

THE SUMMER OF

Opportunity OPEN HOUSE

Extravaganza

ONE DAY ONLY! SUNDAY, AUGUST 24

More than 200 homes across Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee Counties are opening their doors for this extraordinary event.

Your dream home could be just a visit away!

If you wait for the headlines to say “Now is the time to buy” – it may already be too late.

Cherokee Park home sells for $7.2 million

ADAM HUGHES RESEARCH EDITOR

John Sullivan Jr., of Sarasota, sold his home at 1501 South Drive to 1501 South Drive LLC for $7.2 million. Built in 1953, it has two bedrooms, five baths, a pool and 4,706 square feet of living area. It sold for $950,000 in 1997.

SARASOTA

INDIAN BEACH

Ric Gregoria, Albert Salvi and The Northern Trust Co., trustees, sold two properties at 4521 Bay Shore Road to Zachary and Kathleen Johnson, of Wesley Chapel, for $3.25 million. The first property was built in 1929 and has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,801 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 1929 and has one bedroom, one bath and 370 square feet of living area. They sold for $3 million in 2009.

Sandip Patidar, of Austin, Texas, sold the home at 700 Indian Beach Circle to Manisha Heiderscheidt and Benedict Heiderscheidt, trustees, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1.8 million. Built in 1957, it has two bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,217 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.5 million in 2021.

EVOLUTION

WB Golden Point LLC sold the Unit 401 condominium at 111 Golden Gate Point to Todd and Calista Butler, of Peachtree City, Georgia, for $2.8 million. Built in 2024, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,346 square feet of living area.

POINSETTIA PARK

Guy and Jenna Salani, of Sarasota, sold their home at 1954 Goldenrod St. to Samuel David Pierce Jr. and Katharine Slevin Pierce, of Sarasota, for $2.6 million. Built in 2023, it has four bedrooms, four-and-ahalf baths, a pool and 3,678 square feet of living area.

1350 MAIN RESIDENTIAL

Sandra Louise Palmer, of Franklin, Tennessee, sold her Unit 1500 condominium at 1350 Main St. to Gary Fischman and Michele Fischman, trustees, of Bradenton, for $1.01 million. Built in 2007, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,268 square feet of living area. It sold for $645,000 in 2019.

ESSEX HOUSE

Michael Sarver and Michelle Howe Sarver, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, sold their Unit 501 condominium at 707 S. Gulfstream Ave. to Margarete van Antwerpen, of Sarasota, for $805,000. Built in 1974, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,247 square feet of living area. It sold for $545,000 in 2020.

BROOKSIDE

Corey and Rachel Williamson, of Sarasota, sold their home at 4045 Lisbon Place to Susana Duarte Sullivan, of Sarasota, for $749,000.

Built in 1973, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,873 square feet of living area. It sold for $325,000 in 2016.

HUNTINGTON POINTE

4173 Hearthstone Inc. sold the home at 4173 Hearthstone Drive to Madelaine Wohlreich, trustee, of Sarasota, for $605,000. Built in 1992, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,453 square feet of living area. It sold for $236,000 in 2000.

WOODPINE LAKE

R8REI Ventures LLC and SOTA homes Management Group LLC sold the home at 2915 Woodpine Circle to Ashley Erin Abbondandolo and Weston Michael Cole, of Sarasota, for $535,000. Built in 1979, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,219 square feet of living area. It sold for $315,000 in 2024.

SIESTA KEY

SARASOTA BEACH

Di Lello Family Siesta Key Property LLC sold the home at 554 Canal Road to 554 Canal LLC for $1.1 million. Built in 1945, it has two bedrooms, one bath and 1,085 square feet of living area. It sold for $58,000 in 1986.

524 BEACH ROAD

Jacquelyn and Seth Voigt, of Winter Garden, sold their Unit A-524 condominium at 524 Beach Road to GK & TK Enterprises LLC for $725,000. Built in 1970, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 980 square feet of living area. It sold for $675,000 in 2021.

PALMER RANCH

TURTLE ROCK

Lea Silverstein and Julie Lyn Agris, trustees, of Ft. Lauderdale, sold the home at 8136 Deerbrook Circle to David and Svetlana Fox-Rabinovitz, of Sarasota, for $900,000. Built in 1998, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,098 square feet of living area. It sold for $570,000 in 2003.

ESPLANADE ON PALMER RANCH

Kenneth Lynn and Mark Kidd, of Sarasota, sold their home at 5364 Salcano St. to James and Sandra Reidenbach, of Sarasota, for $815,000. Built in 2020, it has two

TOP BUILDING PERMITS

bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,129 square feet of living area. It sold for $629,100 in 2020.

DEER CREEK

Deborah George sold the home at 4374 Indian Point Trail to Shawn Philip Gibbons and Tina Alexandra Gibbons, of Sarasota, for $699,000. Built in 1990, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,368 square feet of living area. It sold for $220,000 in 2000.

ONLINE

See more transactions at YourObserver.com.

Other top sales by area

SIESTA KEY: $2.95 MILLION

Casarina

Roger and Kimberly Huffman, of Middlebury, Indiana, sold their Unit 601 condominium at 5880 Midnight Pass Road to Kevin Weber, of Lancaster, New York, for $2.95 million. Built in 1982, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,542 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.65 million in 2021.

PALMER RANCH:

$1.25 MILLION

Deer Creek David and Melanie Jackson, of Sarasota, sold their home at 8575 Woodbriar Drive to David and Cathy Cocaine, of Sarasota, for $1.25 million. Built in 1992, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,326 square feet of living area. It sold for $555,000 in 2015.

OSPREY: $975,000

Bayside

Arthur and Sandra Skop, of Monroe Township, New Jersey, sold their home at 3904 Waypoint Ave. to Daniel Raymond Hausmann and Regina Marie Hausmann, of Osprey, for $975,000. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,344 square feet of living area. It sold for $670,000 in 2018.

NOKOMIS: $4.15 MILLION

Blackburn Ridge Nilofer Khatri and Adnan Khan, of Venice, sold their home at 4907 Topsail Drive to Bryan Michael Young and Erin Nichol Young, trustees, of Nokomis, for $4.15 million. Built in 2017, it has five bedrooms, five-and-two-half baths, a pool and 5,859 square feet of living area.

FRIDAY,

YOUR CALENDAR

region of India, a stunning desert landscape located on its Tibetan Plateau, as well as the famous Taj Mahal. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.

SATURDAY, AUG. 23

BEGINNER’S BOTANICAL WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP

3-5 p.m. at Downtown Sarasota Campus, 1534 Mound St. Members, $45; nonmembers $55. Visit Selby Gardens for this workshop on the art of botanical illustration and painting, designed for beginners or experienced artists new to botanical watercolor painting. No prior experience or materials are needed. Admission to Selby Gardens is included. Visit Selby.org.

BACK TO SCHOOL BASH AND OPEN HOUSE

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 775 Bell Road. Free. Local music school Music Compound opens its doors to community members of all ages. Enjoy performances by the school’s musicians as you explore the facilities, learn about group and private lessons and enjoy food from local vendors, with activities for kids that include a bounce house. Visit MusicCompound.com.

TUESDAY, AUG. 26

TEEN MOVIE OF THE MONTH: ‘WHITE BIRD’

5-7:30 p.m. at Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Ave. Free. Enjoy a free showing of a different movie each month. This month’s movie is “White Bird” (PG-13). A spinoff prequel and sequel to “Wonder,” the film tells the story of a young Jewish girl living in Nazi-occupied France, who, when she is sheltered by a boy, finds love in a magical world of their invention. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket. com.

THE Y: PRIMETIME+

7:30-8:15 a.m. at Sarasota Garden Club, 1130 Boulevard of the Arts Free. This low-impact cardiovascular class, ideal for active seniors and beginners, focuses on core muscles, supports posture and balance, and

BEST BET

THURSDAY, AUG. 28

SARASOTA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 2025 GRAND EXPO

4:30-7 p.m. at Robarts Arena, 3000 Ringling Blvd. Free admission. This Sarasota Chamber invites the public to this annual event providing networking opportunities and showcasing businesses in the local community. The expo will include complimentary light bite from local restaurants, with door prizes and raffle items, as well as prizes for those who complete the event passport. Visit Business.SarasotaChamber. com.

helps support the movements of everyday life. Visit TheBaySarasota. org.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 27

HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library, 2801 Newtown Blvd. Free. Join E.J. Landrith, operations manager of Sarasota County Emergency Management, for a hurricane preparedness session. The session will cover practical steps to stay safe, explaining how to prepare early and plan ahead, and will offer a chance to meet the emergency management team. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.

INTRO TO STABILITY BALL

2-3 p.m. at Fruitville Library, 100 Apex Road. Free. Join instructor Cinde Carroll for a beginner-friendly class on the foundations of stability ball movement. Designed for home practice, the class covers exercises to build strength, balance, and coordination, with a graceful flow. No experience is required. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket.com.

MANGA DRAWING FOR TEENS

4-6:30 p.m. Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Ave. Free. Ages 12-18. Learn the basic techniques and skills to draw your own manga. Learn how manga differs from traditional art, and create your own manga panels. Visit SCGovLibrary.LibraryMarket. com.

Local golfer looks to defend his city title

The Sarasota City Championship turns 50 at Bobby Jones Golf Club, featuring five divisions.

MICHAEL HARRIS MANAGING EDITOR

The 2024 Sarasota City Championship at Bobby Jones Golf Club carried all the drama of a golf major as Brad Knight stepped up to the tee on No. 18.

Knight, clinging to a one-shot lead at the 412-yard, par 4, would see his second shot slip off the green. His chip would be a little strong, going past the hole.

No pressure, but he and his friends were the last group in the tournament on the course. So that also meant the entire field of 90-plus golfers were on hand to watch.

He was facing a 25-foot monster of a putt to avoid a playoff.

And like a pro, he drained it.

“That was crazy,” Knight said.

“That was one of the best shots of my career for sure. I had a lot riding on the line there because I was the last player in.”

The city championships at Bobby Jones has been a Sarasota institution for 49 years and will hit the 50th milestone when as many as 100 golfers tee off late next month.

Knight, 34, is well chummy with the Jones course after growing up in Sarasota, attending Riverview High, and living about 10 minutes from the course.

“I think I had my first tournament there when I was like, 12 years old or 13,” Knight said. “I’m 34, so winning it last year was something special for me. I just remember being a kid and looking at that trophy.”

TEE TIME

If you’d like to enter the 50th Annual Sarasota City Championships: When: Sept. 27-28

Where: Bobby Jones Golf Club, 1000 Circus Blvd., Sarasota Play: 36 holes in the two-day tournament Cost: $250

DIVISIONS

■ Men’s Regular

■ Men’s Senior (50-64)

■ Men’s Super Senior (65-plus)

■ Women’s ■ Junior (17 and younger) To register, go to BobbyJonesGolfClub.com and click events.

Knight, a member of the Florida State Golf Association, most recently finished tied for 12th at the Two-Man Scramble Championship at Lakewood National Golf Club in Lakewood Ranch on Aug. 10.

A past qualifier for the Florida Amateur Championships and the United States Mid-Amateur, Knight would like to be more than just a qualifier.

“In 2022, I qualified in the MidAmateur Tournament,” he said. “If you do win the U.S. Mid-Am, you play in the Masters. So it’s a big deal.”

As the defending champion, Knight will point out that its been more than 10 years since a golfer last successfully defended the Sarasota City Championship, when Phil Walters accomplished the feat.

As of now, Bobby Jones’ General Manager John Sparrow says there are about 60 golfers who have registered for the Sept. 27-28 tournament.

Knight is the defending champion in the men’s regular division, but there are divisions for everyone.

“So we have a men’s senior division for golfers age 50-64,” Sparrow said.

“We also have a super seniors division for golfers over 65, a women’s division and junior (17 and younger) division.”

The tournament, held on the 6,240-yard, par-71 Ross Course is an open field that will draw golfers from areas away from the Sarasota area reach.

“We have them come in from around the state,” Sparrow said. “We even had a couple golfers come in from Ocala.”

Cost for the City Championships is $250, and golfers can register at BobbyJonesGolfClub.com.

Sparrow is even expecting to utilize the 9-hole, par-3 Gillespie Course, which sits across Circus Boulevard from the Ross Course.

“Last year, we had a kind of family-friendly party on the par-3

course,” Sparrow said “We had food out there, drinks out there. We had just a great time.”

Last year, the tournament was played just after Hurricane Helene, and remnant winds played an issue with the setup of the championships.

As staff and golfers await the construction to begin on a new clubhouse, the club has been using a large tent to congregate under.

“We had a projection screen to keep everyone updated on scores,” Sparrow said. “It was windy and that was just fluttering in the breeze.”

This year, the championship will display scores on an 85-inch TV, still under the tent, but a defense against too much breeze.

Although a bit of a breezy repeat may not bother Knight.

“Last year was great to get that monkey off my back,” he says. “It’s a big goal of mine to go back-to-back.”

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

THURSDAY, AUG. 21

FRIDAY, AUG. 22 High: 87

SATURDAY, AUG. 23

SUNDAY, AUG. 24

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