Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer 6.22.23

A grand present for Father’s Day

After 7-year-old Henry Wilson created a card for Father’s Day during Playground Pop Up Craft: Father’s Day Cards at The Bay Park on June 17, he immediately began working on another.

While the first card had been for his father, Tim Wilson, the second was for his grandfather, David Schirmer.

At the time, his family was visiting Sarasota from New York to see Schirmer and Wilson’s grandmother, Ginger Schirmer.

“I wanted to make one for Grandpa because I thought it would be nice,” he said. “He’s the father of my mom.”

His drawing on the card included an axolotl, an animal he likes.

The event at offered kids simple materials, including construction paper, for the purpose of creating Father’s Day cards.

Works of art, made together

What’s better than making a work of art?

How about creating something special with the whole family while supporting local artists?

Every fourth Saturday, Creative Liberties Artist Studios, Gallery & Creative Academy hosts Family Art Day. Each art project is led by a professional artist, who has a different expertise, including portraiture, pastels, photography and mixed media.

The events are free thanks to generous funding from the Floyd C. Johnson and Flo Singer Johnson Foundation. The projects are designed so the whole family can enjoy them together. The next Family Art Day is at 9 a.m. on June 24 at 927 N. Lime. Artist Lina Rincon of Lina Rincon Art Gallery & Studio will lead the project.

Cooling off or staying hot?

Luau for wildlife

SEE

WEEK OF JUNE 22, 2023

3.0

Months’ supply of single family housing inventory in Sarasota County.

PAGE 3A

80

New business and expansion projects in the pipeline according to the Economic Development Corp. of Sarasota County.

PAGE 12A

96

The age of local jazz musician Joe Bruno Sr., who still plays music several times a week at performance venues in Sarasota.

PAGE 1B

CALENDAR

n Sarasota Planning Board — 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 12, Commission Chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St.

n Sarasota County School Board special meetingsuperintendent contract (tentative) — 9:30 a.m., Monday, June 26, Board

Chambers, Landings Administration Complex, 1980 Landings Blvd. (black awning entrance).

EDC of Sarasota County president & CEO Erin Silk. Read more on page 12A

Counties warn about mosquito-borne illness

The Florida Department of Health offices in Sarasota and Manatee counties issued a mosquito-borne illness alert Monday, saying two cases of malaria have been recorded. The first case was confirmed on May 26.

Officials did not report if the cases were found in Manatee County or Sarasota County.

A press release issued on Monday by the two counties said, “Residents in these areas should take precautions, such as wearing long-sleeve shirts and pants, applying bug spray and avoiding areas with high mosquito populations, especially during sunrise and sunset when mosquitos are most active.”

The release said the health departments are working with the mosquito control departments of both counties. Aerial and ground mosquito spraying is underway in these areas to mitigate the risk of further transmission.

DOH-Sarasota and DOH-Manatee continue to advise the public to remain diligent in their personal mosquito protection efforts by remembering to “Drain and Cover.”

For more information, visit FloridaHealth.gov or call 941-861-2873

SMH researchers find new cancer predictor

Yacht club donates new shoes to local athletes

The

The idea started with Molly Gleason, a BKYC member and Tennis for Fun volunteer, who got the ball rolling, according to Brenda Shields, director of Tennis For Fun, volunteer organization with multiple locations in Florida and around the country, including Sarasota, that partners with the Special Olympics. It enables athletes to enjoy the sport of tennis, socialize and compete.

“Molly suggested the idea of

providing new tennis shoes to The Haven athletes participating in the Tennis For Fun program. Her fellow club members at Bird Key Yacht Club raised enough money to purchase brand new tennis shoes for The Haven’s TFF athletes along with many of their residents,” said Shields.

“This is an amazing example of local generosity and we are very excited to share this program with our friends, neighbors and the Sarasota area.”

Lisa Adams, BKYC commodore, Tammy Hackney, club general manager, and Gleason delivered the shoes to The Haven

on June 9. Once the athletes received their shoes, many began trying them on immediately.

“It has been a privilege for members of the Bird Key Yacht Club to support (Tennis For Fun and The Haven) athletes and residents. Our members have a generous heart and step up when asked to support worthwhile Sarasota community charitable initiatives,” said Adams. “When Molly suggested this idea, I immediately asked Tammy to pull a team together to make it happen.

And she did with the help and enthusiastic support of our members. And here we are today.”

A new prostate cancer study by local urologist Dr. Robert Carey and research colleagues Genesis Dolgetta and Dr. Tonya King from Sarasota Memorial Hospital’s Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute and Sarasota Memorial Research Institute has pinpointed a single gene that may increase a patient’s risk of early death.

Carey said the predictive value of the AURKA gene provides new benefits to help treat patients with prostate cancer at SMH

The research team is the first to identify the individual genes systematically and mathematically that are associated with progression to death by prostate cancer. The study evaluated how the expression of individual genes and groups of genomic signatures predicted actual clinical outcomes in 197 patients who underwent robotic prostatectomy.

“This community deserves an EDC that is aggressively marketing for the industries that we want. And so that’s what we’re going to do.”

Resistant to the decline

sota remains in a growth phase and should be for the foreseeable future.

Sarasota and its metropolitan statistical area that stretches from North Port to Bradenton frequently appears high on national lists, almost always in a “best places to …” type of category.

But a new list produced by Realtor. com places Sarasota at No. 5 among metros across the country where home prices are falling the fastest. While that may appeal to buyers looking for a “best place to find a home bargain,” local real estate experts say home sellers should take that ranking with a drop of salt water.

To begin with, the survey listed only one metro from each state, the article reads, “to ensure geographical diversity.”

The Florida population surge during the pandemic drove prices to record levels across the state. The median single-family home price in the Sarasota market surpassed $500,000 for the first time in the summer of 2022. The Realtor. com story cited prices falling in the nation’s hottest COVID-era markets, along with rising mortgage interest rates, as a natural adjustment.

“Those markets that got the most juiced during the pandemic — where the prices really took off — are the markets where they’re now suffering the biggest declines because affordability has been the hardest there,” the article quotes Moody’s Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi. “I’d be surprised if we don’t have this same conversation a year from now and prices aren’t another 3% or 4% lower than where they are today.”

The report cites the median listing price in Sarasota at $549,900, or $305 per square foot, a decline of 4.7% in a year-over-year comparison.

Evan Danzig, a Realtor with Sarasota-based Michael Saunders & Co., said the report doesn’t paint an accurate portrait of the market here, or perhaps anywhere else.

“The analysts pick a random month and merge the average priceper-foot for single family, townhome and condominium sales, comparing it to the same month one year prior,” Danzig said. “A more accurate interpretation of market activity would

in Sarasota County for year-to-date compared to 2022 according to Stellar MLS.

be provided by viewing this on an annual basis. The housing market in both Sarasota and Manatee counties actually reported year-overyear increases in median sale prices. While the number of closed sales across the board decreased during this time, the median sale price for single-family homes in Sarasota County increased on a year-overyear basis, which is the polar opposite view that we are seeing from the realtor.com report.”

Even if they agreed that prices were falling here as Realtor.com reports, local real estate professionals are skeptical that Sarasota would be ranked No. 5 in the country. Selecting one market per state eliminates multiple markets in states that either gained value dramatically during the pandemic and are returning to preCOVID activity or those that are losing population and corresponding home values.

SLIGHT UPWARD TREND

Residential real estate prices are subject to a rollercoaster of market forces — notably interest rates and inventory — but perception of value is driven by supply and demand, and demand for housing in the Sarasota metro is not abating. Inventory, though, is slowly returning to prepandemic levels, according to Premier Sotheby’s International Realty Managing Broker Craig Cerreta.

That rising inventory, and whatever impact it’s having on prices, is healthy, he said, while contradicting yet another Realtor.com article that ranked Sarasota No. 1 in the nation in rising inventory with a 128% increase year-over-year.

While more inventory and higher interest rates are conditions that will impact prices, Cerreta said Sara -

“The author compared all residential inventory for sale in May 2022 vs. May 2023. It is unclear if it was pulled on May 1, May 31 or somewhere in between,” Cerreta said.  Does this matter? Yes. Inventory shifted significantly in May.

In an attempt to replicate the Realtor.com data set, Cerreta pulled MLS data from May 30, 2022, and May 14, 2023, and found that the inventory of all residential property was up 84.3%, well short of Realtor.com’s 128%. Further, excluding all residential property types but single-family, inventory was up 37%.

“Yes that is a big uptick, but a comparable pre-COVID year like 2018 or 2019 would have seen roughly a 15% to 20% uptick for the same period due to seasonal trends,” Cerreta said.

“Historically, if it hasn’t sold by Easter it will linger on the market until the summer buyers come back into play, and 2020 to 2022 were not normal years. They were COVID years, which defied normal patterns for everything in our society.”

Further skewing the data, in addition to single-family homes, townhomes, condos and villas, the Realtor.com story about inventory included half duplexes, condo hotels, dock-rackominiums (dry boat storage racks), farms, garage condos and mobile homes. The latest MLS data released Thursday shows a three-month supply of single-family homes in Sarasota. Brian Tresidder, president of the Realtors Association of Sarasota Manatee, said that is still considered a sellers’ market. A balanced market is 5.5 months of supply. Anything higher is considered a buyers’ market.

That means that while prices aren’t skyrocketing as they did in

With supply chains returning to a semblance of normalcy, new home construction in Sarasota County is adding to the inventory of available homes for purchase.

2021 and 2022, single-family home closing prices are still increasing at a modest trajectory. The May 2023 median sales price of $510,000 in May is up $15,000 over May 2022.

“In May of last year, our median sales price was just under just under $500,000. From February 2023 on we’ve been at $495,000, $520,000 and $525,000, so we’ve seen a very slight but still upward trend in prices,” said Tresidder, sales manager for William Raveis real estate. “Some months are lower and some are a little higher, but when you look at the way it’s trending, it’s still a fairly slow increase in property values.”

Cerreta said more inventory is needed because people still want to move to the Sarasota area, and growth is a hedge against economic instability.

“I lived in Atlanta for 32 years while its population increased from 1 million to nearly 4 million. We barely felt the recessions of the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s because we were growing,” Cerreta said. “Atlanta had economic growth while much of the country experienced economic contraction. Sarasota is still in a growth phase and should be for the foreseeable years. This increases the odds that Sarasota will weather the post-COVID global economic rollercoaster better than most regions.”

YEAR-OVER-YEAR COMPARISONS

Residents sound off on noise during virtual meeting

A city planning staff workshop on zoning text amendment changes for bars and restaurants morphs into complaints over loud late-night music.

What was scheduled as a virtual workshop about zoning text amendments governing restaurants, bars and nightclubs in the city of Sarasota morphed into a dialogue about loud late-night music in downtown.

On June 8, the city’s planning department made a presentation and heard public input about tightening up loose ends in the zoning code to better define how bars, restaurants

TIMELINE

Anticipated schedule of actions for completing a zoning text amendment on restaurants, bars and nightclubs.

Summer 2023

n Presentations with CCNA, DSCA, Downtown Improvement District, St. Armands Business Improvement District, Chamber of Commerce, Rosemary District Neighborhood Association, etc.

n File zoning text amendment.

n Development Review Committee meeting.

Fall 2023

n Planning Board consideration for recommendation.

n City Commission consideration for approval.

and nightclubs citywide may operate. The session was not about latenight noise emanating from any such establishments, but that didn’t prevent comments about finding balance between commerce and livability, and about one restaurant in particular, El Melvin at 1355 Main St.

“Our definitions and standards for bars and nightclubs are really tied to the state licensing, and so we have a situation right now with our current code in which there are uses that are classified as nightclubs that really don’t operate as a nightclub and then there are other establishments that are classified as restaurants that sometimes do operate as nightclubs,” said Planning Director Steve Cover. “This effort is to update and really be more precise with our current definitions of the various uses and then also looking into creating standards for outdoor seating and other operations outdoors.

“The goal really is to clarify and administer regulations for these different kinds of uses primarily focused on restaurants, bars and nightclubs. And this will also include elements such as live and amplified music and operating hours.”

John Simon is one of several residents of 1350 Main Condominiums, across the street from El Melvin, who has spoken before the City Commission on several occasions about the restaurant that on weekends becomes an open-air nightclub at 10 p.m., playing loud music until 2 a.m.

“Downtown we have the El Melvin situation, which is a restaurant, and late at night food is stopped, and it becomes a nightclub,” Simon said. “This is a good change, but how does it get enforced? It’s quite loud, and the real issue is noise.”

“Noise is not part of this,” Cover replied. “That’s actually a separate ordinance. It’s being worked on by the city attorney, and that is expected to come later this year.”

El Melvin co-owner Jeff Good, who was in attendance at the virtual meeting, said the late-night operations have been crucial to the restaurant’s profitability and that he has been working to mitigate the noise complaints.

The location was formerly Two Senoritas, also a Mexican restaurant that occupied the space for 25 years before it was acquired in 2019

by Above the Bar Hospitality Group, owner of El Melvin.

“We’ve done a lot of work in our restaurant to try to lessen that noise element, and I know people may look at that and say, ‘Well, you’re not doing a good enough job,’” Good said.

“We have invested in decibel readers.

We’ve done a lot of things that perhaps the public doesn’t realize that we’re working on. I’m not looking for sympathy or anything. What we’re trying to do is strike a balance, run a business and be in compliance with the city.”

Most attendees who commented stipulated that downtown is not just a residential area but a business district as well, that downtown dining and entertainment activities are vital to the city’s vibrancy and that both uses must coexist.

Kelly Franklin, who lives on the edge of downtown in Laurel Park, acknowledged that bars and restaurants rely heavily on weekend and late-night sales but added that their right to operate should not supersede the ease of enjoyment of those who live around them.

“It’s not like there’s a black-andwhite solution, but there are a handful of places around the city like El Melvin that have made their bottom line the only priority, and it impacts people around them,” she said.

“Every other one of the restaurants and bars downtown have the same challenges, but somehow are not having that same negative impact on the residents.”

REFINING DEFINITIONS

More than noise abatement, the goal of the zoning text amendment is to clarify and administer regulations for restaurants, bars and nightclubs based on the intensity of the establishment, including elements such as amplified music and operating hours.

Definitions and standards for bars and nightclubs are tied to state licensing and seating requirements, which has resulted in establishments being classified as nightclubs that don’t operate as such while other establishments are classified as restaurants despite operating like nightclubs late into the evening. Trouble areas to be addressed are:

RESTAURANT

Existing definition: A commercial establishment of which the principal business is preparing and serving meals selected from a menu to customers during all operating hours. Meals are prepared within a structure and may be served and eaten on premises.

Difficulty: Clarify that meals can be prepared on- or off-site and still function as a restaurant. Some restaurants transition at night by providing live, amplified music and moving tables and seats from the main floor, creating a more intense, nightclub-like use rather than a restaurant use.

BAR

Existing definition: Any establishment devoted primarily to the retailing and on-premises drinking of malt, vinous or other alcoholic beverages and is licensed by the state to dispense or sell alcoholic beverages.

Difficulty:  This definition does not provide a clear distinction between a bar and an outdoor bar. The definition should be updated to reflect this. This use also currently requires a major conditional use be obtained, which is the same requirement as a nightclub despite differing intensities.

OUTDOOR BAR

Existing definition: Any building, structure or facility — whether temporary or permanent — that is built, erected or provided as a location for the purpose of making retail sales of

alcoholic or intoxicating beverages, or malt or vinous beverages, as an accessory use to a hotel or motel.

Difficulty: Outdoor bars are only permitted as an accessory use to a hotel, motel or private club with this definition and unable to be considered as a primary use.

NIGHTCLUB

Existing definition: Any restaurant, dining room, bar or similar establishment providing food or refreshments that holds a 4-COP liquor license from the state department of business regulation, division of alcoholic beverages and tobacco. Provided, however, any restaurant, dining room or similar establishment that holds a 4-COP liquor license with the “S,” “SR” or “SRX” designation shall be deemed an accessory use to the principal use and not a nightclub.

Difficulty: This definition does not consider restaurant establishments that transition into places hosting live, amplified music and serving alcohol late into the evening. Because the definition is tied to the 4-COP liquor license, restaurants that do not act as nightclubs, but require a 4-COP license, must be classified as nightclubs and go through a more intensive review process. Smaller restaurants that are unable to meet the seating requirements for a 4-COP Special Food Service license must be classified as a nightclub as a result of this definition despite functioning as restaurants. How any changes in the text amendments and a future noise

PERMIT GLOSSARY Definitions of Consumption

On-Premise licenses.

2-COP: Permits the sale of beer and wine products by the drink or in sealed containers for consumption on or off premises where sold.

4-COP Special Food Service: Permits the sale of beer, wine and liquor products by the drink for consumption on premises or in a sealed container. The establishment must have 2,000 square feet of service area, be equipped to serve meals to 120 persons at one time with at least 120 physical seats available and derive at least 51% of gross food and beverage revenue from the sale of food and nonalcoholic beverages. The establishment may not operate as a package store, may not sell intoxicating beverages after the hours of serving or consumption of food have elapsed.

4-COP: Permits the sale of beer, wine and liquor products by the drink or in sealed containers for consumption on or off premises where sold.

ordinance impact restaurants that operate into the early morning hours as quasi-nightclubs remains to be determined. For his part, Good said El Melvin is attempting to be a better corporate citizen.

“We are trying to do the best that we can for the restaurant and for our customers, and we don’t want to look past being a good neighbor,” he said. “We have made efforts, and I believe the police department would understand that. We have taken a business that was kind of going downhill pretty badly and brought that portion of the street back.”

Cover concluded the meeting by reminding attendees that the text amendments will be brought before various community groups and organizations before being heard by both the Planning Board and the City Commission before any changes are approved.

School board differs on superintendent criteria but selects Connor 3-2

He also said Connor’s experience managing a district larger than Sarasota would be useful for the district’s future.

Enos listed Foster as his first choice.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

Discussions covered experience as well as cultural issues before the Sarasota County School Board voted 3-2 to select Terrence Connor as the school district’s next superintendent on June 14.

Vice Chair Karen Rose made the motion to nominate Connor as superintendent, with the motion being seconded by Tom Edwards. Robyn Marinelli also voted in favor of Connor’s confirmation, with Chair Bridget Ziegler and Tim Enos in dissent.

Rose said she listed Connor has her top choice due to his experience in the field of education.

Connor brings a history of experience in different school districts. He currently serves as deputy superintendent and chief academic officer of Hillsborough County Public Schools and previously held the roles of chief academic officer and assistant superintendent for curriculum at School District of Clay County, after serving that district as chief of secondary education.

“This community deserves a topnotch candidate, and I will not be able to stray from that,” Rose said.

Ziegler said Connor was not equipped to deal with “culture war” issues within the district.

“My strongest belief is that issues that have plagued us prior seem very reminiscent in the potential recommendation being presented right now,” she said.

Interim Superintendent Allison Foster will remain in the role until a start date is identified for Connor and a contract implemented.

CANDIDATE POOL

Prior to the meeting, Connor had

emerged as the candidate preferred by the Superintendent Search Citizen Advisory Committee, among a list that included Josiah Phillips, Charles Van Zant and interim superintendent Allison Foster.

Van Zant formerly served as superintendent of Schools for Clay County in Florida and brought a master of arts in organizational leadership from Regent University and more than 30 years of experience in the military.

Phillips has a doctorate in educational leadership and administration from Liberty University and currently serves as chief information officer for Broward County Public Schools.

Foster holds a doctorate in education administration and policy from the University of Florida and has served as interim superintendent for Sarasota County Schools since the removal of former Superintendent Brennan Asplen in December 2022.

Some concerns surrounded the departure of Connor’s wife, Star Connor, from Hillsborough County Schools, where she served as a regional superintendent, amid an investigation of testing practices in the district.

During a Citizen’s Advisory Committee meeting on June 12, Connor

described the accusations as false, saying she chose to leave public education so he could pursue a superintendent role and that it was preferable that someone not serve in the same district as his spouse.

REACHING A DECISION

Prior to the vote, the board members brought differing concerns to the table.

“I believe in the science of education. I know and I have lived, observed and experienced all of the layers, the multitude of layers, the education, that goes into that science and what it takes for a student to just be able to read by third grade,” said Rose.

Edwards said that based on conversations with the candidates, he found Connor’s approach would not be disruptive to the district, though he could still work with any of the candidates.

“I wanted to understand, are they coming in and looking for a continuous improvement model or are they coming in with a wrecking ball and starting over? That, in my opinion, was a big mistake if somebody presented that, and those were some of the conversations that were difficult, with the four candidates, that I had.”

FREE PUBLIC EVENT for “Baby Boomers”

Suffering with Neuropathy (Numbness/Tingling) and other Complications of Diabetes or Pre-Diabetes.

The list of Diabetic Complications is quite long and the potential symptoms are a lot more dangerous than just Neuropathy. The good news is that we have a new FDA Cleared Therapy that can help with them all, with our patients saying

“The results are AmazingI wish I did it sooner.”

FREE LUNCH

Please Join us on one of these dates to learn more:

Tues, June 27th at Noon

“I think that Dr. Foster does bring that piece of being here, graduated from here, started at the bottom,” he said.

Ziegler said she was tied between Foster and Phillips, also noting that she thought Van Zant, through his military background, afforded “a unique opportunity” for the district.

She said she was concerned that what she described as past issues in the district could reemerge if Connor were chosen, and that while he brought the institutional knowledge required, his approach would not sufficiently address the cultural war.

The previous superintendent, Brennan Asplen, left the district in February following the termination of his contract by the board.

“If we can’t find a way to put up barriers so that (the culture war) is not constantly creating divisions between our community, whoever can lead in that manner is what’s going to get us past all of this, and get us refocused on our common ground to our students’ success,” she said.

Initially, Enos recommended that the whole board adopt the will of the majority to offer a 5-0 vote in favor of Connor, before Ziegler said board members should stand with their preferred candidates, as whomever was chosen would still have the support of all board members.

During public comment prior to the vote, the majority of speakers favored the choice of either Foster or Connor.

Jill Marsh, a teacher with Sarasota County Schools, spoke about Foster’s work as principal at Philippi Shores Elementary School, which included collaborative relationships with local businesses and a “culture of respect.”

“She has always given us the best opportunities to help lead our students in the right direction. Her passion for Sarasota County and moving

it forward in an unstable world right now, is evident,” she said.  Meanwhile, Elizabeth Bornstein, a parent and volunteer in the district, said Connor would prioritize academic achievement, invigorate the district and retain highly effective staff members.

“After careful review and consideration, it is absolutely clear Terrence Connor is the most qualified for the superintendent position, and should be offered the job today,” she said.

MOVING THE DISTRICT FORWARD

Connor said he was eager to begin leading Sarasota’s school district toward its future.

Connor has served as principal at Samuel W. Wolfson High School and Oceanway Middle School, and as assistant principal of curriculum and as a comprehensive science teacher for grades seven and eight at Oceanway Middle School, all in Duval County.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in middle grades education from the University of North Florida and a master’s degree in administration and management from Nova Southeastern University, as well as Florida certifications in educational leadership (all levels), school principal (all levels), general science (grades five-nine), mathematics (grades five-nine) and physical education (grades K-12).

Connor also completed the National Institute of School Leadership’s Executive Development Program and holds an instructional coaching certification from University of Florida’s Lastinger Center for Learning.

“Sarasota to me was just very attractive because of its tradition of excellence,” Connor said. “I’m excited about this opportunity. I think Sarasota is wonderful and ready to take off and be the destination district that I know everyone wants it to be. And I’m just honored and humbled that I’ll be able to help lead that work.”

Please don’t miss out on this Health Talk if you have Diabetes and especially if you are starting to show symptoms or if you have been warned by your doctor.

High A1C

Numbness / Tingling in the feet or hands

Burning pain / Pins and Needles

Concerned about Alzheimer’s (type 3 diabetes)

Eye Sight Damage due to Diabetes

Constant Fatigue

Yeast Infections

Erectile Dysfunction

Stonewood Grill and Tavern 415 University Pkwy, Sarasota 34201 RSVP 941-212-3398

Wed, June 28th at Noon

Denny’s 3701 Bee Ridge Rd, Sarasota 34233 RSVP 941-231-5545

Thur, June 29th at Noon

IHOP 6320 SR64 East, Bradenton 34208 RSVP 941-344-2151

Big Step for the SPAF

With the selection of Renzo Piano Building Workshop, the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation took a giant step toward bringing its vision to reality.

While Sarasota’s new performing arts hall is years from reality, the selection of an architect marks a crucial step toward opening curtain and answering two big questions: How much will it cost? How long will it take?

While I know next to nothing about the process of constructing a building or architecture, I do know what steps are required to put on a show. While putting words to print, recounting the news and information you seek every week is a show within itself, a former career in the ballet world gave me experience in performing arts.

When premiering a new ballet, a choreographer first must be selected. Next the choreographer picks a concept and selects the music to which the ballet will be danced. Then the formulation of the steps and movements the dancers will perform begins.

Following all that are countless rehearsals and coaching, costume design, set production, lighting design, stage management, marketing, ticket sales and more.

Finally: It’s curtain time for opening night. Without the choreographer, there is no show.

It’s not quite curtain time for the future Sarasota Performing Arts Center, but with the selection of the architect two weeks ago — Renzo Piano Building Workshop, the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation took a giant step toward bringing its vision to reality.

Renzo Piano’s selection, along with the caliber of the other 42 architects considered for the job, says a lot about Sarasota and what the other architects saw in this midsize city that is increasingly becoming discovered.

Indeed, each of the three finalists — Foster + Partners, Renzo Piano Building Workshop and Snøhetta — are all regarded as internationally acclaimed firms.

Snøhetta is currently leading the design of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s historic performance space, Powell Hall, with a 65,000-square-foot expansion to celebrate the performance hall’s centennial in 2025.

I recently visited the Winspear Opera House in Dallas, which is the center of the Dallas Arts District. Designed by Foster + Partners, the performing arts hall is brightly lit in red with the glass horseshoe center revealing a sweeping staircase to the multilevel lobby areas and provides different plazas outside for the public.

Nearby is a Renzo Piano project — Nasher Sculpture Center, which is a museum and sculpture garden

that provides sanctuary among the downtown Dallas skyscrapers.

Seeing the latter two finalists’ projects firsthand in April, not knowing they would be finalists for the SPAC, I knew either architecture firm would create a worldclass project for Sarasota. Yet, this “newsie” is a bit biased. One of the most impressive buildings I’ve ever visited is the New York Times building in New York City. The Renzo Piano-designed, 52-story building takes up half a block in Manhattan and hums with people devoted to putting out a newspaper every day.

Now that Renzo Piano has been selected as the architect for the planned SPAC, the big overarching questions can be answered:

n How much will it cost?

n How long will it take until the first curtain rises?

Much like Marie Selby Botanical Gardens and The Bay Park, before design firms and partners were selected, master plans were aspirational. Once architects and consultants were selected, budgets and actual construction costs were then developed.

“You can’t really get an estimate of costs until you have a concept,” says Jennifer Rominiecki, president and CEO of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Selby broke ground on its Master Plan in June 2021 and plans to host a ribbon cutting in November 2023. Rominiecki also shared that once an architect translates its design to reality, that’s when the costs come into focus.

After Renzo Piano goes through the city of Sarasota’s procurement process, the City Commission must vote on a concept from Renzo Piano and adopt an implementation

agreement. Having been through the same process, Rominiecki says the most important aspect is conveying the big picture vision and the need.

“The need is so important to the constituency understanding being patient,” she says. “If the need is there, the patience will be there.”

Renzo Piano’s first job will be a needs analysis to assess how to meet the needs of the community for generations to come. “They are doing a lot of diligence,” says Jim Travers, chairman of the board and interim CEO of the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation. “This is much more than a building. They are engaging the entire 53-acres and how to broadcast what’s happening inside out so that children and entire families can understand the arts in an amazing way.

“To see that come to fruition is overall really exciting for the project and the community,” he says.

Travers added that the SPAC is a generational project and is expected to serve the community for the next 50 to 60 years, much like the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall has performed since the 1960s.

“Sarasota’s history and reputation for the performing arts is why people are here and coming here,” Travers says. “This is about my grandkids and your kids being able to have something to support the current state of the arts and where things are going.”

Walking through Klyde Warren Park in the downtown Dallas Arts District makes the vision of having a Sarasota Arts and Cultural district more of a reality. Just think: With Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, The Bay Park and a world-class performing arts hall along our beautiful bayfront, our downtown core will rise to a new level, fulfilling untapped potential for decades to come.

In a former life, this ballerina couldn’t wait to step her toes on that stage. Now I’m looking forward to being an audience member. Thankfully, the SPAF has taken the first step, or in ballet, first position, to get there.

Emily Walsh was a part of the Van Wezel Steering Committee in 2018 to help envision a new performing arts hall for Sarasota until she joined the board of the Bay Park Conservancy in 2019. She currently serves as secretary on the Bay Park Conservancy Board of Directors. Walsh served

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.”

Friedrich Hayek “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

President and Publisher / Emily Walsh, EWalsh@YourObserver.com

Executive Editor and COO / Kat Wingert, KWingert@YourObserver.com

Managing Editor / James Peter, JPeter@YourObserver.com

Sports Editor / Ryan Kohn, RKohn@YourObserver.com

Staff Writers / Ian Swaby, ISwaby@ YourObserver.com; Andrew Warfield, AWarfield@YourObserver.com

Digital & Engagement Editor / Kaelyn Adix, KAdix@YourObserver.com

Copy Editor / Gina Reynolds Haskins, GRHaskins@YourObserver.com

Senior Editorial Designer / Melissa Leduc, MLeduc@YourObserver.com

Editorial Designer / Miguel Elasmar, MElasmar@YourObserver.com

A+E Editor / Monica Roman Gagnier, MGagnier@YourObserver.com

Director of Advertising / Jill Raleigh, JRaleigh@YourObserver.com

Sales Manager / Penny Nowicki, PNowicki@YourObserver.com

Regional Digital Director / Kathleen O’Hara, KOHara@YourObserver.com

Senior Advertising Executive / Laura Ritter, LRitter@YourObserver.com

Advertising Executives / Richeal Bair, RBair@YourObserver.com; Beth Jacobson, BJacobson@YourObserver.com; Jennifer Kane, JKane@YourObserver.com; Honesty Mantkowski, HMantkowski@YourObserver. com; Toni Perren, TPerren@YourObserver. com; Brenda White, BWhite@ YourObserver.com

Classified Advertising Sales Executive / Lexi Huelsman, LHuelsman@ YourObserver.com

Sales Operations Manager / Susan Leedom, SLeedom@YourObserver.com

Sales Coordinator / Account Manager Lori Downey, LDowney@ YourObserver.com

Digital Fulfillment Specialist / Emma B. Jolly, EJolly@YourObserver.com

Director of Marketing / Robin Lankton, RLankton@YourObserver.com

Marketing Specialist / Melanie Melone, MMelone@YourObserver.com

Director of Creative Services / Caleb Stanton, CStanton@YourObserver.com

Creative Services Administrator / Marjorie Holloway, MHolloway@ YourObserver.com

Advertising Graphic Designers / Luis Trujillo, Taylor Poe, Louise Martin, Shawna Polana Digital Developer / Jason Camillo, JCamillo@YourObserver.com

Information Technology Manager / Homer Gallego, HGallego@YourObserver. com

Chief Financial Officer / Laura Strickland, LStrickland@YourObserver.com

Controller / Rafael Labrin, RLabrin@ YourObserver.com

Office and Accounting Coordinator / Donna Condon, DCondon @YourObserver.com

Observer Media Group Inc. is locally owned.

Publisher of the Longboat Observer, East County Observer, Sarasota/Siesta Key Observer, Palm Coast Observer, Ormond Beach Observer, West Orange Times & Observer, Southwest Orange Observer, Business Observer, Jacksonville Daily Record, Key Life Magazine, LWR Life Magazine, Baldwin Park Living Magazine and Season Magazine

CEO / Matt Walsh

President / Emily Walsh

Vice President / Lisa Walsh

Chairman Emeritus / David Beliles

1970 Main St. Sarasota, FL 34236 941-366-3468

Facts, law belie the criticisms, protests

I am compelled to write this in response to the attacks and criticisms that have been repeatedly levied against my project, Obsidian Residences.

The first inaccuracy is that Obsidian Residences violates the zoning code. While the building requires two “adjustments” from two zoning code standards, the zoning code authorizes adjustments and provides them.  Projects that receive adjustments don’t violate the zoning code.

One of the requested adjustments addresses the zoning code standard for “retail street frontage.” The existing buildings do not provide 100% retail frontage, as there is a driveway.

More importantly, due to building code, fire code, utility requirements and the fact that it does not front on an alley and needs a driveway for parking, no new project built on this site would meet that requirement.

With respect to the second adjustment for the “habitable space” requirement along primary streets, again, no new project could meet current building and utility standards that require access from the street to spaces that are not considered “habitable.”

Furthermore, at 22 feet wide, the proposed driveway meets the 24-foot city maximum for a commercial or multifamily driveway in the downtown.

In addition, the proposed trash pickup approach does not violate any code and is the same way trash is removed from the property today as well as from many other properties in the city, including downtown.

Still, we are in talks with the Bay Plaza board of directors about a better solution that would allow the use of dumpster containers that would be picked up in the same location as Bay Plaza’s refuse. Those who are concerned about the trash pickup should lobby that board to enter an agreement with us.

While the amount of retail square footage spaces will be reduced, the claim that this will lessen the pedestrian friendliness of the block is absurd.

Does the elevator entrance to the parking garage and the open area next to it (not retail) diminish the walkability of Palm Avenue?

Does the lobby of the Art Ovation? How about the travel agency that is in the Bay Plaza commercial unit? How about the existing driveway and large setback of Bay Plaza from Palm Avenue?

The Obsidian’s proposed frontage will provide required awnings across the entire frontage that the current building does not provide, thereby improving the quality of the pedestrian experience.

Also absurd are the claims that the existing retail spaces must be preserved as “historic.” The city has already reviewed that issue and determined they are not part of any historic district and not eligible for local or national listing as historic structures.

Despite repeated attacks on its height, not one person has articulated a single reason that Obsidian Residences is not compatible with Bay Plaza or other properties. Most claim Obsidian Residences is incompatible based on its height alone.

But the Obsidian property is zoned for 18 stories, and every 18-story building approved (or requested) in the DTC zone district is significantly taller than Bay Plaza: the Jewel, Block 6, Epoch, BLVD, Demarcay, Echelon/624 Palm, Bayso — all taller than 200 feet.

The repeated attacks on the Obsidian Residences’ use of interstitial spaces are equally nonending and fact-free.

At the time Obsidian Residences filed its application, the zoning code expressly provided that the use of interstitial spaces is not regulated.

The different uses of interstitial spaces proposed for Obsidian Residences are the same or equivalent to those proposed in other buildings under the downtown code.

Even today, interstitial space

needs only be explained and justified, and we have provided the staff with specific explanations and diagrams. Those purposes include providing space for mechanical, plumbing, electrical and structural components, all of which are completely permissible and frequently deployed uses and purposes for interstitial space.

The claim Obsidian Residences is incompatible because it will obstruct the views of Bay Plaza is simply laughable: Obsidian Residences will be located behind Bay Plaza. If it obscures anything, it will be exterior walkway entrances and elevator shaft, not the front façade and balconies. Obsidian Residences will provide a much more interesting and compelling view than the rooftop of the existing building.

Likewise, claims that Obsidian Residences will create negative shadow effects are baseless. Based on the study provided to the city, Bay Plaza has a greater existing shadow effect on Palm Avenue and the Obsidian Residences property than the Obsidian  Residences will create.

With respect to safety, the concerns being voiced are illinformed or intentionally misleading. Construction will be not only regulated, but closely monitored for safety.

If the city staff holds true to a fair application of the zoning code and is not intimidated by mob mentality, I remain convinced the Obsidian should be approved.

MATT KIHNKE SARASOTA

Matt Kihnke is a resident of Sarasota, founder of 1260 Palm Properties LLC and developer of the Obsidian, Sansara and The Collection in downtown Sarasota.

Safety, aesthetic and zoning concerns on Obsidian

The primary arguments against the proposed development of 1260 N. Palm (the Obsidian) are based on facts — specifically, viola-

tions of existing zoning codes and the Sarasota Downtown Master Plan. Of course, emotions are also at play because this project would adversely affect the lives of hundreds of people — and set a precedent that would affect thousands more.

The developer’s latest (fourth) submittal to the city acknowledges at least two of these violations by requesting the city to provide them with the following:

A waiver of the requirement for retail, service use or office use to be present along the entire length of the building frontage.

An exemption allowing less than the required habitable space in the first two stories.

Of particular concern is the loss of seven retail spaces to be replaced by a third of the space of the existing frontage. This results in a loss of business for the city and dramatically alters the pedestrian friendliness and walkability of North Palm — key elements of the Downtown Master Plan.

There are two more items in the developer’s latest submittal that require adjustments which have not been requested: 1. An excessive driveway width 2. Very visible refuse and recycling containers to be picked up along the sidewalk. Both deviations further detract from the walkability of North Palm and are, therefore, in even greater conflict with the Master Plan.

Of course, the most obvious issue is the building’s excessive height of 342 feet — more than 90 feet taller than any other existing condo building in Sarasota and more than twice the height of any nearby buildings. This height alone justifies rejection of the proposal because it does not comply with the compatibility criteria in the Zoning Code. It is a poor fit for the small 0.28 acre lot in the Arts District neighborhood.

And how this height is achieved provides yet another reason for denial; 1260 blatantly abuses the use of interstitial space (IS) to allow nine of the 14 residential units to have a water view and command a premium price ($10 million-$15 million instead of $5

million). The proposal is essentially trying to create waterfront condos on property that is not on the water.

This abuse of interstitial space is not only in conflict with the intent and the spirit of how IS is discussed in the city’s regulations; it’s also way out of line with industry standards. The three major building associations (BOMA, IFMA and AIA) all define IS as being used in hospitals and laboratory buildings for the storage of mechanical equipment. It says nothing about using IS to increase building height in order to command premium real estate prices.

And for those of us who love architecture and appreciate local history, the proposed building would block out two sides of an architecturally distinguished building designed by famed Sarasota School architect, Tim Seibert.

Last, but not least, is human safety, both during and after construction. Building a massive structure on a small footprint within feet of neighboring buildings in a flood zone with strong wind tunneling effects is fraught with massive risk. No matter how well-intentioned and capable the builder might be, there will be significant disruption to hundreds of people’s lives, as well as risks to their health and well-being from dust, vibration, noise and flying debris — as evidenced by problems with the construction of smaller buildings in larger spaces in downtown Sarasota.

Over 3,000 people have signed petitions opposing this project versus only a handful that seem to support it. This is not unlike the proposed St. Regis parking garage on Longboat that was recently defeated. We can only hope that sanity and the public interest will prevail on this project as well.

Quay project changes satisfy Planning Board concerns

Seconds away from a likely recommendation of denial by the Sarasota Planning Board during its May 10 meeting, the developer of Ritz-Carlton Residences II in The Quay instead asked for a continuance to address objections.

After making several modifications, developer Kolter Urban by a 4-1 vote last week secured a recommendation for approval of its site plan and a minor conditional use application with board member Kathy Kelley Ohlrich opposed. The matter now goes before the City Commission for final consideration.

Planned for blocks 7 and 8 along the marina in The Quay, the second Ritz-Carlton Residences tower will bring 78 more luxury condominiums to the 14.7-acre master development.

Chief among the Planning Board’s concerns in May were the proximity of a three-lane driveway onto the site from Quay Commons adjacent to the historic Belle Haven building, a ramp that includes a high wall near the west elevation of the historic building and the termination of the multiuse recreation trail along the marina.

Kolter Urban was unable to change the ramp configuration or the positioning of the project relative to Belle Haven, but it did offer enhancements to make the situation more palatable, including an extra 14 feet of separation between Belle Haven and the ramp.

The new plan includes taking an extra six feet of width from Block 10 to push the driveway farther south, and enhancing the frontage along

the south side of Belle Haven. The developer also agreed to dedicate 12 feet of frontage along the marina to connect the multiuse recreation trail on the north and south sides of the project site, and to create a “pedestrian promenade” beneath the ramp, which rises up to the third level of the new tower.

One more key concession was offered by the developer: to make the ramp wall a green (plant) wall to soften the visual impact from the windows on the west side of Belle Haven.

“I think they did do a pretty decent job with the modifications that they made of preserving some of the view corridors that are most important to the Belle Haven,” said Planning Board Member Damien Blumetti.

Chairman Daniel Clermont agreed that Kolter’s revisions preserve and enhance the vista to the most important exterior elements of Belle Haven.

“The vast majority of people will enjoy the building from the front. I think this is a positive and that’s why I support it,” Clermont said. “There are things that don’t work, but I think on balance it works … and I like the fact that they’ve acknowledged the things that we were concerned about.”

The Ritz-Carlton II developer modifications lessen the impact on historic Belle Haven.

ONE PARK SARASOTA: AN EXCEPTIONAL RESIDENTIAL CENTERPIECE, DESIGNED WITH THE CITY IN MIND

One Park Sarasota remains fully committed to fostering a good partnership with the City of Sarasota and the local community to bring this oneof-kind luxury development to life for the residents of Sarasota to enjoy. Nestled in the heart of The Quay, One Park has developed an unmatched presence and level of interest from those within the Sarasota real estate market. Boasting stunning residences and a high-end range of public and private amenities, it has caught the eyes of buyers looking for a wholly luxurious residential experience. With its creatively inspired aesthetic, extensive offerings, and top-notch ambiance, One Park Sarasota is poised to not only redefine luxury, but also serve as a prime example of what luxury can be as the city expands and looks toward its bright future.

Beyond Elegant Interior Design

One Park Sarasota is more than just a residence; it’s a commitment to an unparalleled quality of life for its inhabitants. Every aspect of this luxury property has been meticulously designed to enhance the comfort and convenience of its residents, creating an environment that is both elegant and inviting, exceeding the expectations of residents and visitors alike.

One Park Sarasota’s residences, expertly designed by the renowned Hoyt Architects, exude an unparalleled level of sleek sophistication to perfectly capture the essence of elevated waterfront living.

They consist of 123 fully finished two, three, and five-bedroom units and six penthouse units that immerse residents into The Quay’s tranquil bayfront ambience. Every unit is equipped with 12-foot floor-to-ceiling windows, a contemporary lighting package with recessed lighting, dimmers, and lighting control, fully built-out closets, and a midnight bar in select primary bedrooms. Notable features also include expansive outdoor terraces with glass railing and summer kitchens, as well as an unprecedented level of efficiency through PMG smart home technology, delivering seamless personalization with a touch of a button. With these aspects in hand, one’s residential experience is not only pleasing to behold, but key for a more relaxed everyday life.

“One Park will be a one-of-a-kind development, with a flawless blend of finishes and understated designs, emphasizing beauty and functionality of the building, all while staying faithful to Sarasota’s established aesthetic,” said Gary Hoyt, President & Chief Executive Officer at Hoyt Architects.

Fostering Community Engagement

A key element of luxury living is an engaged and thriving community. One Park Sarasota will foster just that for both its residents and those at The Quay through a spacious and exquisitely designed breezeway above Quay Commons. This secure passageway will provide convenient access to The

Quay and The Bay Park, transforming the common space into a dynamic pedestrian walkway adorned with widened sidewalks and vibrant greenery. This one-of-a-kind communal area will serve as an engaging hub for both Sarasota locals and One Park Sarasota residents, creating a lively and safe atmosphere for making connections or taking a moment to enjoy the surrounding scenery as one travels. One Park Sarasota will also deliver plentiful gathering and communal spaces on the ground floor for the general public to partake in and enjoy at their leisure. The developers of One Park have planned over 13,000 square feet of retail space at the building’s base. This dedicated area will offer top-notch retail options, dining establishments, and outdoor café seating catering to individuals seeking to socialize with friends, seek shelter during inclement weather or hot summer days, or shop for the latest trends just steps away from home. This retail space will also contribute to the area’s vitality and commercial activity, ensuring the community’s energy and stability is sustained for years to come.

Amenity Spaces For Everyday Living

For One Park Sarasota residents, engaging experiences do not only exist outside the property or on the ground floor. Numerous leisure activities and five-star opportunities lie within the building itself, courtesy of 63,000 square

feet of expansive amenity space. Elevated offerings include a private One Park Wellness Spa, a resort-style pool, a state-of-the-art fitness studio with high-tech exercise equipment, executive office suites, a wine room, a private theater room and golf simulator room, a children’s playroom, and hospitality suites. Additional services led by the dedicated concierge staff include valet parking, package delivery, and dog walking. Daily access to this dynamic range of amenities ensures residents never are far from enjoying serenity, comfort, and enriching activities, nor experiencing the greatness of waterfront living in Sarasota.

Embracing a New Standard of Luxury

One Park Sarasota is establishing a new standard for luxury living in Sarasota. Its ideal location, purposefully designed spaces that foster a seamless sense of community, and its meticulously crafted living spaces are second to none and showcase an appealing bayfront lifestyle unlike any other.

To witness this unparalleled residential experience firsthand, interested parties are encouraged to visit the One Park Sarasota sales gallery. With the finishing touches being placed on its new model primary bathroom and various other spaces to explore, it gives a pictureperfect glimpse into this iconic property coming soon to Sarasota.

To schedule an appointment at the sales gallery, located on 20 N Lemon Avenue, please visit OneParkSarasota.com

call 941-232-7036.

Plans to meet demands

What brought you from Maryland to Sarasota?

During three of her four-plus years with the Economic Development Corp. of Sarasota County, Erin Silk has worked under two interim executive directors who worked to transition it into the more responsive, resultsoriented organization demanded by its primary benefactor, the Sarasota County Commission.

A fourth-generation Silk in Sarasota County, she said recalls her grandfather saying the Silks arrived here on horse and buggy. The Maryland native who began her career in the Baltimore area followed the family footsteps here in 2015 when she became CEO of Venice Main Street in 2015. She joined the EDC in 2019.

Last week, Silk was elected by the EDC Board of Directors as president and CEO, succeeding Lisa Krouse, who held the role on an interim basis for 18 months. Silk takes over at a crucial time with the County Commission demanding greater communication and more measurables to justify the more than $1 million per year in county funding.

On her first day as the new leader of the EDC, Silk talked with the Observer about economic development activity in the county and how the seven-member organization will work to bring in new companies, help existing companies find new space to expand, address the shortage of light industrial sites needed to create those new jobs and meet the demands of the County Commission.

I was ready to be in Sarasota and Venice, and I was absolutely blessed and honored to get the position of CEO of Venice Main Street in 2015. Venice Main Street is an economic development and historic organization in downtown Venice. It was there for about four-and-a-half years before I moved over to the EDC here, and I have now held four different roles within the EDC.  You joined the EDC at a time when the County Commission was questioning its effectiveness. How do you assess the changes since 2019?

What has kept us going is a strong board of directors and a strong commitment from the community to say they expect something different from the EDC. Sometimes change brings out good. Sometimes challenge brings out the best, and that’s what I see happening. Dave Bullock was the absolute best leader for the time period that he was with us (18 months). He only thought he was going to be with us for three months. And then Lisa Krouse was the absolute best person to lead us at the time that she did. And I hope that as we look back, the same will be said about me.

The County Commission is expecting measurable results. In an endeavor that is often intangible, how will you meet that demand?

Right now in our project pipeline we have 80 projects. About 50 are out of market companies that have identified or we’ve had initial conversations with about Sarasota County, logistics companies included. There are about 30 local companies that are here and growing like light industrial and hightech manufacturing. They’re having trouble identifying sites and we’re helping them with that. These are great companies and great fits for our community. We’re all working

On her first day on the job, Erin Silk, the new president and CEO of the Economic Development Corp., explains how the organization will meet the demands of the County Commission.

together for the greater good of our residents.

What we’ve done is above and beyond our contractual obligation for quarterly metrics. We are providing a monthly report to the commission that also goes to all of the interlocal partners. And it’s not just metrics, it’s also about seven projects that we are going to close (on the sites) in 2023. We have five more that are slated to close in 2024. It’s a deeper dive into our process of what is actually in our pipeline. Additionally, we are having one-on-ones with our commissioners on a quarterly basis, and that’s brand new to us. We’re also inviting them to some of the projects that we’re working with and supporting our businesses. Getting to participate in our work I hope will have a real effect when you can see the connections being made. We can put that on a spreadsheet and it doesn’t mean anything until you actually get into our work, see it in action and hear from the people it impacts.

It sounds like you are focusing on enhancing communications with the county. You can’t have an impact on something as large and nebulous as an economy unless you’re a collaborator, a good communicator and are able to bring people together around something. Some of the things that we’re working on, you’re not going to see an end product for five to 10 years,

A really good example of our work recently has been a partnership with the city of Northport as they have about 1,000 acres that they’re putting utilities out to off of Toledo Blade Boulevard and Sumpter Boulevard. Right now that is the only area of land in Sarasota County with the potential for significant job creation. We launched a video that was underwritten by FPL in collaboration with Northport and the EDC. It shows drone footage of buildings coming out of the ground, what could be there so you know when those buildings are up and running. It might not be for five years or more, but being able to visually show that and communicate it, to tell the story and to get the com-

munity buy-in is what will make us successful.

How do you define the personality of the local economy?

What we’ve seen in downtown Sarasota is this incredible attraction to entrepreneurs who are relocating to the Sarasota area, and they’re not just brand-new entrepreneurs that are on their first start up. ... They could go launch their next endeavor anywhere in the world but they want to be here in Sarasota County. Maybe they moved to Sarasota or Siesta Key with their family. Maybe COVID has brought them here and they find this is a great place for business. There’s been a really exciting and cool energy on tech entrepreneurialism particularly  around, the downtown Sarasota area.

Northport has immense opportunities with the land that they have. We’re talking to manufacturers and logistics companies and also high

tech-manufacturers who would be a really great fit in Northport because of the space that they have and the workforce that they have. The beauty of our area is that it’s there’s a little something for everybody. It depends on where you want to be and different lifestyles, and that also lends itself to the diverse industries.

How do inventory levels of commercial and industrial space impact recruiting for logistics and high industrial?

Our vacancy rate is extremely low, and one of the issues that we’ve encountered is with our growing population you have more logistics needs, whether it’s food distribution or just everything that supports a growing residential population. We’ve had companies come to us and say we know we need to be in Sarasota County. They know exactly where they want to be and exactly what they need to do, and

they’re coming to us and we can’t find a site.

How is that being addressed?

The County Commission has worked over the last two years to create a new business park overlay. This isn’t something that is brand new, but it’s been exacerbated by the demand. It’s been something that we’ve had our eye on for a while, and now there is this overlay in different corridors of unincorporated Sarasota County where if a property owner so chose, they could apply for rezoning that otherwise would have not been an option for them. I really see our team as a connector, making sure that as we hear from those logistics companies we can explain to them that this is an option. We’re helping to educate them. We’re helping to connect them to property owners, helping to try to move the needle. And again, it’s a five- to 10-year outlook on that.

What is the economic future of the county?

We have become a serious destination for business. We have built a reputation as an exciting place for business, and I see it in the conversations that we’re having, the people that are reaching out to us. Our center of influence has gotten broader and wider where we’re having people reach out from Canada and France and they have an interest to be in Sarasota County. I think the beauty of Sarasota County when it comes to our economic direction is it depends on where you are.  Economic development means a whole lot of things, and this organization continues to evolve. It’s been about diversifying the economy. We have fantastic hospitality, tourism, construction and health care. We need to be diverse and we need to not be relying on certain sectors. Our niche is helping to diversify the economy, and it is a long-term investment. You can’t diversify an economy over the span of six months or a year. It isn’t a five-year or even a 20-year time frame.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14

BAT VS. GUN

9:16 a.m., near the intersection of North Washington Boulevard and 20th Street

Dispute: When a baseball bat-wielding truck driver was met with another person holding a gun, officers were dispatched to the scene where they spoke to each party separately. The complainant, a semi-truck driver, said he was having his trailer unloaded when another trucker pulled into the area, blew his horn and asked the complainant to move so the roadway was not blocked.

Taking offense to the demand, the complainant approached the second truck with a baseball bat. That driver then brandished a firearm and told the complainant to back away. The two men separated until police arrived. Officers determined the man showing his weapon, but not pointing it at his would-be assailant, was a reasonable response. The gun owner has a conceal-carry permit with no negative reports. Officers stayed on scene until the complainant’s truck was unloaded and he departed.

but was told residents there cannot be evicted. The resident could not be located by the officer either at her apartment or on the grounds.

DASHBOARD ASSAULT

10:29 p.m., 2500 block of North Tamiami Trail

Assault: A reported physical altercation inside a vehicle between a male and female at a gas station turned out to be a case of a man beating the dashboard of his car. An officer met with a woman who said she had been in a verbal altercation with her ex-boyfriend and that the argument started over him drinking.

The man left the scene before police arrived. The woman had no visible injuries. It was determined no crime had been committed; the report was filed for documentation purposes only.

SUNDAY, JUNE 11

HUSBAND’S DOB UNKNOWN

6:53 p.m., 3500 block of Cheshire Square

Dispute: A woman called police to her apartment in reference to a dispute. An officer met with the complainant who advised her husband had left the residence after a dispute over him smelling of cigarette smoke. The woman could not provide her husband’s date of birth to confirm his identity.

FRIDAY, JUNE 9

DUSTY DUCT DISPUTE

12:04 p.m., 2300 block of Central Avenue Dispute: An apartment resident was engaged in a dispute with the property manager over her HVAC ductwork not being cleaned. The dispatched officer made contact with the manager who called police for assistance as the resident had been yelling at her and refused to leave.

The manager advised that the resident had been instructed to run the air conditioning during the summer, but she refused to do so until the ducts were cleaned. The officer asked the manager if she wanted the tenant trespassed from the building

Get Behind the Headlines

During the argument, the complainant said her husband grabbed a case of beer and left in an unknown vehicle. She said he did not possess a driver’s license and might be intoxicated. She asked police to locate him and arrest him on these offenses. The man could not be located and no further action was taken.

TUESDAY, JUNE 13

LOST AND FOUND GUN

5:11 p.m., 1100 block of Ritz Carlton Drive

Found property: After a hotel housekeeper found a handgun left in a vacated room, management called police to investigate. The officer met with a manager and was informed that a handgun was found in a dresser drawer. A check of a handgun database returned no negative results. The officer left a voicemail with the guest and advised him the firearm would be in property/evidence holding for safe keeping.

Breathing easy underwater

Diveheart helps people with disabilities dive in to scuba.

After 17-year-old Claire

Christofori took her first underwater breaths in the swimming pool at Arlington Park & Aquatic Complex on June 17, she said she was looking forward to something even bigger: a body of water like Sarasota Bay where she might encounter marine life — maybe even a sea turtle.

The Diveheart Scuba Experience had left her feeling “confident,” she said.

Her mother, Dawn Callahan, said that while Christofori, who has cerebral palsy, is unable to walk, she can enjoy freedom of movement and weightlessness in the water. As a result, Callahan began searching for a way Christofori could learn to scuba dive, eventually discovering Diveheart and its programs.

Corissa Leung, the leader of the Diveheart Suncoast Team, said rarely does a medical condition prevent someone from being able to take advantage of the organization’s programs, which include paid dive certifications in adaptive scuba (scuba for those who cannot obtain a traditional certification) and paid certifications for dive buddies.

“There’s very little where we say no, in terms of people who can dive,” she said. “There are a couple of medical challenges that prevent diving, but for the most part, anyone can do it.”

The nonprofit’s Sarasota events, held twice a year at Arlington Park, are free to the community and offered to participants ages 10 and older who have physical or intellectual disabilities.

Making it possible is a three-way partnership.

Andrea King, Therapeutic Recreation and Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator for Parks, Rec-

ABOUT DIVEHEART

Diveheart is a volunteer-driven 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2001. The Diveheart Suncoast Team offers programs at pools and scuba trips to open-water environments.

While active in Southwest Florida through its Diveheart Suncoast Team, Diveheart also works in the Chicago metropolitan area, Atlanta and Malaysia.

On Sept. 23, Diveheart will hold its second and final adaptive scuba event of the year in Sarasota at Arlington Park & Aquatic Complex.

For information or to get involved, visit Diveheart.org or follow the Diveheart Suncoast Team on Facebook.

reation, and Natural Resources at Sarasota County, said due to the city of Sarasota offering the park facility, which includes ramps into the water, and Diveheart bringing the expertise to the event, which she herself coordinates, “the magic happens.”

For many participants, that magic is the freedom of movement and weightlessness that divers experience. Kenny Menendez, who has been involved with Diveheart extensively, including on a trip to Cozumel, said it provides him with an experience that contrasts with being in his wheelchair.

“It’s just nice to be underwater and stretch out and not be in that seated position,” Menendez said. “It’s freeing, because I’m able to position myself in different ways. I can be upside down; I can stretch out my legs.”

Yet at the same time the programs offer freedom, they also provide a helping hand. While some participants, such as Menendez, can propel themselves, he said, they still require assistance, especially getting in and out of a boat.

“Any group that takes people with

disabilities, I want to be a part of,” he said. Griffin Black, a first-time diver, was left impressed by the experience of scuba itself.

“It’s pretty surreal to be able to breathe underwater, and it’s very relaxing,” he said. King said she enjoys coming out to the pool to watch people who may not have had the chance to do so before discover scuba.

“It’s pretty cool to watch someone in a wheelchair get in the water and do something that maybe ablebodied people take for granted,” King said.

While the organization benefits anyone learning how to dive, Leung said, it is also for those who haven’t been in the water due to an illness or an injury.

“We love having them come out, because we can show them how easy it is to get back in the water,” she said.

Attendee Jared Beck said he enjoys spearfishing, lobstering and scalloping — activities he is looking forward to resuming.

“This will allow me to get back into that,” he said.

None of the divers’ experiences, however, would be possible without the commitment of staff at the organization, which is volunteer-driven. Tom Trinch, who is in the process of becoming an instructor with Diveheart, said he has found the opportunity to work with participants immensely satisfying.

“It’s a little different than certifying just anybody, of course, but it’s so much more rewarding,” he said. “Anybody can dive. You just need to get people out and show them.”

He said while many think of diving as an extreme sport, this is not the case.

“It’s easier for younger kids, because as adults, we think about it too much,” he said. “Kids — they just go out and it’s natural for them to have fun.”

“What I like about scuba is there is no lack of volunteers; anybody who helps us out gets to go diving, too,” said Menendez.

Callahan hopes that others have the chance to discover what the experience has to offer.

“This is a great opportunity for Claire. It’s a well-run organization, and I would recommend it for folks similarly situated, to give them the same opportunity,” she said.

< PUGILISTIC PREMIERE: “That Must be the Entrance to Heaven” packs a mean punch. 19A

MUSICOLOGY TALE: “Black Pearl Sings” opens at FST’s Keating Theatre on June 28. 18A >

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT CREATING A CANDY-COLORED WORLD

“You’re wearing my colors,” exclaims Niki Butcher when a visitor wearing an aqua-and-pink dress arrives at the Venice gallery she shares with her husband, photographer Clyde Butcher.

Niki’s pastel-tinted photographs have their own room in the gallery, which is dominated by the massive black-and-white works of her husband.

Clyde’s stark environmental photography is often compared to that of the legendary Ansel Adams, whom he cites as an influence on his work.

Niki’s photographs also capture nature. It makes sense since the Butchers own a home and studio in Big Cyprus National Preserve in Ochopee. They’ve also shared cars, campers and boats in their 60-year journey together, which began in Palo Alto, Calif.

Like her husband, Niki starts out by taking a black-and-white photograph. But then she applies pastel pigments to the print and uses cotton swabs and balls as paintbrushes. What’s left behind is a candy-colored dream.

A TRIP TO OLD FLORIDA

Earlier this year, Niki published her first book of photographs, “Daydreaming,” which brings together her work spanning more than five decades.

Step inside the gallery room with Niki’s photographs and you’ll discover that the much-ballyhooed Big Sky of Montana has nothing on the panoramas of Florida, especially when they’re enhanced by the artist. In addition to large photos of mangrove, cypress and palm trees and idyllic sandy beaches, Niki’s room and her book feature smaller scenes of Old Florida.

These run-down fishing shacks, general stores selling a little bit of everything and salty, sun-dried characters are still around in the Sunshine State. Long after they’re gone, these vestiges of Old Florida will live on in Niki’s photographs.

For a woman whose creations depend upon embellishment, Niki is remarkably free of artistry. She doesn’t try to smooth out the rough edges of her life.

At 78, Niki’s not in a hurry, but maybe she never was. She’s delicate

but not frail and appears ready for whatever life sends her way. She’s the able first mate to Clyde’s skipper.

For many years, Niki was too busy helping with Clyde’s business and tending to her children to be a real artist. But then fate intervened.

As she recounts the story of her life, she pauses and asks: “Do you know what happens to a marriage when a child dies?”

Yes. Very few survive. What’s more, siblings also carry the weight of the loss.

Niki’s transformation from helpmeet to artist came after her son Ted was killed by a drunken driver in 1986. “Not long after Ted died, we were booked at an arts show in Ann Arbor, home of the University of Michigan,” she recalls. “Being around all those young people got me missing Ted so much.”

While the Butchers were in Ann

Arbor, Niki met a young man in a wheelchair who was cheerful and did not appear to feel sorry for himself because he was disabled.

BECOMING A REAL ARTIST

Shortly after that encounter, Niki said she decided to stop taking pictures of stuffed bears, rocking chairs and other saccharine subjects, work that was designed to open wallets at art shows.

She decided to create art that spoke to her. “It was Ted who helped me see what I needed to do,” Niki says.

When they got married in 1963 after meeting on a double date, Niki had studied fine art at a junior college, and Clyde was working as an architect. He was the breadwinner; photography was just a hobby.

But then he lost his job in one of California’s periodic real estate busts. According to Niki, a close

“The sun sets in the West, and I was used to sunsets over the ocean. I really liked that.

Once we moved to the Gulf Coast, I was happy again. The sun set in the right place.”

friend suggested that Clyde take down his photographs that were hanging on the walls of the Butcher house and sell them at an upcoming art fair.

By this time, the couple had moved to Los Angeles. Clyde’s photographs found favor with Angeleno art lovers.

“He made more in that one weekend that he had in a whole month as an architect,” Niki says.

PRODUCING FOR THE MASSES

Clyde’s photographs were so popular that a friend approached him about starting a business to sell reproductions of Clyde’s images  through department stores like Montgomery Ward and J.C. Penney.

“Back then, photography wasn’t really considered art, so we put a clock in the corner of the photograph and they became wall clocks,” Niki says. Fast forward a few years. The Butchers and their financial partner own a company called Eye Encounter based in Akron, Ohio, with 200 employees. After selling Eye Encounter to a corporation, the Butchers decided to hit the road and then the sea, all the while raising two kids. Along the way, Clyde gave up color photography and destroyed all his negatives. According to Niki, he lost the rights to most of his images when they sold their company. As former Californians, the Butchers love sunshine, the ocean and natural beauty. They didn’t

want to go home after selling their business in Ohio so they decided to give Florida a try.

But they didn’t get it right the first time — they settled on the East Coast. The people were nice enough, Niki says, but she couldn’t get her bearings.

“I was used to sunsets over the ocean. Once we moved to the Gulf Coast, I was happy again. The sun set in the right place,” she says.

The turning point in their lives, though, was when they were able to buy a property in Big Cypress, a stepping stone into Florida’s dark and wild interior. Clyde found the landscape that would cement his reputation as an environmental photographer.

But before visitors started coming to the Butcher Gallery in Big Cypress, Clyde and Niki had to hit the road to sell their art.

Long before the #vanlife craze hit social media, the Butchers were parking their camper in places like Central Park West in New York City to attend art festivals.

ALWAYS HAPPY TO COME HOME

Wherever the Butchers travel, Niki’s always happy to come back to Florida and its “weird and wonderful people,” she says. “There’s nothing like it.”

A visitor to a crowded open house in May at Clyde Butcher’s Venice gallery, located in a warehouse district, could rightfully assume that their success was predestined. That would be a mistake, Niki says.

“When you go to art fairs, you meet so many talented people. Why did we succeed with two galleries while other people are still selling at art shows? Because we had the experience of running a business,” she says.

These days, the Butchers’ daughter Jackie and son-in-law Neal Obendorf play a major part in the business, particularly since Clyde’s recent stroke. Even the grandkids are getting involved.

As Clyde and Niki celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary this year, the couple knows their legacy is in good hands.

THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

‘THE MAN I LOVE’ LECTURE

11 a.m. at Sarasota Art Museum, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail

$10

Visit OlliRinglingCollege.org.

This Osher Lifelong Learning Institute class recounts the 10-year affair between Kay Swift and musical giant George Gershwin, which lasted until Gershwin died. Swift was the

OUR PICK

BLUESTAR BAND PRESENTS

‘REAL DEAL BLUES’

Offseason got you singing the blues?

The antidote might be “Real Deal Blues” with Bluestar Band, featuring Johnny Guitar, who claims to have been living the blues his entire life. Guitar will be joined by former retinal surgeon Oren “Doc” Plous on keyboards, Chicago blues veteran Kevin O’Connor on guitar and Sarasota radio host Velvet Hammer on bass. The band will

first woman to completely score a hit musical.

SUMMER CIRCUS SPECTACULAR

2 p.m. at Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road $15-$20

Visit CircusArts.org.

Heidi Herriott, a third-generation American circus artist, presides over performances by hand balancers, clowns, jugglers and aerial rope artists, just to name just a few. Tickets are affordable, thanks to a partnership between the Circus Arts Academy and The Ringling. Runs through Aug. 12.

‘FAIRY TALE’

4:30 p.m. at Holley Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail

From $30

Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.

Flutist Jasmine Choi and pianist Michael Adock play Dutilleux, while Jennifer Frautschi plays violin on Schubert’s “Piano Quintet in A Major.” The concert also features the works of Janacek, DeFalla/Kreisler and Kreisler. The festival continues through June 24.

‘REEL MUSIC’

6 p.m. at Florida StudioTheatre’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. $34-$39

Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

“Reel Music” celebrates the movies

THE SURFER BOYS

7:30 p.m. at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret,1265 First St. $18 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

From the group that brought you

The Jersey Tenors comes a rousing tribute to the band that took America on a “Surfin’ Safari” in the early 1960s. Runs through Aug. 13.

‘SHEAR MADNESS’

8 p.m. at FST’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St. $25 Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

There’s been a murder in a Sarasota hair salon, and it’s up to FST audiences to outwit the suspects and catch the killer in this interactive comedy. Runs through July 2.

FRIDAY

‘RISING STARS’

2:30 p.m. at Holley Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail From $15 Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.

The works of Fanny Mendelssohn, Brahms, Strauss, Ravel and other composers will be performed by the fellows studying at the Sarasota Music Festival. The festival continues through June 24.

SHINDIG BAND

7 p.m. at Centennial Park, Venice

artists who have been in residence on its Manasota Key campus. Details of the show have not been announced.

‘Traditions and Transformations’

7:30 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave.

From $29 Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.

The works of Debussy, Ligeti, Beethoven and Mendelssohn will be performed. The festival continues through June 24.

SATURDAY

‘BEETHOVEN AND SCHUMANN’

7:30 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave.

From $30 Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.

Nicholas McGegan conducts piano soloist Robert Levin playing Beethoven’s Piano Concert No.

4. The works of Emily Cooley and Schumann will also be performed.

DON’T MISS

‘BLACK PEARL SINGS!’

Set during the Great Depression, “Black Pearl Sings” tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a Library of Congress musicologist who wants to record undocumented slavery-era music and an African American prisoner who has the knowledge that the researcher needs.

IF YOU GO

When: June 28, Runs through July 30.

Where: FST’s Keating Theatre, 1265 First St.

Tickets: $25 Info: Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.

Punching on heaven’s door

MARTY FUGATE CONTRIBUTOR

Franky D. Gonzalez’s “That Must Be the Entrance to Heaven” just premiered at Urbanite Theatre. The play revolves around a quest for the title of World Heavyweight Boxing Champion.

Fisticuffs aside, this isn’t your typical boxing play. It flips genre expectations. “Rocky” it isn’t. It’s more of an anti-boxing play. We’ll explain why later. For now, let’s talk about what it is. There are four contenders vying for the heavyweight title. All happen to be Latino. All have paid a heavy price to be in the competition.

Armando (Edgar Miguel Sanchez) defected from Cuba to make the boxing big time. His father considers him a traitor to the revolutionary cause. Was it worth it? Armando’s starting to doubt it. He’s discovered that boxers don’t age as well as wine.

Edgar (Peter Pasco) emigrated from Mexico as a child and blames himself for his mother’s death on the journey to America. He hopes that winning the title will earn him an “extraordinary ability” visa. (In the ring, Juan gives himself the visa’s name — “Extraordinary EB-1”.)

Juan (Juan Ramirez Jr.) hates the sport of boxing. But it’s the only thing he knows, and he keeps it up to support his family. Manuel (Rodney Nelson) is living in his champion brother’s shadow — and carries the weight of his sibling’s suicide after a powerhouse punch turned off his opponent’s lights.

Permanently.

The story builds from there, but I won’t spoil it. Let’s just say it’s far from basic.

Kathleen Capdesuner’s direction makes the most of Gonzalez’s shattered structure. In boxing, keeping an opponent off balance is a tried-and-true technique. You feint, get the opponent to lunge, make them lose their center of gravity. That’s what the text demands. That’s what Capdesuner does.

Tom Hansen’s set isn’t a realistic boxing ring; it’s more like a boxing ring turned inside-out. (An accurate re-creation would make it hard for the actors to move around on stage.) Caroline Eng’s sound design and Ethan Vail’s lighting smartly evoke the playwright’s half-worlds. The black hole is a key motif in this play. Vail brings it to life without elbowing you in the ribs.

The actors make me forget that they’re actors. This doesn’t feel like looking at a performance. It feels like I’m looking at different people. I don’t mean it as a compliment. It’s just a fact.

Diego Villada’s fight choreography is brilliant. It’s possible to fake contact — championship wrestling proves it. But Villada takes a different approach. He shows you the movement patterns without impact. But this is boxing not ballet. The fight direction conveys the brutal, visceral violence of the sport. The actors’ moves feel real. (And so does their sense of pain and physical damage.)

You can tell that Villada’s fiercely trained them. Beyond accuracy, their punches, blocks

and dodges are characterization. The boxers’ moves tell you who they are. (That’s baked into Gonzalez’s script — and he has a keen grasp of boxing’s in-the-moment strategy.) Villada gets it. And makes sure you get it.

Gonzalez’s work is a higher level of difficulty. The playwright has a long list of bravura techniques. Mundane realism isn’t

one of them. Gonzalez’s speech is heightened. His dialogue feels like poetry — and sometimes feels like a contrapuntal fugue. His well-drawn characters don’t sound like each other. His boxers often talk to people who aren’t there — ghosts, memories. It’s soliloquy in disguise. These X-rays of the soul remind me of Chayefsky at his best. Or Shakespeare. Technique aside, Gonzalez’s implied philosophy sets his work apart. Yes, you heard right. “Philosophy.”

“That Must Be the Entrance to Heaven” is a philosophical play with boxing gloves. Its philosophy is why it flips genre expectations. Boxing plays (and movies like

“Rocky”) typically get you rooting for one boxer to follow their dreams and win. Even if they lose, they’re still a winner. It’s a feelgood genre, with some notable exceptions like “Raging Bull.”

“Entrance to Heaven” is more of an anti-boxing play. (Anti-genre, not anti-sport. Just to be clear.)

Gonzalez makes you root for all four contenders. Then he makes you question their dreams of boxing glory. And all dreams, for that matter.

“ ... The weight of a dream suffocates the soul,” says the boxer Armando. The price the pugilists pay just to be contenders doesn’t seem worth it. Winning the title doesn’t magically solve anyone’s problems. There are no winners. Even if you lose, you win.

“Boxing” is clearly a metaphor for the human condition on this Earth. Life is a struggle. If you’re a Latino on the outside looking in, the struggle is harder. There are winners and losers. Your choices determine which one you are.

Time is a one-way street. There’s no going back.

Gonzalez contrasts that with another metaphor. A special kind of black hole (i.e., heaven’s entrance) that Juan’s mother told him about when he was a kid. Within its singularity, life isn’t a struggle. Here, every possible choice happens simultaneously. There is no time. And no need to go back.

And that’s just the short version.

This play has a lot going for it. Sometimes it feels like too much. And that’s my only beef. I sometimes lose the metaphysical thread in all its various complications — and keeping the thread is what I’m good at.

Gonzalez needs to play a game of creative Jenga and take out some of the philosophical meandering without making the narrative structure collapse. That’s a surface criticism. A matter of style, not the heart.

“That Must Be the Entrance to Heaven” has miles and miles of heart.

It’s not afraid to break your heart.

Boxing meets black holes in Urbanite’s pugilistic premiere ‘That Must be the Entrance to Heaven.’

A family legacy at center stage

For Joe Bruno Sr. and Joe Bruno Jr., a Father’s Day evening spent in the ambiance of Cassariano eatery in Venice was just another day in their lives as musicians.

While the Bruno family has been performing at the eatery since 2014, their lineup spans three generations of fathers and sons, with the performers frequently including Joe Bruno Sr., Joe Bruno Jr., Joe Bruno Jr.’s wife Christine Allen-Bruno, and their son, Nick Bruno.

Music has been a part of Joe Bruno Sr.’s life as long as he can remember.

In 1937, Joe Bruno Sr. sneaked into the attic, where his father, Tony Bruno, stored his eleven musical instruments, and blew into the trumpet. He expected to find himself in trouble, but as his father entered the room, he simply inquired as to whether he liked the instrument.

Joe Bruno Sr. replied that he did.

“That’s what you’re going to play,” his father said.

Today, at 96 years old, Bruno is still performing at three to four events per week, and at seven to 10 during high season.

“People say, it’s in your genes,” said Joe Bruno Jr. “My philosophy is being part of a musical family, the opportunity is there. That’s why we play music, because we have the opportunity.”

JOE BRUNO SR.

Tony Bruno was “the big guy in Boston,” said Joe Bruno Jr. — a contractor and orchestra leader who led singers like Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Wayne Newton.

Therefore, he said, it was only natural that his son and grandson would be influenced by his work.

“It was really neat seeing (my grandfather) working with these guys like they were all buddies, because they had done so many shows together,” Joe Bruno Jr. said.

Tony Bruno also performed at Cocoanut Grove before the location was destroyed by the deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history in 1942, and he relocated to Boston’s Latin Quarter.

Joe Bruno Sr. began playing for Tony Bruno’s band while he was in high school, alongside many

renowned performers. Yet, even outside of concerts, music still colored his life.

“There was music all the time, and on Saturday afternoon in the den, (my father) would put on the opera, and we had to sit there and listen. He made sure we did that.”

Music was still his obligation after he enlisted in the Navy at age 17, submitting his age as 18, and served as a bugler on the USS Midway. He left the Navy after the war ended, before returning during the Korean War and then becoming stationed in Jacksonville, Florida.

While sailing in a sailboat down the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, he was struck by the beauty he saw and resolved to live in Florida, although it would take 20 years for him to make his return.

“He’s a phenomenal performer,” said musician Joni Adno, a Sarasota resident who leads a Joni Mitchell tribute project. “He’s like Jaco reincarnated.”

JOE BRUNO JR.

Joe Bruno Jr. also became absorbed in the musical scene that surrounded him, his father, and his grandfather.

“As a kid, I would grow up into all this, and I would see all these (famous) people and all this music was just going into my ears,” he said.

At age 16, he received a bass and began lessons, playing in rock bands with his cousins. While living in

FIND OUT MORE

To view the Bruno family’s livestream performances, visit YouTube.com/c/ JoeBrunoBass. To contact the Brunos and for more information, visit BrunoConnection.net.

Florida, at age 17, he was asked by Joe Bruno Sr. to fill in for another player at a New Year’s Eve concert.

It was the first time he’d ever played in a jazz band, but the experience stuck with him.

“At that point, I decided I wanted to play that kind of music,” he said. Within six months, he was playing in a band with his late sister, Anne Marie Bruno.

His path then converged even more closely with his father’s.

He’d known he wanted to be part of the Navy ever since watching a signoff on late night TV in which the Navy played “Eternal Father, Strong To Save.” He resolved to audition for the U.S. Navy Band on trumpet.  Although he could play by ear, he hadn’t learned to read music, and ended up needing to practice more than 60 hours a week to graduate.

“If I didn’t, I would have been on a ship chipping paint,” he said. “That was the threat. But I was following in (my father’s) footsteps.” He went on to perform for four years in the Navy band.  During the 1980s, Bruno became a stockbroker, and although he made a six-figure salary, it left him with little time for music. Eventually, he made up his mind to return to what he most loved.

NICK BRUNO

Like his grandfather, Nick Bruno couldn’t resist trying out the instruments he found in his home.

Joe Bruno Jr. was pleased when he came home from performing one day to find Nick Bruno playing the drum set, having assembled it on his own.

“Drums was the completion of the triangle for a full rhythm section,” Nick Bruno said.

Nick Bruno went on to offer his first public performance at the age of 8, alongside his father. At the same age, he went on to perform with John LaPorta and Jack Peterson, two wellknown educators at the Berklee College of Music, before he had his first official drum lesson at age 10.

“I was growing into it at a very, very early age, having professional musicians as parents, my grandfather and everything, and so being born into the household with all of that influence, it was hard not to get involved,” he said.

Now, the 30-year-old plays instruments including tuba, trombone, euphonium, trumpet, piano and organ.  He received a master’s degree in percussion from University of South Florida but said he felt drawn to law enforcement, and ultimately chose a career with the Sarasota Police

Department, around which his family arranges performances.

He also teaches the drum line at Riverview High School and is a member of the Venice Symphony Orchestra.

CHRISTINE ALLEN-BRUNO

In 2020, the Bruno band brought on its newest member.

Although Christine Allen-Bruno had limited experience playing jazz in college, she’d stayed mainly confined to classical music after she married Joe Bruno Jr. in the early 1990s.

The pandemic changed that.

After a church at which she’d been planning to perform closed down, she decided to hop onto the piano in one of her family’s livestreams.

“I’m having a great time playing jazz with them, and I’m still learning,” she said. “I’m thrilled that I had this opportunity that in a way, forced me to jump into the deep end of the pool with jazz.”

Allen-Bruno, who majored in piano performance, and theory and composition at Georgia State University, also taught piano to Nick Bruno when he was young, and helps the group with tasks that include packing and organization.

“She’s like the glue,” said Joe Bruno Jr. “She’s an amazing musician.”

She is currently teaching Brian Rudolph, the son of Anne Marie Bruno and his son, Cameron Rudolph, the great-grandson of Joe Bruno Sr. Now, she’s joined the lineup, performing at events in the community.

A few of the numerous organizations for which the Brunos have performed include the Ringling Circus, Sarasota Orchestra, and Circus Sarasota, Sarasota Jazz Festival and RocknRoll Revival in Brooksville.

A love of music has been passed down in the Bruno family for generations.

Community and progress

Amid the lively celebrations at the Juneteenth block party in Newtown on June 17 were thoughts of the progress of the Black community over time.

“It means everything to me,” Anthony Johnson said of the holiday. “It speaks to our progress within society.”

Juneteenth takes place on June 19, the anniversary of the day federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, in 1865 to ensure that all enslaved people would be freed, two-and-a-half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

The event brought together local food vendors, including CJ’s Barbecue and Inga’s Catering & More and organizations like Second Chance Last Opportunity, along with live music.

Preceding the block party was the Juneteenth Freedom Day Cookout held at the Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Public Library on June 16. Johnson, a youth literacy advocate and former county employee for whom the library is named, was in attendance.

“For (Juneteenth) to be celebrated at the library here in the Newtown community, that’s just awesome,” she said.

Lisa Gilbert, whose 8-year-old granddaughter, Aubrie Stilwell, is biracial, said she makes a point of attending the block party each year.

“We just look forward to this,” she said. “Aubrie needs to understand her heritage.”

April Glasco, the founder and CEO of Second Chance Last Opportunity, said the event offered an opportunity for the whole community to be involved.

“It doesn’t matter the color of your skin. We’re all here to help support and care for one another,” she said.

Meet Amy. She’s worked at FPL for seven years managing customer outreach for our Storm Secure Underground Program, an initiative that replaces overhead neighborhood power lines with underground lines to improve storm resiliency and reliability. To Amy, family and community are everything. Providing reliable energy is just one of the many ways she feels she can make a real difference for her family and yours. Learn more at FPL.com/Value

de Manio Eberley

A wild evening

The social scene at Charlie’s Third Annual Liger Luau included a mixture of humans, lemurs, foxes, a sloth and more on June 17 at Big Cat Habitat & Gulf Coast Sanctuary.

“It’s a wonderful event — animals and people here all together,” said Kay Rosaire, who founded the sanctuary in 1987. “We’re very much in favor of the human-animal bond, and this is just a great way to put it out there.”

Amid a scene of vibrant Pacific-style decor, the fundraising event also offered energetic performances by Echo of the South Pacific, a Tampa Bay-area Polynesian entertainment group; a specialty drinks and beverage bar; a silent auction; raffles; and a performance by That Bald DJ.

available to purchase. MLS A4573992

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY

1030 Sylvan Dr $1,899,000 SYLVAN SHORES. Waterfront investment opportunity. Build your dream home or rent the existing cottage on Whitaker Bayou, just north of Downtown Sarasota. Direct access to the Bay. MLS A4536183

As with past years, food was provided by Charlie Haney, owner of Rodizio Grill and Butcher’s Mark, and cooked by Perry’s Original Roadside BBQ, with this year’s event named in Haney’s honor due to his culinary contribu-

tions all three years.

Attendees said they enjoyed supporting the rescue while also experiencing the event scene.

“It’s wonderful,” said Michele Edgerley, a neighbor of Haney who said she and her husband, Lee Edgerley, invited as many of their other neighbors as they could. “All our neighbors get together to support Big Cat Habitat, which is such a wonderful cause. They did a great job — really well done.”

“I’m here for just about everything,” said Max Strong, a volunteer with the organization. “Definitely, fundraising is important for sure. It allows us to do what we do … I think it’s important to keep the human-animal bond alive, and they do a good job of it here.”

The event was also a chance for humans of all ages to come together, Rosaire said.

“It’s open to the whole family, so it’s a lot of fun.”

2023 SUMMER LUNCH & LEARN SERIES

Proudly Sponsored by Williams Parker Attorneys at Law

June 28 | July 19 | August 23 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Michael’s On East, Sarasota Only

Rebecca Klein

AJC’s Director of National Political Outreach

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, 2023

Finding Common Ground in a Hyper-Partisan Environment

In an increasingly polarized political climate, finding areas of common interest can be challenging. Issues of concern for the Jewish community often bridge the partisan divide and provide an opportunity for meaningful conversations.

Benjamin Rogers

AJC’s Director, Middle East and North Africa Initiatives

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2023

The United States, Israel, and the Arab World: Where do we go from here?

As we prepare to celebrate the third anniversary of the Abraham Accords, where have there been successes, and where have there been challenges? Join us as we discuss the ever-shifting dynamics of U.S. – Middle East relations.

Belle Yoeli

AJC’s Chief Advocacy Officer

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2023

The State of Jewish Affairs: Around the World with AJC

There is never a dull moment for the Jewish people and the State of Israel. Join us for an in-depth conversation as we tackle some of the most challenging current events and how they are impacting our community.

San Remo Estates home tops the week’s sales at $8.45M

Ahome in San Remo Estates tops all transactions in this week’s real estate. Michael and Suzanne Watkins sold their home at 1447 Tangier Way to Stephen Pollack and Lora Pollack, trustees, of Sarasota, for $8.45 million. Built in 2008, it has four bedrooms, five baths, a pool and 5,040 square feet of living area. It sold for $4.15 million in 2017.

SARASOTA AVONDALE

Carolyn Van Helden, trustee, sold the home at 1905 Alta Vista St. to Bruce and Kimberly Peterson, of Sarasota, for $3.2 million. Built in 1927, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 3,813 square feet of living area. It sold for $775,000 in 2005.

BOOTH PRESERVE

Maurice and Vanessa Opstal, of Sarasota, sold their home at 3960 Elysian Woods Lane to Matthew and Alexandra Lawson-Baker, of Sarasota, for $2,134,000. Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms, threeand-two-half baths, a pool and 4,806 square feet of living area.

SCHINDLERS

Melissa Suarez, of Sarasota, sold two properties at 635 and 633 N. Osprey Ave. to ZF SPV LLC for $1.5 million. The property at 635 was built in 2019 and has three bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths and 2,090 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 2019 and has one bedroom, one bath and 473 square feet of living area. They sold for $735,000 in 2021.

10th & Osprey LLC sold the home at 1770 10th St. to Matthew Cunningham and Colleen Owens, of St. Petersburg, for $625,000. Built in 2022, it has two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 1,320 square feet of living area. It sold for $136,000 in 2018.

BUNGALOW HILL

Bruce and Kimberly Peterson, of Sarasota, sold their home at 1122 Pomelo Ave. to Martha Mumma, of Sarasota, for $1.45 million. Built in 1924, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 1,878 square feet of liv-

ing area. It sold for $1.32 million in 2022.

LAWRENCE POINTE

Edwin Holstein and Sherry Moss, of Belmont, Massachusetts, sold their Unit 203 condominium at 101 Sunset Drive to Louis and Linda Talarico, of Sarasota, for $1,425,000. Built in 1978, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,528 square feet of living area. It sold for $845,000 in 2016.

RIDGEWOOD

Carmen and Madelon Difiglio, of Sarasota, sold their home at 2220 Pine Terrace to Weam Joseph and Manal Abuyousef, of Sarasota, for $1.2 million. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,875 square feet of living area. It sold for $850,000 in 2021.

ORANGE PARK

Merkl Kaiser LLC sold the home at 2719 Stanley Place to Gary and Harumi Donoyan, of Sarasota, for $975,000. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,442 square feet of living area. It sold for $480,000 in 2017.

PAYNE PARK VILLAGE

Robert and Marie Sherman, of Sarasota, sold their home at 459 Wingfield Drive to Brenton and Careen Yarnal, of Sarasota, for $975,000. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,108 square feet of living area. It sold for $561,400 in 2021.

SINGLETARY’S

Amber and Joshua Taylor, of Harrison, Tennessee, sold their home at 2460 Hillview St. to Eric and Patricia Blanc, of Sarasota, for

TOP BUILDING PERMITS

Other top sales by area

SIESTA

KEY:

$2.4 MILLION

Siesta Gulf View

Beth Ann Segal and Andrea Ferstan, trustees, of Tarrytown, New York, sold the Unit 807 condominium at 420 Beach Road to Donald and Lisa Effinger, of Sarasota, for $2.4 million. Built in 1980, it has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and 2,002 square feet of living area. It sold for $430,000 in 1997.

PALMER RANCH: $844,000

Arbor Lakes on Palmer Ranch

$950,000. Built in 1956, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,024 square feet of living area. It sold for $235,000 in 2017.

HARBOR HOUSE SOUTH

Tillman Investments LLC sold the Unit 21 condominium at 400 Golden Gate Point to Annika Sandstrom, of Sarasota, for $900,000. Built in 1965, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,245 square feet of living area. It sold for $540,000 in 2020.

ONLINE

See more transactions at YourObserver.com

Neraj Tuli and Mamta Vora Tuli, of Sarasota, sold their home at 5704 Sunflower Circle to Jaime Armando Cervantes and Ana Irene Cervantes, of Coldwater, Ohio, for $844,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,676 square feet of living area. It sold for $450,000 in 2020.

OSPREY: $1,147,000

The Woodlands at Rivendell

Frank and Jean Freestone, trustees, of Venice, sold the home at 1188 Mallard Marsh Drive to Anthony and Susan Oliveri, trustees, of Osprey, for $1,147,000. Built in 2003, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,333 square feet of living area. It sold for $687,000 in 2005.

NOKOMIS: $795,000

Mission Valley Estates

Linda Larisch, trustee, of Venice, sold the home at 1530 Sweetland St. to Joanna and Taylor Field, of Nokomis, for $795,000. Built in 1979, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,429 square feet of living area. It sold for $200,000 in 2000.

DENTAL IMPLANTS

Dental Implant Specialists

FRIDAY, JUNE 23

FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT: ‘SING 2’

7:30-9:30 p.m. at 1055 Boulevard of the Arts. Free. Enjoy a free movie under the stars at The Bay Park. This night’s film is “Sing 2” (PG). Buster Moon, a koala, must persuade the reclusive retired star Clay Calloway to join his theater for a new show. A free scoop of Rise & Nye’s ice cream will be offered to the first 100 attendees. Food and beverages will be available at Simply Greek Food Truck and The Nest at the Bay. For information, visit TheBaySarasota.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 24

FREE RPG DAY 2023

Noon to 9 p.m. at The Dark Side Comics and Games, 935 North Beneva Road. Free. Try a new game system or rediscover familiar titles at an event which also features free giveaways. Games on offer include Avatar Legends, The Call of Cthulhu, Warhammer 40,000 and more. For information and to register, visit EventBrite.com.

RAINBOW RELAY

8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Rosemary District $45.

In a fundraising event for the LGBTQ+ community, perform team scavenger hunts throughout the Rosemary District, visiting local murals and completing fitness challenges. This event is suitable for all ages and fitness levels. For information and to register, visit SeawardCrossfit.com.

RADD UPCYCLING DAY: CLOTHING SWAP

5-8 p.m. at DreamLarge Office, 513 Central Ave. Free. Refresh your style by exchanging your unwanted clothing items for items new to you. Up to 20 lightly used items can be exchanged. The event is part of International Upcycling Day, part of a global initiative to reduce landfill waste by upcycling items. For information visit Eventbrite.com.

MONDAY, JUNE 26

SEAS THE SUMMER (FIELD EXPLORATION CLASS)

10-11:30 a.m. at 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway. Members $22.50; nonmembers $25.

BEST BET

SUNDAY, JUNE 25

CITY ISLAND TRIATHLON

7 a.m. at 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, City Island. $45-$135. Run, bike and swim in a variety of race formats to suit different competitors. The main triathlon consists of a quarter-mile swim, 10-mile bike and three-mile run. There are also super sprint, duathlon (run/bike), aqua bike and swim-run categories available. For information and to register, visit RunSignup.com.

Kids can learn about ocean animals and protecting the oceans by exploring field techniques and finding and catching creatures in Sarasota Bay. To register, visit Mote.org.

TUESDAY, JUNE 27

MENTAL HEALING: THE POWER OF A POSITIVE MINDSET

10-11:30 a.m. at Senior Friendship Centers, 1888 Brother Geenen Way. $10 Senior Friendship Centers members; $15 nonmembers. This program helps seniors obtain the latest information on maintaining optimal health, as part of Senior Friendship Centers’ initiative to highlight Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month. For information, visit FriendshipCenters.org.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28

MUSIC BINGO & TRIVIA

7-10 p.m. at 600 N. Beneva Ave. Free.

Test your trivia knowledge at this event held every Wednesday night at Hot Sands Tiki Bar. Prizes will be offered, with food and drink specials available throughout the night. For information, visit HotSandsTiki.com.

The Owen Golden Gate Point

A Luxurious Lifestyle in Downtown Sarasota

The Owen Golden Gate Point, a new midrise boutique building being developed by the award-winning Ronto Group in partnership with Wheelock Street Capital, has been designed to provide a select group of just 29 condominium owners with a highly amenitized, luxurious lifestyle in downtown Sarasota. Situated on a coveted 1.18-acre site, the building’s four three bedroom, three and a half bath open concept floor plan choices will range from 2,265 to 3,073 square feet under air plus a balcony with a gas grill. Three of the plans also include a study. Framed by Sarasota Bay, the gated Owen Golden Gate Point will be the ideal spot to capture gentle bay breezes and the ever-changing colors of Southwest Florida’s glorious sunsets. The residences are fully customizable during the preconstruction phase of the project and extensive finish selections are available. The Owen Golden Gate Point is the only new downtown Sarasota building offering full customization for preconstruction buyers. Pre-construction pricing starts in the low $2-millions.

Ideally situated in one of downtown Sarasota’s most cherished historic locations, The Owen Golden Gate Point will put Ronto’s legendary commitment to creating a luxurious lifestyle on full display. Designed by MHK Architecture and Planning, the building’s contemporary design will be awash in the neutral tones of the shore with gentle curves suggestive of its setting on the Point. The site encompasses the southern tip of the Point, gracefully arcing from east to west while providing partial bay and marina views from the residences. The peninsula’s smart, relaxed personality is distinctive and perfectly suited to a luxury lifestyle. Urban dwellers appreciate Golden Gate Point’s easy access by foot, bike, car, or trolly to St. Armand’s Circle, the beaches, and the shopping, dining, and gallery venues that continue to proliferate in the Sarasota downtown district.

greeted in a grand two-story rotunda lobby with a reception desk, a concierge, and separate mail and package rooms. The lobby/amenity level will feature a club room with comfortable seating and a bar. A fitness center will offer state-of-theart equipment, and men’s and women’s locker rooms. A massage suite will allow residents to invite their favorite massage therapist to provide an on-site session. The fitness center will also include a separate stretching/yoga area, a steam room, and a spa. Residents may also invite

refrigerator/freezer with an internal dispenser. A Wolf single wall oven, a transitional five-burner gas range top, a vented exhaust cooktop wall hood, a wall microwave, and a Bosch panel ready dishwasher will also be included. A designer collection of Del Conca floor and shower wall material as well as a designer collection of flat panel or shaker style Miralis cabinets in a wide assortment of colors are available. Quartz countertops are also available in a wide selection of colors. A Blanco Quatras 18-gauge stainless steel super single bowl undermount kitchen sink will be equipped with a House of Rohl pulldown faucet. The residences will also feature ten-foot ceilings except where dropped, recessed LED lighting in the kitchen, hallways, and baths per plan, contemporary five and one quarter-inch baseboards, smooth finish drywall walls, and ventilated wood shelving in the guest bedroom closets. Sensitive to the comfort of each resident, Owen Golden Gate Point’s concrete block walls and ample airspace between floors will make noise transmission nearly non-existent.

personal trainers to work with them within the fitness center. Social seating and an indoor/ outdoor bar will be featured in a games room outfitted with an assortment of table and arcade games. Zoom rooms, work from home station areas, and a board/conference room will also be included. Secure parking under the building with two spaces per residence, one of which will be pre-wired for a 40-amp power outlet for electric vehicle charging using the vehicle owner’s charger, climate-controlled resident storage rooms, and secured bike storage are also included.

An infinity edge saltwater pool will be the centerpiece of The Owen Golden Gate Point’s expansive landscaped outdoor amenity deck. Billowing palm trees and tropical container gardens, lounge chairs, a separate spa that will be ideal for soothing aching muscles or enjoying a perfect moonlight plunge, a fire pit seating area, and an outdoor bar and grilling area with seating will also be featured. Additional outdoor amenities will include a fenced dog walk/park area, guest parking, and bicycle storage.

The Ronto Group is now accepting reservations for residences at The Owen Golden Gate Point. For additional information about this extraordinary opportunity, contact the LRM Group at Premier Sotheby’s International Realty located at the Plaza at Five Points, 50 Central Avenue, Suite 110 in downtown Sarasota. Call 941.544.3332.

The Owen Golden Gate Point’s amenities and common areas are being designed by Riley Interior Design Principal Carrie L. Riley, ASID. Around the clock secured building access and semi-private elevators with controlled access will ensure that residents will enjoy a welcomed sense of privacy. Owners and their guests will be

Each residence at The Owen Golden Gate Point will showcase a private elevator lobby, an entry foyer and spacious island kitchen, and a flowing great room and dining area that opens to a spacious covered balcony with glass railings and a built-in stainless-steel Artisan Professional Series grill with a hood. Expansive impactresistant doors and windows will bathe the living areas with abundant natural light. The kitchens will be equipped to satisfy even the most discriminating gourmet. Standard appliances will include a SubZero side-by-side panel ready

owengoldengate.com

GATEWAY TO THE INCREDIBLE

Fast Break

As of June 20, the Sarasota Paradise pre-professional soccer team has won four straight games and holds an overall record of 4-2-0 to lead the South Florida division of the United Soccer League’s League Two. The team’s next home game is 7:30 p.m. June 24 against Weston FC.

… Former Booker High football wide receiver Shawn Bane Jr. is now playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League after spending the last two seasons with the Calgary Stampeders. Bane had six catches for 132 yards June 16 in the Roughriders’ 45-27 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

New College of Florida announced June 16 that the school was hiring Aly Bermudez as its first head softball coach. Bermudez previously was the head coach at Bishop Verot High.

Former Sarasota Crew rower and Tokyo Olympian Clark Dean and his Harvard University teammates finished third (05:40.932) in the Men’s Collegiate Varsity 8+ Final 2 at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championships, held June 2-4 in Mercer, New Jersey.

Former Sarasota High and Sarasota Tsunami swimmer Drew Vanden Heuvel signed with Old Dominion University in May.

Former Cardinal Mooney High indoor volleyball coach Kristen Rohr was named the head coach of the Arizona State University beach volleyball program on June 2. Rohr, who coached Mooney from 2011-2015, was previously the head coach at Grand Canyon University and was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association Beach Coach of the Year in 2022.

Former Sarasota High girls basketball coach Dave Gaulman was named the head of player development for the Palmetto High boys basketball program June 13. Gaulman coached the Sailors for one season in 2022-23, leading the team to a 15-14 record.

“In our spring game, he was the best player on the field for us. He had nearly 100 yards rushing on 11 carries and he had a pick six. He’s just one of those guys.”

to maximize the number of hits he’s able to take — while also amplifying the damage he’s able to do while lowering his shoulder, both on offense and defense.

If he can do that, his teammates will help take care of the rest.

“I have a great offensive line in front of me,” Johnson said. “I just have to run behind them.”

The battering Ram

will play on both sides of the ball for the Rams this fall.

DJ

DJ Johnson runs downhill, and he runs to hit.

It’s part of what makes coaches like Riverview High offensive coordinator Brody Wiseman so excited about his potential. Johnson was the Rams’ most effective runner last year, totaling 661 yards and eight touchdowns on 168 carries, approximately half of the team’s total carries. He did so with teams keying in on the running game: The Rams’ passing attack generated just 805 yards in 2022.

Yet Johnson was overlooked, partially because of other backs in the area, partially because of the Rams’ 5-7 record and partially because when people watched Rams games, they often watched for fivestar cornerback and wide receiver Charles Lester III; Lester has since announced his transfer to Venice High.

excited about laying hits on people as he is pounding in touchdowns at the goal line.

Can he achieve all his goals?

Wiseman believes it’s a possibility.

“He’s one of the better players in the area, but no one talks about him,” Wiseman said. “In our spring game, he was the best player on the field for us. He had nearly 100 yards rushing on 11 carries and he had a pick six. He’s just one of those guys.”

The Rams won their spring game 35-21 over Lehigh High on May 26. Johnson and the Rams hope it was just a taste of what he’ll bring to the field come fall.

Johnson attends Sarasota Military Academy for school but represents the Rams athletically, since SMA does not have a football program. Wiseman said Johnson’s military training has helped him become vocal in the team’s locker room despite just now entering his junior year.

“He’s figuring out how to lead,” Wiseman said. “He has all the qualities and abilities. Moving forward, he’s going to be a huge piece of that for us.”

It shows in Johnson’s words and actions. Johnson said his favorite moment from last season was not any particular play he made, but the team’s win over Lehigh on Sept. 16 — a game in which he did not play because of an injury.

“We had a bad start to the season last year,” Johnson said. “The Lehigh game was our first win. We needed that one. After we got it, we came back and won some games and finished well.

Johnson said he spent the game encouraging his teammates on the sideline while also giving them space when necessary. Learning that balance is crucial to becoming the leader he wants to be, he said.

Part of that is staying on the field. Johnson, who is 5-foot-10 according to MaxPreps, does not want to miss any games because of injury, as much as he enjoys seeing his teammates succeed.

By his own admission, he took a beating last year. That’s why he is spending the offseason bulking up, both in strength and in weight, with a goal weight of 185 pounds. He’s at 180 pounds as of June 20. The extra weight, Johnson said, will allow him

Johnson has been playing football since he was young, starting his career with the Sarasota Seminoles youth organization. He played safety first, he said, and added running back to his resume when he was 12. He played other sports, like basketball, baseball, track and field, even wrestling. He still plays some of them for fun. But football, Johnson said, takes precedence.

“We’re brothers out here,” Johnson said. “The coaches connect with us well. It’s just different.”  Wiseman, who in his first season with the Rams after serving as the head coach at Sarasota High for three seasons, said Johnson’s running style is a mix of two backs he coached with the Sailors last season, Jaden Judge and Joe Ziegler, taking Ziegler’s bruiser tendencies and Judge’s elusiveness. In Wiseman’s offense, the backs combined for 1,477 yards in 2022, so Johnson’s goal of 1,500 yards is no pipe dream.

“I’ve known about him for a while,” said Wiseman, whose Sailors teams played rival Riverview every year. “He’s such a physical player. I remember on one run in the playoff game (last season), one of our safeties — who was a really good player for us — came up and met DJ in the hole. (Johnson) knocked that kid into the next week. Even last year, he wasn’t the biggest kid in the world, but he played like he was 200 pounds. He’s a throwback in that way.”

Wiseman compared Johnson to Jimmy Butler of the NBA’s Miami Heat, in that both Johnson and Butler will fight for every yard or basket they get with high intensity, never letting their motor drop and sometimes willing themselves to success.

Don’t expect Johnson to get 30 carries a game for the Rams. Wiseman said the team wants to keep his load manageable, especially since he’ll be playing safety as well. But as he showed in the spring game, Johnson can do a lot with only a handful of carries.

By the end of the season, Wiseman expects that Johnson’s name will be in a lot more people’s heads than it is now, and that the program will be the well-oiled machine it has been for several seasons.

“I’m excited,” Wiseman said. “I like where we are at. I think we’ve had a little disrespect. People seem to think there’s not a program going on here anymore. But we have a good football team and a lot of good kids.”

AND

Notes on Sarasota’s sports scene

A high-quality league begins play, a former Ram earns a top ranking and a baseball star keeps finding success in Korea.

Summer is here, and it’s sweltering, but the heat hasn’t killed the sports scene — at least not completely.

This week, I’ve broken up my column into three sections: one on some actual, live games that you should make time to see; one on the latest updates from a big-time basketball prospect who once called Riverview High home; and one on a local baseball alum who continues to be a lesson in perseverance.

THE FGCL BEGINS PLAY

If you’re not ready for the diamond sports to be over, look no further.

The collegiate Florida Gulf Coast League’s softball division began play last week at Lakewood Ranch Park. Since the league started in 2020, taking in a game here and there has become one of my favorite ways to spend a few hours on a beautiful summer day. No, the games are not technically in Sarasota proper, but I think the quality of the action is worth the drive.

Not only are the FGCL rosters filled with some of the best softball talent in the country — including players from three-time defending NCAA National Champion Oklahoma — but some of it is local. Riverview High alum Shelli DiPuma, who played at the University of Central Florida in 2023 but is currently in the transfer portal, is on the Manatee Squeeze. Through four games as of June 19, DiPuma has just one hit, but she also has three runs scored, one RBI and two stolen bases. Plus, it’s a

small sample size. I am confident her offensive output will increase as the summer season goes along.

Playing in the FGCL certainly helped one notable Rams alum in the past: Current Florida State University star Devyn Flaherty played in the FGCL in 2021 to keep her hot streak alive after reaching the NCAA Women’s College World Series finals. It worked: Flaherty had her best offensive season in 2022, and she wasn’t bad this year either — finishing with a .317 average, 12 doubles, 26 RBIs and a spot on the AllAtlantic Coast Conference second team — while helping the Seminoles to yet another WCWS Finals appearance. (Oklahoma was just too good.) While it’s unrealistic and unhelpful to put those kinds of expectations on a player, it would not shock to see DiPuma follow a similar path and improve greatly in 2024.

FGCL softball games are free for fans to attend, which is a steal. They are high-level action, yet because they carry lower stakes than an NCAA game, you can tell the players are enjoying themselves while playing. It’s a great vibe.

UPDATE ON A TALENTED FORMER

RIVERVIEW HIGH RAM

Since former Riverview High boys basketball player Jamier Jones transferred to IMG Academy last offseason, I haven’t been following his day-to-day updates as much as when he was dunking on people’s heads as a Ram.

The preternaturally gifted wing is still doing his thing, though: Jones, 6-foot-6, is ranked as the 11th-best player in the national Class of 2025 by the 247Sports Composite and is the No. 1 wing. A quick Google search will bring up dozens of his highlight reels. As soon as I saw him play once as a freshman, it was obvious he was destined for big things. The offers he’s now receiving are big time:

Jones recently told 247Sports that he’s received offers from the universities of Kansas, Texas A&M and Houston.  Jones may not play in Sarasota anymore — or Bradenton, for that matter, as he recently announced that he’s leaving IMG for Oak Ridge High in Orlando — but he was born here, and he wore a Rams uniform, which means, at least in my book, that once Jones reaches the college ranks, and probably the NBA, the sports community here can claim him as our own.

CASEY KELLY’S KOREAN BASEBALL CAREER

I continue to be inspired by the story of former Sarasota High pitcher Casey Kelly, whose career has had ups and downs but ultimately turned into a beautiful story of redemption.

If you’re a local, you probably know the story. If not, here’s a quick refresher: Kelly was a high school phenom and was selected in the first round of the 2008 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox. Kelly was expected to do big things in the MLB, so much so that other teams were willing to give up a lot of proven talent to gain his prospective future returns. He was the centerpiece of the trade that sent All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to Boston from the San Diego Padres after the 2010 season.

But Kelly never lived up to his lofty expectations. After going through Tommy John surgery in 2012, he appeared in 26 total MLB games with the Padres, Atlanta Braves and San Francisco Giants, holding a career ERA of 5.46.

After the 2018 season came and went with little progress, Kelly opted to try his luck in the Korea Baseball Organization League, known as the KBO, instead of staying in America. He signed with the LG Twins in 2019 and he has not looked back. Kelly has a career 3.08 ERA in the KBO

and holds a strong 69-35 record.

He’s also, for some reason, become something of a folk hero to KBO fans. Maybe it’s his bushy beard, or his absurdly long hair, or the fact that he’s from the U.S. Maybe it’s just because he’s a good pitcher. Whatever the reason, he gets a warm reception over there. He’s even received big-time endorsements: On June 1, Kelly posted a picture to his Instagram showing him standing in front of a billboard for Hanmac beer. His face is plastered all over it.

Even though 2023 has not been Kelly’s best KBO year — his ERA is 4.69 — who cares? The guy has made

something of himself and seems to be greatly enjoying his time in the KBO. Isn’t that what all of us ultimately want: to find stability and happiness?

That, to me, is the mark of success.

National recognition

When the International Dragon Boat Federation World Dragon Boat Racing Championships are held in Pattaya, Thailand, on Aug. 7-13, 10 paddlers from Nathan Benderson Park teams will be participating as part of Team USA, per a June 20 release from the park.  NBP’s Paul Hoffmann is now a three-time Team USA member, making the roster in 2019, 2021 and 2023. Steerer Angela Long, who also serves as the dragon boat coach for Nathan Benderson Park Conservancy, and paddlers Mandy Boyers, Doreen Clyne and Don Bickel made the team for the second time. Paddlers Brian Long, Dana Trimble, Duneska Grant, Joni Carone and drummer Paula Murray will make their world-stage debuts.  Team USA members are chosen in age groups and for boat size, which includes standard boat crews of 10 paddlers and small boat crews of five paddlers. Each boat also has a drummer at the bow and a steerer who stands in the stern of the boat

with a long oar.

“The 2021 event in Hong Kong was canceled due to the pandemic, so we’re ready and excited for this opportunity to compete at the world championships,” Long said.

“We started with one member making the U.S. team and have steadily improved over the years to now have 10 contenders selected. Everyone on this roster has proven that they can be competitive on the world’s biggest dragon boat racing stage.”

In alternate years to these biennial championships, entire club teams qualify for the club crew national and world championships. The next national club crew championship will be held at Nathan Benderson Park on July 21-22.

The selected paddlers had help in getting this far. Long said Beth Turconi, a two-time Team USA veteran, was “instrumental to the paddling program’s growth and success.”

Turconi was the only NBP athlete to make the cut in 2019 and was selected again for Team USA in 2021. This year, she’ll be sharing her experience and encouragement to help get the group ready for the summer event.

does

NATURE’S BEAUTY WITH

Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

“PIH SX UEH XIIA HE XNHFXTK ESY

HLFYXH TEY TYIIGEC VK GYFUAFUM

TYEC HLI JSD ET ... LNHYIG.”

CNYHFU PSHLIY AFUM ZY.

“UGBBHLS HL BRDW ... HO G XRTKBWAWBJ AMGLOXWLVWLA

WCKWMHWLXW. HA’O BHEW WGAHLS KHFFG-UBGDRMWV HXW XMWGT.”

THEW YHMYHSBHG

“DZKKYW TD PWHOJ NRTJPD TJ REZTDTHJH, REJS OTJPD TJ OUEKTJS, DXHPY EC YRKD HJP KHGRYD TJ JYO YJSRHJP.” HWVXTNHRP KHVRYTDX

The Sarasota and Siesta Key Observer reserves the right to classify and edit copy, or to reject or cancel an advertisement at any time. Corrections after first insertion only.

ads are subject to the approval of the Publisher. *It is the responsibility of the party placing any ad for publication in the Sarasota and Siesta Key Observer to meet all applicable legal requirements in connection with the ad such as compliance with towncodes in first obtaining an occupational license for business, permitted home occupation, or residential rental property. Notice: All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

Boat Slips for Rent/Sale

48’X21’ BOAT SLIP P07, at Long Boat Key moorings F FOR SALE!

Help Wanted

The Observer Media Group will be closed on Tuesday, July 4th. Deadline for the July 6th editions will be due Friday, June 30th at 2:00 pm.

GARAGE SALE

HEAVY DOUBLE door dog crate;

42x31x28 $40.00. 941-922-4994

Leave message; we check calls.

NANTUCKET BASKET purse, $75. (4) Longaberger baskets, $25 each. 941-924-5770

NEW DIGITAL convection oven/toaster. Black+Decker, stainless steal. Model CT06335S

13X22X15. $85. 941-387-0567

RCA TV, 55” with remote, cable ready, great bedroom TV. $50 (941)724-9044