Newsletter 133

NEWS FROM THE SUNCOAST…..

BIG OLAF SAMPLES TEST POSITIVE

Several environmental samples collected at Big Olaf Creamery’s Cattlemen Road production facility tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, state officials said Wednesday. Of 100 samples collected by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services last week, nine tested positive for the bacteria that causes listeriosis, a deadly foodborne illness that infects about 1,600 people per year. The samples were collected July 7 and tested by the Department of Agriculture, which oversees the production facility. According to documents provided by the department, Listeria monocytogenes were found on the conveyor cross beams that connect machines, in the floor drain end between two machines, in a small squeegee on a three-compartment sink, in a floor drain under a three-compartment sink, on a base floor metal support conveyor between two machines, inside a transfer pipe from pre-mix to the ice cream machine and in a transfer pump outlet on the pasteurized ice cream cooler. The company had voluntarily stopped using the facility last week. “This will effectively shut down all operations at this processing facility, which had already been done voluntarily by the company,” said Erin M. Moffet, communications director and deputy chief of staff for the state Agriculture Commissioner. She also said that one outstanding environmental sample is taking longer to develop. Since it’s an active investigation, Moffet said she was unable to provide more information. The bacteria can live inside a food production facility indefinitely if it is not identified through an environmental monitoring program, experts have said. It is not the kind of thing that would show up in a food safety inspection, state officials have said. For more on this story, courtesy of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, please click here: Big Olaf Tests Positive

BIG OLAF SELLS DIFFERENT ICE CREAM

As Big Olaf Creamery’s production facility deals with a recall following a listeria outbreak, the brand’s licensed retail locations have pivoted to selling frozen dessert from different suppliers. Last Monday, Big Olaf locations in Siesta Key and Pinecraft were open and operating — but they weren’t selling the ice cream customers have come to know and expect. Instead, the Siesta Key store was serving a different Amish brand — Yoder’s — and the Pinecraft Big Olaf was selling scoops from a Wisconsin-based creamery called the Chocolate Shoppe. At the St. Armands Circle Big Olaf, which has been selling Yoder’s since it reopened July 7, owner Dave Tesar said he wants people to know the shop is open and selling new ice cream. The store went through a rigorous cleaning process while it was shut down, he said, and customers have been supportive. “We’re not using Big Olaf product at this time. Everything’s been removed from our store and we’re using a different brand of ice cream now,” Tesar said. To read more, please click here: Big Olafs Sell Different Ice Cream

SALES FOR LOCAL HOMES HIT NEW HIGH

For the second month in a row, the number of homes for sale in Sarasota and Manatee counties increased, a trend that indicates some cooling of the local housing market, according to a monthly report from the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee. But, while homeowners put more properties on the market, prices remain at record highs for the two-county area, the report noted. The median single-family home sold in May in Sarasota-Manatee closed at $522,888, while April’s figure was $500,000. Last May, the median sales price in Sarasota-Manatee was $403,745, which was the first time in the area’s history that median sales price broke the $400,000 milestone. Manatee County reported a median sales price in May of $550,000 for single-family properties, a 37.5% increase from May 2021. Sarasota County reported a median sales price of $495,000 in May, up from the $407,000 figure reached 12 months ago. The combined sales across the two counties, including condo properties,  decreased year-over-year by 4.6% to 2,466 sales in May but increased by 7.9% from the previous month. About 1,600 single-family homes sold in May — also an increase compared to April’s data, but still down 7.5% year over year. Tony Veldkamp, the 2022 RASM president and a senior advisor at SVN Commercial Advisory Group, said some of the decrease in sales is cyclical, but home sales are also being impacted by “everyone talking about rising interest rates and inflationary pressures.” Please click here to read more: Sales Prices Hit New High

MANY EYE MOVING TO SARASOTA

From some of the best beaches in the state to quality schools and an abundance of activities, it’s not surprising that Sarasota is a popular destination where people daydream of becoming a resident. But it is still somewhat shocking that Sarasota, with a county-wide population of only about 450,000 residents and fewer than 60,000 inside city limits, was the second most popular location in the country for people to compare with their current location in a new feature on national real estate company Coldwell Banker’s website. Besides Naples and Sarasota, every other location ranked in the top 10 by Coldwell Banker had urban populations with cities exceeding 300,000 residents. Yet, Sarasota routinely ranks at the top or near the top of national real estate rankings in increases in price and as a destination to move. Sarasota also was recently ranked as the best place to live in Florida by U.S. News & World Report, and has topped that publication’s best place to retire list multiple years in a row. According to data from PODS, a national moving company, Sarasota topped its list of fastest-growing cities in the country in 2021. And it appears that Sarasota will place highly in 2022, as the data from Coldwell Banker looks at searches from this past March to June. There’s more on this story here: Many Eye Moving To SRQ

SARASOTA COUNTY THIRD HEALTHIEST IN STATE

Los Alamos County, New Mexico, takes the top spot in the fifth annual Healthiest Communities rankings, compiled by U.S. News & World Report, in collaboration with CVS Health, for the third year in a row. Communities were rated in 10 separate categories: population health, equity, education, economy, food & nutrition, environment, public safety, community vitality and infrastructure. No Florida county ranked in the top 100 and only two were ranked in the top 500 – St. Johns County was ranked at 181 and Seminole County at 466. Sarasota County was actually the third-ranked community in Florida, with an average score of 62 — which was aided greatly by an 81 in infrastructure, which was based on walkability, commute times and internet access. St. Johns County had scored 72 points overall in the ranking system and Seminole County 64. Among area counties, Charlotte and Manatee counties both scored 51, DeSoto County scored 20, Collier County 55 and Lee County 50. Pinellas County scored a 57 and Hillsborough County 52. Falls Church, Virginia, is No. 2, while Douglas County, Colorado, is No. 3. Completing the top five are Morgan County, Utah and Carver County, Minnesota, at Nos. 4 and 5, respectively. Each of the top three counties in this year’s rankings has been ranked No. 1 in a previous edition of Healthiest Communities. Please follow the jump for more on this story: Sarasota County Third Healthiest In State

SARASOTA AMONG DEADLIEST FOR PEDESTRIANS

North Port, Sarasota and Bradenton were ranked among the nation’s deadliest areas for pedestrians in a national study. The report by Smart Growth America, a nonprofit that focuses on urban development policies, ranked the area as the 19th worst in the country. Florida was ranked the second deadliest state on the list and had seven metro areas on the top 20, including the Daytona Beach area at No. 1, Tampa-St. Petersburg at No. 4, Jacksonville at No. 6, and Orlando-Kissimmee at No. 8. Beth Osborne, vice president for Transportation at Smart Growth America, said so many Florida cities landed on the list because many of them grew up in the post-vehicle world. Osbourne said Florida embraced building large highways and roadways with higher speed limits in places where they don’t belong. “At higher speed, there’s a greater chance of mistake, and that mistake is more likely to be deadly,” Osbourne said in a media briefing over Zoom. “Florida is hardly alone in this.” Sarasota Police Officer Jason Frank has worked with the traffic unit for the last six years and said a lot of the fatalities in the area are due to carelessness from pedestrians and bicyclists. He said they often use medians instead of crosswalks, don’t have bike lights, or wear dark clothing at night. “The unfortunate thing is pedestrians and bicyclists think that they own the roadway, but they’re actually a roadway user. They must yield to vehicles in certain situations,” Frank said. There’s more on this story here: Sarasota Among Deadliest Regions For Pedestrians

SIGNS OF TOURISM SLOWDOWN

Donna Eberle is paying more than expected to come to Sarasota this year – and it’s to visit her own home. Eberle, who lives in Boulder, Colorado, and owns a home in Sarasota’s Gulf Gate neighborhood, is having trouble booking vacationers for the summer. On top of that, her trip south – set for July – is a bigger-than-usual expense, with a $400 flight and a $900 car rental for two weeks. The flight was actually a steal, considering prices for the same dates are now in the $1300 range, she said. Eberle is looking forward to seeing Sarasota in the summer, but to prepare, she’ll likely cut back spending.”We’ll probably cook more than going out,” she said. As gas and grocery prices have escalated since COVID hit, and remain high, Sarasota-Manatee’s extreme pent-up tourism demand of the last year and a half seems to finally be slowing down. While experts said bookings at beachside properties seem to still be strong, it’s the inland houses and condos like Eberle’s that seem to be more starved for guests. Last year was Sarasota County’s busiest year on record for tourists. The county collected more than $31 million in tourist development tax revenue in its 2021 fiscal year, a record and an increase of about $10 million over 2020. In Manatee County, 2021 collections totaled $22,781,798, an increase of more than $8 million over the year before. The tourist development tax, also known as the bed tax, is a 5% levy on vacation stays of less than six months, bumping up to 6% in Sarasota County Oct. 1. Over the summer of 2021, visitor business was unusually strong. Sarasota Bradenton International Airport set passenger traffic records, including in June, which was the first time the airport had seen more than 300,000 passengers in a single month. By August, SRQ had already passed the passenger total for 1990, which until last year had been its busiest year on record. Tourism officials have attributed that huge influx to a few factors, including Florida’s openness during the pandemic, the widespread availability of COVID-19 vaccines, the popularity of leisurely outdoor destinations and the closing of international travel borders. But this year, borders have reopened and travelers have more options. Please click on the link for more: Tourism To Slow This Summer?

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TO SARASOTA REBOUNDS

The result of most travel restrictions abroad being lifted in November, Sarasota County’s international tourist numbers are slowly beginning to rebound. “Our international numbers have crept up each month since than ban was lifted, but not back on pace by any means,” said Virginia Haley, president of the Visit Sarasota County organization that serves as the region’s tourism marketing arm. “Still, Canada is No. 1 followed by the UK (United Kingdom) and Germany.” Haley reports these numbers for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1: In quarter one (October through December of 2021), Canada had 9,980 visits to the county, representing 3.2% of total visitors. The UK had 3,830 (1.2%) and Central Europe 4,320 (1.4%). In total, 6.7% of the visitors were international. In quarter two (January through March of 2022), Canada had 12,550 visits to the county, representing 3.2% of total visitors. The UK had 3,920 (1%) and Central Europe 4,140 (1.1%). In total, 8.3% of the visitors were international. Continued efforts to draw international tourists will be bolstered by Visit Sarasota County’s reconnection with marketing firms in the UK and Europe beginning again in February. Budget cuts in 2020 had temporarily severed those ties. Kelly Defebo, director of sales with Visit Sarasota County, recently attended the annual IPW international inbound travel trade show in Orlando. It’s where the U.S Travel Association’s members interact with travel buyers and media from more than 70 countries to showcase their vacation destinations. “It’s the largest trade show where the U.S. sells itself to the world,” Haley said. Defebo reported to Sarasota County’s Tourism Development Council on June 9 that she not only met with UK and German representatives, but also had 65 meetings with other representatives while at the event. Invited by Defebo to make presentations to the Tourism Development Council, a member of an international travel-related firm from both the UK and Germany reported a steady increase in travel to Florida from their respective regions – thanks in part by improving economic conditions. There’s more on this story here, courtesy of Siesta Sand: International Travel To Sarasota Begins Rebound

CHANGES INBOUND

In a roughly 40-minute meeting recently, the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport board approved $54 million in expansion projects. Construction of a new baggage handling system, expansion of the commercial apron and a new cell phone lot will begin in early fall, according to airport President and CEO Rick Piccolo. Additional projects, including a boat and RV storage lot and expansion of the west apron, are expected to be approved in early to mid-June. Here is a rundown of the projects, where the money is coming from and when construction will begin. By far, the most expensive project that was approved is the construction of a new baggage system. According to Piccolo, the initiative will cost $42 million. That $42 million will be split between the Transportation Security Administration, the Florida Department of Transportation and the airport. TSA will account for approximately $23 million of the funding, with FDOT and the airport splitting the other $19 million. Piccolo mentioned that construction of the new inline baggage system will likely begin in the fall. Once the new project is completed, “if one machine goes down, it gets diverted to the other machines automatically,” said Piccolo. “So it’s much more efficient, and we can clear more bags per hour, so that way, bags don’t miss their flight as easily.” A new, five-gate ground terminal on the east side of the airport is also on the horizon. The cost is $10 million, with $2.5 million coming in from a Federal Aviation Administration discretionary grant. Piccolo said that “we’re still seeking some other grant assistance” for the apron expansion, but if other grants are not secured, the airport will cover the remaining costs. Included in the terminal construction is expansion of the apron, the parking space for airplanes and baggage handling carts on the tarmac. Terminal expansion is currently in the design process, with construction set to start next year. As for the cell phone lot, where people can wait to be contacted by arriving passengers for pickup, the price tag is $2 million. According to Piccolo, the lot will be funded through a consolidated facility fee paid by people renting cars at the airport. The paved lot will include 153 spaces, flight display screens, restroom facilities, lighting and security. Click here for more: Changes Coming To SRQ

HOW DO YOU SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE VAN WEZEL?

After serving as the home to hundreds of concerts, comedy shows, graduations, lectures and Broadway tours for the last 52 years, the days may be numbered for the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, and I’m wondering if there is a viable future for one of Sarasota’s most iconic buildings. There must be. Don’t start counting those days just yet. Millions of dollars must be raised before construction can begin on the new Sarasota Performing Arts Center, which will be the centerpiece of the Bay Park Conservancy, or The Bay, which is being created in stages on what is now primarily the Van Wezel parking lot. The city of Sarasota, which owns the Van Wezel, has thrown its support behind a new state-of-the-art hall through a partnership agreement with the Van Wezel Foundation and a pledge to cover half the costs of the new building. The new facility is expected to include at least two performance venues as well as space for education programs and special events. The main hall will have 2,250 seats (about 550 more than the current Van Wezel), which means that some of the bigger Broadway tours and major music and comedy stars could more affordably be presented. While the Van Wezel could use more seats for its biggest hits, some people wonder how much growth is needed in Sarasota to support a hall this size. There will also be a smaller, 400-seat flexible seating venue for chamber and other programs, including some by other local arts organizations. What first sounded like a costly but major enhancement for the community has become a controversial project – like Selby Botanical Gardens and the Sarasota Orchestra before it – because once the new performing arts hall is completed and operating, it would prohibit competition from other performances in the existing Van Wezel. Which means the building won’t be able to be used for its intended purpose. Click here for more: What To Do With Van Wezel?

THE BAY PARK CONSERVANCY HITS GOAL

The Bay Park Conservancy has reached another milestone in its goal to raise private funds in its campaign to build a 53-acre park along Sarasota Bay, according to a news release. The latest update from the Bay Park Conservancy, a nonprofit that has been tasked by local governments with creating and managing the park, celebrated an additional $5 million in private funds raised. Last summer, the Patterson Foundation, a Sarasota philanthropic organization, pledged to donate $1 million for every $5 million donated from private sources through 2023, for a total of $24 million. “This additional match marks the second major milestone in The Patterson Foundation’s challenge for the $24 million capital campaign announced in July 2021, which has now generated over $12 million from private philanthropic, community sources, and matches,” the news release said. About 18 months remain in the Patterson Foundation’s challenge and half the money has been raised, according to the news release. This is the second challenge match program the Patterson Foundation has participated in to raise funds for The Bay Park, that will be built around along Sarasota Bay. The first saw the Patterson Foundation donate $5 million that “helped catalyze a $20 million total investment by private philanthropy into Phase 1.” The news release noted that the additional $12 million in private donations “takes the total raised from community, private and local government sources to over $36 million, with additional private and government commitments not included.” Phase one of the park is expected to open this fall just north of Quay Sarasota and south of the Van Wezel Preforming Arts Hall. Plans will eventually call for the large surface parking lot of the Van Wezel to be transformed into a world-class park. The park is expected to cost between $100 million and $150 million and take between seven and 10 years over three or more phases. There’s more to read here: Bay Park Conservancy Hits Goal

SARASOTA BAY WATCH RECEIVES CLAM CONSENT

Sarasota Bay Watch Inc. recently has received approval for an underwater aquaculture lease for clam restoration and research. This is the first lease of its type – dedicated strictly to research and restoration purposes, as opposed to the commercial ventures that the state has been approving for more than two decades. Sarasota Bay Watch Executive Director Ronda Ryan said what sets the nonprofit’s lease on the underwater plot apart from previous leases is that all the clams will be used for waterfront restoration purposes only. The lease agreement with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Division of Aquaculture gives Sarasota Bay Watch the rights to raise and distribute southern hard-shell clams to improve regional water quality. The clams, which have a lifespan of up to 30 years, can each filter more than 30 gallons of water per day. Sarasota Bay Watch has a five-year lease on the 4.5-acre plot, which will also be used for scientific research. “We’re following the science, we’re supporting the science and we’re very honored to be the first group that’s been given this opportunity,” Ryan said. There’s more on this story here: Bay Watch Receives Clam Consent

MORE WASTE GOING UNDERGROUND

More waste created in the effort to clean up the former Piney Point fertilizer plant will be disposed of underground in Manatee County. The county has applied for a permit from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to inject brine created during the production of chlorine underground through the Buffalo Creek municipal well. Manatee County officials said it’s a typical permit modification, but environmental advocates are concerned that waste injected underground could ultimately harm local drinking water aquifers. “There is no such thing as a typical permit modification for a deep well injection permit,” ManaSota-88 Chairman Glenn Compton said. “The only reason this is being proposed is because the brine is too polluted to discharge to surface waters, thus the worst wastes end up in these wells,” he said. “If a failure occurs, very little can be done to correct it. If an aquifer is contaminated, it’s too late.” The county is already drilling a new injection well across the street from the Piney Point facility that was breached last year, but the polluted wastewater that remains on the site must first go through a pre-treatment process before it is injected underground. The well is expected to begin operation by August 2023. The brine that will be disposed of at the Buffalo Creek well — located in the northeast outskirts of Palmetto — is a byproduct of chlorine production by Allied Universal Industries. The local manufacturer has ramped up production because chlorine is an integral part of the pre-treatment for Piney Point’s wastewater. The company needs a place to dispose of the brine that is created through the process of making chlorine, and the Buffalo Creek well is designed to inject brine from a planned reverse osmosis plant that will not go into design until 2027, according to the county. If you’re interested in reading more, then click here: More Waste Going Underground

MUSICAL DIRECTOR DIES BEFORE STARTING JOB

Bramwell Tovey, an internationally recognized conductor who was about to begin his first season as music director of the Sarasota Orchestra and lead the organization’s efforts to create its own music center, has died. His death last Tuesday night, came one day after his 69th birthday. The orchestra said he was diagnosed in May 2019 with a rare form of sarcoma and underwent surgery at Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston in June 2021 “that left him briefly cancer free. In January of this year, scans confirmed a re-occurrence from which he was ultimately unable to recover,” the statement said. Joseph McKenna, President and CEO of the orchestra, said Tovey was active in planning for the new season as recently as two weeks ago. “We were working on all the things for next season. This recurrence of the cancer that was present just escalated very quickly in the last week or so.”

Tovey signed a five-year contract with Sarasota Orchestra last August, with one year as music director designate followed by four years as music director. He was hired after an extensive search slightly interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic to replace Anu Tali, who stepped down in 2019 after six years. At the time of the announcement, Tovey also extended his artistic leadership position with the Rhode Island Philharmonic and was named Principal Guest Conductor with Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec. “The musical world has lost a real treasure,” Sarasota Orchestra board chairman Tom Ryan said in a statement. Click here to read more on this story: Music Director Dies Before Starting Job