State Rep. Ray Pilon, R-Sarasota, announced Wednesday he will seek re-election to his Florida House District 72 seat. The move ensures the contest for the Sarasota-centered seat will be among the most interesting for political watchers in the region, as Ed James III plans to launch his own Democratic campaign for the seat today, and it remains to be seen whether Osprey Republican Robert Wyatt will leave the race just because Pilon is in it.

Pilon toyed with running for a state Senate seat many expect to open if state Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, seeks another office. But Pilon ultimately feels there is more reason to stay in his current job. “There is a lot more I want to finish in the House,” Pilon told SRQ. If re-elected, this will be Pilon’s fourth consecutive term, and the final one before term limits prevent running again. 

The potential of Detert’s seat opening up has legislators throughout the region eyeing a promotion. Former state Rep. Doug Holder, R-Sarasota, and state Rep. Greg Steube, R-Bradenton, both want to run for that office, and many expect former Sarasota County Commissioner Nora Patterson to enter the fray soon. In contrast, Wyatt was the only Republican running for Pilon’s House seat. To date, Wyatt has loaned his own campaign $150,000, according to campaign finance records. Pilon hopes Wyatt will leave the race rather than force a primary. Wyatt could not be reached Wednesday evening.

But the Democrats have their eyes on the seat as well. James plans to formally launch his campaign with an event at the Bayfront Community Center in Sarasota today. The Democrat, who has held successful behind-the-scenes roles in a variety of other successful campaigns, said Pilon’s presence in the race won’t impact his plans. “It doesn’t change our strategy at all,” James said. “Voters in the area are looking for a fresh, new direction.” 

Pilon noted he has never run without Democratic opposition. He was elected in 2010, upsetting state Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, D-Sarasota, and fended off Democratic challenges from now-Sarasota City Commissioner Liz Alpert in 2012 and then candidate Greg Para in 2014. 

The primary for State House District 72 will be held Aug. 30, 2016, with the general election scheduled for Nov. 8, 2016. 

The 31st Annual Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix Festival revs up this weekend, beginning nine days of events and outings, from late night parties to family get-togethers and, of course, hours of high-powered watercraft caroming across the waves for that finish line. Organized and produced by Suncoast Charities for Children, this year’s roster boasts not only the return of seven classes of powerboats, but the new addition of jet ski racers from P1 Aqua X USA and open canopy racing boats from P1 Superstock USA. Also for the first time, the powerboat invitational will be aired in a primetime special by CBS Sports Network.

“Like any special event, we have to take it one year at a time,” said festival director Lucy Nicandri, who this year brought Offshore Powerboat Grand Prix and Powerboat P1 USA in on the enterprise, parting ways with Super Boat International and making way for change. “You can’t keep doing things the same way and expect to grow. This year’s sanctioning gave us an opportunity to grow and expand.”

And to get Sarasota in the mood, the coming week is chock full of festivities, beginning this weekend with the Grand Prix Golf Classic at The Meadows Country Club on Saturday. Registration begins at 7am. Sunday brings a car show on Lakewood Ranch Main Street, the “Finz Finds” motorcycle freedom ride launching from Sarasota Ford and an all-day nautical “Fun Run” on Sarasota Bay, where all watercraft are welcome, followed by live music, awards and a raffle at Marina Jack.

After recuperating through Monday, the festivities will recommence with an official kickoff party and fundraiser Tuesday at the Sarasota Yacht Club and an outing Wednesday for the physically and mentally challenged.

The racers announce their presence next Thursday and Friday with meet’n’greets at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Hyatt Regency Sarasota, but fans will have to make the hard choice on Saturday – from noon on in Centennial Park the teams and their watercraft of choice will be on display, but over off Lido Beach the powerboats are being race-tested throughout the afternoon. Either way, end the night with a downtown block party on Sarasota’s Main Street with vendors and food and music till midnight.

Then, when you think you’ve celebrated about as much as you can, then the races begin with two full days July 4-5. With 90 racers already pre-registering 30 powerboats and 60 jet skis, a revamped race schedule separating racers by class for the sake of spectator clarity and a new awards ceremony open to the public on the beach behind the Sandcastle Resort, organizers, audiences and racers alike are champing at the nautical bit.

"After racing Aqua X for over 20 years all over the world, I am excited to finally be racing in my hometown of Sarasota," said racer Eric Lagopoulos, with Lee Baker from Lycamobile Offshore Race Team adding, "We won our first offshore boat race here in 2000. Sarasota is the place to be -  it's the Superbowl of powerboat racing." 

Wilhelmine Wiese-Rometsch, M.D., has been chosen as the founding program director for the Florida State University College of Medicine's new internal medicine residency program in Sarasota, which hopes to admit its first residents in 2017. Wiese-Rometsch has experience as both a program director and assistant dean for graduate medical education at Wayne State University and Detroit Medical Center. The new residency program will be based at Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, with the FSU College of Medicine as its institutional sponsor.  

Sarasota Memorial Healthcare System

Nelson Homes, Inc., an independently owned and operated franchise of Arthur Rutenberg Homes, recently received top honors, including the 2015 Builder of the Year and Best Model – Private Collection Series for the homebuilder’s Ravenna model in The Lake Club, at the 24^th annual Arthur Rutenberg Homes Pride in Partnership awards dinner. Held at the Hilton Carillon Park Hotel in St. Petersburg on June 17, Nelson Homes’ Ravenna model received praise for its location, specifications and furnishings while the company was honored for its first-class internal organization, aggressive and professional marketing and its satisfied customers who speak to the high quality of construction and service. This is the fourth consecutive year that Nelson Homes has won the prestigious Model of the Year award. 

Nelson Homes, Inc.

Charity and Weiss International Realty LLC has recently relocated from Downtown Sarasota to a new office in the Proctor Center. The office is located just east of US 41 across from the Landings Shopping Center and Philippi Elementary School. Charity and Weiss, together with Prime Property Management, offers a full range of real estate services which include residential and commercial real estate sales, long- and short-term rentals and absentee homeowner services tailored to clients' needs. 

Charity and Weiss International Realty LLC