Tahiti Park neighborhood leader Jennifer Ahearn-Koch, former prosecutor Hagen Brody and Gulf Business Systems owner Martin Hyde came out on top in a Sarasota City Commission race Tuesday and will advance to a May 9 runoff. Incumbent Sarasota City Commissioner Susan Chapman and four others were eliminated in the contest. Now the remaining candidates start over in the race for votes before two land on the City Commission.

Ahearn-Koch came in as the top vote-getter Tuesday, and says she was thrilled at that result. “I hope the sentiment is that the community does want a voice on how development works and that the community is outraged with traffic and gridlock,” she says. 

Close on her heels for the top slot was Brody, who viewed the election as a call for change. “The voters saw someone in me who really cares about the future of this city,” he says. “They are looking for a new direction in Sarasota and are unhappy with a lot of things going on with the City Commission.”

The most tense moments in the night came in awaiting results for the third-place finisher. Based only on early and absentee votes, Chapman would have edged out Hyde by just seven votes, but when votes cast at the polls Tuesday were tallied, Hyde passed the incumbent and won his place in the runoff. Hyde says he looks forward to campaigning in a narrower field. “When you look at the total number of votes between Hagen and me and Ahern-Koch, there’s almost as many left on the table,” he says. “It’s not even halftime. It’s not like we get to carry over the scores. We get to start again.”

Chapman, for her part, says she feels “okay” with the results. “It’s been an honor to represent the city of Sarasota, and we’ll see what comes out of the next election,” she says. Ahearn-Koch expressed shock at the incumbent’s ouster, while Hyde says voters made the right choice to change players and Brody considered the vote a call for a different direction in government.

The two top vote-getters in the May runoff will win the seats. Other candidates eliminated Tuesday included: former Sarasota Mayor Fredd "Glossie" Atkins; Planning Board member Patrick Gannon; pedestrian safety advocate Mikael Sandstrom and former stockbroker Matt Sperling.

In a race to fill a seat on the North Port City Commission, longtime city employee Pete Emrich and Chamber of Commerce leader Jill Luke advanced to a May runoff, eliminating former state House candidate Jerry Nicastro. Neither candidate garnered a majority of the votes. The special election was held to fill Seat 4, which was vacated by Jacqueline Moore.

On Longboat Key, Jim Brown won an at-large Town Commission seat over Gene Jaleski and incumbent Jack Daly was re-elected in District 4 over challenger Larry Grossman. Longboat voters also weighed in and heavily rejected two referenda. The first would have allowed approval of 10 residential units on a Gulf of Mexico Drive property now zoned commercial. The second involved a plan to redevelop the Colony Tennis & Beach Resort, and would have added 180 residential units there. More than 85 percent of voters rejected the Colony proposal, and the measure was credited with driving high voter turnout on the island. 

The syrupy sweet scent of maple links greets you immediately when making your way inside MADE during weekend brunch hours, enticing even the most savory breakfast lover into a sweet convert. Combining the two, the charred tomato and guac benedict delivers on both the sugar and salt—the charred red tomato picks up smoky notes from the griddle, balanced with poppable sweet yellow corn and a maple syrup-infused sausage on the side. A healthy helping of goat cheese guacamole pairs delightfully with runny poached eggs and béarnaise, creating a masterfully egg-squisite brunch experience.  

MADE Restaurant, 1990 Main St., #112, Sarasota, 941-953-2900.

CareerEdge Funders Collaborative seeks opportunities that allow individuals to receive industry-recognized credentials in high-demand occupations in the region. By focusing on growth industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, construction trades and transportation, CareerEdge helps to close skill gaps for local employers and to provide pathways for people to earn livable wages.

One example of a CareerEdge-funded program is the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) class at the Booker Middle School United Way Suncoast Resource Center. Wretta Bradley, a recent CNA graduate (pictured above), was looking for an opportunity to enter into the healthcare field after taking care of her grandmother for several years. The mother of nine children entered into the Booker Middle School CNA program and was eager to receive this chance to grow, learn and show her children the importance of working toward your goals. Bradley believes that this was the perfect path to a new career. “I hope to use my CNA certificate as a stepping stone and work my way up to being a Registered Nurse,” she explaines. Bradley plans to bring the love that she has for taking care of her family to the role of taking care of elderly patients with a local home health agency, Right at Home. With the support of CareerEdge, Bradley will now have the opportunity to maintain a stable income for her family and share her passion with the community.

The eight-week CNA course, delivered by the American Red Cross at Booker Middle School, included soft-skills training through the CareerEdge Bridges to Careers program, an employer career fair and financial empowerment training through United Way Suncoast. CareerEdge continues to collaborate with local employers to understand workforce needs and to provide programs that develop a pipeline of skilled workers in order to drive economic prosperity for our community.  

CareerEdge

Michael’s on East has been awarded its 28th consecutive Four Diamond Rating by AAA. Michael’s on East Co-Proprietors Michael Klauber and Philip Mancini accepted the award during a brief presentation this March. Michael’s on East is the only Four Diamond Award restaurant in Sarasota, and only 24 restaurants have held the Four Diamond status for more than 25 years across the United States and Canada. The AAA Diamond rating process is North America’s premier restaurant rating program, performed each year by professionally trained evaluators from AAA’s national headquarters. Only 2.5 percent of the nearly 30,000 restaurants rated are approved by the AAA Four Diamond list. AAA defines a Four Diamond restaurant as being geared to individuals in search of a distinctive fine-dining experience. Often orchestrated by an executive chef and an accomplished staff, menus reflect a high degree of creativity and complexity, using imaginative presentations to enhance high quality, market-fresh ingredients. The equally proficient service staff demonstrates a strong desire to meet or exceed guest expectations. A wine steward is typically available to provide menu-specific knowledge on wine selection. The ambiance is highly refined, comfortable and well-coordinated, incorporating quality materials and a variety of upscale design enhancements to give a first-class impression. There are no payments or membership dues associated with the AAA rating system to ensure objective and trusted reviews. 

Michael's on East

Pines of Sarasota Corporate Board has announced two new directors and its volunteer Board officers. David L. Boyette, an attorney with Adams and Reese since 2010, following the firm's expansion into Sarasota, will serve as director. He has been practicing law since 1989 with experience in business litigation, real estate litigation, construction litigation, ad valorem tax litigation and trusts and estate litigation. In the community, Boyette is an active member of the Sarasota County Bar Association, Florida Land Title Association, Community Associations Institute and the Incarnation Catholic Church. Also serving as director, Jeffrey Schmidt moved to Sarasota in 2001 to join the Business Banking team of a regional bank, transitioning several years later to its Private Bank. In 2008, Schmidt joined BMO Private Bank where as a Senior Private Banker he specializes in providing customized credit solutions for professionals and high wealth individuals, families and trusts. Schmidt has been in the financial and banking industry since 1982. Schmidt is a member and past president of the Sarasota Kiwanis Club, past president of the Sarasota Kiwanis Foundation, volunteer for Meals on Wheels, Treasurer for the Crystal Lakes HOA and a past board member for the Players Theatre. Other officers for 2017 include Chair Peter Abbott, Vice Chair Jane Hunder, Second Vice Chair Howard Crowell, Jr., Secretary Joyce Johnson, Assistant Secretary Kyle Booth, Treasurer Carl Smith and Immediate Past Chair Kraig Koach. 

Pines of Sarasota

Transaction and litigation real estate attorney Nancy E. Cason and plaintiff’s personal injury law attorney F. Scott Westheimer have been named managing partners for the Sarasota law firm of Syprett, Meshad, Resnick, Lieb, Dumbaugh, Jones, Krotec & Westheimer. Both attorneys hold the AV Preeminent rating, the highest possible rating from the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings. Cason serves on the Twelfth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission, her second appointment to the position by Governor Rick Scott.  She has been selected as a Florida "Rising Star" for the last five consecutive years, by Super Lawyers, and is Secretary for the Sarasota County Bar Association Board of Directors. In 2015, she was recognized by Legal Aid of Manasota for her pro bono legal service to those in need in the community, and she has served previously on the Board of Directors for Girls Inc. Westheimer currently serves as one of only three board-elected representatives to The Florida Bar Board of Governors 2016-17 Executive Committee, and is the chair-elect of the Board's communications committee. He is the elected Twelfth Circuit Representative to The Florida Bar Board of Governors, and serves on the Board of Trustees for Doctors Hospital of Sarasota and on the University of Florida Levin College of Law Alumni Council Board of Directors. The law firm of Syprett Meshad has been serving the greater Sarasota community for 49 years. The firm's attorneys provide legal representation in the practice areas of real estate, personal injury, marital and family law, commercial litigation, criminal defense, estate planning and probate.  

Syprett Meshad

The Bar at O'Bricks brings a dose of classic Cheers to Bradenton's Old Main Street, with inventive cocktails and an historic structure to boot. In Shaken, Straight Up, we take a taste of Chef David Sarmiento's Mexican riffs on Irish pub fare and sip on cheeky martinis with names like "The Palmettopolitan."  

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