SRQ DAILY Mar 22, 2021
Monday Business Edition
"I see the growth that is happening here. I have friends up North say, 'Oh, are you going down to Florida to retire?' And I say, 'quite the contrary, I'm running harder than ever.'"
State Rep. Will Robinson, R-Bradenton wants to close a loophole in Florida law that lets abusers take hold of substantial assets in a deal. The second-term lawmaker hopes to find support for legislation in the ongoing legislative session.
“This deals with a really nutty 11th Circuit Court decision," Robinson explained. In a ruling for Kearney Construction v. Travelers Casualty & Surety of America, courts allowed for a line of credit to be pulled on “all” of a debtors assets as collateral for a loan. The borrower said that was done unwittingly. Nonetheless, the language drafted by the lender amounted to an “unambiguous pledge,” according to the courts. The meant the debtor’s IRA could be used as security on the loan, even though the borrower did not realize that when the document was signed.
“A lender could securitize normally exempt assets,” Robinson said. “Think about your pension.”
That goes too far, Robinson said. He’s filed a bill this year that would require any assets put up as collateral on a loan to be spelled out specifically, in particular those items normally exempt under Florida law from the reach of creditors.
A House staff analysis of the bill notes several areas of assets that under Florida law are normally exempt, and which many before the court ruling presumed could not be netted up with a vague reference to “all” assets. Those items include IRAs, as well as life insurance payouts and disability income.
The bill has already won unanimous support from the House Civil Justice and Property Rights Subcommittee and awaits a vote in the Insurance and Banking Subcommittee.
This happens to be the first significant piece of legislation Robinson has worked on with a Democrat as the sponsor in the House. Sen. Lori Berman, D-Boynron Beach, is carrying the bill in the upper chamber. 
Photo courtesy Florida House of Representatives
Jen and Chris Mannering have owned and run an inflatable party/play center for kids for seven years, so they’re used to ups and downs in their business. But nothing could have fully prepared them for the challenges of the pandemic. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, they were forced to close Bounce Down Under, located off North Beneva Road in Sarasota, for six weeks. Their future was uncertain, so they turned to their financial partner - Achieva Credit Union.
Achieva has been there during two key times in Bounce Down Under’s history – first, when they got their business started with an SBA loan, and then, when the pandemic shut them down during their busiest season. As the Mannerings sought out resources to help navigate the unknown, they were also keeping on top of the news. “I applied for everything in terms of possible financial help,” said Jen Mannering. “Thankfully, I was in touch with Achieva Credit Union early on and their customer service was incredible.”An Achieva employee walked her through the Paycheck Protection Program application, and Mannering still remembers her appreciation in that moment. “He just brought me to tears,” she recalled. “He was just so supportive and reassuring.”
It took some time, but the Mannerings got funding in the first round of the PPP, which Mannering attributed, at least in part, to the responsiveness and help of the Achieva team. The funding helped them keep all of their employees at full pay through their closure.
Now, Jen Mannering is optimistic. Bounce Down Under reopened in early June, and the Mannerings are working on special promotions to attract customers while educating them on the safety procedures the facility has put in place. “The kids had been bouncing off the walls at home before we reopened,” she said, “so the people coming in have been very cooperative and grateful.”
For the March 2021 edition of SRQ Magazine, we interviewed two Lakewood Ranch Leaders: Scott Zelniker, Senior Vice President - Wealth Management of UBS Financial Services and Andy Guz, CEO of Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. Below is an excerpt published in the In Conversation marketing feature in which Scott shares his insight with SRQ readers on what is ahead for our local economy.
THE LAST GREAT RECESSION IN OUR ECONOMY’S RECOVERY WAS NOT A FAST PROCESS. DO YOU THINK THAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR THAT AGAIN OR DO YOU THINK IT’S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT?
We’re going through a technology revolution right now. It started, give or take, in 1980. So it’s about 40 years on, and the rate of change has accelerated beyond anybody’s dreams. The past nine months especially. A company like Zoom that might’ve taken five, 10 years to become relevant and instead they became relevant overnight. Jobs are going to change. And it’s true that some people are going to get left behind. So the key is going to be education. We have to reeducate and re-train people for these new roles because the digital economy is here. The new technology economy is here to stay. It’s actually big for the corporate bottom line. Remember, the market has no conscience, right? So as companies lay off employees and they get more digital and more efficient, then when their business comes back, more of that dollar goes to the bottom line. I’m expecting a pretty darn strong economy, and it’s going to be up to the individuals to get themselves retrained and use their abilities to get on board for that train. While I don’t want to use the words “the worst is behind us,” I see the light at the end of the tunnel and the tunnel doesn’t look quite as long as it used to. I’m proud to be part of this Lakewood Ranch community. I love it. I get excited by it. I see the growth that is happening here. I have friends up North say, “Oh, are you going down to Florida to retire?” And I say, “quite the contrary, I’m running harder than ever.”
This is an excerpt from the In Conversation with Lakewood Ranch Leaders published in the March 2021 edition of SRQ Magazine. Click here to see the full article.
Providing home sellers with an opportunity to maximize profits while still receiving five-star marketing services, Your Focus Team at Keller Williams Realty recently announced a new commission pricing structure, RealDeal. The RealDeal program offers a four percent commission structure vs. the standard six percent.
DOGPerfect, the independent pet retail company with stores in Lakewood Ranch, University Park and the Landings of Sarasota, is pleased to welcome retail marketing manager Kara Tolland to its team. Tolland will be responsible for planning and executing marketing campaigns that build customer relationships and impact company growth.
Funded by six visionary donors and initiated as a pilot program in May 2019, the All Faiths Food Bank Food and Resource Center in Arcadia was created as a hub providing services as well as building partnerships with other programs. The Food and Resource Center is one of the few such locations in the nation and an innovative model for the Feeding America network. The facility is designed to be the epicenter for needed resources with wrap-around services including: needs assessments; benefit assistance for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as Food Stamps), Medicaid, TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), Social Security and Disability; legal aid; group classes on topics including tobacco cessation, breastfeeding and more, and referrals for other social services. This year, Food Bank staff and volunteers coordinated through United Way Suncoast will offer free tax preparation as well.
Pictured: Benefits Specialist Ariana Perdigon provides a community member with Food Stamp (SNAP) application assistance at the All Faiths Food Bank DeSoto FRC
Children First is proud to announce The Challenge for Changing Lives, a $1,060,000 matching gift challenge led by Children First’s 60th Anniversary Diamond Circle members. The Diamond Circle is a dedicated group of extraordinary supporters leading the charge in advancing the mission of strengthening children and families together. Their goal is to inspire the community to join them in giving by matching all gifts, dollar for dollar, up to $1,060,000, throughout 2021 as the focal point of the agency’s overall annual fundraising efforts. Their commitment is to increase support of early childhood education, family strengthening, and comprehensive services for families living at risk.
Manatee County has begun vaccinating seniors ages 60 and over and will expand its standby pool registration to patients 55 and over. This update comes after nearly all patients ages 65 and older who registered for the standby pool have now been vaccinated. Manatee County will not vaccinate anyone younger than 60 until directed by Governor DeSantis, but will allow them to register in the standby pool.
Inviting, gorgeous living spaces from this year's award-winning homes.
Click here to read the full article in SRQ's March 2021 edition.
As we enter the festival’s 12th year, we are especially proud to present a premier line-up of 21 remarkable and diverse films that will impact, provoke, and move you. They are documentaries, narratives, tragedies and comedies, mysteries and love stories. Most have won awards and will have special meaning to our community of viewers. All films are being held virtually. During this time of COVID we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all of our Sponsors for their continued support of the Jewish Film Festival. In doing so, you are fulfilling our Federation’s mission and the tenet of Tikkun Olam – repairing the world, ultimately, helping to provide our community much needed enjoyment. The Jewish Film Festival is one of many programs also sponsored by The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee. The yearly Film Festival that attracts so many movie-goers, both Jewish and non-Jewish, is all about strengthening Jewish life in Sarasota-Manatee. We hope you will leave energized, inspired and moved by the rich traditions and culture of Judaism found in movies celebrated around the world. See you at the movies.
WBTT Founder/Artistic Director Nate Jacobs stars as the irrepressible Aunt Rudele — the busybody relative who knows no boundaries but always knows best — in this hilarious one-man show. Written by Jacobs with contributions from Julian Olf, who also directed, “Aunt Rudele’s Family Reunion” was filmed live on the WBTT stage in 2016. While attending the Stevens family reunion, Aunt Rudele introduces her kinfolk through songs, dances, prayers, sermons and verbal duels. Her observations are searing and laugh-out-loud funny. In the Southern tradition, this show serves up a main dish of laughter with a side order of down-home wisdom. Available for purchase Friday, February 12 — Sunday, March 28, 2021. Buy a 48-hour virtual pass and you will receive an exclusive access code valid for 48 hours from the time you activate the code. Video access ends Tuesday, March 30, 2021. See the show via your Computer, Tablet, Smart Phone or Smart TV.
Plein Air Painting Class with Joseph Melancon will take place offsite at outdoor locations on Wednesdays from February 17 through March 24 from 1pm to 4pm. Join Joseph in painting outdoors at various locations around Sarasota. Among other things, you’ll paint trees, water and beaches as well as structures and boats with distant and close up views. Learn methods and techniques to produce exciting paintings. You can eliminate unnecessary detail while being more spontaneous and painterly! He will emphasize keeping everything simple including brushes, limited colors, and easels. Joseph will be available to give you each individual guidance as your paintings develop. You will see how you can alter the composition of the scene to create a better relationship of the parts. He encourages risk taking and boldness in painting. With opaque paints you can easily make changes if things don’t work out as planned. Each outing will start with a demonstration of how to choose a view and block in the scene. This will establish the basic composition of shapes and values without thinking in terms of final colors. He’ll show you how you can mix color and apply it in a loose bold style with various types of brushes. You can get to the next level using your own style. Joseph will supply maps for the various locations around town, all easy to get to. We’ll have big fun and stay as safe as possible by being outdoors, masking up and socially distancing.
Exploring Watercolor Class with Gail White on Fridays February 19 through March 26 from 9:30am to 12:30pm. This class is friendly and supportive, and offers guided instruction and demonstrations. The lessons include: design aspects of planning a composition, use of photo references and live setups, watercolor techniques and discussion of color usage and properties of various pigments. This is an online course. When you register (and are paid in full), a Zoom link will be emailed to you. If your teacher has additional handouts, those will also be emailed to you.
The Sarasota Concert Association (SCA) today announced “Musically Speaking,” a free, three-concert virtual series featuring preeminent classical musicians in unique performances, highlighted by informal conversations with the artists. World-acclaimed pianists Garrick Ohlsson and Kirill Gerstein launch the series with a duo piano performance and conversation on Thursday, February 25, at 7pm. Violinist Samantha Bennett and percussionist George Nickson will share their unique artistry on Thursday, March 11, at 7pm. The world-renowned chamber orchestra, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, concludes the series on Thursday, March 25, at 7pm. Conducting the conversations with the artists is Charles Turon, a musician, educator, and SCA board member. The series is free, but registration is required. Each link will be viewable for seven days.
James Gabbert, Art Uptown’s March solo artist, presents a series of lyrical, flowing, bronze sculptures that reinterpret the human figure and nearly defy gravity. The sculptures’ sinuous forms and rich tones cut through space, inviting the viewer to explore every expression. As the artist explains, “I strive to have each sculpture be beautiful from every angle. As I see it, sculpture is really four-dimensional. By walking around the form, the dimension of time transforms the piece with each new view.” James continues to ground his work in the examination of the human figure, which is relatable to everyone. However, his imagination moves the figure into complex visual and spatial situations, often connecting the forms with natural forces. The relationship and tension between the two, captured in bronze, provides a powerful aesthetic experience. James says, “I create my art to lift and enlighten the spirit, to touch the heart, to awaken the intellect. I intend for my art to be provocative, that is, to provoke the mind, heart or spirit to experience something new or rekindle something forgotten.” Explore James Gabbert’s bronze collection at Art Uptown, located at 1367 Main Street, open Monday through Friday, 11am to 5pm, Saturday, 11am to 3pm and Sunday, noon to 5pm. Meet the artist during Saturday gallery hours on February 27 and March 6. Private appointments can be arranged by calling 914.955.5409. The gallery continues its commitment to visitor and staff safety by the use of masks, sanitizer, frequent cleaning and social distancing. Starting in March, we will be open from 10am to 3pm on Saturdays.
Brimming with pulsating rhythms, pure energy and melodic music, the National Dance Company of Ireland’s Rhythm of the Dance show has reached 50 countries with over seven million fans for over 20 years. Fans around the world are enjoying 2,000 years and more of dance, music, songs and culture from pre-Celtic times to modern day sounds, all compacted into a two-hour concert. It’s full of flailing feet and fiddles, futuristic dances, eye-catching lighting and costumes and sensational sound effects, and is now hailed as one of the top three Irish step dance shows in the world. Streaming on demand from Monday, March 1 through Wednesday, March 31. Tickets are $20.
The Community Gallery at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art is pleased to present The Edge Becomes the Center: A Contemplation on Community. The photography exhibition is a collaboration with Senior Friendship Centers and Ringling College of Art and Design. The project, orchestrated by Ringling College of Art and Design students Mathew Dalton and Adam Misiti, involved capturing images of LBGTQ adults in their homes as they dealt with the Covid pandemic and the resulting isolation. Additionally, Dalton and Misiti dedicated time to interviewing each of the five participants to best share their individual stories. The Community Gallery is located on the first level of the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Center for Asian Art, and admission to the gallery is always free. More information can be found at ringling.org.
Two timeless masterpieces by Classical music’s original trailblazers who changed the course of music from March 5 to March 28. Mozart’s Coronation Mass gained its nickname when it was conducted by Antonio Salieri for the coronation of Leopold II as King of Bohemia. Haydn wrote his Lord Nelson Mass, originally titled a Mass in Troubled Times, as Napoleon’s army marched toward Vienna. Soprano Suzanne Karpov will make her Key Chorale debut along with soloists Jamal Sarikoki, Matt Morgan and Amy Connours. Repertoire: Coronation Mass K. 317 – Wolfgang A. Mozart and Lord Nelson Mass – Franz J. Haydn.
Join yoga instructor Erin Hurter every Saturday morning March 6 through March 27 from 9:30am to 10:30am on the lawn outside of the Van Wezel. Relax, stretch and enjoy a fulfilling yoga session on Sarasota’s scenic bayfront while instructor Erin Hurter guides you along the way. Participants should plan to bring their own yoga mat. This event is free and open to the public.
SRQ DAILY is produced by SRQ | The Magazine. Note: The views and opinions expressed in the Saturday Perspectives Edition and in the Letters department of SRQ DAILY are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by SRQ Media. Senior Editor Jacob Ogles edits the Saturday Perspective Edition, Letters and Guest Contributor columns.In the CocoTele department, SRQ DAILY is providing excerpts from news releases as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SRQ DAILY. The views expressed by individuals are their own and their appearance in this section does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. For rates on SRQ DAILY banner advertising and sponsored content opportunities, please contact Ashley Ryan Cannon at 941-365-7702 x211 or via email |
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