Former Sarasota Mayor Fredd Atkins is running once again for Sarasota County Commission. And this time the lines are staying put. 

He announced this weekend he’s running in District 2. He made his decision to run, he said, after a referendum seeking to roll back single-member districts failed. But a seat at the county dais is something he’s wanted for years.

“I’ve been thinking about this all my adult life,” he said.

He noted he worked in the 1980s with the NAACP on a lawsuit that ultimately led to single-member district elections for Sarasota City Commission. In 1985, we won election as the first Black person elected in the city, and would become Sarasota’s first Mayor.

He had higher ambitions and ran years later for Sarasota County Commission countywide multiple times, most recently in 2016 when he lost to Republican Mike Moran. After single-member districts at the county level were approved by voters in 2018, Atkins filed to challenge Moran for a District 1 seat in 2020. But a controversial decision to redraw county lines ahead of the elections carved Atkins out of the district. When the lines were drawn in 2020, Atkins ended up in a Democrat-leaning seat. 

Still, Atkins wondered when county commissioners held a special election in March if it would mean the end of single-member districts before he could run again. “I don’t like running for recreation,” he said. “I want to win, and we are going to win this time.”

Of course, there’s a long road to that goal. Atkins faces Sarasota City Commissioner Hagen Brody and activist Mike Cosentino in a Democratic primary in August. The winner of that race will most likely face Republican incumbent City Commissioner Christian Ziegler in November, though Ziegler has yet to file for re-election.

But Atkins feels confident in large part because, unlike the last time he ran, the lines of District 2 create a constituency who knows him well. “It’s a citywide election with a little bit of the county sprinkled in to the electorate,” he said. “People will recognize my history and the work Fredd Atkins has done for us in the city of Sarasota, and the state of Florida will be rewarded by them acknowledging that I’m the best candidate for this position.”  

Photo: Fredd Atkins

The Best of SRQ Local competition was bigger than ever this year. With so many categories and incredible businesses participating, the Best Local Bagel category managed to slip by us as we went to press. However, out of sight in the magazine does not mean out of mind for SRQ readers. Today, we are happy to post the results for best bagels. Drum roll please.....

Whoever invented breakfast food had a thing for circles—pancakes, donuts, sausage patties, english muffins. The shape reigns supreme and perhaps the most beloved is the bagel. Synonymous with New York City as much as the early morning, bagels provide the perfect pick your own adventure culinary journey. Between the seemingly endless bagel flavors—sesame, everything, cinnamon raisin, pumpernickel, and the multitude of cream cheese choices plus toppings the possibilities are endless. Toasting their way to the top this year is Platinum winner Brooklyn Bagels & Deli. In second place, lox no further than Gold winner 99 Bottles Taproom & Bottle Shop. And, rounding out the competition is Silver sensation Lox' n Egg Bread Company.

Emily Govaars, (on Brooklyn Bagels & Deli): Their bacon egg and cheese bagel is to die for and always a quick hearty breakfast on the way to work! Their customer service feels like home and so does the food. So glad they’re in business!

Sarah Seay, (on 99 Bottles Taproom & Bottle Shop): Best bagels in town. So many options on how to get them prepared. With great drink selection!

Werner Gundersheimer, (on Lox' n Egg Bread Company): Bagels are extremely fresh, not excessively doughy, with consistent quality across the range; the bialys are even better.

We will be publishing this category as part of the Best of SRQ Local Showcase in the July/August 2022 edition of the magazine. And that's the hole truth. 

Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium is pleased to recognize support from Manatee Community Foundation for Mote’s award-winning education programs. Thanks to The Bishop-Parker Foundations Fund of Manatee Community Foundation, Mote and partners at Pace Center for Girls will provide year-round monthly STEM programming for 40 Manatee County students at Pace for the year. This is the 7th year of partnership between Mote and Pace, which works to create an environment that fosters the long-term growth and development of young women in the community. Through virtual interactive lessons, in-person visits to Mote, and targeted lesson plans, students at Pace will learn more about marine animals, the factors that contribute to healthy marine ecosystems, and learn more about conservation-minded practices. Participation in the program also helps girls develop the self-confidence needed in academic settings to engage with STEM content. 

Photo courtesy of Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium.

Pulte Homes, one of the nation’s most recognized and trusted brands in homebuilding for 70 years, has announced their new Avanti at Waterside community. This 32-acre community in Lakewood Ranch – the No. 1 multigenerational master-planned community in the United States – will feature 166 homesites. Avanti at Waterside will offer new construction townhomes, single-family homes and attached villas, with expected pricing from the low $300,000s. A myriad of homesites will enjoy views of a 125-acre lake.

Avanti at Waterside will be located in Sarasota County and situated just a mile-and-a half from the new Waterside Place, a lakeside town center home to restaurants, beauty and wellness services and a Sunday farmers’ market. Residents at Avanti will have quick access to The Plaza and The Yard, popular spots for community events and gatherings, while The Marina offers outdoor exploration with rental kayaks available for paddling the waters of Kingfisher Lake. Avanti at Waterside also offers close proximity to Interstate 75, Nathan Benderson Park and the University Town Center shopping, dining and entertainment district. Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, Lakewood Ranch Main Street and a Publix supermarket are all within a few miles. The community will be located less than one mile from Lakewood Ranch Business Park and within 10 miles of several major employment hubs and downtown Sarasota. Local schools include the well-rated Tatum Ridge Elementary School, McIntosh Middle School and Booker High School. Nearby recreational options include parks, sports complexes and golf courses. Lido Beach is just 11 miles away, and the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport is nine miles from the community. For exclusive monthly updates as the community progresses, join the VIP Interest List by visiting www.Pulte.com/Avanti. 

Pictured: Cascadia Kitchen and Gathering Room. New homes in Avanti will offer Pulte’s signature consumer-inspired plans, with open-concept designs offering plenty of space for gathering indoors or out.

Today, a diverse group of religious and issues advocacy organizations in Sarasota County announced the launch of the Impact Theatre, a program that seeks to educate younger generations about the common history of oppression and persecution among Jewish and Black people. Inspired by Martin Luther King Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s relationship, 16 Jewish and Black high school students are serving as Agents of Impact, where they are interviewing Holocaust survivors in addition to Black elders who lived in the segregated South. The students will then apply what they’ve learned to educate others and stand against all forms of hatred. As part of their roles as Agents of Impact, the students are leading one-on-one interviews with their paired elders. They will then prepare presentations that recap their elders’ stories, express how the experience affected them, and describe what course of action they plan to take as a result. The students will be surveyed at the start and end of the project to measure changes in their perceptions and attitudes. The entire project will be filmed to produce a documentary upon its completion. The organizations at the forefront of the project are the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, Temple Sinai, and Newtown Alive. Zaret and her co-founders Walter Gilbert and Bethany Leinweber hope to spread the messages of Impact Theatre far beyond Sarasota County, with the documentary film and through the students as they impact others throughout their lives. 

HCA Florida Blake Hospital honors caregiver Melody Williams on this National Living Donor Day. November 18, 1992, Melody gave the gift of life to her sister Debbie by donating one of her kidneys. Years ago, Melody’s sister Debbie ended up in the hospital with very elevated blood pressure after the passing of their father. After extensive diagnostic work, it was discovered that Debbie’s kidneys were failing. Debbie was placed on peritoneal dialysis and was told that eventually, she would need to have a kidney transplant. She was on peritoneal dialysis for 18 months. Debbie’s siblings, one brother and three sisters tested to see if they were a match. Melody tested to see if she was a match while she was in the hospital after giving birth to her youngest child and was the perfect match. The local transplant program promptly contacted Melody with the test results. “I did not think twice about it,” says Melody. “Was it scary, yes, but it was the most important decision I made in my life, to safe my sister’s life.”

Six months after giving birth to her youngest child, Melody and her sister Debbie both checked into the hospital and the transplant was a success. This year marks the official 30th-anniversary of the transplant. Melody shares that both she and her sister Debbie are doing great, and Blake Hospital is proud to honor Melody for her selfless, life-saving decision and for sharing her story to help raise awareness about living donor donations. “To be able to save a person’s life and improve their quality of life is the best thing about living donation,” says Melody. “To me, it is even more special if the person’s life you save is your family member because you can see how their quality of life has improved firsthand. My sister is still here with us to share all the special family moments that life brings.” 

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