Before leaving office, former President Donald Trump put a 10-year moratorium in place for offshore drilling off Florida’s coast. But U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, wants to make sure the ban stays in place forever.

Buchanan filed a bipartisan bill with U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, to make the moratorium part of federal law. That would stop any future presidential administration from lifting the 10-year ban before it expires in June of 2032, and would mean it required an act of Congress to allow drilling even after that point.

“Allowing drilling off of Florida’s coasts would be a colossal mistake,” Buchanan said. “As we learned from the devastating Deepwater Horizon oil explosion in 2010, our state cannot afford another spill that would threaten our economy, our environment and our way of life. As co-chair of the 30-member bipartisan Florida congressional delegation, I will continue working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to protect the state’s pristine coasts and beautiful waterways.”

That BP explosion, off the coast of Louisiana, killed 11 people and led to 134 million gallons on untreated oil releasing into the Gulf of Mexico over 87 days. The oil spill reached part of the Florida Panhandle, but the publicity around the disaster caused problems for tourist destinations along the entire Gulf of Mexico coast.

The Coastal Protection Act would ban any oil of gas drilling for 235 miles off Florida’s Gulf Coast, as well as 275 miles off of the Atlantic Coast and in the Florida Straits. 

Buchanan notably co-chairs the Florida Congressional Delegation, and has also fought this year for red tide finding and to have algal blooms declared as federal natural disasters.

While the bulk of Republicans in Congress nationwide have opposed drilling bans in the past, the moratorium boasts bipartisan support in Florida, notably the state where Trump now lives. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, has supported bans on drilling in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico when the House has taken the issue up.

Castor, who previously represented parts of Manatee County, has also always supported a ban and chaired the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis in the last Congress. That committee no longer exists, but Castor said it’s important for Florida to continue protecting the coastline.

“In the Sunshine State, clean water and our beautiful beaches are central to our way of life and the cornerstones of our economy, and we know that oil and gas drilling can devastate both our environment and economy,” she said. “With our bipartisan bill, Congress has an opportunity to permanently protect our coastal beaches and communities from dangerous offshore drilling.” 

Photo courtesy Buchanan: Deepwater Horizon explosion.

In the March 2023 edition of SRQ Magazine, we interviewed Steve Padgett, Managing Partner, and Stu Henderson, Owner and Design Architect, at Fawley Bryant Architecture as part of our In Conversation feature about Lakewood Ranch. Below is an excerpt published in the magazine in which Padgett and Henderson shares their insights with SRQ readers on living and working in Lakewood Ranch.

For a long time now, Lakewood Ranch has been one of the fastest-growing communities. Suddenly, it feels like all of Florida is growing like a Lakewood Ranch. The growth is at a pace none of us could have imagined after the last two or three years. From what you guys get to see in terms of future planning, and future opportunities, what does that mean, and how has technology has affected things from your perspective?

Steve Padgett

Well, I think one of the benefits that we have is that, with technology and remote work and other ways to collaborate, people can pretty much work where they want to be and not where they have to be. And I think this area's been a major attraction for people that are getting out of areas that they don't really want to be in. Whether it's because of family, because of weather, because of the job, or whatever it may be. So I think this has been a major attractor that's been planned for 15 years. So right time, right place. And that's given us a lot of flexibility and freedom with the work that we do. They're public places in most cases. So sports work, government work, education, those are things that are going to support the people that live here. And that placed perfectly into our portfolio and the services we provide. So a little bit of a win-win. 

Stu Henderson

I'll look at this from two sides. Our response to the technology and being more remote, it plays into our strengths that we had already started anyway. So we had already started with teams and video conferencing and working internally with that software, we had already used virtual reality to communicate with our design team and our internal review of a building, to walk through it before it's ever been built. That translated into communicating with clients in much the same way. So it's allowed us to have our first fully-remote teammate and collaborator as a project manager, not just sort of an admin role where they might be able to do tasks but to communicate and work. And I think, by and large, that focus on the technology that we utilize and how we collaborate has, in a lot of ways, created better buildings. We're able to visualize them, walk through them, and communicate about what we see, not just internally, but with our clients. So the technology of the buildings feels like it could always be more sustainable. We could do a lot more with that, but budgets and first costs are very expensive for some of the sustainable materials that we would like to use. So in a lot of cases, they get removed. But I think that there are deeper, more fundamental strategies to sustainability that we employ that are not a green roof or photovoltaic, but they may have to do with energy conservation, they may have to do with building orientation and location. And all of that stuff, again, is the overlay of technology that allows us to understand those technologies and those strategies before the buildings are even built. 

Fawley Bryant Architecture 5391 Lakewood Ranch Blvd N #300, Sarasota. 941-343-4070. https://www.fawleybryant.com/

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HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital was recently recognized by the American Heart Association for its impressive track record of treating stroke patients. The hospital has earned the Gold Plus achievement in Get with the Guidelines® for stroke for more than 10 years consecutively. As a primary stroke center, the hospital has achieved high marks for quality and good patient outcomes. Heart disease and stroke are the number one and fifth leading causes of death in the United States respectively. HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital is proud to be one of only 29 hospitals in the state to achieve this recognition. The hospital was listed in the Association’s US News & World Report special edition for this milestone: https://usnewsbrandfuse.com/AmericanHeartAssociation/. Each year, the American Heart Association recognizes hospitals across the country for following up-to-date, research-based guidelines to ensure all patients have access to the best practices and lifesaving care. The hospital also takes an all-inclusive approach to treating patients who have had a stroke. In addition to care in the emergency room or cardiac areas, patients also get specialized rehabilitation and stroke education.

Sarasota Yacht Club announced it has once again been selected as a Platinum Club of America, one of only 30 yacht clubs in the country to earn the distinction from the esteemed Club Leaders Forum. Platinum recognition is given to the top five percent of private clubs. Sarasota Yacht Club ranked 14th in the U.S., up two spots from its previous ranking. Platinum status has been the pinnacle of recognition in the private club industry since it was established in 1997 by John R. Sibbald. The panel considered seven areas of excellence as a guideline, including the club’s universal recognition, respected membership, amenities and facilities, exceptional service, governance and fiscal management. Sarasota Yacht Club was also designated by the Club Leaders Forum as a ‘Platinum Club of the World’ in 2022, one of only 50 private yacht clubs selected internationally. “Our exemplary staff and outstanding membership make Sarasota Yacht Club a very special place,” said Karen Harmon, Sarasota Yacht Club’s GM/COO. “We are thrilled to be recognized for our efforts.”  

The Office of the Angelina “Angel” Colonneso, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller for Manatee County is celebrating Sunshine Week, a nationwide event taking place from March 12-18, which promotes transparency in government and raises awareness about the public's right to access information. Florida has a long-standing history of open access to public records, dating back to 1909 with the Public Records Law. In 1967, Florida enacted the Sunshine Law which establishes the public’s basic right of access to government meetings. As a result, Florida's Public Records and Sunshine Laws are among the strongest in the country, showing the state's commitment to keeping residents informed and engaged. During Sunshine Week, Clerk of Court employees take part in an annual training on Government-in-the-Sunshine and Public Records laws, with a focus on how to fulfill a public records request. While Sunshine Week only occurs once a year, Clerks play a crucial role in maintaining government transparency through accurate recordkeeping and efficient reporting every day. The Clerk’s office encourages the public to visit their website to learn how to access records online or how to contact our office to request a record at https://www.manateeclerk.com/departments/public-access/. 

Tweeds Suit Shop, the premier custom mobile suit shop, is thrilled to announce the opening of its first brick-and-mortar location in the growing Sarasota market. Located at 1423 First Street in the heart of downtown Sarasota's boutique shopping district, the storefront offers Tweeds renowned custom suit maker services, including made-to-measure and made-for-you suits, jackets, pants, jeans, elevated t-shirts, polos, v-necks, shoes, and belts, with the added convenience of off-the-rack garments available. Tweeds Suit Shop, spanning 1,700 square feet, was constructed by Optavia Construction, ensuring a modern and comfortable space for clients to indulge in the ultimate bespoke shopping experience.
Adding the bespoke finishing touches was Kelley Riley Interior Design, creating a relaxed ambiance that emulates a social lounge experience. Operating Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., the shop welcomes walk-ins throughout all business hours, and clients can easily schedule appointments upon request. Tweeds expansion to its first
boutique is a natural progression after three years of mobile, appointment-only fittings. The space will also be used to host Tweeds Suit Shop events for clients. Whether clients are in the market for a suit for a wedding, engagement, event or everyday business wear, Tweeds one-on-one process allows for a hands-on design approach to best understand the customer’s wants and needs for a perfect suit. Each and every detail, from start to finish, allows for the customer to be involved – from the selection of fabric and style down to the lining, buttons, thread color and custom embroidery, each and every detail is designed together with the customer. Tweed’s Suit Shop focuses on superior, quality materials, staying away from synthetics, with each suit custom-made to the customer’s measurements. The exclusive fabrics are sourced directly from Italy and each suit is made using the most advanced technology in the industry – guaranteeing a perfect fit. For more information or to schedule an appointment with Tweeds Suit Shop, visit www.tweedssuitshop.com. 

PGT Innovations (NYSE: PGTI), a leading manufacturer of premium windows, doors, and garage doors, was recently named on Forbes' 2023 list of Best Small Companies for the third year in a row. The complete list includes 100 U.S. companies across a number of industry categories. This year, PGT Innovations improved its ranking by an impressive 32 spots – moving from No. 79 in 2022 to No. 47. The manufacturing leader was one of nine firms in the construction classification. To produce its ranking of America’s 100 Best Small Companies, Forbes used data from FactSet to screen more than 1,000 companies with a market value between $300 million and $2 billion to find 541 companies that also had positive sales growth over the past 12 months and a share price of at least $5. Financial institutions, REITs, utilities, royalty trusts and limited partnerships were excluded, as were companies that have been public for less than one year. The top 100 ranking was based on earnings growth, sales growth, return on equity, and total stock return for the latest 12 months available and over the last five years. PGT Innovations employs approximately 5,500 team members across the U.S., operates 10 manufacturing facilities and a glass processing plant, produces hundreds of products that unify indoor and outdoor living spaces, and has a legacy of being the leading impact-resistant window and door manufacturer in the nation. 

Wellen Park’s fun-loving lifestyle, waterfront vibes and heartfelt connections come to full-color life in the pages of Wellen Park Living, a new glossy coffee table magazine that recently debuted. The inaugural spring 2023 issue also offers a sneak peek and the first public photographs of Downtown Wellen, including a beautiful cover shot of sunset kayaking on the Grand Lake and a from-the-water perspective of the elegant Solis Hall immersed in natural surroundings as its “parting shot” on the final page. Wellen Park Living will be published quarterly by locally owned SRQ Media Group, a hyper-local media engagement company committed to exploring the relationship between audiences and storytelling with impact in the Sarasota and the Bradenton Area. The magazine is available in Wellen Park neighborhoods, CoolToday Park, Wellen Park Marketplace, Punta Gorda Airport, Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, Venice Chamber, North Port Chamber and various retail and hospitality locations throughout the region. It is also online at wellenpark.com/wellenparkliving. In addition to showcasing some of the unique experiences and future tenants in Downtown Wellen Park, the debut issue spotlights nearby kayaking and beach daytrips along the Gulf of Mexico, spring training and year-round events at CoolToday Park, and Wellen Park’s community commitment by building cottages for kids in partnership with Habitat for Humanity South Sarasota County. With Downtown Wellen’s outdoor public amenities now open and events kicking off late February, the fully leased pedestrian-friendly downtown figures prominently throughout the magazine’s 68 pages, from stories highlighting its unique coffee and cocktail culture, profiles of downtown muralists Laura Pommier and Ivan Roque, an introduction to artist Brett Phares whose curated art will be projected on buildings throughout downtown, a pet column for Wellen Park’s furry residents and a behind-the-scenes perspective of the downtown vision by Wellen Park Division President, Rick Severance. Wellen Park Living also showcases Wellen Park’s many homebuying opportunities, highlighting the community’s neighborhoods, builders and homes with convenient floor plans and photographs of beautiful interior design, outdoor living areas and sunsets. To learn more about living at Wellen Park, call 941-960-7805, go to wellenpark.com or visit the Welcome Center, open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

SUSTAINABLE SPACES | The Woven Home has a mission to create a sustainable home with quality pieces of furniture and decor, March 2023. 

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