Kyle Battie won his seat on the Sarasota City Commission four years ago defeating an incumbent on the argument the city too often stalled progress. Now he faces a challenger, Sequoia Felton, who feels Sarasota officials have continued to ignore the working class.

The two candidates faced off in a three-person election in August, where no candidate secured a majority. Voters in District 1 will decide in a Nov. 5 election who represents North Sarasota on the Commission for the next four years.

Battie feels his record is strong, from approving a master plan for Marie Selby Botanical gardens, pursuing further progress at The Bay and using conservation easements to preserve the Bobby Jones Golf Club. Specific to the Newtown area, he discusses improvements at Pioneer Park, which had a dilapidated basketball court when Battie was first elected.

“Now the basketball court is the best in the city of Sarasota,” he said. “It’s huge to see the number of people of all ages and ethnicities playing with each other.”

Felton, for her part, feels Battie claims credit for many things already in motion before his 2020 election over former Mayor Willie Shaw.

“I can’t speak for everybody, but the community feels he hasn’t done enough in Newtown,” she said. “They feel he just left them behind.”

Felton feels especially frustrated by the city’s claimed advances in workforce housing, and considers many of the units coming only as still out of reach for most working people in her community.

“I’m a single woman who moved here in 2006,” she said. “I have never had a problem trying to find prices as far as rent goes that were affordable. Nobody in my district is making $65,000 for ‘attainable’ housing.”

The same goes for affordable housing models in Sarasota, which she said remain out of reach for most working families.

Battie, for his part, said more has occurred to incentive development of workforce housing than any point in the city’s history. Previously, he said the only effective work in the arena was done by the Sarasota Housing Authority in complexes like Janie’s Garden. But a bonus density program for developers has spurred plans to bring hundreds of affordable units online.

The incumbent also stressed income thresholds for housing are based on households, not just individuals. But he also said there must be room for people to improve themselves and their own earning power while taking advantage of available affordable housing.

“I want people to want and expect more of themselves,” Battie said. “If you make $13,000 or $26,000 a year, that’s fine. What I’m not okay with is you being okay with it. I feel everyone has the potential to be more.”

Battie also said the city has focused on public safety during his time in office, improving lighting and active uses of parks that once frequently saw drug activity and prostitution take place regularly. He said the city largely eliminated those problems in places like the 10th Street bus terminal. Parks once seen as unsafe after dark now have women walking dogs there at night, a testament to the improvements he said.

Felton said she regularly hears complaints about a lack of affordable housing and of overdevelopment in the city. She’s eager to study issues and find the right balance in planning for the city’s future. 

Photos: Kyle Battie, Sequoia Felton

Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman is pleased to announce that the Sarasota County Correctional Facility was re-accredited by the Florida Corrections Accreditation Commission (FCAC) at a ceremony October 9 in Sanibel, Florida. Jail policies, management, operations, and support services were scrutinized by assessors over a three-day onsite visit in August. The assessors praised the agency for a flawless onsite visit, its tenth in a row, complying with all 256 applicable standards required for re-accreditation. This accomplishment earned the sheriff’s office the commission’s prestigious Excelsior Award for the fifth time. The commission also complimented the agency on the number of correctional facility programs offered addressing mental health, substance abuse, and in particular, the veterans assistance program. 

As Sarasota and Manatee counties work diligently to recover  from the recent hurricanes, the real estate market shows signs of resilience, particularly in  Downtown Sarasota and its luxury condominium developments. This comes in the wake of  Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which struck the region in quick succession, causing significant  challenges to the local infrastructure. Notably, Golden Gate Point, a 22-acre peninsula surrounded by Sarasota Bay, demonstrated  surprising fortitude against the storm's impact. Although the area experienced landscaping and  tree damage, the integrity of the buildings remained intact, mitigating potential delays for  under-construction condominiums. Sam Gault, developer of Peninsula Sarasota, a premier luxury condominium project on Golden  Gate Point, remarked, “We’re fortunate that Golden Gate Point sustained minimal damage. Our infrastructure remained unaffected, and while cleanup will take a few weeks, we anticipate  only a couple month delay in our project timeline.”  This resilience underscores a significant trend in the design and construction of condominiums  along Florida's coastlines. New buildings are engineered to withstand severe weather,  reflecting advancements in construction techniques and materials. Gault emphasized, “Our  collaboration with our architects and construction team focused on using the best materials  and modern building practices to prepare for Florida’s hurricanes. Our goal is to provide  residents with a living environment that offers peace of mind, even in the face of potential  storms.” While many developments are experiencing substantial delays of 18 to 20 months, Peninsula  Sarasota is on track for a timely completion. The project, which will feature just 23 exclusive  residences, is expected to be move-in ready by early 2025, with only six residences available  for purchase, starting at $4.5 million. “Feedback from our residents has been overwhelmingly positive. They are enthusiastic about  the prospect of moving into their new homes next year,“ said Gault. “We also realize there will  be many displaced barrier residents who will be rebuilding or relocating to the mainland. Our  construction timeline provides another option.” 

"I was with a patient when I got the call that I had breast cancer," said Kristin McCrosson, BSN, R.N., clinical nurse manager at HCA Florida Englewood Hospital Wound Care. In 2019, her life changed when she went to her annual screening mammogram. Many women have dense breast tissue, making screening more difficult. In Kris' case, she could not feel anything abnormal with a self-breast examination. Her provider ordered additional ultrasound and MRI screenings, revealing three breast lumps. She was diagnosed with left breast cancer, stage 2. At this stage, breast cancer has grown, but is still contained in the breast tissue or the growth has only extended to axillary lymph nodes. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime, and there are currently over four million breast cancer survivors in the United States. When breast cancer is detected early and is in the localized stage, the 5-year survival rate is 99%. Early detection includes doing monthly self-exams, regular clinical breast exams and mammograms. The Centers for Disease Control recommends women who are 40 to 74 years old and are at average risk for breast cancer get a mammogram every two years. Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Paul Chupka, D.O. encourages women to consider 3D mammography. "It represents the most advanced tool we have for screening mammography and we offer it at Englewood Hospital. Having a regular, yearly screening mammogram is the best way to be sure breast cancer is detected early. This allows you and the radiologist to have a clear picture of what your healthy breast tissue looks like, and changes in the tissue from year to year can be identified." Kristin was grateful for early detection, "According to my doctor, if I had waited two more months for my mammogram, I might not be sitting here today. I was more concerned about how to tell my husband that I had breast cancer than me actually having it." After 8 weeks of chemo and 16 radiation treatments, Kristin was cancer-free and is now fully recovered. She said, "My husband said, 'Why you?' and I said,' Why not me? ' Cancer does not discriminate. I kept a positive attitude and was always smiling. It helped that family and friends were positive. I just can't say enough about the support I had." Kristin recommends that women get screened on their birthdays each year. She said, "Give that as a birthday gift to yourself. You can't forget. I can't stress enough how important it is to get a mammogram. It will save your life." For more information about women’s care, please visit HCAFloridaHealthcare.com or follow our Facebook page, HCA Florida Englewood Hospital. 

Pictured: Kristin McCrosson, BSN, R.N. Photo courtesy of HCA Florida Englewood Hospital.

Manatee Memorial Hospital (MMH) proudly recognizes Dr. Stacey South, a Master Surgeon, for her significant achievement in robotic surgery. Dr. South, who was instrumental in establishing the hospital's robotics program in 2008, has now become the first surgeon to complete 3,000 procedures using the da Vinci® surgical robotic system. MMH was the first hospital in the county to introduce a robotics program, with Dr. South leading the way by performing the inaugural robotic procedure. Now, 16 years later, the oncologic gynecologist celebrates this remarkable milestone and the advancements in robotic technology that have transformed surgical care. Today, MMH utilizes the advanced da Vinci Xi Robotic System from Intuitive, providing surgeons with enhanced precision and flexibility. For patients, this means minimally invasive procedures that result in faster recovery times, reduced risk of infection, and less post-operative pain. Many patients are able to return home the same day or the following day. With such impressive outcomes, robotic-assisted surgeries are quickly becoming the standard of care. MMH’s robotic surgery program has achieved such success that it now serves as a training center for surgeons from across the region. "Having a program of this caliber in Manatee County is a true point of pride for our community," said CEO Andy Guz. In addition, MMH is home to five Master Surgeons recognized by the Surgical Review Corporation , further solidifying its position as a leader in robotic-assisted surgery. 

Photo courtesy of Manatee Memorial Hospital.

The Figgy Company brings a fresh beauty philosophy to Burns Square, October 2024.

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