A Bradenton City Council race has devolved into accusations of police abuse and complaints about residency as voters prepare to weigh in.

Incumbent Bemis Smith hopes voters feel happy with the developments in Bradenton from the Riverwalk to rejuvenation of the city core. But the social media noise, accompanied with reports to the police, has largely drowned out conversations about city planning.

Sanders says a “good ole boy” political network protects Smith from proper legal scrutiny. “I’ve never seen this sort of protection of a city council position in my life,” Sanders says.

Smith concedes that at one point, he posted an internet meme that pictured Bill Sanders’ mobile home and raised questions about his residency. The meme noted that Sanders had tax bills sent to Iowa and registered the vehicle after the required residency date to hold office in Bradenton. The final line of the meme read, “Moving to town so recently that you run your campaign from a motorhome… Priceless.”

“It’s kind of funny,” Smith says. “On my part, it’s not been heated.”

But the fact the meme included hard figures, though not the exact ones for Sanders’ vehicle, led Sanders to believe Smith illegally accessed vehicle registration information on the mobile home to use in service of his political campaign. He reported that to police. Smith says when he heard that, he went to the police himself to make clear he’d done no such thing.

More reports would follow, after supporters of Smith got into arguments with members of Sanders’ family online. But nothing thus far has risen to the level of an arrest.

Sanders said he feels like he’s running against the majority of officials at City Hall at this point. “At the first debate, these other two councilmen showed up and stared me down like I was the devil,” he says. “Now it feels like I’m running against Gene Gallo and Gene Brown and whoever else has control at the city.”

Sanders feels his complaints to authorities have not been taken seriously. As for the reason he only recently registered his mobile home in Florida, he says he owns 10 vehicles, and he can show he’s lived in Bradenton. “I’ve got an email where I talk to the city about a streetlight from back in January,” he says. ”There is corruption inside that City Council.”

Regardless of email chains, Smith notes Sanders voted in Iowa in 2016 and claims a homestead there. But no matter what, Smith hopes his decades of commitment to Bradenton stand out for voters. “What’s he done over the last 40 years?“ Smith says. “But what I’d like to know is what are you going to do better or differently that me? How and why are you going to do that? My resume speaks for itself.”

Smith has raised $16,512 for his campaign. Sanders has self-financed with $11,505 of his own money. The election will be held on Nov. 6. 

What once was Prohibition 1454, Tequila Cantina and formerly Z’s Restaurant & Bar, 1454 Main Street has seen multiple business occupants come and go with the passing of seasons and continual evolution of Downtown. But owners Jacob, Curtis and Billy Brewster, who have 35 years experience in the hospitality field in Illinois, see only untapped potential—collaborating brotherly minds to manifest Brewster’s Tavern, newly opened as of this past weekend. The Brewsters’ venture entailed completely updating and redecorating the space from a hapless lot to a modern, versatile and welcoming bar. “With all of the new development going on downtown, we want this to be everyone’s casual contemporary bar,” says Jacob. With rustic hipster vibes, live entertainment several days a week, combined with several new TVs, sports package offerings, handmade dart boards and pool tables, Sarasotans will no doubt feel right at home with this new hangout of spirited revival. 

“Our design focuses around the industrial feel of the original building’s infrastructure," shares Jacon. "Back in the 20s, the building was built with brick and marble and we wanted to accentuate that in the design,” which they do by adding a brand new cement bar top and exposing the brick and reclaimed wood walls. Further investing in the details, handcrafted furnishings from local craftswoman and artist Tara Piedra of Gray Bay Goods Custom Woodwork are seen throughout—including the intricate tables made of diagonal wood designs and branded with the newly established black rooster logo. With a full menu in tact for lunch as well as casual late, after-midnight foods, customers will find signature Chicago-based items in addition to build-your-own options, “so you can choose to eat healthy or embrace a cheat day”. And attracting local beerly beloveds, the brothers implemented a brand new tap system so customers can look forward to an expansive draft beer wall of 20 different local craft brews, plus a wide array of wines. “We’d like Brewster’s to be the spot where you can just stop to have a quick drink and bite,” says Jacob, “but also where you can hangout for hours and dance on a Friday night.” 

Photo provided by Brewster's.

Brewster's Tavern, 1454 Main St., Sarasota, 941-343-2380.

Asolo Repertory Theatre has announced that it is the recipient of a $100,000 grant from the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation. The grant will provide key support for Asolo Rep's 2018-19 season, which kicks off in November with The Music Man, directed by Tony nominee Jeff Calhoun and starring Broadway song and dance man Noah Racey. It will also support Asolo Rep's Access to the Arts Programs: Main Stages and the annual fall Shakespeare tour. Main Stages provides area students with the opportunity to see a world-class production at Asolo Rep. Through the fall Shakespeare tour, live theatre is brought to the students at schools and community venues throughout Florida. Both Main Stages and tour performances are supplemented with teaching artist-guided workshops, study guides and other materials to enhance students' experience before and after the performance. The Barancik Foundation grant will also help to underwrite the cost of the annual FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training London Study Program. Each summer, the rising third-year Conservatory MFA students spend six weeks in London. When they return from this enriching training, they become the acting company for the annual Shakespeare tour and then join Asolo Rep's main stage acting company for repertory season. 

Asolo Repertory Theatre

Florida Studio Theatre has announced that Gulf Coast Community Foundation has issued a $45,000 “Arts Appreciation” grant to FST. These funds will underwrite FST’s 2018/19 Winter Mainstage and Cabaret seasons and also sponsor FST’s annual fundraising event on February 25. The contributions of Gulf Coast Community Foundation have played an integral role in the growth of FST, fostering theatre that speaks to a living, evolving and dynamically changing world. Says FST Producing Artistic Director Richard Hopkins, “These community relationships are vital to FST and indeed to all of the arts. I am happy to report that our partnership with Gulf Coast is one that continues to grow and evolve as we begin the most exciting and challenging Winter Season in our 45 year history.” 

Florida Studio Theatre

The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art and Florida State University have announced a new endowment gift to The Ringling from Stephen (Steve) and Judith (Judy) Shank, M.D. The gift will establish the Shank Curator of Performance Endowment, which will support the hiring and retention of performance programming leadership. A retired physician and three-year member of The Ringling Board of Directors, Judy Shank has served as the president of the Minnesota Medical Association, vice chair of the Board of Allina Health Systems and is a founding board member of Hennepin Health Systems. She currently serves on the Sarasota Area Board of United Way Sun Coast and SPOON Foundation. Along with her husband, she serves as co-chair of the National Advisory Committee of the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. Steve more recently founded Capella Education Company, the first wholly online university and is the former CEO of the Tonka Toy Company. The Shanks have supported Art of Performance at The Ringling since 2011, and with this endowment they have chosen to honor two architects of that program, Curator Dwight Currie and Guest Artist Manager Michael Kohlmann, and the new curator position will be named the Currie-Kohlmann Curator of Performance. 

The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art

Pinnacle Community Association Management, Southwest Florida’s leading provider of comprehensive services tailored specifically to small homeowners and condominium associations, has joined The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. Founded in 1921, the Sarasota Chamber is one of the oldest business advocacy groups in the state and is a key player in promoting economic development and prosperity along Florida’s Gulf Coast. In announcing its membership in the Chamber, Pinnacle joins more than 1,200 other local businesses and organizations committed to creating long-term economic vitality, business success, job creation and quality of life for people and enterprises throughout Sarasota and its surrounding communities. Pinnacle Community Association Management is locally owned and operated with offices in Sarasota and Osprey.  

Pinnacle Community Association Management

Sarasota Memorial Hospital’s medical staff honored two physicians for outstanding service to the hospital and the community and installed its new leaders for 2018-2019. Sarasota Nephrologist Domenick E. Cover, MD, was awarded the health system’s 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award, while Emergency Medicine Specialist Reuben Holland, MD, was named 2018 Physician of the Year. Both were selected by a committee of physician leaders. Cover was honored for his commitment to his patients and the community he has served for more than 30 years. Among other meaningful contributions, he was instrumental in developing dialysis services in the community and beginning the continuous dialysis program at SMH. Holland was named 2018 Physician of the Year. Colleagues praised his leadership as he chaired some of the hospital’s busiest and most challenging medical committees, while also serving as medical director of SMH’s Emergency and Urgent Care Centers since 2011. 

The SMH Medical Staff also appointed officers of the 2018-2019 Medical Executive Committee: Joey Seaman, MD, was named chief of staff, serving as the top representative of Sarasota Memorial’s more than 1,300 medical staff members and advanced practice providers. Alissa Shulman, MD, was named chief of staff elect, while Jeffrey Sell, MD, was named secretary-treasurer, and Sean Daley, MD, and Scott Perrin, MD, were named members-at-large. 

Sarasota Memorial Hospital

The law firm of Williams Parker recently hosted a swearing-in ceremony for two attorneys admitted to the Florida Bar—Kyle D. Elliott and Diana L. Berlin—both of whom previously participated in the firm’s innovative summer associate program. Elliott joins as an associate with the firm’s real estate group, while Berlin is completing her LL.M. in Taxation at the University of Florida College of Law and will start with the firm in the summer of 2019 as an associate in the trusts and estates practice. Williams Parker’s summer associate program draws students from law schools across the country, offering an opportunity to engage in work indicative of associate life. It introduces law students to life in Sarasota as a Williams Parker attorney and provides them experiences and tools contributing to long-term success in their careers. About 40 percent of the firm’s current attorneys were hired after participation in the summer associate program. 

Williams Parker Summer Associate Program