The U.S. House passed the first gun control legislation it has considered in years, and the region’s Congressional representatives were ultimately split on the bill.

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Sarasota, was among just eight House Republicans to support the Bipartisan Background Checks Act.

“Our laws cannot be effective if there are gaping loopholes that allow criminals and deranged individuals to purchase firearms at gun shows or over the Internet without being subject to background checks,” Buchanan said. “Today I voted for HR 8 to close these loopholes—a proposal supported by over 90 percent of gun owners in America, according to respected polling organizations.”

On the other hand, U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, voted against the legislation. The freshman representative since his years in the Florida Legislature developed a reputation as a supporter of gun rights.

“As written now, the current House gun control proposal would have done nothing to prevent many of the tragedies with firearms we’ve witnessed in recent years,” he said. “Our Second Amendment rights are at stake. House Democrats want to rob us of our constitutionally guaranteed protections in the name of violence prevention, all while doing nothing to actually prevent violence.”

The bill mandates background checks on all gun sales, including private and online sales. Sometimes referred to as “closing the gunshow loophole,” critics say it will put an undue burden on individual gun owners. The bill does include exceptions for gun transfers among immediate family members, and it allows firearms to be loaned for hunting or gun range use.

Steube had previously pushed for an amendment that would require sellers to notify law enforcement when someone failed a background check, and immigration enforcement if that individual was undocumented. 

Architects, contractors, interior designers and all of their fans came together at the offices of SRQ magazine last night to celebrate the 15th annual Home of the Year Awards Ceremony, seeing honors bestowed on local builders for local projects. With submitted projects evaluated by a three-judge panel of experts from Tampa, Naples and Miami, awards were given for categories such as Best Sustainable/Green Home, Best Landscape Design, Best Kitchen, Best Remodel and three categories of Best Overall Home, divided by budget. “It’s more than a craft, it’s a calling,” said SRQ Executive Publisher Wes Roberts of the architectural arts on display, “and really defines how people see us, and how we see ourselves.”

The night began with Best Sustainable/Green Home, with DSDG Architects winning the first of many awards of the evening, this time for the Osprey Landing project near SRQ airport. Next came the award for Best Landscape Design, with Michael A. Gilkey, Inc. pulling the Silver Award for its Cherokee Park Family project, but DWY Landscape Architects sweeping the rest of the category, and picking up the Gold and Platinum awards for its Two Palms project and Citrus Avenue project, respectively. The former prompted the judges to declare it as “one of the most sculptural and elegant uses of the Traveler’s Palm.”

As awards were given for specific rooms, Sweet Sparkman Architects made its presence known, with its SeaThru House winning platinum awards for both Best Bathroom and Best Great Room. “The material palette is superb, as well as the execution,” said the judges. DSDG returned to the awards table for Best Kitchen, as the Betonhaus project won over the judges.

The awards field for Best Overall Interior proved crowded, with Barbara Gardner of Collins Interiors winning the Silver Award, Riley Interior Design claiming Gold and Trade Mark Interiors pulling down the Platinum Award for the Hawthorne Residence. Following, Edgewater Contractors and Holly Dennis Interiors won the Platinum Award for Best Remodel on the strength of the Eagle Point Drive project.

At the end of the night, when it came to time to reveal award-winners for the Best Overall Home categories, DSDG Architects proved the big winners, placing in all three categories and winning two. For Best Overall Home Under $1 Million, Solstice Architects took Gold for WhiteHaus, but DSDG carried home the Platinum for Rivetta Retreat. DSDG earned Gold in Best Overall Home Between $1-2 Million, with Sweet Sparkman Architects and the SeaThru House reappearing to claim Platinum. But it was DSDG’s Betonhaus that came out on top in the Best Overall Home Over $2 Million, beating out Murray Homes, who earned a Gold with Modern on Mourning Drive.

“Architecture is part of the community and Sarasota is special in the fact that we have some top architects and contractors that can perform and create one-of-a-kind structures,” says DSDG Principal Architect Mark Sultana. “It’s important for architects as a whole to be able to use our creativity. In other places, that doesn’t happen, and everything looks the same. Here, everything looks different.”

For more information on the 2019 Home of the Year competition, keep an eye out for a special feature in the March issue of SRQ magazine. 

Pictured: DSDG Architects' Mark Sultana with his hands full of awards at the 2019 Home of the Year Awards Ceremony. Photo by Wyatt Kostygan.

County Commissioners have unanimously confirmed Cheri Coryea as acting County Administrator. Coryea will become the County's first ever female Administrator on March 1. She has 30 years of experience, including 28 in management with Manatee County. She served as interim County Administrator since 2017 and was Director of the Neighborhood Services Department for the past 10 years, where she managed an annual budget of over $44 million including federal, state and local grants, and focused on building community relationships and interacting with the over 150 not-for-profit agencies, hospitals, and intergovernmental organizations that collaborate with Manatee County to serve citizens.

Earlier in her career with the County, Coryea developed the Children's Services Fund from its inception in 1991 and helped it grow to its current annual budget of $15 million. She oversaw the two Community Redevelopment Area budgets of $2.5 million annually and oversaw the creation of the Southwest Tax Increment Financing District in 2014. She also led the development of several key County initiatives including: the creation of the Economic Development Incentive Program (EDI), Health Care for the medically needy, Children’s Services Tax, Manatee Millennial Movement (M3) and more. 

Manatee County Government

Thanks to the success of its first location in Sarasota, Oak & Stone plans to open its second location in the city in late Spring, 2019. The new restaurant, located at 4067 Clark Road in the Expo on Clark shopping plaza (the former Buffalo Wild Wings), will feature Oak & Stone's well known pull-your-own-tap beer wall, focusing on local and regional craft beers, including Sarasota Brewing Co., as well as its menu of pizza, burgers and bowls. Oak & Stone also has an extensive list of whiskeys and craft cocktails. The centerpiece of the new Clark Road location will be a Pizza Bar—a first for the brand and separate from the kitchen—where guests will be able to sit, dine and watch as their pizzas are prepared. Oak & Stone launched its brand in Sarasota in 2016 with its location near University Town Center and opened its second location in downtown St. Pete in summer of 2018. Additional locations are in the works for Bradenton and Naples. 

Oak & Stone

Bonnie Dezii has joined Centauri Insurance as Assistant Vice President of Claims. Dezii brings more than 30 years of industry experience, spanning both large and small carriers, as well as a self-insured large corporation where she led global claim teams in Singapore, Sydney, London, Atlanta and Dubai. She has vast experience leading claims teams managing property, casualty, general and professional liability. Dezii will work with the VP of claims to manage Centauri’s third party administrators and ensure policyholders receive fast, fair claims service. Dezii spent 13 years in a variety of adjusting and leadership roles with Fireman’s Fund Insurance before leading the catastrophe operations for both the Moore and El Reno Tornados in Oklahoma for Farmers Insurance. Most recently, she served as Assistant Vice President of claims for FCCI Insurance Group where she managed the catastrophe operations for Hurricanes Michael and Irma. 

Centauri Insurance

Central Living by David Weekley Homes, the high-density division of David Weekley Homes featuring luxury living in prime locations, has completed the model home for the Sarasota community of Enclave at Laurel Park City Homes, located in historic Laurel Park. Priced from the high $600s, Enclave at Laurel Park City Homes is an intimate enclave of 17 single-family townhomes with two floor plan options to choose from. The four-story designs are generously proportioned, with a private balcony and elevator. The four-story model home, The Alderman, features three bedrooms, three full bathrooms, one half bathroom and a two-car garage. The Alderman is fully furnished and open daily for tours. All of the homes have access to jogging and biking trails, a playground, skate park and tennis center in nearby Payne Park, in addition to Gulf beaches. Homeowners can enjoy the nearby arts and museum district, as well as proximity to downtown, waterfront, dining and entertainment. 

David Weekley Homes

Realtor Wendy Kesslak has become an associate in the RE/MAX Alliance Group Siesta Key office. She joins her husband, Joseph Kesslak, to form the Gulf Coast Group. A former elementary school teacher in Pennsylvania, Kesslak brings a natural ability to relate to others and a strong focus on customer service. She holds a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Virginia Tech. The Siesta Key office is located at 5221 Ocean Boulevard, Suite 1. Kesslak can be reached at (941) 321-7484 or Wendy4Siesta@gmail.com. RE/MAX Alliance Group is the #1 RE/MAX franchise in Florida and the #16 RE/MAX franchise in the United States. 

RE/MAX Alliance Group