The miracle of caring is celebrated at Longwood Park in Sarasota

The Miracle League of Manasota honors the late Joanne DiCarlo, a local Elks member who supported the program for years.

Miracle League Board President Robyn Graham, Elks Golf Tournament Director Mark Liddell, Elk Sarah Davis and Miracle League Executive Director Chris Cushman celebrate the Elks' $1,500 donation to the league.
Santa (Steven Trudell of St. Petersburg) gets the runners fired up just before the start of the 2025 Jingle 5K Dec. 12 in Lakewood Ranch.
  • December 13, 2025
More than 500 runners go the distance in Lakewood Ranch's Jingle 5K
Greenbrook's David, Hannah and Jaime Marco all had a part in creating Jaime Marco's new book “Unfunkt: Quiet the Noise. Ignite the Light.”
  • December 12, 2025
Readers can shed the funk with Lakewood Ranch author's 'Unfunkt'
Samara Williamson has been at the Lake Club for more than four years, moving to her general manager position from that of assistant general manager in 2023.
  • December 10, 2025
Lake Club manager named tops in her field
Harbor58 volunteers and Manatee County commissioners put the first shovels in the ground Nov. 17.
  • December 10, 2025
Harbor58 breaks ground on $4.5 million housing project in Manatee County

Business

The idea for Moo-Jitsu was a collaboration between 9-year-old Olivia Whitman and her father Brandon Whitman in October of last year. They launched the business in August.
  • December 8, 2025
Love of cows adds spice to Lakewood Ranch business
CEO Mike Bisaha says the new equipment will at least triple Big Top Brewing Co.'s beer production.
  • December 3, 2025
Big Top to open expanded brew house at Sarasota's Fruitville Commons
Lakewood Ranch High School graduate Jason Huh has founded a few different companies, including Sodi Pop. Sodi Pop is now available in a healthy vending machine at the school for staff and students to enjoy.
  • December 3, 2025
Sodi Pop, billed as a healthier product, comes to Lakewood Ranch High
Instead of a ribbon, a 180-pound blue fin tuna will be cut to celebrate the grand opening of Kuro Sushi.
  • November 22, 2025
Kuro Sushi rolls into Lakewood Ranch
Santa (Steven Trudell of St. Petersburg) gets the runners fired up just before the start of the 2025 Jingle 5K Dec. 12 in Lakewood Ranch.
  • December 13, 2025
More than 500 runners go the distance in Lakewood Ranch's Jingle 5K
Nicholas Savarese, a teacher who has a background in chemical engineering, judges junior Lillian Pevzner-Downer's project on the comparison of conventionally grown crops with chemicals and pesticides versus organically grown crops at the Lakewood Ranch High School Science Fair.
  • December 12, 2025
Lakewood Ranch High revives its science fair
St. Petersburg's Ella Brown and Sarasota's Mike Chambers take full advantage of the live music to show off their best dance moves at the Lakewood Ranch Blues Fest Dec. 6.
  • December 7, 2025
Lakewood Ranch music fans aren't crying the blues after festival
Myakka City 12-year-old Aliyah Burnett helps her neighbor, Corinn Smith of Blissful Goat Yoga, with the goats. She dressed them in Christmas outfits for Ranch Nite Wednesday Dec. 3.
  • December 5, 2025
Goats are another reason to attend Ranch Nite Wednesdays in Lakewood Ranch
Sarasota's David Farr picks up 21-month-old Henry Farr, who is dazzled by the giant ornaments on the tree on The Green during the Mall at UTC's ongoing holiday celebration.
  • December 1, 2025
Families flock to UTC for the holidays
Siesta Key's Owen Slater, 5, loves animals and couldn't leave the market without getting a homemade octopus from Stitch Fabels, which took 10 hours to make.
  • November 28, 2025
Market at Nathan Benderson Park provides midweek shopping
Runners pack the starting area for the 2025 Florida Turkey Trot Nov. 27 at foggy Nathan Benderson Park. The race had a record 4,558 participants.
  • November 27, 2025
Record 4,558 runners participate in 2025 Florida Turkey Trot
Despite their 30 year age difference, Marge DeSimone and Courtney Barr have become great friends and share a deep love for Nikki, Barr's 7-year-old Bordoodle. They compete in dock diving to keep all of the "Three Musketeers," as Barr said, active and engaged.
  • November 26, 2025
Dock-diving dog helps two single women form a bond of friendship in Myakka
Lakewood Ranch sisters Mariapaz Ritter, 7 and Analia Ritter, 12, got their faces painted by Akiko Graphics at the at Greenbrook Adventure Park. Mariapaz chose a peace sign because "paz" the last part of her name means peace in Spanish and Analia chose daisies because they are her favorite flowers.
  • November 24, 2025
Greenbrook Adventure Park reopens with a fun day
Instead of a ribbon, a 180-pound blue fin tuna will be cut to celebrate the grand opening of Kuro Sushi.
  • November 22, 2025
Kuro Sushi rolls into Lakewood Ranch
Sydney Elliott turns toward an obstacle aboard QC Diamantaire in her final winning run in The Event at TerraNova's CCI4 class.
  • November 16, 2025
Competition season leaps into action at TerraNova Equestrian Center
Sarasota's Julia Wilhelm and Renee Myers check out the pieces of art for sale at LKM Fanciful Creations by Linda McMillan.
  • November 16, 2025
A 'gift from the heart' offered at Lakewood Ranch art show
Maribeth Phillips is the president and CEO of Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee, and Andy Guz, CEO of Manatee Memorial Hospital, is the board chair.
  • November 15, 2025
Main Street at Lakewood Ranch hosts Empty Bowls
Shawna Hicks-Cranston of PostNet raises her Sandies award for the Community Champion category. The annual Sandies was held by the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance Nov. 14 at the Grove in Lakewood Ranch.
  • November 14, 2025
Lakewood Ranch community leaders are saluted with Sandies awards
Rex Jensen, the CEO and president of Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, is the 2025 C. John A. Clarke Humanitarian Award winner.
  • November 14, 2025
Lakewood Ranch's 'visionary' honored by the Community Foundation
Lakewood Ranch's Vincent Van Slyck keeps his flag waving during the Tribute to Heroes Parade Nov. 9 at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch.
  • November 10, 2025
Tribute to Heroes Parade salutes veterans
A giant helium-filled nutcracker takes a bow during the 2025 Santa's Grand Arrival Parade Nov. 8 at University Town Center in Sarasota.
  • November 9, 2025
University Town Center delivers parade thrills under the wire in Sarasota
Evan Prince, a second grader at Freedom Elementary, poses next to his masterpiece, "Warm Colored Sky."
  • November 9, 2025
Manatee River Artists Guild celebrates 20 years of collaboration