• Alternate Text

  • Loading

  • Sand Bucket List
  • Health Observed
  • Crossword
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • e-Newspaper App
  • Longboat
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Opinion
  • East County
    • News
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
  • Sarasota
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
    • Siesta Key
  • Arts + Entertainment
    • Eat + Drink
    • Arts + Culture
    • Reviews
    • Things To Do
    • Black Tie
    • Spotlight Partners
  • Things to Do
  • Galleries
  • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Elections
    • Health Observed
    • Sand Bucket List
    • Calendar
    • Celebrations
    • Contests
    • Tributes
    • Submit a Celebration
    • Submit a Tribute
    • Public Notices
    • Classifieds
  • Longboat
    • Longboat
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Opinion
  • East County
    • East County
    • News
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
  • Sarasota
    • Sarasota
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
    • Siesta Key
  • Arts + Entertainment
    • Arts + Entertainment
    • Eat + Drink
    • Arts + Culture
    • Reviews
    • Things To Do
    • Black Tie
    • Spotlight Partners
  • Things to Do
  • Galleries
  • More
    • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Elections
    • Health Observed
    • Sand Bucket List
    • Calendar
    • Celebrations
    • Contests
    • Tributes
    • Submit a Celebration
    • Submit a Tribute
    • Public Notices
    • Classifieds
  • Sand Bucket List
  • Health Observed
  • Crossword
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • e-Newspaper App

Longboat Key | Neighbors

Jonathan Hande, senior avian hospital technician with Save Our Seabirds, demonstrates how NOT to hold a brown pelican when bringing it in for assessment at the bird rescue organization. Anyone handling an injured pelican should keep an ideally gloved finger between the bird's beak to keep the bird restrained without inhibiting its ability to breathe.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • July 5, 2026
What you need to know for fledgling season

Save Our Seabirds offered tips on how to tell when a bird might need help and when it's best to leave them be, especially during fledgling season.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Lucy Clark and Carlin and Ellie Mackintosh, granddaughters of Longboat Key artist May Lou Johnson, help release the first of 250 butterflies at Freedom Fest. The Fourth of July festivities also included a parade, canine costume contest, rededication of Bicentennial Park and family activities.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • July 4, 2026
Longboat Key pulls all the stops for special Freedom Fest

The town, after being rained out last year, came back big with its parade, butterfly release and park rededication.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 3, 2026
Voices of America: What will America look like in another 250 years?

In our series of questions for Americans in honor of the country's 250th birthday, we explore the future of the U.S.

  • Spirit of America
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • July 2, 2026
So, you want to be a citizen?

Thousands of people are naturalized as Americans every year. But how?

  • Spirit of America
Kids share their perspectives on the Fourth of July
    By
  • Ian Swaby, Madison Bierl
  • July 2, 2026
Kids share their perspectives on the Fourth of July

Kids say the darndest things — especially when you ask them about Independence Day, U.S. History and what it means to be a good citizen.

  • Spirit of America
Sarasota History Center Manager Josh Goodman is an avid historian who loves checking out maps of the region in the 1700s.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • July 2, 2026
The land almost no one wanted

Historians say few braved the brutal Sarasota environment when our forefathers were signing the Declaration of Independence.

  • Spirit of America
Volunteers with the Longboat Key Turtle Watch discovered the first hatched nest of the season on Longboat Key while out patrolling in the early morning hours.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • July 2, 2026
First turtle nest hatches on Longboat

Volunteers spotted the first hatched nest of the turtle nesting season this week.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 2, 2026
Voices of America: What do you like best about America?

In our series of questions for Americans in honor of the country's 250th birthday, we ask respondents what they like best about America.

  • Spirit of America
Gregg Vesta became the round one winner at the introduction of "singo" on June 29 at The Paradise Center. The game is a musical twist on bingo, prompting players to listen to a song snippet and mark its title on the card. The evening was a fundraiser to support the center's summer programs.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • July 1, 2026
A musical twist on classic bingo draws praise from Longboaters

The Paradise Center introduced "singo" this summer as part of a summer fundraising drive to support its community programming.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Paradise Pilates owner Julia Yesler, left, and Paulina Peralta, a certified personal trainer and Pilates instructor, demonstrate one of the stretches possible on the studio's new Cadillac reformer. Yesler recently opened the studio at The Centre Shops.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • July 1, 2026
Returning Longboater opens new Pilates studio

Julia Yesler recently opened Paradise Pilates with the aim of helping people achieve their lifelong health and fitness goals.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
Ken Rushing and Noel Ladd are co-owners of Couch LBK.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 1, 2026
Voices of America: In what era of American history would you have liked to have lived?

In our series of questions for Americans in honor of the country's 250th birthday, we explore our favorite periods of history.

  • Spirit of America
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • June 30, 2026
Voices of America: Who's your American hero, and why?

In our series of questions for Americans in honor of the country's 250th birthday, we dive into respondents' favorite Americans.

  • Spirit of America
Carla Paola Ventura, organizer of Sunday's aid drive to support Venezuelan earthquake survivors, and Noemi Ottenwalder, founder of the new Latinas Run Club that hosted the drive, load supplies into the truck after the morning run on Lido Key. Ventura said while the devastation is far-reaching, small contributions made by many people amount to a big difference.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • June 29, 2026
Run club organizes aid drive for Venezuelan earthquake survivors

Local change-makers are hoping many small contributions will make a big difference in response to the devastating earthquakes with an increasing death toll.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • June 29, 2026
Voices of America: What's your favorite American invention?

In our series of questions for Americans in honor of the country's 250th birthday, we reflect on what was Made in the U.S.A.

  • Spirit of America
Jetson Grimes
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • June 28, 2026
Voices of America: What's your favorite American tradition?

In our series of questions for Americans in honor of the country's 250th birthday, we explore how we celebrate.

  • Spirit of America
1 2 3 4 5 »
The best of Your Observer, delivered directly to your inbox

Get the latest in news, sports, schools, arts and things to do in Sarasota, Siesta Key, Longboat Key and East County.

Sign Up

Latest in Longboat Key

1
Jonathan Hande, senior avian hospital technician with Save Our Seabirds, demonstrates how NOT to hold a brown pelican when bringing it in for assessment at the bird rescue organization. Anyone handling an injured pelican should keep an ideally gloved finger between the bird's beak to keep the bird restrained without inhibiting its ability to breathe.
  • July 5, 2026
What you need to know for fledgling season
2
Lucy Clark and Carlin and Ellie Mackintosh, granddaughters of Longboat Key artist May Lou Johnson, help release the first of 250 butterflies at Freedom Fest. The Fourth of July festivities also included a parade, canine costume contest, rededication of Bicentennial Park and family activities.
  • July 4, 2026
Longboat Key pulls all the stops for special Freedom Fest
3
The 1,475 square foot Udermann house has been partially raised using about 50 hydraulic jacks in The Village in Longboat Key. It currently sits 4 and a half feet up and will eventually be raised to 12 feet.
  • July 4, 2026
Town may encourage home raising through code amendment
4
  • July 3, 2026
Voices of America: What will America look like in another 250 years?
5
  • July 2, 2026
So, you want to be a citizen?

App

Download the Your Observer app

Stay in the know with the latest local news. Any device, anytime, anywhere.

DOWNLOAD NOW

Contact

  • 1970 Main St.
  • Third Floor
  • Sarasota, FL 34236
  • Phone: 941-366-3468
  • FPN Verified

Extra, Extra!

  • Newsletters
  • App
  • Crossword
  • Contests

more

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Classifieds
  • Advertise
  • Rack Locations
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Options

sister sites

  • Business Observer
  • Jax Daily Record
  • Orange Observer
  • Accessibility Options
  • Copyright © 2026 Observer Media Group Inc., All Rights Reserved
Sign Up for Daily Headlines

A daily dose of news from Longboat Key, East County, Sarasota and Siesta Key.

Sign Up for In Case You Missed It

A Saturday dose of the week's top stories from Sarasota, Longboat Key and East County.

Anytime. Anywhere. Observer.

From in-depth local reporting to real-time breaking news, stay connected to the stories shaping our community with the Your Observer app.

Download Now for Free