Opinion | Longboat Key | Your Observer

Longboat Key | Opinion

By Jeff Brandes, contributor
June 24, 2026

DeSantis versus DeSantis

One DeSantis encouraged starter homes. The other may have just made them fiscally impossible to approve.

Longboat Key
Opinion

Matt Walsh
June 17, 2026

Another travesty of power

Everyone knows we need more affordable housing. But Sarasota County commissioners are more concerned about losing their home rule power.

Sarasota
Opinion

By Jeff Brandes
June 2, 2026

This is not how to 'cut' taxes

The governor’s property tax plan won’t eliminate taxes. It will just shift them. Your city will become increasingly dependent on the state.

Sarasota
Opinion

Mirabai Holland
May 29, 2026

It's possible to live with arthritis. Here's how.

Exercise, as counter-intuitive as it might seem, can go a long way toward relief.

Longboat Key
Opinion

Matt Walsh
May 28, 2026

No good deed goes unpunished

St. Regis fight with town is a Longboat Key classic.

Longboat Key
Opinion

Matt Walsh
May 13, 2026

Lessons on how not to do it

The Sarasota tax collector-school board dispute has reached a partial resolution. Taking the high road can bring it to the best ending.

Sarasota
Opinion

By Letter to the Editor
May 12, 2026

Letter to our legislators: Don't turn USFSM over to New College

The fate of USF Sarasota-Manatee depends on the Legislature's special budget session. It will decide whether to shut down the college and transfer the buildings to New College.

Longboat Key
Opinion

By Adrian Moore, Nicole Shekhovtsova
May 6, 2026

Is the only way to protect kids online for all of us to give up our data?

Legislators are passing laws to verify the age of social media users — but does it inadvertently require these sites to keep more data than necessary?

Sarasota
Opinion

By Mike Moran
May 3, 2026

My oath to the law and the taxpayers of Sarasota County

While waiting for the attorney general to rule on a disagreement over how to implement state law, costly litigation could have been avoided.

Longboat Key
Opinion

Matt Walsh
April 29, 2026

Tax collector's money grab

Mike Moran needs cash to "modernize" his operations. His target: taking money from the schools, in spite of what voters approved.

Sarasota
Opinion

Mirabai Holland
April 15, 2026

Yes, sleeping, eating right and working out can improve and preserve your memory

Healthy habits, including exercise, a good diet and getting enough sleep, can pay big dividends on improving memory function and preventing memory diseases.

Longboat Key
Opinion

By Guy Bentley, Adrian Moore
April 8, 2026

Don’t panic about sports betting in Florida

Although some are concerned that increased access to sports betting may increase gambling addiction, the data show the number of those with a problem has remained stable over the last 35 years.