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East County

A Lake Club home at 15315 Anchorage Place sold for $5.45 million. Built in 2024, it has five bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a pool and 5,997 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • December 16, 2025
Top residential real estate sales for Dec. 1-5 in Lakewood Ranch

A home in The Lake Club topped the week’s sales at $5.45 million.

  • East County
  • Real Estate
Residents line up behind the podium to object to a proposal for Altman Rye Townhomes.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • December 15, 2025
Planning commission reviews three projects in east Manatee County

The combined projects would add nearly 400 housing units to the area.

  • East County
  • News
Maddox and Lou Towery have packed up shoeboxes during the Community Holiday Shoebox Collection Drive for the last seven years.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • December 15, 2025
Lakewood Ranch community rallies to support seniors with shoebox event

Community Holiday Shoebox Collection Drive heads toward another record year in donations.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Kelis McGrady poses for a photo on Dec. 11 before Braden River girls basketball's home game against Manatee. The forward/guard has been the engine behind the Pirates' early-season success.
    By
  • Jack Nelson
  • December 15, 2025
East County Athlete of the Week: Kelis McGrady

The junior averaged a double-double through Braden River's first eight games of 2025-26.

  • East County
  • Sports
Lakewood Ranch's Karen and Tom Eckert work as master gardener volunteers with the University of Florida to educate the public about gardening, plants, landscaping and more.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • December 15, 2025
Master gardeners plant seeds of wisdom at Lakewood Ranch Library

Lakewood Ranch's Karen and Tom Eckert are among the experts who teach important gardening techniques.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Katherine Pike (on the left) salsa dances with the cast of "Casa Havana:" Dairon Batista, Isabella Serrano and Jack Gaudreau.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • December 13, 2025
Palm Aire Women's Club members learn to salsa

Club members were treated to a performance and dance lessons from the Tania Vergara Dance-Theater.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
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.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • December 13, 2025
More than 500 runners go the distance in Lakewood Ranch's Jingle 5K

The event supports the Big Bill Foundation and the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center Foundation.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
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.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • December 12, 2025
Lakewood Ranch High revives its science fair

Chemistry and Environmental Science Teacher Alexandra Wilcoxson put together an event that showcased the school's brightest minds.

  • East County
  • Schools
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.”
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • December 12, 2025
Readers can shed the funk with Lakewood Ranch author's 'Unfunkt'

Greenbrook's Jaime Marco wrote the book to let others know they can make a positive impact on their lives.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
SMR's new coffee table book, "Lakewood Ranch — A Legacy of Living with the Land" is available locally and on Amazon.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • December 10, 2025
'Lakewood Ranch — A Legacy of Living with the Land' is a fun history lesson

The coffee table book, written by Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, documents the development of a successful, southwest Florida community.

  • East County
  • Opinion
Carrie Walden, the Project Edge classroom instructor, is teaching 10 students including Mia Pardella and Justin Torres in the Project Edge program at MTC East.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • December 10, 2025
MTC program teaches students with disabilities skills to enter workforce

At Manatee Technical College, Project Edge is transitional program for students with intellectual disabilities to learn foundational skills.

  • East County
  • Schools
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.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • December 10, 2025
Lake Club manager named tops in her field

The honor was part of November's Lakewood Ranch Community Appreciation Awards.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Gabriella Rawles holds a Fighting Irish tennis ball and poses for a photo at Notre Dame Stadium. The senior at ICL Academy online is headed to South Bend, Indiana, in January as an early enrollee.
    By
  • Jack Nelson
  • December 10, 2025
Notre Dame commit rekindles love for tennis after recovery from a shoulder injury

Gabriella Rawles was once unsure if she'd ever return to the sport after the injury caused her passion to fade.

  • East County
  • Sports
Harbor58 volunteers and Manatee County commissioners put the first shovels in the ground Nov. 17.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • December 10, 2025
Harbor58 breaks ground on $4.5 million housing project in Manatee County

The East County nonprofit supports young adults who have aged out of foster care.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Director of Government Relations Stephanie Garrison leads the work session Dec. 3.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • December 10, 2025
Changing millage review process a top priority among Manatee commissioners

Finding a way to cut taxes is a top priority, but finishing improvements on Lorraine Road is not.

  • East County
  • News
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Latest in East County

1
Santa greets visitors from the window of 9605 Governor's Club Place in The River Club.
  • December 20, 2025
Christmas decorating isn't just for kids
2
The Family Church caroling crew from left to right is Melody Johnson, Laurie Houston, Nancy Pilato, Pastor Phil Derstine and Terrial Robinson.
  • December 20, 2025
East Manatee church members will go through bars to spread Christmas joy
3
Charlie Shachat, a co-founder of the Foolishly Festive Christmas Parade, decided to be part of the show for the "Jaws" 50th anniversary.
  • December 19, 2025
Esplanade continues tradition of being 'foolishly festive' for parade
4
Citrus County woman held in shooting death of Manatee man
  • December 18, 2025
Citrus County woman held in shooting death of Manatee man
5
Capri Finan, 7, Madelyn Finan, 9 and Maverick Finan, 3, pose with Santa after telling him what they want for Christmas, which includes a doll house and a trampoline.
  • December 18, 2025
Braden River High transforms into Winter Wonderland

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