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East County

Paradise players Owen Barnett, Andres Freire and Jeffrey White helped lead the team to a division championship this season, but might not return in 2026.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • July 22, 2025
Sarasota Paradise ends amateur era with playoff loss

The soon-to-be professional soccer club will have a new look in 2026.

  • East County
  • Sports
Nicole Williams is the new principal for Bashaw Elementary School. She is entering her 30th year in education in Manatee County, eager to make and grow new connections in the school.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 21, 2025
New principal at Bashaw Elementary has high expectations for staff and students

Nicole Williams will begin her 30th year in education in Manatee County.

  • East County
  • Schools
The Hearts of ODA camp was led by Camela Giraud, the director of collaborative learning and education outreach at ODA. She was assisted by co-facilitator Colby Heidke, who is a 2025 ODA graduate and also the founder of the Sarasota Mobility Alliance.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 18, 2025
Hearts of ODA camp in Lakewood Ranch provides volunteer time and talent

The student campers have volunteered at nonprofits such as All Faiths Food Bank and Meals on Wheels.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Interim superintendent Kevin Chapman's contract was finalized in a special board meeting May 29. He will be interim until January 5, 2026 or whenever the school board hires someone in his place.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 18, 2025
Exciting school year ahead for Manatee schools

Interim Superintendent Kevin Chapman says new schools, student achievement strides spark enthusiasm in the new school year.

  • East County
  • Schools
Sarasota softball dog-piled in the pitcher's circle after securing the final out against Riverview Sumner on May 15.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • July 18, 2025
Female athletes at the prep level have more opportunities than ever

Sarasota and Manatee county schools continue to work on evening the playing field.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Richard Tatem
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 18, 2025
Hiring superintendent tops District 5 school board member's goals

Richard Tatem says increasing vocational opportunities, increasing on-time bus routes important goals in 2025-26.

  • East County
  • Schools
Madison Bierl is the education and community reporter at the East County Observer.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 18, 2025
Letter from your education reporter: There's a lot to look forward to in the 2025-26 school year

Manatee County schools provides a much larger district to cover than she grew up with in Iowa.

  • East County
  • Schools
Lakewood Ranch's Michael and Gina Bohn try out a mattress at City Furniture's grand opening July 17 at the new UTC east district store.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • July 17, 2025
City Furniture makes grand entrance into Sarasota market

The chain furniture store holds grand opening ceremonies at its new store in UTC's east district.

  • East County
  • Business
Grace Community Church is expanding its Lakewood Ranch campus to include a student center.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • July 17, 2025
Lakewood Ranch megachurch still growing

Grace Community Church bought a new building for its staff and is constructing an overflow parking lot and student center.

  • East County
  • News
The Out-of-Door Academy rising senior Dylan Walker plays wide receiver, kicker, punter and defensive back for the Thunder.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • July 17, 2025
East County Athlete of the Week: Dylan Walker

The ODA football player has ramped up his recruitment this summer.

  • East County
  • Sports
Lakewood Ranch Community Activities' Paige Venuto, Keith Pandeloglou, and Danielle Bugel look forward to the first Communi-tee Golf Classic at Calusa Golf and Country Club Sept. 17.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • July 17, 2025
Lakewood Ranch Community Activities launches its first golf tournament

Calusa Golf and Country Club in Lakewood Ranch will host the inaugural event Sept. 17.

  • East County
  • Opinion
The boathouse and events center planned for Nathan Benderson Park is expected to cost between $60 million and $70 million.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • July 16, 2025
Nathan Benderson Park boathouse, events center begins to take shape

Nathan Benderson Conservancy board member says 2026 will be an important fundraising year for the $60 million to $70 million project.

  • East County
  • News
Lake Manatee K-8 is the first K-8 school in the School District of Manatee County to be built from the ground up with the purpose of serving elementary and middle school kids.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 16, 2025
Lake Manatee K-8 school readies for opening day in Lakewood Ranch

Administrators, teachers and students are all beginning their voyage at the new school together.

  • East County
  • Schools
Manatee County commissioners hold the second of two required public hearings May 8 to request "extraordinary circumstances" from the state to raise impact fees.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • July 16, 2025
Manatee receives threat of litigation over increased impact fees

Freedom Housing Alliance Inc. maintains the impact fee increase violates state statute.

  • East County
  • News
Milton Cogswell Shattuck (1932-2025)
    In Memoriam |
  • July 15, 2025
Milton Cogswell Shattuck

Milton C. Shattuck Jr. “Mit”, Lieutenant Colonel, Retired, 92, passed away peacefully on July 9, following a courageous battle with cancer.

  • East County
  • Tributes & Obituaries
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Latest in East County

1
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
2
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'
3
SMR's new coffee table book, "Lakewood Ranch — A Legacy of Living with the Land" is available locally and on Amazon.
  • December 10, 2025
'Lakewood Ranch — A Legacy of Living with the Land' is a fun history lesson
4
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.
  • December 10, 2025
MTC program teaches students with disabilities skills to enter workforce
5
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

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