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East County

Josh Thomas.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • March 24, 2021
East County Athlete of the Week: Josh Thomas

The Braden River sprinter talks goal times and his favorite movies.

  • East County
  • Sports
ODA senior Nolan Lewellen is one of the fastest players on the team and is aggressive in stealing bases.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • March 24, 2021
Thunder bats taking opponents by storm

Prose and Kohn: Ryan Kohn

  • East County
  • Sports
East County's (back) Stacey Clevenger, Cindy Jackson, (front) Liz Lynne and Pat Miller volunteer together at the Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch every Wednesday night.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • March 24, 2021
Volunteers begin return to pet projects in Lakewood Ranch

Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch welcomes volunteers back while Nate's Honor Animal Rescue waits for construction to end.

  • East County
  • News
Fruitville Elementary School art teacher Jody Schneider with Dexter and Oso in her Lakewood Ranch home studio. (Courtesy of Jody Schneider)
    By
  • Brendan Lavell
  • March 24, 2021
Lakewood Ranch art teacher finds new "pet" project

Lakewood Ranch art teacher paints pet portraits

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Kathy Cromley of Sertoma Club of Greater Sarasota pours a beer for a customer during My Hometown Fest in 2019. This year, the nonprofit is hosting My Hometown Jam, a smaller fundraiser than My Hometown Fest. Courtesy photo.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • March 24, 2021
Small jam still sweet at Nathan Benderson Park

Six bands will perform for 300 people at the Sertoma Club's My Hometown Jam at Nathan Benderson Park.

  • East County
  • News
O'Mariah Gordon.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • March 24, 2021
East County High 5 Moments: 03.25.21

East County High 5 Moments: 03.25.21

  • East County
  • Sports
Children from the Boys and Girls Club of Manatee County watch as Ilee Finocchiaro, an instructor for Sarasota Manatee Association for Riding Therapy, lead Jazz across the barn.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • March 24, 2021
SMART expands its reach in east Bradenton

Sarasota Manatee Association for Riding Therapy expands its programming to reach more community members.

  • East County
  • News
Country Club resident Dr. Jennifer Bencie, the Manatee County Health Officer for the Florida Department of Health, is pictured at the county's drive-thru vaccination site at Tom Bennett Park.
    By
  • Brendan Lavell
  • March 24, 2021
You've been vaccinated — Now what?

Vaccinated East Manatee County residents enjoy new freedoms

  • East County
  • News
Sarasota Film Society President Renee Baggott and Vice President Trisha Calandra are excited to reopen Lakewood Ranch Cinema earlier than expected.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • March 24, 2021
Return to the big screen in Lakewood Ranch

Lakewood Ranch Cinema will open March 31 with "Godzilla Vs. Kong" and provide a full lineup of new movies starting April 2.

  • East County
  • News
A vote to appoint Manatee County School Board member Scott Hopes as interim administrator Tuesday was denied 4-3, though he is still the frontrunner for the job. The commission will make a final decision April 1.
    By
  • Brendan Lavell
  • March 23, 2021
Manatee County commissioners delay selecting an interim administrator until April 1

Motion to approve Manatee County School Board member Scott Hopes as interim administrator failed.

  • East County
  • News
Vanessa Baugh and three other Manatee County commissioners were found not to have committed any Sunshine Law violations by The Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
    By
  • Brendan Lavell
  • March 22, 2021
Investigation finds no Sunshine Law violations by Manatee County commissioners

Vanessa Baugh, three other Manatee County commissioners cleared of Sunshine Law violations by Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

  • East County
  • News
A COVID-19 vaccination is given at the Manatee County drive-thru vaccination operation at Tom Bennett Park. (Courtesy of Florida Department of Health-Manatee County)
    By
  • Brendan Lavell
  • March 19, 2021
All Manatee County adults now eligible to register for vaccine

Manatee County opens registration to Florida residents 18 and older

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • March 18, 2021
East County weather page photo: March 18

Bruce Silverman took this photo of a Christmas cactus in bloom in Rosedale.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
A COVID-19 vaccination is given at the Manatee County drive-thru vaccination operation at Tom Bennett Park. (Courtesy of Florida Department of Health-Manatee County)
    By
  • Brendan Lavell
  • March 18, 2021
Manatee County expands registration to residents 55 and up

Manatee County residents 55 and up can now register for vaccine, must wait to receive it

  • East County
  • News
Robert Turner, Ben Guth, Trevor Garofalo, Ray Sullivan and J.T. Bacigalupi are Myakka City Fire Control District firefighters. Guth, Garofalo and Sullivan are leading the effort to introduce East Manatee firefighters to the area.
    By
  • Brendan Lavell
  • March 17, 2021
Caution ... merge ahead for East Manatee, Myakka fire districts

Myakka City-East Manatee fire merger preparations underway

  • East County
  • News
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Latest in East County

1
EverCreek at Lakewood Ranch will be built by Pulte Homes off Bourneside Boulevard.
  • June 10, 2026
1,000 homes planned for new Lakewood Ranch community
2
Sam Michael Sciturro
  • June 10, 2026
Sam Michael Sciturro
3
Vittoria Ferrisi Alvarez, Gracie Nichols and Sawyer Nowicki, all seventh graders at Dr. Mona Jain Middle School, created the book called "Snowball's Iceberg Incident" to compete in the Children's Stories event for Technology Student Association.
  • June 10, 2026
Local students prepare for national TSA competition
4
Madison McKay is in her second and final season with Sarasota Crew. With the club's Youth Women's Eight boat, she'll have a chance at ending her high school rowing career as a junior national champion.
  • June 10, 2026
Team change lifts local rower into the junior national championships
5
Jim Emanuelson is the president of Lakewood Ranch CERT, and John McInally is the responder liaison.
  • June 10, 2026
Lakewood Ranch nonprofit quick to respond in an emergency

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