• Alternate Text

  • Loading

  • Holiday Gift Guide
  • 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
  • LWR Life
  • Galleries
  • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Red Tide Map
    • 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
  • LWR Life
  • Galleries
  • More
    • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Red Tide Map
    • Health Observed
    • Sand Bucket List
    • Calendar
    • Celebrations
    • Contests
    • Tributes
    • Submit a Celebration
    • Submit a Tribute
    • Public Notices
    • Classifieds
  • Holiday Gift Guide
  • Health Observed
  • Crossword
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • e-Newspaper App

East County

School board member Cindy Spray said "students are students to me." She has the most charter school students in her district. She made a visit to ¡HOLA! Elementary School on April 1. Spray was walking through the hallways and saw Dalba Lopez's music class dancing and they performed a special routine for her.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • June 4, 2025
Manatee school board will vote to give charters a cut of half-penny tax

Since 2023, charter schools have not received funding from the half-penny sales tax.

  • East County
  • Schools
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
  • June 4, 2025
Manatee school board wants fast process to find new superintendent

The School Board of Manatee County aims to have a new superintendent in place by the time the 2025-26 school year begins in August.

  • East County
  • Schools
The East County spring prep players of the year
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • June 4, 2025
The East County spring prep players of the year

These athletes made a difference on and off the field.

  • East County
  • Sports
The Concession Golf Club has been working to land the Senior PGA Championship for the past three years, General Manager Brian Weimann said.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • June 3, 2025
Sarasota commits $4.5 million to promote Senior PGA Championship

The major tournament is coming to The Concession for three years, beginning in 2026.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Haile Middle School teacher arrested on charge of lewd contact
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • June 3, 2025
Haile Middle School teacher arrested on charge of lewd contact

The student told deputies that the teacher sent an explicit photo.

  • East County
  • News
Gordon Silver took this photo of a male and female bald eagle in a nest in Lakewood Ranch.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • June 3, 2025
Eagles’ nest delays construction on 44th Avenue East extension

Manatee County staff made several accommodations for wildlife during the planning and construction of the roadway.

  • East County
  • News
A Country Club Village home at 6809 Belmont Court sold for $2.2 million. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 5,701 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • June 3, 2025
Top residential real estate sales for May 19-23 in Lakewood Ranch

A Lake Club home on Baycross Drive topped the week’s sales at $4.8 million.

  • East County
  • Real Estate
Lakewood Ranch area soccer player Sky Commissar will represent Great Britain at the 2025 Maccabiah Games.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • June 3, 2025
Lakewood Ranch soccer player selected to 'Jewish Olympics'

Sky Commissar will represent Great Britain at the 2025 Maccabiah Games.

  • East County
  • Sports
Killdeer are dedicated parents known for their 'broken-wing' display, feigning injury to lure intruders away from their chicks or nest.
    By
  • Miri Hardy
  • June 2, 2025
Myakka River thrives with restored floodplain

New life embraces Myakka’s habitat restoration zone.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Eddy Thomas, Kylie West, Kylah Scheetz and Charlotte Humlicek are among the 34 seventh grade students that will skip the eighth grade and start taking high school level classes next school year through the SOAR program.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • June 2, 2025
Students begin high school early with Lakewood Ranch Prep Soar program

Students in the Soar program have the opportunity to earn as many as 60 college credits during their five-year high school career.

  • East County
  • Schools
Willow and Winnie take a rest in the shade.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • June 2, 2025
Myakka City welcomes two baby warthogs

Willow and Winnie are 7 weeks old sisters who now live at the Sarasota Parrot Conservatory.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Lakewood Ranch rising senior Aiden Getschow made eight tackles including three for a loss of yards in the Mustangs' 27-14 win over George Jenkins on May 15.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • June 2, 2025
East County Athlete of the Week: Aiden Getschow

Linebacker Aiden Getschow helped Lakewood Ranch football win its spring game with eight tackles.

  • East County
  • Sports
Mary Oquendo, the recycling coordinator for Manatee County, shows off the "big bin."
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • June 1, 2025
Lakewood Ranch Farmers' Market offers produce and information

The Farmers Market is a year round event held every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Pine Island is located near the mouth of the Braden River.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • June 1, 2025
Manatee buys 13 acres to complete its ownership of a Braden River island

The county already held the deed to 66 acres of Pine Island.

  • East County
  • News
The Manatee County Sheriff's Office Dive Team takes a celebratory photo after pulling a sunken minivan out of the Manatee River.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • May 30, 2025
Dive team extracts stubborn minivan from the Manatee River

The vehicle was so heavy with sand, three prior attempts by the Manatee Sheriff's Office divers failed.

  • East County
  • News
« 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 »
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 East County

1
Residents line up behind the podium to object to a proposal for Altman Rye Townhomes.
  • December 15, 2025
Planning commission reviews three projects in east Manatee County
2
Maddox and Lou Towery have packed up shoeboxes during the Community Holiday Shoebox Collection Drive for the last seven years.
  • December 15, 2025
Lakewood Ranch community rallies to support seniors with shoebox event
3
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.
  • December 15, 2025
East County Athlete of the Week: Kelis McGrady
4
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.
  • December 15, 2025
Master gardeners plant seeds of wisdom at Lakewood Ranch Library
5
Katherine Pike (on the left) salsa dances with the cast of "Casa Havana:" Dairon Batista, Isabella Serrano and Jack Gaudreau.
  • December 13, 2025
Palm Aire Women's Club members learn to salsa

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 © 2025 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.

The Your Observer App is Here!

Get local news you can trust — now on your phone, tablet or laptop. Fast. Free. Easy to Use.
Stay informed, wherever you are.

Download Now