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East County | Neighbors

Camryn Duley has loved snakes since the age of 5. She takes Ghost, her cinnamon pied ball python, in public often to debunk the idea that snakes are dangerous and scary.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • May 14, 2025
This Ghost, a cinnamon pied ball python, shows off in Lakewood Ranch

Lakewood Ranch High sophomore Camryn Duley takes her cinnamon pied ball python out in public to show that not all snakes are dangerous.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Waterside's Andrew and Kristine Santucci hold their 2-month-old twins Scarlett and Zayden during the Mother's Day event May 10 at Waterside Place. At 38, Kristine said she was blessed to be celebrating her first Mother's Day as a mom.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • May 10, 2025
Waterside Place honors moms with a special event

The Petals and Poses fashion show in Lakewood Ranch highlighted the program that drew hundreds.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Platoon Sgt. John Skeen is honored at the Elks Lodge in Lakewood Ranch May 8 on Victory in Europe Day.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • May 9, 2025
East County WWII veteran knighted into the Legion of Honor

The honor is only awarded to United States veterans who fought on French soil.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Rebecca Adams, the CEO of Keller Williams Coastal Living II, finishes a Scripture verse that will go to a child in need of a bed.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • May 8, 2025
Keller Williams' volunteers work on 'Red Day' to put this problem to bed

Company employees provide labor for the Beds for Kids nonprofit on their annual day of service.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Tampa resident and stilt walker Natasha Eriksen performs on Cinco de Mayo at Agave Bandido.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • May 7, 2025
Agave Bandido hosts Cinco de Mayo event with fire performers, stilt walkers

Guests celebrate in Waterside Place with food, drinks, music and more.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Bradenton's 7-year-old Ensley Rondenne learns archery at Rye Preserve May 3.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • May 6, 2025
Youth archery program hits the mark at Rye Preserve

Spots are still available for summer camp. Monthly classes will resume in September.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
"Have a good time and forget about what people think," said Jerry Wood. He and his wife of 56 years Carol Wood dance to the blues music, being the only ones dancing at the time.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • May 4, 2025
Main Street comes alive for Music on Main

Music on Main consisted of live musical entertainment, inflatable games for kids and food and business vendors.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Ecological connectivity is critical for imperiled native species such as Florida scrub jays, who were last observed at Myakka in 2005.
    By
  • Miri Hardy
  • May 4, 2025
Connectivity key to healthy habitats

Wildlife corridors help maintain natural processes that support clean air, rich soil and freshwater.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Benjamin Hansen plays Scar.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • May 3, 2025
'The Lion King Jr.' pounces onto the stage

Students at the Woodland Fine Arts Academy have been working on the production since August.

  • East County
  • Schools
Blues musicians Miguel Primero and Steve Arvey play at Jiggs Landing April 24.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • May 2, 2025
Thursdays are for the blues at Jiggs Landing

The preserve offers live music every day for three hours before sunset.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
John Hettler, principal and founder of SOSA said he is very grateful to the Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation for their generous donation towards the new playground equipment and necessary repairs. Executive director Kate Mulligan and president Mark Clark were amongst the members of the foundation present.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • May 2, 2025
Sea of Strengths Academy receives grant for new playground

The Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation presented them with a grant for $8,700 to go towards the playground after Kelly Gonzalez, a parent at the school, wrote approximately 30 different ones.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Jennifer Alokeh and Barbara Najmy lead The Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle with passion and compassion.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • April 30, 2025
Lake Club Women's Giving Circle grows into an important community resource

The circle started with 10 members over 10 years ago and has since doled out over $220,000 worth of grants.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Alex Benson says the current mural is much more detailed and will take more time than previous projects. His goal is to have it complete over the summer, ready for the 2025-2026 school year.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • April 29, 2025
Local mural artist volunteers his talent to beautify McNeal Elementary

Alex Benson has painted three murals at the Lakewood Ranch school.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Jim Howell and Jack McCaffrey are students at Florida Studio Theatre. McCaffrey studied animation and design at the Ringling College of Art and Design.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • April 28, 2025
Free acting class series coming to Lakewood Ranch Library

Florida Studio Theatre employees will lead classes on Improv for All, Acting Foundations, Reader’s Circle and Intro to Playwriting.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
W. Kenneth Tyler Jr. is a Lakewood Ranch Certified Public Accountant, and now he's an author too.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • April 27, 2025
Lakewood Ranch accountant's creativity adds up to fiction

W. Kenneth Tyler Jr. is an accountant by day and author by night.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
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Latest in East County

1
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.
  • December 13, 2025
More than 500 runners go the distance in Lakewood Ranch's Jingle 5K
2
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
3
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'
4
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
5
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

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