• 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 | Neighbors

Sylvia Abdelsalam, vice president of the Lakewood Ranch Garden Club and Garden Fest Committee Chair with Penny Kress, a Garden Fest committee member.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • April 8, 2025
Lakewood Ranch Library to host Garden Fest

The Lakewood Ranch Garden Club's Garden Fest will have 50 vendors, educational speakers and crafts for kids.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
John Woodman, a division manager for Homes by Towne, sits on a swing at the new Midway Park. A grand opening is being held April 12 at the park that connects the Wild Blue and Shellstone communities.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • April 8, 2025
Two Waterside communities unveil a park at their midway point

Wild Blue and Shellstone combine to build an exceptional athlete and social facility.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
This 2024 McLaren was Chet Kitchen's gift to himself for beating stage 4 cancer.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • April 5, 2025
Engines and lions roar at Big Cat Habitat

The animal sanctuary hosted Sarasota Cars and Coffee on April 5.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Alexandra Gutierrez and Aliah Reyes enjoy a break between songs during their performance.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • April 5, 2025
Imagine school at Lakewood Ranch showcases students' artistic talents

"Artistry & Insights" features a collage of artwork and music.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Rosedale Golf Classic co-founders Deb Kehoe and Kathi Skelton get together with Army Sgt. Aaron Cornelius, who was being honored April 2 at the 2025 event and who will receive an adaptive home from Homes for Our Troops.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • April 3, 2025
Teeing off for Homes for Our Troops at Rosedale Country Club

The East County community was No. 1 in the nation in 2024 raising money to build adaptive homes for disabled troops through Homes for Our Troops.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Samantha McKee, the Blue Butterfly brand strategist, talks about the program with Manager Danielle Wondrak.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • April 2, 2025
Blue Butterfly manager provides a lifetime of hugs to children who are grieving

Danielle Wondrak, whose dad died when she was 10, said it is her calling to help grieving children.

  • East County
  • Opinion
Stoneybrook's Eileen Wright says that after seeing how much Korn Ferry Tour caddies earn, she wanted to help them with a place to stay during the LECOM Suncoast Classic
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • April 2, 2025
Suncoast Classic needs locals willing to host Korn Ferry Tour golfers and caddies

Host families in the Lakewood Ranch area do not need to be golfers or fans to lend a hand.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Susan Giroux holds a photo of a senior dog while stressing to the audience to consider adopting older dogs, not just puppies.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • March 30, 2025
A delightful day for divas and dogs in Lakewood Ranch

The Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch hosts its annual Divas and Dogs fundraiser.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
State and local commitments help preserve the timeless beauty and ecological integrity of the only Florida State-designated Wild and Scenic River.
    By
  • Miri Hardy
  • March 29, 2025
Myakka Act protects wild and scenic river values

Upland river buffers help preserve and enhance this quintessential natural treasure.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Damascus awes the crowd by lifting himself up after a command from Rebecca McCullough.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • March 27, 2025
Lipizzan Stallion stalwart finds time to pen a novel in Myakka City

Rebecca McCullough's love of horses in Myakka City isn't fiction. But her "Planet of Equus" is, indeed, fiction.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
East County's Seth Heiland launches a bean bag during a game of cornhole.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • March 27, 2025
Waterside Place offers more than food trucks on Wednesdays

Ranch Nite Wednesday offers cornhole, volleyball, miniature golf and more.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
  • By Devaney Iglesias, Manager of External Affairs for Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Florida Power & Light Company
  • March 27, 2025
Building a Brighter Future: How Volunteerism Powers Southwest Florida

FPL celebrates 100 years in the community, one truth remains clear: the strongest communities are those where people come together to support one another.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Sponsored Content
  • By Latham Pools
  • March 27, 2025
Get Out of the Stone Age with a Latham Fiberglass Pool

Say goodbye to labor-intensive upkeep and hello to stress-free relaxation that lasts for decades.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Sponsored Content
Kathy Schimmoller making a quilt during A Stitch & A Prayer.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • March 26, 2025
Living Lord Lutheran stitches together important quilt program

The Lakewood Ranch church is seeking new members to help its quilting club thrive.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Braden River High junior Aaron Gordon won a two-year scholarship for his winning entry in a Black History Month essay contest.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • March 25, 2025
Braden River High junior wins Black History Month essay contest

Aaron Gordon, who loves music, picked Ray Charles as his subject for the essay.

  • East County
  • Schools
« 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 »
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
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

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