• Alternate Text

  • Loading

  • Sand Bucket List
  • 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
  • Things to Do
  • 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
  • Things to Do
  • 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
  • Sand Bucket List
  • Health Observed
  • Crossword
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • e-Newspaper App

East County | Neighbors

Deena King says the Lakewood Ranch market is full of buyers who don't care if their art matches the sofa and the drapes.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • July 9, 2025
Fine arts gallery tests the waters in Lakewood Ranch area

Expressionist painter Deena King brings her brand of art to the border of Waterside.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Three days after moving to Lakewood Ranch, Waterside resident Erin Mason found the LWR Girls Who Walk club, which was started by Paige Venuto of Lakewood Ranch Community Activities.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 9, 2025
LWR Girls Who Walk creates a sense of community through fitness

The Lakewood Ranch club began in March and has 140 members.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Volunteers are given an introduction by co-founder Mark Coates before heading into the workshop to build.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • July 9, 2025
Lakewood Ranch nonprofit offers a sound night's sleep

Beds for Kids delivers up to 50 beds a month throughout Sarasota and Manatee counties.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Eric Konovalov of The Goal Guide accepts the Volunteer of the Year award, the top award at the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance's Sandies.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • July 8, 2025
LWRBA sets up Small Business Bootcamp to teach important business skills

Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance sets up a series of seminars to boost business skills.

  • East County
  • Business
The next SRQ Women's Expo will be held at The Grove July 26-27.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • July 6, 2025
SRQ Women's Expo headed to The Grove

The last expo attracted more than 500 attendees.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Roller skating sensation Anita Zeman manages to keep smiling, even as her husband Karoly Zeman launches her into the air under the Waterside Place Pavilion July 4 during Star-Spangled Spectacular.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • July 5, 2025
Star-Spangled Spectacular lights up Waterside Place in Lakewood Ranch

Lakewood Ranch's first July 4 festival is a smashing success at Waterside Place.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Best friends Olivia Geler and McKenna Bonura snap their photos from the finish tower July 3 at Nathan Benderson Park during Fireworks on the Lake.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • July 4, 2025
Rain can't stop the pop at Nathan Benderson Park

The park hosted its annual Fireworks on the Lake celebration July 3.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Nathan Benderson Park holds its annual Fireworks on the Lake on July 3.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • July 2, 2025
Nathan Benderson Park expands July 3 fireworks show

This year, the Fourth of July fireworks show has been stretched from 15 minutes to 18 minutes.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Cinda Krouk, Joy Stone and Barbara Najmy of the Lake Club Women's Giving Circle say they love helping foster kids through their sneaker drive.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • July 1, 2025
This sneaker drive fits the Lake Club Women's Giving Circle

The fundraising group has a goal of donating 400 pairs of sneakers to foster kids through The Twig.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Kristin Hokanson, the Fiorelli Winery owner, says the Red, White and Blueberry Celebration gets bigger and better each year.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • June 30, 2025
Fiorelli Winery hosts Red, White and Blueberry Celebration

The pre-July 4 celebration gets bigger each year.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
The panelists at the June 25 luncheon were David St Pierre, SeaPort Manatee's senior director of public safety and security; Sandra Tapfumaneyi, Sarasota County's chief of emergency management; Abby Elliot, Oysters Rock Hospitality's senior director of operations; and Jodie Fiske, Manatee County's director of public safety. The moderator was Devaney Iglesias, the area manager of Florida Power & Light.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • June 30, 2025
Manatee, Sarasota experts share 'lessons from the eye of the storm'

The Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance partnered with Florida Power & Light to shed some light on how best to prepare for hurricane season.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Tracy Eisnaugle, professional women in building chair, Jessica Seper deputy executive officer and membership and councils director and Megan Schroeder, young professional committee co-chair were behind the Stuff the Backpack event.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • June 29, 2025
School supplies donated to kids in Manatee and Sarasota counties

The Suncoast Builders Association made the donations of stuffed backpacks through the Boys & Girls Clubs.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Fourth of July 2025 events in Sarasota, Longboat Key and Lakewood Ranch
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • June 26, 2025
Fourth of July 2025 events in Sarasota, Longboat Key and Lakewood Ranch

From parades to the classic fireworks, check out these events to help you celebrate Independence Day right.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Things To Do
The artistry of Pat Neal is building and selling homes, and he continues that journey with the Lakewood Ranch-area's Palm Grove, which hosts a grand opening June 27.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • June 25, 2025
Palm Grove celebrates its grand opening in Lakewood Ranch area

Pat Neal continues to be a master navigating tumultuous real estate waters.

  • East County
  • Opinion
Mary Bilkie is one of the original volunteers for Elks Feeding Empty Little Tummies.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • June 25, 2025
Lakewood Ranch Elks volunteers feed empty little tummies

Elks Feeding Empty Little Tummies packed 14,000 bags of food for school children last year alone.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
« 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 »
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
Stewart Cink kneels by the Alfred S. Bourne Trophy. His name will be the 86th engraved into the silver prize of the Senior PGA Championship — the oldest major on the PGA Tour Champions.
  • April 19, 2026
Stewart Cink wins 2026 Senior PGA Championship
2
Tara Poulton and Ed Ference are two of the four candidates vying for the Republican nomination in District 6.
  • April 19, 2026
Manatee commission candidates face off in Lakewood Ranch
3
Vijay Singh watches his drive on the fifth hole at The Concession Golf Club. The World Golf Hall of Famer and 34-time PGA Tour winner shot 5-under par in the third round of the Senior PGA Championship.
  • April 18, 2026
Championship Sunday approaches at the Senior PGA Championship
4
The School District of Manatee County is working on finding the right wording for Policy 3232, which currently states staff will not be allowed to talk to display anything of a political nature.
  • April 18, 2026
Manatee school board, candidates debate politics, social movements in schools
5
Stewart Cink watches his drive off the 10th-hole tee. He sits two strokes behind the leaders entering the third round of the Senior PGA Championship, in pursuit of his first senior major title.
  • April 17, 2026
Sun sets on first half of Senior PGA Championship

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 © 2026 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.

Anytime. Anywhere. Observer.

From in-depth local reporting to real-time breaking news, stay connected to the stories shaping our community with the Your Observer app.

Download Now for Free