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East County | Neighbors

At Myakka River State Park, imperiled native species like black skimmers find undisturbed habitats and abundant food.
    By
  • Miri Hardy
  • January 16, 2025
Myakka counts record black skimmers

Clean water and undisturbed natural habitats attract and sustain imperiled native bird species.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Braden River High student Dallace Ryan poses with her steer, Sterling, during after-school work at Braden River High School ahead of the Manatee County Fair.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • January 15, 2025
East County students ready to compete for ribbons at Manatee County Fair

Future Farmers of America students put in months of work to show animals to judges.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Nolan Middle School student Danni Hammond poses with her cow ahead of the Manatee County Fair.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • January 15, 2025
Don't miss these events at the Manatee County Fair

Key information as the Manatee County Fair begins its 2025 run in Palmetto.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
ThunderBug amps up the crowd just before the first puck drop between the Lightning and Devils at a watch party held on Lakewood Ranch Main Street on Saturday, Jan. 11.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • January 12, 2025
Lakewood Ranch shows its hockey pride at Tampa Bay Lightning Watch Party

People of all ages enjoyed a ball hockey tournament and a Lightning vs. Devils game.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Star Farms residents Barbara Malta and Lynette Cahill attend the expo to explore medical services because they're new to town.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • January 11, 2025
Sarasota wellness expo showcases local medical services

The annual New Year, New You Health & Wellness Expo was held at the Mall at University Town Center.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Brian Dryfhout, director of marketing and communications for SunCoast Blood Centers, stands in front of the nearly empty cooler at the Lakewood Ranch location. SunCoast is asking the community for donations due to a shortage of blood.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • January 11, 2025
Lakewood Ranch blood center needs donations to stock shelves

SunCoast Blood Centers provides blood to area hospitals and the Sarasota Fire Department.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Lakewood Ranch High student Yulia Morales hosted her first-ever 'Science Stars' lesson on Friday, Jan. 3 at the Lakewood Ranch Library.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • January 8, 2025
Lakewood Ranch High student creates 'Science Stars' to inspire tweens

Yulia Morales hopes to show kids how science can be fun with monthly experiments.

  • East County
  • Schools
Manatee County is gearing up for the RUN Manatee 5K Series in 2025. Three races will be held across the county at different locations from April through November.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • January 8, 2025
Manatee County gears up for new 5K series

The races will take place at Tom Bennett Park, Coquina Beach and Rye Preserve from April through November.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Former champion Ron Orlando hands Debra Quinn the 2024 YMCA Bridge Club trophy on Dec. 19 at the annual potluck luncheon.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • January 7, 2025
Bridge Club stimulates mental exercise at Lakewood Ranch YMCA

Members of the Lakewood Ranch YMCA Bridge Club say the game is challenging and fun.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Local artist Trevor Bystrom and musical partner Peter Mawanga, from Malawi, Africa, performed their music for Lakewood Ranch on Dec. 18 at Ranch Nite Wednesday at Waterside Place.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • January 7, 2025
Two musicians bridge gap between US and Africa

Regular Lakewood Ranch performer Trevor Bystrom unites with Malawian musician Peter Mawanga for a Waterside show.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
The band Funky Bonez brings a "Neon New Year Party" to the Green at UTC on Jan 2.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • January 3, 2025
Neon dance party packs The Green at University Town Center

Funky Bonez performed at 2025's first installment of UTC Live on the Green in Sarasota on Jan. 2.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
SCF student LaShawn'te Lee, MTC students Emma Ramirez and Krystal Camacho, Scholarship Committee Chair Peg Buck and SCF Foundation Chair Chris Romine pose for a photo during the Palm Aire Women's Club Scholarship Luncheon.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • January 1, 2025
East County women's club aims to make a difference

The Palm Aire Women's Club raises money for charity and scholarships.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
  • By None
  • January 1, 2025
Make Space for Good

As you reflect on your resolutions, take a moment to go through closets, storage bins, and those forgotten corners of your home.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Sponsored Content
The Elks' Faith Frost joins Prodigal Daughters' Denise Gattuso and Ruth Perez-Hernandez and the Elks' Darrin Simone in distributing toys to kids in need during the Elks Toy Drive.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • December 24, 2024
Elks show their heart in Lakewood Ranch with toys for children in need

More than 7,500 toys were collected during the Elks Toy Drive with help from Walgreens.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Boats numbering in the hundreds came out in support of keeping Midnight Pass open.
    By
  • Jim DeLa
  • December 21, 2024
Your Observer's most-viewed stories of 2024 reveal not-so-surprising observations

Thirteen of the 25 most-viewed stories of 2024 on YourObserver.com were hurricane-related.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
« 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 »
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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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