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East County | Neighbors

Adam Altman, account executive for the Sarasota Paradise, greets guests at the Premier Sports Campus Aug. 19 for Sarasota Paradise Day.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • August 21, 2025
Soccer fans in paradise at Premier Sports Campus

The Sarasota Paradise soccer team hosted a party to celebrate Sarasota Paradise Day.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Dick Vitale in his Lakewood Ranch office, surrounded by a lifetime of achievements — and still chasing new goals.
    By
  • Eric Snider
  • August 21, 2025
Life for Dick Vitale is pretty great. But a stinging failure set up his shot for success.

From national fame to personal travails, famed ESPN sportscaster Dick Vitale talks resilience, reinvention and what keeps him going.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Jean Blackburn rides through a canopy of oak and palm on her Old Miakka property — 14 acres of native Florida habitat that fuels both her artwork and conservation efforts.
    By
  • Su Byron
  • August 21, 2025
Myakka City is known for its rural nature — and its salt-of-the-earth people

In a place where cowboy hats outnumber stoplights, three locals live by the rhythm of the land.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
The kitchen and family room have been reborn in a contemporary style, showcasing a new coastal look.
  • By Robert Plunket
  • August 21, 2025
A dramatic update brings a Country Club home into the future

A well-loved family home gets a stylish refresh — proving that smart updates and staging can make all the difference for resale.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Denise Allen and fiancé Mark Latcheran of Parrish visit with Dr. Shilpa Jadeja, who was part of Latcheran's care team at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • August 20, 2025
Chalk up a life saved for Lakewood Ranch Medical Center

Parrish's Mark Latcheran tells a feel-good story about the hospital's staff.

  • East County
  • Opinion
Elena Cassella worked in the Manatee County School District for 17 years before taking a job in fundraising with Foundation for Dreams in 2010.
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • August 20, 2025
Camp is a dream come true for individuals with disabilities

With some help from (lots of) friends, an east Manatee County organization aims to grow its unique camp that supports individuals with special needs and their families.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Rita Lewis, owner of Linger Lodge, has worked nearly every role in the house. Today, she's the heart and soul of the operation.
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • August 20, 2025
Linger Lodge serves up a heaping portion of Old Florida

Rita Lewis shares the magic behind one of Florida's most storied and beloved riverfront restaurants.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
A gopher tortoise emerges from the grasses of Heritage Ranch Preserve. More than 350 animal species rely on abandoned burrows like this one for shelter, nesting and survival.
    By
  • Emily Leinfuss
  • August 20, 2025
These conservationists of a threatened species may just surprise you

The Heritage Ranch Gopher Tortoise Preserve offers a long-term refuge for slow movers with a big ecological role.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Sara Stone has worked at the Market Street Lakewood Ranch Publix for 18 years.
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • August 19, 2025
This Publix bakery staple has been creating confectionary delights for 20 years

Sara Stone is nearing her 20-year anniversary of doing some edible, yet mostly behind the scenes, work: creating and baking some of Lakewood Ranch's tastiest cakes.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
  • By Manatee County
  • August 18, 2025
Coming October 6 to Unincorporated Manatee County... Big Bins

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Sponsored Content
St. Lucie County's Sara Rosenzweig and Volusia County's Copper Reynolds share a moment of excitement as they complete their 100 meter race at the Special Olympics Florida 2025 State Stand Up Paddle Competititon on Aug. 16.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • August 17, 2025
Special Olympics athletes stand up to the challenge at Sarasota paddling event

The Stand Up Paddle event drew 155 athletes to Nathan Benderson Park.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Punta Gorda's Zarita Dixon sings with the Suncoast Swing Band.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • August 15, 2025
Waterside Place sways to the Suncoast Swing Band

The band performed hits from Glenn Miller to Kool & the Gang.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
William Rasulo and Grayson Blaney do not let the heat stop them from putting their all into a game of soccer. Blaney has played soccer for four years and calls it "fun soccer" when he plays at the Y.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • August 8, 2025
Lakewood Ranch YMCA wraps up its summer camp program

The summer camp keeps kids busy with sports, crafts, games, pool time and more.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Lakewood Ranch resident Arelis Calkins sees life as a beautiful thing despite traumatic experiences in her life. She shares stories and advice in her book "Rising Above Adversity: Healing and Nurturing your Inner Child."
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • August 6, 2025
Lakewood Ranch author writes about blazing path through childhood trauma

"Rising Above Adversity: Healing and Nurturing your Inner Child” documents Arelis Calkins' personal struggles and how she overcame them.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Bradenton residents Sandjina Alexis, 5 and Berline Valcius were thrilled to receive backpacks.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • August 5, 2025
Stillpoint Mission distributes 810 backpacks for students in need

Each backpack includes school supplies and a $35 gift card to use at Bealls.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
« 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 »
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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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