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East County | News

CEO Mike Bisaha says the new equipment will at least triple Big Top Brewing Co.'s beer production.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • December 3, 2025
Big Top to open expanded brew house at Sarasota's Fruitville Commons

An upgraded brewing system will more than triple Big Top's beer production.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
Marine Corps veteran Dale Cole lives in Greenfield Plantation and is a regular user of Manatee Moves.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • December 3, 2025
Ride service for Manatee County veterans is on the move

Since the Manatee Moves program began in January, more than 300 veterans have utilized 1,935 free rides.

  • East County
  • News
Commissioners George Kruse and Bob McCann are on opposite sides of the AAA High School vote. Kruse voted in favor of approving the site plan, and McCann voted to deny the site plan.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • December 3, 2025
Manatee commissioners have final say about new school but no real power

The issue came to the forefront when three of four Manatee County commissioners voted to deny a Lakewood Ranch school site plan.

  • East County
  • News
Manatee County is getting its first landfill-to-renewable natural gas facility, a $50M project led by Nopetro Energy.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • December 2, 2025
Energy company plans to convert Manatee landfill waste gas into fuel

Nopetro Energy of Miami says it's moving ahead on a $50 million investment at the Lena Road site.

  • East County
  • News
Construction on the Athletics and Aquatics Center is underway at Premier Sports Campus North.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • November 25, 2025
No hotel at Premier Sports — yet

Another 126 acres was rezoned to build out the now 236-acre campus.

  • East County
  • News
Instead of a ribbon, a 180-pound blue fin tuna will be cut to celebrate the grand opening of Kuro Sushi.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • November 22, 2025
Kuro Sushi rolls into Lakewood Ranch

Instead of a ribbon-cutting, the grand opening celebration included a tuna-cutting ceremony.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells advocates for a countywide curfew.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • November 21, 2025
Curfew in effect for Manatee kids under 16

County Commission approves nighttime limits, though some parents question the potential effects.

  • East County
  • News
Fourth grade students Liam Aikin, Tate Brase, Raymond Burdick and Madden Dabek will be fifth graders next year and will only have one class above them when sixth grade opens at Lake Manatee K-8.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • November 19, 2025
Lake Manatee K-8 to open middle school in phases

With the new rezoning maps comes the decision to open only sixth grade in August instead of sixth, seventh and eighth all at once.

  • East County
  • Schools
Steve Postle and Tom Walrath are changing the way ponds are maintained in Lakewood Ranch's Central Park.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • November 19, 2025
Grant funding flows to Lakewood Ranch community ponds

Central Park has 29 ponds, five of which are being supplied with plants thanks to the Healthy Pond Collaborative.

  • East County
  • News
Sarasota County Sheriff's Office deputies are stationed at the exit of Cars and Coffee Nov. 8.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • November 19, 2025
Cars & Coffee cuts the gas on revving engines

Organizers of the Sarasota event warned motorists to quiet down or be banned from all future events.

  • East County
  • News
Charlie Kirk, left, and Chris Pavlovski share the stage at a Turning Point USA event. Pavloski, chairman and CEO of the video platform Rumble, said Kirk was an early investor in Rumble and played a large part in bringing Rumble's headquarters to Longboat Key.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • November 17, 2025
Request for Charlie Kirk memorial road approved

The Sarasota County Commission approved a measure requesting the state designate a segment of Fruitville Road as a Charlie Kirk memorial.

  • Sarasota
  • News
John Morrison takes his Gadsden flag down after receiving two notices from his homeowners association saying the flag violates community deed restrictions.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • November 18, 2025
Preserve at Tara HOA tells resident to remove his Gadsden flag

The homeowner says the flag fits within the community's guidelines, but he removed it when threatened with fines.

  • East County
  • News
Manatee School District shares redrawn zoning maps, seeks feedback
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • November 17, 2025
Manatee School District shares redrawn zoning maps, seeks feedback

The zones for elementary, middle and K-8 schools will be implemented in the 2026-2027 school year, while high school rezoning begins 2027-2028.

  • East County
  • Schools
Hole 14 is one of two greens that was resodded last year. The rest of the course was sprigged to grow new grass.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • November 17, 2025
Preserve Golf Club ups its game with new greens, restaurant, fitness studio

The public is invited to attend a soft reopening of the Tara club from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 22.

  • East County
  • News
Laurie Breslin was named superintendent of the School District of Manatee County in August.
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • November 16, 2025
Manatee School District welcomes a new leader

The new head of the School District of Manatee County brings a local flavor to the job.

  • East County
  • Schools
1 2 3 4 5 »
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Latest in East County

1
CEO Mike Bisaha says the new equipment will at least triple Big Top Brewing Co.'s beer production.
  • December 3, 2025
Big Top to open expanded brew house at Sarasota's Fruitville Commons
2
Mill Creek's Ilana Simone, who performs as Ilana Armida, has returned to her roots after living in Los Angeles to pursue her musical career.
  • December 3, 2025
Mill Creek musical artist continues to search for her audience
3
Lakewood Ranch High School graduate Jason Huh has founded a few different companies, including Sodi Pop. Sodi Pop is now available in a healthy vending machine at the school for staff and students to enjoy.
  • December 3, 2025
Sodi Pop, billed as a healthier product, comes to Lakewood Ranch High
4
Marine Corps veteran Dale Cole lives in Greenfield Plantation and is a regular user of Manatee Moves.
  • December 3, 2025
Ride service for Manatee County veterans is on the move
5
Commissioners George Kruse and Bob McCann are on opposite sides of the AAA High School vote. Kruse voted in favor of approving the site plan, and McCann voted to deny the site plan.
  • December 3, 2025
Manatee commissioners have final say about new school but no real power

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