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East County | Trending

Maddox and Lou Towery have packed up shoeboxes during the Community Holiday Shoebox Collection Drive for the last seven years.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • December 15, 2025
Lakewood Ranch community rallies to support seniors with shoebox event

Community Holiday Shoebox Collection Drive heads toward another record year in donations.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Kelis McGrady poses for a photo on Dec. 11 before Braden River girls basketball's home game against Manatee. The forward/guard has been the engine behind the Pirates' early-season success.
    By
  • Jack Nelson
  • December 15, 2025
East County Athlete of the Week: Kelis McGrady

The junior averaged a double-double through Braden River's first eight games of 2025-26.

  • East County
  • Sports
Lakewood Ranch's Karen and Tom Eckert work as master gardener volunteers with the University of Florida to educate the public about gardening, plants, landscaping and more.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • December 15, 2025
Master gardeners plant seeds of wisdom at Lakewood Ranch Library

Lakewood Ranch's Karen and Tom Eckert are among the experts who teach important gardening techniques.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Katherine Pike (on the left) salsa dances with the cast of "Casa Havana:" Dairon Batista, Isabella Serrano and Jack Gaudreau.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • December 13, 2025
Palm Aire Women's Club members learn to salsa

Club members were treated to a performance and dance lessons from the Tania Vergara Dance-Theater.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
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.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • December 13, 2025
More than 500 runners go the distance in Lakewood Ranch's Jingle 5K

The event supports the Big Bill Foundation and the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center Foundation.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
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.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • December 12, 2025
Lakewood Ranch High revives its science fair

Chemistry and Environmental Science Teacher Alexandra Wilcoxson put together an event that showcased the school's brightest minds.

  • East County
  • Schools
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.”
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • December 12, 2025
Readers can shed the funk with Lakewood Ranch author's 'Unfunkt'

Greenbrook's Jaime Marco wrote the book to let others know they can make a positive impact on their lives.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
SMR's new coffee table book, "Lakewood Ranch — A Legacy of Living with the Land" is available locally and on Amazon.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • December 10, 2025
'Lakewood Ranch — A Legacy of Living with the Land' is a fun history lesson

The coffee table book, written by Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, documents the development of a successful, southwest Florida community.

  • East County
  • Opinion
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.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • December 10, 2025
MTC program teaches students with disabilities skills to enter workforce

At Manatee Technical College, Project Edge is transitional program for students with intellectual disabilities to learn foundational skills.

  • East County
  • Schools
Samara Williamson has been at the Lake Club for more than four years, moving to her general manager position from that of assistant general manager in 2023.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • December 10, 2025
Lake Club manager named tops in her field

The honor was part of November's Lakewood Ranch Community Appreciation Awards.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Gabriella Rawles holds a Fighting Irish tennis ball and poses for a photo at Notre Dame Stadium. The senior at ICL Academy online is headed to South Bend, Indiana, in January as an early enrollee.
    By
  • Jack Nelson
  • December 10, 2025
Notre Dame commit rekindles love for tennis after recovery from a shoulder injury

Gabriella Rawles was once unsure if she'd ever return to the sport after the injury caused her passion to fade.

  • East County
  • Sports
The “A Valentine’s Comedy Night” fundraiser will benefit Harbor 58, Foster the Family, and Bring on the Ministry. Harbor 58 broke ground on its new housing development for teens aging out of foster care in November.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • December 10, 2025
Harbor58 breaks ground on $4.5 million housing project in Manatee County

The East County nonprofit supports young adults who have aged out of foster care.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Director of Government Relations Stephanie Garrison leads the work session Dec. 3.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • December 10, 2025
Changing millage review process a top priority among Manatee commissioners

Finding a way to cut taxes is a top priority, but finishing improvements on Lorraine Road is not.

  • East County
  • News
SR 64 grocery store, storage facility denied by Manatee commission
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • December 10, 2025
SR 64 grocery store, storage facility denied by Manatee commission

The proposed site is located next to Neal Communities' Palm Grove development.

  • East County
  • News
Seniors Gavin Moore, Abigail Frint and Ryan Johnson were among 12 students at Lakewood Ranch High School to set up and spread the word about the opportunities available at the new College and Career Center.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • December 9, 2025
Lakewood Ranch High's College and Career Center makes its debut

Set up by 12 of Lakewood Ranch's “brightest of the brightest" students, the center can help students explore their career choices.

  • East County
  • Schools
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  • May 5, 2026
Summer Wine Walk
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Traffic was rerouted around a water-main repair site on Tuttle Avenue.
  • May 5, 2026
Water advisory posted after Sarasota pipe break
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Damages on Longboat Key after Hurricane Ian.
  • May 5, 2026
Seminar scheduled for disaster preparedness
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Sarai Castro gave up on softball in 2023. Now, she's the Pirates' leading hitter in her first season at the high school level.
  • May 5, 2026
East County Athlete of the Week: Sarai Castro
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At the Women's Golf Association season farewell on April 28 at the Longboat Key Club, players enjoyed perfect golfing conditions. Pictured, Brenda Baril, Donna Newton, Jennifer Cahill, Regina Repenning, Michelle Swartz, Katie Moulton, Louise Berg and Joyce Welch.
  • May 5, 2026
Women's Golf Association scrambles to close out season

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