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Your Observer | All

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall with the backdrop of the setting sun.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • July 16, 2025
City committee ties a bow on its two-year mission

Sarasota's Purple Ribbon Committee adjourns after 28 meetings in 24 months as it prepares to deliver its Van Wezel repurposing recommendations to the City Commission.

  • Sarasota
  • News
A rendering of the boardwalk and public access of the proposed MarineMax post-storm renovations.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • July 16, 2025
City sinks MarineMax lease extension proposal

Rather than granting a 25-year extension beginning 2037, the Sarasota City Commission instructs staff to reopen the lease with MarineMax for the storm-damaged marina on City Island based on an updated fair market appraisal.

  • Sarasota
  • News
This vacation rental home at 460 N. Washington Drive on St. Armands Key was the site of two unauthorized flash parties in recent weeks.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • July 16, 2025
Vacant vacation houses targeted for unauthorized use

Vacation rentals on St. Armands and Lido Keys have been recently used for three impromptu house parties and one illegal occupation; owners are advised to secure and monitor their properties.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The boathouse and events center planned for Nathan Benderson Park is expected to cost between $60 million and $70 million.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • July 16, 2025
Nathan Benderson Park boathouse, events center begins to take shape

Nathan Benderson Conservancy board member says 2026 will be an important fundraising year for the $60 million to $70 million project.

  • East County
  • News
Lake Manatee K-8 is the first K-8 school in the School District of Manatee County to be built from the ground up with the purpose of serving elementary and middle school kids.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 16, 2025
Lake Manatee K-8 school readies for opening day in Lakewood Ranch

Administrators, teachers and students are all beginning their voyage at the new school together.

  • East County
  • Schools
Shelter staff welcome visitors at Southside Elementary during Hurricane Milton.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • July 16, 2025
Converting schools into storm shelters is a carefully orchestrated operation

The Sarasota school district partners with the county to open the area's schools as hurricane shelters.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
Alleged rock throwing becomes international incident
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 16, 2025
Alleged rock throwing becomes international incident

A woman who claimed a 3-year-old threw a rock at her car shared knowledge of a sale of U.S. missiles. This and other Sarasota Police Department reports in this week's Cops Corner.

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
Manatee County commissioners hold the second of two required public hearings May 8 to request "extraordinary circumstances" from the state to raise impact fees.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • July 16, 2025
Manatee receives threat of litigation over increased impact fees

Freedom Housing Alliance Inc. maintains the impact fee increase violates state statute.

  • East County
  • News
The Bird Key home at 414 Meadow Lark was built in 1979 and has four bedrooms, four-and-two-half baths, a pool and 4,885 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • July 16, 2025
Top residential real estate sales for June 30-July 4 in Longboat, Lido, St. Armands, Bird Key

A home in Bay Isles on Harbor Point Road tops the week’s sales at $7.13 million.

  • Longboat Key
  • Real Estate
The Sutton family hand feeds the cownose rays at the St. Regis Longboat Key Resort's Under the Sea Lagoon.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • July 16, 2025
Longboat Key St. Regis closes in on first anniversary

Luxury resort makes an impact on Longboat Key and beyond.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Corcoran's compelling case
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • July 16, 2025
Corcoran's compelling case

When you see what is occurring at New College, Richard Corcoran’s vision for consolidating three institutions deserves serious examination.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
New York City improv troupe Shitzprobe creates a Broadway musical based on audience suggestions.
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • July 15, 2025
Sarasota Improv Festival headliner creates Broadway musicals on the fly

Shitzprobe co-founder and performer Ali Reed (almost) reveals the secret of the troupe's success.

  • Arts + Culture
Sarah Durham is Florida Studio Theatre's associate director of improv and is in charge of the Sarasota Improv Festival.
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • July 15, 2025
Meet Florida Studio Theatre's new associate improv director

Sarah Durham earned her comedy stripes at Chicago's famed Second City.

  • Arts + Culture
The culmination of the Sarasota Improv Fest is the All Play show, shown here in 2024.
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • July 15, 2025
Sarasota Improv Festival celebrates the evolution of an art form

Improv is changing at warp speed, but Florida Studio Theatre remains at the vanguard.

  • Arts + Culture
Milton Cogswell Shattuck (1932-2025)
    In Memoriam |
  • July 15, 2025
Milton Cogswell Shattuck

Milton C. Shattuck Jr. “Mit”, Lieutenant Colonel, Retired, 92, passed away peacefully on July 9, following a courageous battle with cancer.

  • East County
  • Tributes & Obituaries
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1
Pianist and composer Michael Stephen Brown is a faculty member at the 2026 Sarasota Music Festival.
  • June 7, 2026
The bar remains high at streamlined Sarasota Music Festival
2
Cynthia Keough is one of several Manatee County residents to step up to the podium June 4 and ask commissioners for more time to review the updated comprehensive plan.
  • June 6, 2026
Residents have 60 more days to review Manatee County comp plan
3
Steven High is retiring as executive director of The Ringling, a position he has held since 2011.
  • June 5, 2026
Steven High to retire as executive director of The Ringling
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  • June 5, 2026
33rd Annual Downtown Venice Craft Festival
5
The Community Foundation of Sarasota County's Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund is meant to pay for immediate relief and long-term resilience efforts in the four-county area.
  • June 5, 2026
Patterson Foundation donates $500,000 for storm relief

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