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Your Observer | All

The Waffle Stop owner Dolly Hollinger, seen here in December 2020.
    By
  • Mark Gordon, Louis Llovio
  • December 20, 2024
The Waffle Stop, Sarasota 'Elvis Ate Here' restaurant, to close by end of 2024

A Sarasota institution, The Waffle Stop, is closing after 74 years.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
2024: Longboat by the numbers
    By
  • Carter Weinhofer
  • December 20, 2024
2024: Longboat by the numbers

From hurricanes to high ticket sales, here are some of the numbers that defined the year on Longboat Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Sarasota Chamber to host Leadership Educational Conference
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • December 20, 2024
Sarasota Chamber to host Leadership Educational Conference

The half-day Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce Leadership Sarasota Educational Conference is designed to cultivate skills and strategies for leadership in the workplace.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Video taken from a doorbell camera shows two people allegedly stealing packages from a Lakewood Ranch home. The Manatee County Sherif's Office has made two arrests in the case.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • December 19, 2024
Suspected Lakewood Ranch porch pirates arrested

The Bradenton suspects were seen on doorbell video, deputies say.

  • East County
  • News
Sarasota students share Christmas wishes in letters to Santa
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 19, 2024
Sarasota students share Christmas wishes in letters to Santa

Students at Fruitville Elementary School, Tuttle Elementary School and Suncoast School for Innovative Studies shared what they hope to receive this Christmas.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • December 19, 2024
City reveals vision for reimagined Main Street

Wider sidewalks, less parking and greater streetside activity are among the priorities as the city develops plans for a cohesive Main Street through downtown Sarasota.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The home at 3000 Southwest Drive was built in 2003 and has five bedrooms, five-and-two-half baths, a pool and 8,125 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • December 19, 2024
Top residential real estate sales for Dec. 2-6 in Sarasota, Siesta Key, Palmer Ranch, Osprey, Nokomis

A Cherokee Park home on Southwest Drive sells for $9.4 million.

  • Sarasota
  • Real Estate
Booker High senior guard Jsiyah Taylor drives to the basket during practice on Dec. 7.
    By
  • Dylan Campbell
  • December 19, 2024
Booker High girls basketball charts its own course

The Tornadoes are off to a strong start in 2024.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Students enjoy the experience at a Holiday House.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 19, 2024
Holiday House SRQ brings the joy of gift-giving to underserved students

The nonprofit, now serving four Sarasota schools, provides a festive shopping experience allowing kids to take gifts for family and one for themselves.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
  • By Lakewood Ranch Medical Center
  • December 19, 2024
A New Lease on Life, Following Weight-Loss Surgery

For years Russell tried to lose weight through exercise, dieting and medications, but nothing seemed to help. Her decision to finally turn to weight-loss surgery at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center was in part, because of her profession as a licensed practical nurse.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Sponsored Content
Mike and Sandy Sobzack return home to East County for the holidays. The couple stop by the University Park Country Club for lunch on Dec. 9.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • December 18, 2024
East County world travelers stop home for the holidays

Mike and Sandy Sobzack set off on a whirlwind retirement tour around the world in March.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Albert Donald Klingenberg (1930-2024)
    In Memoriam |
  • December 18, 2024
Albert Donald Klingenberg

Albert Donald “Don” Klingenberg, 94 of Longboat Key, Florida passed away peacefully on December 5, 2024.

  • Longboat Key
  • Tributes & Obituaries
A member of the SPD Underwater Search and Recovery Team, whose identity is concealed, with the recovered firearm tossed into Whitaker Bayou by a fleeing teen arrested in connection with a string of e-bike thefts.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • December 18, 2024
Two arrested in string of e-bike thefts

Two juveniles were taking into custody on Tuesday during an undercover operation to recover a stolen bike, one on a weapons charge.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Two-yeear-old Wells Whitehead and his mom Aston Whitehead visit with Santa before the Tara Holiday Golf Cart Parade Dec. 13.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • December 18, 2024
18 holes of community fun at Tara Golf and Country Club

Neighbors decorated their golf carts and themselves to enjoy the Tara Holiday Golf Cart Parade.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Test drive speed limit disguises used car problems
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • December 18, 2024
Test drive speed limit disguises used car problems

Exceeding 25 miles per hour after buying a used SUV reveals issues that exceed the cost of the vehicle. This and other Sarasota Police Department reports in this week's Cops Corner.

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
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Latest News

1
Letters to Santa carry Christmas wishes and love
  • December 21, 2025
Letters to Santa carry Christmas wishes and love
2
Sue Wertman has rung the bell outside the Publix on Longboat Key on behalf of the Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key since 2013.
  • December 21, 2025
Longest-serving Longboat bellringer attributes motivation to family
3
Sarasota Memorial Hospital's Kolschowsky Research and Education Institute.
  • December 21, 2025
SMH participates in global bladder cancer treatment clinical trial
4
Santa greets visitors from the window of 9605 Governor's Club Place in The River Club.
  • December 20, 2025
Christmas decorating isn't just for kids
5
The Family Church caroling crew from left to right is Melody Johnson, Laurie Houston, Nancy Pilato, Pastor Phil Derstine and Terrial Robinson.
  • December 20, 2025
East Manatee church members will go through bars to spread Christmas joy

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