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News

The ever-evolving master plan for The Bay Phase 3B does not show a possible future Sarasota Performing Arts Center, but does include a parking structure and expansion of park space into the Van Wezel parking lot.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • October 15, 2025
Utility undergrounding, The Bay highlight City Commission agenda

Monday's Sarasota City Commission meeting will include presentations about The Bay Phase 3 and burying utility lines on St. Armands and Lido keys.

  • Sarasota
  • News
From left, Sarasota Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Director Nicole Rissler, Hermitage Board of Trustees President Carole Crosby and Hermitage attorney Steven Solowsky address the county commission.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • October 15, 2025
County proposes take-or-leave-it offer to Hermitage Artist Retreat

The Sarasota County Commission offers a lump sum to help hurricane restoration at the Hermitage providing it assumes responsibility for repairs going forward.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Longboat Key resident Audrey Bear is adamantly against changing the name of Gulf of Mexico Drive, calling it a “vanity project” that would cause a major hassle for older residents who live on the road.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • October 15, 2025
GMD renaming would require homework from residents, businesses

Paperwork, addresses and bills will all need updates if Longboat Key changes the name of Gulf of Mexico Drive.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Residents in Summerfield Bluffs are rescued after the Braden River flooded their street following Hurricane Debby in 2024.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • October 15, 2025
Manatee County inches toward initiating stormwater fees

Despite public pushback in 2019, Manatee County is taking another shot at implementing a stormwater program.

  • East County
  • News
A banner announcing a new Starbucks location still sits inside the storefront of 3174 Gulf of Mexico Drive, but interior work is yet to begin.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • October 15, 2025
Longboat Starbucks 'on hold' with build-out yet to start

It has been eight months since the arrival of Starbucks to Longboat Key was announced, and interior work is yet to start.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
Greg Crawford, area president of M/I Homes, Erika Walker, Pelotonia's philanthropy and stewardship manager and Chase Knopt and Ashtyn Crockett, construction managers at M/I homes pose with the $141,000 check at the Sweetwater benefit home.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • October 14, 2025
M/I Homes donates $141,000 toward cancer research

The sale of the M/I Homes dwelling in Lakewood Ranch is going to Pelotonia, a nonprofit that supports cancer research.

  • East County
  • News
The Gulf Islands Ferry launched in 2023 and has experienced growing ridership and increased investment from Manatee County.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • October 14, 2025
As Manatee County looks to grow ferry, Longboat stop discussed

Longboat Key leaders see a potential traffic benefit from the Gulf Islands Ferry but no suitable location for a stop on the island.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Shots struck a Sarasota County Fire Department ambulance in 2019.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • October 13, 2025
Sarasota man convicted of firing at first responders gets 40 years

Thirty-eight-year-old Tyran Young was arrested almost three months after the 2019 incident on Goodrich Avenue.

  • Sarasota
  • News
A Goodwill bookstore and donation center will occupy the new outparcel building at 3160 Gulf of Mexico Drive by the end of the year.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • October 13, 2025
Goodwill sets up first Longboat Key location

The bookstore and donation drop-off at the outparcel of the new Brista Commons commercial complex is expected to open by the end of the year.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
Teri Hansen is the outgoing CEO and president of the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation.
    By
  • Elizabeth King
  • October 13, 2025
Barancik Foundation in Sarasota names new president and CEO

The new leader of the family foundation will assume his role in December.

  • Sarasota
  • News
From left, newly sworn Sarasota Police Department officers Emilio Suriel, Gabriel Victorio, Tristan Sarney, Gabrielle Theofanous and Savannah Gray.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • October 13, 2025
Sarasota Police Department swears in five new officers

Police Chief Rex Troche tells five new recruits the time to build their legacy in law enforcement begins now.

  • Sarasota
  • News
2-year-old critical after SR 70 crash in Lakewood Ranch
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • October 12, 2025
2-year-old critical after SR 70 crash in Lakewood Ranch

A Ford SUV drove into the back of a Fort Pierce school bus that was stopped.

  • East County
  • News
Brookside Middle School is one of three campuses upon which space has been requested by a South Florida charter school company under the provisions of Florida's Schools of Hope program.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • October 9, 2025
Charter school claims space in Manatee, Sarasota county schools

Mater Academy names under-capacity Booker Elementary, Brookside Middle and Oak Park in a request to co-locate. Space in Bradenton and Palmetto also sought, Manatee district tells parents.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
A rendering of the planned Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Venice Rehabilitation Pavilion.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • October 12, 2025
Sarasota Memorial Hospital to build rehab pavilion in Venice

The Hospital Board has approved construction of an $82.5 million pavilion at the Venice campus and expansion of its rehab facility in Sarasota.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Sarasota Housing Authority President and CEO William Russell speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony for Cypress Square II and Lofts on Lemon II.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • October 11, 2025
Plans advance for two affordable housing projects

The Sarasota Planning Board approved Central Gardens and recommended approval of Cypress Square III — combined would bring 100 new affordable units.

  • Sarasota
  • News
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Latest News

1
Sarasota Crew's championship-winning Women's U16 Eight boat races past opponents at Nathan Benderson Park in June 2025. The USRowing Youth National Championships are one of the biggest events on the local sports calendar for 2026.
  • March 20, 2026
Watersports events line up at Benderson Park in April
2
  • March 20, 2026
Longboat Key's Cops, Cars & Coffee rescheduled
3
City parking scheme schemes hurting our tourism
  • March 20, 2026
City parking scheme schemes hurting our tourism
4
Dolores M. Stevens (2025)
  • March 19, 2026
Dolores M. Stevens
5
Zachary Keller and Helen Krushinski star in "Water for Elephants," which comes to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall Feb. 12-14, 2027.
  • March 19, 2026
'Water for Elephants,' 'Six' and 'Hell's Kitchen' lead Van Wezel's 2026-27 lineup

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