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News

Longboat Key Turtle Watch volunteers spent about two days painting over the stakes with a fresh coat for the upcoming nesting season.
    By
  • Carter Weinhofer
  • April 2, 2025
Longboat Key Turtle Watch prepares for 2025 nesting season

Volunteers started by repainting about 500 stakes that will be used to mark nests this season.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Clark Road traffic slowed as diesel fuel spill is cleaned up
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • April 1, 2025
Clark Road traffic slowed as diesel fuel spill is cleaned up

Two eastbound lanes near Honore Avenue are closed.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Three-car crash on Longboat slows traffic
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • April 1, 2025
Three-car crash on Longboat slows traffic

One lane of Gulf of Mexico Drive initially closed on the south end of the island.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
The Sarasota Bay Estuary Program said the 19% increase in seagrass coverage from 2022 to 2024 is an important indicator of the bay's recovery.
    By
  • Carter Weinhofer
  • April 1, 2025
New seagrass survey shows promise for Sarasota Bay's recovery

The results showed a 19% increase in seagrass coverage from 2022 to 2024, and preliminary observations indicate the bay was resilient enough to withstand 2024 storms.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
A Sarasota County employee plants a tree as part of the effort to replace invasive plants at county parks.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 1, 2025
Invasive plants removed from Ted Sperling Park

With the help of a $75,000 federal grant, Sarasota County has replaced invasive species with native plants.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The blueberries ripen at different times and are sold at $7/pound.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • April 1, 2025
Blueberry season begins at Manatee County farms

Manatee County is part of Florida's south central blueberry production region, contributing to approximately 25% of the state's commercial blueberry acreage.

  • East County
  • News
The town of Longboat Key's new GIS dashboard gives residents access to data on districts, zoning, condominium construction history and sea level rise predictions.
    By
  • Carter Weinhofer
  • April 1, 2025
Longboat Key goes live with new public-facing GIS mapping tools

New GIS databases give residents access to information about evacuation routes, zoning maps and sea level rise estimates.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
The KSA Architecture rendering of Saravela shows two towers of varying heights.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • April 1, 2025
Sarasota Planning Board rejects alley vacation for multifamily development

The two-tower Saravela application moves on to the City Commission without an endorsement from the Planning Board, which cited a lack of a site plan in its recommendation to deny the vacation of Fourth Way.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Anne and Frank Folsom Smith in 2013.
    By
  • Monica Roman Gagnier
  • March 31, 2025
Sarasota architect Frank Folsom Smith dies at age 93

The Virginia transplant designed Plymouth Harbor and helped shape downtown.

  • Arts + Culture
Commissioner Jason Bearden calls the Planning Commission a 'recruitment tool' for developers.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • March 31, 2025
Manatee County commissioners consider booting planning commissioners

Commissioner Jason Bearden says planning commission seats are used as a recruitment tool toward commission seats.

  • East County
  • News
Sales of Waterside homes, such as this Lakehouse Cove home that sold for $1,775,000 in January, continue to go to contract much faster than the countywide average.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • March 31, 2025
Lakewood Ranch is still a seller's paradise

With its lifestyle draw, Lakewood Ranch has been insulated against trends in other parts of Sarasota and Manatee counties that have seen real estate sales slow down.

  • East County
  • News
A rendering of the pedestrian promenade along North Tamiami Trail, regarded as the "front door" of The Bay park.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • March 30, 2025
New light shed on the fate of The Bay's Sunset Pier

Requirements by the Army Corps of Engineers for The Bay park's Sunset Pier inflates the cost by some $20 million.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Brianne Brown provides a "Watch Stander" training at Manatee County's Emergency Operations Center March 26.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • March 30, 2025
Manatee County strives to become a veteran safe place

The county has partnered with The Fire Watch to provide free training so residents can spot veterans in crisis.

  • East County
  • News
Personnel recruiter Rick Conner speaks to the Sarasota City Commission as city Human Resources Director Stacie Mason looks on.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • March 29, 2025
Sarasota city manager search expands to full field of candidates

Dissatisfied with the culled list, the Sarasota City Commission has asked its recruiting firm to provide background materials on all applicants for city manager.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Guest speakers at the 2025 Disaster Preparedness Seminar spoke about the importance of preparedness and collaboration before and after storms.
    By
  • Carter Weinhofer
  • March 29, 2025
Speakers recount lessons learned, prep methods at disaster prep seminar

Longboat Key's 2025 Disaster Preparedness Seminar included insights into the town's lessons learned as well as advice from local meteorologists and emergency coordinators.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
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Latest News

1
The World of Chucko photo-bombs Dana Dalpra, Lauren Hersh and Tami and Phillip Lanham.
  • December 14, 2025
Sarasota Art Museum steps into Style Moderne for annual Art Bash
2
Joni Hill, Cate Douglas and Gaby Hayashi make their way across the beach.
  • December 14, 2025
Holiday spirit gets moving at Sandy Claws Beach Run
3
  • December 14, 2025
Eat, drink and be merry like you're in a 'Home Alone' movie
4
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.
  • December 13, 2025
More than 500 runners go the distance in Lakewood Ranch's Jingle 5K
5
Longboat Key Police Deputy Chief Frank Rubino (left) accepts a framed display of medals, patches and pins that demonstrate his 45-year career in law enforcement.
  • December 13, 2025
Longboat deputy chief with 45 years of experience to retire

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