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News

Suncoast Waterkeepers provides weekly water quality testing of coastal waters and publishes results for the public.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 2, 2025
Waterkeeper monitoring expands to south Sarasota County

Suncoast Waterkeeper has added a new water quality specialist for its bacteria indicator testing program.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Sarasota Yacht Club philanthropy and special projects coordinator Stephania Feltz, center, joins Nicki Martin, Don Ellis, Roy Grossman and Mark Padgett, who are the board members leading SYC Cares. The charitable arm of the yacht club recently became an official 501c3.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • August 1, 2025
SYC Cares becomes 501(c)(3) foundation

With 20 members on the committee, the Sarasota Yacht Club will continue its fundraising faction.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The house at 845 Longboat Club Road spans nearly 20,000 square feet.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • July 31, 2025
Record home sale at $30.3 million closes for Longboat Key property

The property called "Serenissima" previously broke sales-price record in 2020.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Save Sarasota Historic Properties Inc. plans to restore the historic Colson Hotel into the Colson Collective business incubator.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • July 31, 2025
Colson Hotel to be restored as a business incubator

With a goal of providing business startup space across all demographics, the group preserving the Colson Hotel plans to renovate it as the Colson Collective.

  • Sarasota
  • News
City Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch (left) supported Commissioner Kathy Kelley Ohlrich's motion to set the citywide max millage rate at 3.3 in hopes of setting the final rate at 3.273 for fiscal year 2026.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • July 31, 2025
Sarasota citywide max property millage rate is set at 3.3

Interim City Manager Dave Bullock told city commissioners an increase over the current fiscal year's property tax rate is necessary to rebuild the general fund balance.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The School Board of Sarasota County at a July 2025 meeting.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • July 31, 2025
Sarasota School Board votes to change discrimination policy language

The changes to the student code of conduct remove specifically enumerated protections for categories that include race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
Incoming Longboat Key Chief of Police Russ Mager speaks during a ceremony in 2022 when he was Delray Beach's chief.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 31, 2025
Longboat Key gets a new police chief on Aug. 4

Public is invited to morning swearing-in ceremony of Russ Mager.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Traffic often backs up from the Cortez Bridge intersection onto Longboat Key during peak season.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • July 30, 2025
Longboat seeks input on traffic congestion

As summer begins to wind down, town officials are seeking public input on the best strategies to improve traffic congestion.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Sara Geary, the head of schools at Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy, and Patty Scerbo, a mother to two students who attend the school, look forward to potential improvements that may be funded by their share of the half penny tax.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 30, 2025
Charter schools eager to make use of sales tax dollars

Starting in the 2025-26 school year, Manatee County charters will receive 50% of their proportionate share of anticipated revenue from the half-penny sales tax.

  • East County
  • Schools
A bulldozer moves trash at the Lena Road Landfill.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • July 30, 2025
Lena Road landfill's lifespan changed by slope strategies

Manatee County says reconfiguring the way waste is packed into cells will add two decades to the landfill.

  • East County
  • News
Sarasota Director of Finance Kelly Strickland talks fiscal year 2026 budget with the Sarasota City Commission as Budget Manager Tyler Harris looks on.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • July 30, 2025
Hurricane recovery depletes city's general fund balance

Having spent some $20 million for hurricane recovery, with tens of millions more to go, Sarasota's fund balance safety net is now far below the city's policy and must be replenished.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Julie Busa (Janet Mixon's daughter), Janet Mixon, Commissioner Amanda Ballard and Dean Mixon are all smiles on July 29. Manatee County commissioners voted unanimously to purchase Mixon Fruit Farms.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • July 29, 2025
Manatee County purchases Mixon Fruit Farms for $13.5 million

Commissioners voted unanimously to purchase the citrus farm that operated in Manatee County for 84 years.

  • East County
  • News
Allegiant is one of the top airlines at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 29, 2025
Allegiant to begin service from SRQ to Toledo

Allegiant's new service between Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport and Toledo, Ohio is one of several new routes available from Southwest Florida airports.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Jeremy Whatmough poses with Virginia Sanders in this 2013 photo. Whatmough, a former town commissioner and mayor, died on July 21.
    By
  • Michael Harris
  • July 29, 2025
Former Longboat Key mayor and community statesman dies

Jeremy Whatmough was involved with Town Commission, Kiwanis and Longboat Key Garden Club.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Pat Evans, an independent contractor, works on interior trim on a house in Spanish Main Yacht Club.
    By
  • Dana Kampa, Eric Garwood
  • July 29, 2025
Lawsuit adds to Spanish Main's recovery uncertainty

The repair bill totaling more than $13 million remains unpaid, the company says.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
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Latest News

1
St. Lucie County Administrator George Landry has been recommended by Howard Tipton to replace him as town manager as Tipton prepares to retire.
  • June 19, 2026
New town manager recommended for Longboat Key
2
Attendees were impressed by the fireworks across Sarasota Bay.
  • June 19, 2026
Fourth of July 2026 events in Sarasota, Longboat Key and Lakewood Ranch
3
Woman charged in three high-profile Sarasota burglaries
  • June 18, 2026
Woman charged in three high-profile Sarasota burglaries
4
Tony Barrett speaks at a candidate forum in April at the Lakewood Ranch Country Club.
  • June 18, 2026
Manatee County Commission candidate charged with domestic battery
5
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
  • June 18, 2026
Driver dies of injuries in blowout-triggered crash in Sarasota

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