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Longboat Key | Opinion

The War of Education
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • February 9, 2023
The War of Education

The inevitable has been exposed: State-controlled, taxpayer-funded education doesn’t work. The power needs to shift from politicians to parents.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Declare fentanyl a WMD
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • February 2, 2023
Declare fentanyl a WMD

President Joe Biden’s ineptness at stopping fentanyl from China and Mexico has fueled Florida’s fentanyl death toll — second highest in the U.S. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody makes a case for decisive action.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • January 25, 2023
What is ‘effective’ notice?

Florida’s Republican lawmakers hate the daily newspapers and for 25 years have sought to end laws requiring public notices in newspapers. Their answer: Let government control public notice. Ha!

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • January 18, 2023
Do or die for New College

With his recent appointments to the New College board, Gov. DeSantis has put the school on notice that it can no longer do what it has been doing. There is a better strategy for the future.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
  • By Adrian Moore, Geoffrey Lawrence
  • January 11, 2023
Nikki Fried is right to sue for medical marijuana patients’ gun rights

Although federal law prohibits marijuana use, it doesn’t give it grounds to discriminate against marijuana users.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • January 5, 2023
Wake up. Have hope.

Our word for 2023 is "hope." We all must have hope — hope that our fellow Americans wake up to what is being done to them. History shows us the power of hope. It propels us to take action.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Emily Walsh
  • December 28, 2022
Vision 2023

As we move into the new year, Observer Media Group remains committed to its vision statement: Innovate and elevate.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Right step for SMH board
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • December 14, 2022
Right step for SMH board

Hearing the stories of families who lost loved ones during the pandemic was a gut-wrenching baptism for SMH’s new board members. But they responded the right way. Rather than look for blame, they chose to learn.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
DeSantis’ political future? It’s property insurance
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • December 14, 2022
DeSantis’ political future? It’s property insurance

Long after Gov. Ron DeSantis is gone from Florida politics, his legacy will be tied to the issue Florida legislators are addressing this week in Tallahassee: property insurance.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
  • By Adrian Moore, Vittorio Nastasi
  • December 7, 2022
It’s time for Florida to stop relying on ‘taxation by citation’

Relying on fees and fines as a source of recurring revenue isn’t sustainable and should be reconsidered.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
The choice was Asplen’s
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • November 30, 2022
The choice was Asplen’s

It may have appeared to be an orchestrated effort to oust the Sarasota superintendent. But there are multiple sides to this.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • November 17, 2022
DeSantis should not run

Gov. Ron DeSantis should be insistent that he was just reelected as governor, and the citizens of Florida expect him to do the job they elected him to do.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Emily Walsh
  • November 9, 2022
Instructions from Ian

While we await the effects of Tropical Storm Nicole, we should take heed of the lessons we learned from Hurricane Ian.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Adrian Moore
  • November 2, 2022
Public pensions: No to ESG

More and more governments are forgetting their fiduciary responsibilities and engaging in ESG investing. While activist investing is fine for private investors, it is not for governments.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • October 27, 2022
A vote to save the republic

Our final installment of recommendations for the Nov. 8 elections.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
« 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 »
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Latest in Longboat Key

1
Longboat Key Police Department Customer Service Specialist Ivan Zunz shakes hands with Police Chief Russ Mager at a Town Commission meeting Monday, Feb. 2. Zunz was recognized for 10 years with LKPD at the meeting.
  • February 5, 2026
Ivan Zunz recognized for a decade with LKPD
2
District 2 Commissioner Penny Gold walks in a parade in 2021.
  • February 5, 2026
Longboat commissioner appointed to National League of Cities committee
3
Philip DiMaria says “there is a great opportunity here for St. Armands to evolve and become incredible again.”
  • February 5, 2026
Urban planner shares bold ideas to solve flooding on St. Armands
4
Lido Island Grill's lobster roll, filled with chilled Maine lobster and served with tortilla chips and lemon.
  • February 5, 2026
Meet the island kitchens setting the standard for a seriously good lobster roll
5
Front: Elliot Salenger, Larry Coleman, Dr. Lee Edstrom; Back: Steve Davidson, Bob Nusbaum, Paul Levenson
  • February 5, 2026
These tennis players unite for the love of the game — and ribbing each other

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