• Alternate Text
  • Loading

  • Sand Bucket List
  • Health Observed
  • Crossword
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • e-Newspaper App
  • Longboat
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Opinion
  • East County
    • News
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
  • Sarasota
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
    • Siesta Key
  • Arts + Entertainment
    • Eat + Drink
    • Arts + Culture
    • Reviews
    • Things To Do
    • Black Tie
    • Spotlight Partners
  • April Fools
  • Galleries
  • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Red Tide Map
    • Health Observed
    • Sand Bucket List
    • Calendar
    • Celebrations
    • Contests
    • Tributes
    • Submit a Celebration
    • Submit a Tribute
    • Public Notices
    • Classifieds
  • Longboat
    • Longboat
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Opinion
  • East County
    • East County
    • News
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
  • Sarasota
    • Sarasota
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
    • Siesta Key
  • Arts + Entertainment
    • Arts + Entertainment
    • Eat + Drink
    • Arts + Culture
    • Reviews
    • Things To Do
    • Black Tie
    • Spotlight Partners
  • April Fools
  • Galleries
  • More
    • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Red Tide Map
    • Health Observed
    • Sand Bucket List
    • Calendar
    • Celebrations
    • Contests
    • Tributes
    • Submit a Celebration
    • Submit a Tribute
    • Public Notices
    • Classifieds
  • Sand Bucket List
  • Health Observed
  • Crossword
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • e-Newspaper App

Longboat Key | Opinion

    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • August 30, 2017
That's some legacy

How do you justify $65 million more for a want?

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Sarasota City Commissioner Hagen Brody
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • August 23, 2017
A breakthrough on traffic

Thanks to Sarasota City Commissioner Hagen Brody’s putting the issue on the agenda, FDOT will add turn lanes on U.S. 41 and Gulfstream Avenue to ease the constant backups.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
President Donald Trump
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • August 23, 2017
American family

President's finest words should be heeded

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Kristine Nickel
  • August 16, 2017
Thumbs up for treating hand pain

Your thumbs have a lot of work to do, but arthritis flare-ups aren’t always activity-related.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
The Colony Resort stands in tatters.
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • August 2, 2017
A much better plan

Orlando developer Chuck Whittall learned a costly lesson about Longboat Key: Learn about it before you leap. With his newest development plans, Whittall clearly listened. It make sense.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • August 2, 2017
Good summer news

Tax rates same, down

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • August 2, 2017
Give taxpayers their money back

Hundreds of millions of dollars are sitting in reserve account.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • July 26, 2017
All study, little action

The first phase of the 20th traffic study in 10 years doesn’t give much hope for improvements at the two worst chokepoints — Gulf Drive and Cortez and U.S. 41 and Gulfstream-Fruitville.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • July 26, 2017
Postscript on Harmer's hiring

We erred

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Tom Harmer and David Bullock
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • July 19, 2017
Done before the vote

Tom Harmer is a good choice for Longboat. But the chronology of his hiring is curious: He executed a contract before commissioners voted to hire him. So much for transparency.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 19, 2017
Why Republicans can’t repeal Obamacare

It's the failure to understand

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Longboat Key Town Manager David Bullock, left, earns an annual salary of $181,688. Town officials are considering Sarasota County Administrator Tom Harmer as Bullock's replacement. Harmer earns an annual salary of $207,625.
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • July 12, 2017
Convenient, but ...

Longboat’s Town Commission appears ready to hire Sarasota County’s Tom Harmer as the next town manager. He looks like a good fit. But do you buy the first car you see and like?

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
The Rotary Club donated $7,700 to help fund the agility equipment and two misting cooling stations, which look like fire hydrants, in the dog area at Bayfront Park.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 12, 2017
Fluffy Anderson sounds off on Longboat Key's Bayfront Park

Longboat Key letters to the editor

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Longboat Key's Bayfront Park is open to the public.
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • July 12, 2017
One cheer for the remodeled Bayfront Park

The new Bayfront Park has more flaws than flair.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
The Keep Longboat Special group suggested a referendum to stop the development of any more hotel units on Longboat Key — beyond what already exists.
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • July 5, 2017
Preserve the 250 units

Keep Longboat Special appears to be advocating a referendum to rescind the 2008 town vote to create a pool of 250 tourism units. Don’t go back to the old days; they really hurt the Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
« 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 »
The best of Your Observer, delivered directly to your inbox

Get the latest in news, sports, schools, arts and things to do in Sarasota, Siesta Key, Longboat Key and East County.

Sign Up

Latest in Longboat Key

1
The southern end of Longboat Key feature many mid-rise condo buildings including the Beaches of Longboat Key (right, built in 1984), Regent Place of Longboat Key (middle two buildings, built in 1995) and Longboat Key Towers (left two buildings, built in 1970).
  • April 1, 2026
Inspections show LBK condo buildings in sound shape but come at a cost
2
Garden Club President Melanie Dale helps lead efforts to beautify and support the Longboat Key community. Butterflies visit flowering plants cultivated to support pollinators, reflecting the club's focus on sustainable, Florida-friendly landscapes.
  • April 1, 2026
Longboat Garden Club's efforts help beautify and nurture a community
3
Harry's Continental Kitchens has been a local favorite for decades.
  • April 1, 2026
A staple of Longboat Key for over 40 years, Harry's Continental Kitchens keeps it fresh
4
The home at 590 Birdie Lane sold for $5.5 million. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,297 square feet of living area.
  • April 1, 2026
Top residential real estate sales for March 16-20 in Longboat, Lido, St. Armands, Bird Key
5
Artist Darina Bratkova, originally from Ukraine, is the creator of thought-provoking, water-based scenes that many visitors to St. Armands Circle first view when coming to the business hub. She shared how she got her start as an artist and her hopes for educating others in the future.
  • April 1, 2026
St. Armands artist shares insight into thought-provoking art

App

Download the Your Observer app

Stay in the know with the latest local news. Any device, anytime, anywhere.

DOWNLOAD NOW

Contact

  • 1970 Main St.
  • Third Floor
  • Sarasota, FL 34236
  • Phone: 941-366-3468
  • FPN Verified

Extra, Extra!

  • Newsletters
  • App
  • Crossword
  • Contests

more

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Classifieds
  • Advertise
  • Rack Locations
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Options

sister sites

  • Business Observer
  • Jax Daily Record
  • Orange Observer
  • Accessibility Options
  • Copyright © 2026 Observer Media Group Inc., All Rights Reserved
Sign Up for Daily Headlines

A daily dose of news from Longboat Key, East County, Sarasota and Siesta Key.

Sign Up for In Case You Missed It

A Saturday dose of the week's top stories from Sarasota, Longboat Key and East County.


The Your Observer App is Here!

Get local news you can trust — now on your phone, tablet or laptop. Fast. Free. Easy to Use.
Stay informed, wherever you are.

Download Now