• 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
  • Things to Do
  • Galleries
  • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Elections
    • 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
  • Things to Do
  • Galleries
  • More
    • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Elections
    • 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
  • June 22, 2016
The temptations of ‘OPM’

Longboat Key’s Shakedown Fund is flush with millions of dollars for parks. Commissioners should resist the urge to splurge with OPM — other people’s money.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Barbara Belka was having lunch at Dry Dock Waterfront Grill on Longboat when she captured this shot of a pelican.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • June 16, 2016
Longboat Key weather page photo: June 16

Barbara Belka was having lunch at Dry Dock Waterfront Grill on Longboat when she captured this shot of a pelican.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • June 15, 2016
Progress at the Colony

Don’t get your hopes up too much. Nevertheless, come July 14 one of the combatants in the Colony soap opera is expected to be bought out — for $15 million to $25 million.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
  • By Lenny Landau
  • June 15, 2016
Underground bills: Pay it all, or make payments?

Without knowing the total cost or interest rate, property owners can’t make an informed decision.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • June 15, 2016
Longboat Key: Letters

Contract approval was fiscally prudent; Hotel plans put property values at risk; Muhammad Ali, remembered

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • June 9, 2016
Paid parking is our friend

Although Sarasota has tried and failed to charge for parking, it needs to persevere: It is needed to create a vibrant environment for businesses, residents and visitors.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • June 8, 2016
Remember this vote

Four Longboat Key commissioners gave up a cap on firefighter pension payments in favor of obligating taxpayers to more risk and more cost. How did that work before?

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • June 8, 2016
Ill effects of limiting hospital competition

Imagine you’re ready to start a business

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • June 1, 2016
LBK firefighters light up

The town’s previous contract with its firefighters union was a model for Florida cities. It capped pension costs. The new contract, if approved, regresses on pensions and raises.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Shelley Barker took this photo near the Longboat Key Post Office.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 26, 2016
Longboat Key weather page photo: May 26

Shelley Barker took this photo near the Longboat Key Post Office.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • May 25, 2016
Re-orient ourselves on turtles

Longboat Key’s proposed ordinance with stricter beach lighting requirements can be viewed as more government reach. But helping hatchlings can also be a selling point.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 25, 2016
REMEMBER THE FALLEN: MAY 30

Memorial Day was first observed May 30, 1868.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Carol Siegler
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 16, 2016
Open letter: Don't forget horrors of Castro regime

Americans, as well as Cubans, have suffered in the decades following the Cuban revolution.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • May 4, 2016
How the beat the traffic

Bike lanes, public transit and a narrower Fruitville won’t solve Sarasota’s traffic congestion. Fact is, expanding capacity on the most congested roads is the way to go.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • April 27, 2016
It’s not a growth issue

When things go wrong, businesses immediately adjust. Government officials should be taking the same approach to traffic. We can’t let next season be like this one.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
« 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 »
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 town of Longboat Key distributes yellow and blue stickers for residents and business owners. Red stickers are reserved for police, fire and emergency responders.
  • May 26, 2026
New evacuation re-entry stickers available at Town Hall
2
The home at 681 Old Compass Road sold for $4.2 million. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,520 square feet of living area.
  • May 26, 2026
Top residential real estate sales for May 11-15 in Longboat, Lido, St. Armands, Bird Key
3
Angie Cupp uses a tractor and landscaping rake attachment to clean Longboat Key beaches of debris.
  • May 25, 2026
Beach raking cleans the shoreline but comes with erosion concerns
4
Frank Biondello, Jr. has been overseeing the transformation of The Dock on the Bay's hurricane-damaged marina as the marina manager for the past year.
  • May 25, 2026
Dock on the Bay makes progress on 'long road to recovery'
5
Grant's Gardens has a two-bay garage at 525 Gulf Bay Road, and is proposing to build an office building on the lot across the street at 524 Gulf Bay Road.
  • May 23, 2026
Landscaping company seeks expansion in Longboat Key

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.

Anytime. Anywhere. Observer.

From in-depth local reporting to real-time breaking news, stay connected to the stories shaping our community with the Your Observer app.

Download Now for Free