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LWR Life

A natural storyteller and hands-on farmer, Garrett Dakin and his brothers are carrying on a multi-generational dairy legacy in Myakka City.
    By
  • Eric Snider
  • May 15, 2025
At Dakin Dairy Farms, four brothers tend to cows, kin and a vanishing way of life

Got milk? Dakin Dairy does. And here’s what it takes to get it from the cows to the shelf.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Isabella DuCharme brings island energy to every espresso pull at Bad Ass Coffee, where each cup starts with beans grown in paradise.
    By
  • Su Byron
  • May 15, 2025
Check out these cafes to get a creative caffeine fix

Wake up and smell the coffee! Here's what's brewing in Lakewood Ranch.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
Vivid lighting and sparkling water features create a dramatic lakeside setting.
  • By Robert Plunket
  • May 15, 2025
A spectacular home in The Lake Club defines the ultimate in Florida living

After 36 years in the industry, Derek and Kelly Nelson designed a Lake Club home that brings together everything they learned about beauty, function and Florida living.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Lee Whitehurst was named chief of the East Manatee Fire Rescue District in 2017.
    By
  • Eric Snider
  • February 21, 2025
Fire chief prepares to pass the torch of public safety

Lee Whitehurst's passion to become a firefighter was kindled as a teenager. Five decades later, with retirement looming, he remains devoted to the craft.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Mike and Katie Emmons founded the Taylor Emmons Scholarship fund in 2010.
    By
  • Eric Snider
  • February 21, 2025
Taylor Emmons' legacy lives on through Out-of-Door Academy scholarship

Grieving parents turned their son’s tragic death into a sustainable charitable endeavor that has paid for more than a dozen teenagers to attend a private high school.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Bagpipe players lead the dogs in the Lucky Dog Parade at the 2024 Irish Celtic Festival.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • February 21, 2025
The best things to do in Lakewood Ranch this spring

From live music to classic cars, the Lakewood Ranch area has events for everyone.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Things To Do
Arts scene serves up ample opportunities to dive into our collective experience
    By
  • Su Byron
  • February 20, 2025
Arts scene serves up ample opportunities to dive into our collective experience

Spring is the season of renewal, rebirth and reinvention. The area art scene is no exception.

  • Arts + Culture
Jaydyn Boucher has been fishing since she could hold a fishing rod.
    By
  • Emily Leinfuss
  • February 20, 2025
To find the best fishing holes, you have to ask the locals

With its many lakes, Lakewood Ranch offers prime fishing spots that invite anglers to cast a line amid serene surroundings, whether they're seeking a quiet escape or the thrill of reeling in the catch of the day.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
The National Basketball Association named Rick Barry one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996.
    By
  • Eric Snider
  • February 20, 2025
Has age softened NBA star Rick Barry? Ask his pickleball opponents.

This part-time Lakewood Ranch resident was one of the most prolific scorers and accurate free throw shooters in basketball’s history.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Stacey Lipton's captivating watercolor paintings capture the beauty and essence of nature.
    By
  • Su Byron
  • February 20, 2025
The Creative Arts Association of Lakewood Ranch shows off its multitude of talent

Members of the Creative Arts Association of Lakewood Ranch unite to inspire each other and create community awareness.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
In the living room, shades of crème and blue create a soothing, seaside-inspired mood. The painting above the fireplace was created by the homeowner, Mary Ann Steinbock.
  • By Robert Plunket
  • February 20, 2025
A home in the Country Club proves that a classic look never goes out of style

This showplace in the Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club proves a house doesn't have to be new to be desirable. It just has to be unique.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Bob Haskin returns a serve against Alan Bartlett at a recent pickleball game at Lakewood Ranch High School.
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • February 20, 2025
Pickleball players search for home courts closer to home

Passionate pickleball players — which is to say just about all of them — are dinking and dunking for new Lakewood Ranch courts to compete on. A solution might be in play.

  • East County
  • News
Miso-glazed Chilean sea bass is a specialty at Deep Lagoon Seafood & Oyster House in Waterside.
    By
  • Marty Fugate
  • February 20, 2025
Family values, commitment to quality on the menu at Phelan Family Brands

CEO and co-Owner Grant Phelan discusses the family business, including its newest member, Deep Lagoon Seafood & Oyster House.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
John Neal, with Neal Land & Neighborhoods, is building North River Ranch in Parrish.
    By
  • Elizabeth King
  • February 18, 2025
Big projects to keep an eye on in Parrish

With bulldozers and (lots of) building permits in tow, a pair of communities a short car ride away from Lakewood Ranch are in boom mode. "Coming soon" signs dot the landscape.

  • East County
  • News
Ilee Finocchiaro and Danielle Curtis met in 2023 and began to formulate a plan to merge the two nonprofits they helped run.
    By
  • Laura Lyon
  • February 17, 2025
SMART joins forces with a similar nonprofit

Two nonprofits with a similar focus — helping people through horse therapy — have merged into one organization.

  • East County
  • News
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The moon shines between a pair of "Florida Reindeer."
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Holiday display at Selby Gardens boasts over 2 million lights
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Shane Rawley poses for a photo on Dec. 2 at Shaner's Pizzeria with his three published books. From left: "A February Thaw: A Peter Cobb Adventure," "January Freeze: A Peter Cobb Adventure" and "Peter Cobb: Three Strikes You're Out."
  • December 4, 2025
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