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Neighbors

Runners pack the starting area for the 2025 Florida Turkey Trot Nov. 27 at foggy Nathan Benderson Park. The race had a record 4,558 participants.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • November 27, 2025
Record 4,558 runners participate in 2025 Florida Turkey Trot

The Nathan Benderson Park event in Sarasota raises funds for the park conservancy and the Big Bill Foundation.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Tim Norwood
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • November 27, 2025
Entrepreneur harvests sea salt from local barrier islands

Tim Norwood created his own company, Sea Salt Florida, using sea water off the islands of Siesta, Longboat and Lido Key, among others.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Despite their 30 year age difference, Marge DeSimone and Courtney Barr have become great friends and share a deep love for Nikki, Barr's 7-year-old Bordoodle. They compete in dock diving to keep all of the "Three Musketeers," as Barr said, active and engaged.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • November 26, 2025
Dock-diving dog helps two single women form a bond of friendship in Myakka

Marge DeSimone, 88, acts as a releaser for border collie-poodle mix Nikki, who has made a positive splash in her life.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Members of the Del Webb Lakewood Ranch Association of Veterans and Military Supporters and MacDill personnel take a photo together in 2019 before the COVID pandemic changed the operation.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • November 26, 2025
Lakewood Ranch nonprofit feeds veterans for Thanksgiving

Operation Thanksgiving feeds active duty military personnel stationed out of MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Lesley Rife, one of this year's organizers of Christmas in the Garden, said visitors have plenty to look forward to at this year's festivities, which start Nov. 30 at the Longboat Island Chapel garden.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • November 26, 2025
Longboat Island Chapel prepares for Christmas in the Garden

The beloved tradition on Longboat Key's north end returns on Nov. 30 and features decorated trees and nine-gig musical lineup.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Mary Bensel, the executive director of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, displays her award alongside John LaCivita, chief executive officer of Willis A. Smith Construction; Virginia Haley, the retired president and CEO of Visit Sarasota County and Erin Duggan, Visit Sarasota County's president and CEO.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • November 25, 2025
Seven honored for contributions to Sarasota's tourism industry

Visit Sarasota County's Haley Hall of Fame adds inductees from field of 40 nominees.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Mission in Motion's Ruth Barker, Rose Marie Hartley, Faith Michael, Mothers Helping Mothers director of donations Barbara Braun, Debbie Apple and Judy Kirkpatrick fill a truck with toy donations.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • November 25, 2025
Lakewood Ranch's Mission in Motion delivers the goods to local charities

Gathering both physical and monetary donations, Mission in Motion is currently supporting eight organizations.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Organizers of this year's Lawn Party by the Bay eagerly anticipate the foodie festival, which will feature more restaurants than ever before. From left, The Resort at Longboat Key Club Managing Director Rick Konsavage, Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key President Danielle Gladding, Children's Guardian Fund Executive Director Svetlana Ivashchenko and Kiwanis Club Past President Michael Garey.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • November 25, 2025
Kiwanis Lawn Party on City Island will host 32 restaurants

The charitable event is raising funds for the Children's Guardian Fund, which supports foster families throughout Sarasota and Manatee counties.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Brio Italian Grille Executive Chef Josué Pabellón learned about the best Thanksgiving Day leftovers by growing up in a family of chefs in Puerto Rico.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • November 24, 2025
Love the Thanksgiving Day leftovers as much as the main meal

Brio Italian Grille chef says Thanksgiving Day is just round one of the annual feast.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Lakewood Ranch sisters Mariapaz Ritter, 7 and Analia Ritter, 12, got their faces painted by Akiko Graphics at the at Greenbrook Adventure Park. Mariapaz chose a peace sign because "paz" the last part of her name means peace in Spanish and Analia chose daisies because they are her favorite flowers.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • November 24, 2025
Greenbrook Adventure Park reopens with a fun day

Lakewood Ranch Community Activities hosted Party in the Park with live music, face painting and activities for families.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Miriam Cornell and James Garlanger of Bear Gully Creek Farms talk with Cornell's mother, Sharon Cornell, and Jim Sroka.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • November 23, 2025
Perfect weather yields steady turnout for Sarasota Farmers Market

Vendors said that mild weather drew a steady turnout during this week's downtown farmer's market.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Mark Lorah created a Lego version of the Imperial Theatre in Augusta, Georgia.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • November 23, 2025
Lego artists show their imagination in Sarasota's first BrickUniverse

The Lego fan expo event at Robarts Arena showcased the work of artists from near and far with a mission of inspiring kids and adults.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Geoff Levin, Marcy Klein, Steven Goodman and Patricia Courtois volunteer at the Van Wezel.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • November 23, 2025
All Faiths Food Bank works to distribute record number of turkeys

This year, the Sarasota food bank ordered a total of 14,500 turkeys to distribute to community members in need.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Alison and Eloise Fichner snap a photo with Santa Claus at Light Up Longboat on Nov. 22 at the Town Center Green.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • November 23, 2025
Families partake in early-season cheer at Light Up Longboat

Longboaters and their family members kicked off the holiday season with annual festivities on Nov. 22 at the Town Center Green.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Stephanie Kruk, Georgianna Vicari, Pat Young and Carol Fischbein joined the St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church Women's Guild for its welcome-back luncheon on Nov. 18.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • November 22, 2025
Women's guild welcome-back luncheon celebrates charitable successes

Members of the St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Women's Guild planned upcoming activities at their welcome-back luncheon on Nov. 18 at the church.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
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1
Santa (Steven Trudell of St. Petersburg) gets the runners fired up just before the start of the 2025 Jingle 5K Dec. 12 in Lakewood Ranch.
  • December 13, 2025
More than 500 runners go the distance in Lakewood Ranch's Jingle 5K
2
Longboat Key Police Deputy Chief Frank Rubino (left) accepts a framed display of medals, patches and pins that demonstrate his 45-year career in law enforcement.
  • December 13, 2025
Longboat deputy chief with 45 years of experience to retire
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  • December 12, 2025
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Nicholas Savarese, a teacher who has a background in chemical engineering, judges junior Lillian Pevzner-Downer's project on the comparison of conventionally grown crops with chemicals and pesticides versus organically grown crops at the Lakewood Ranch High School Science Fair.
  • December 12, 2025
Lakewood Ranch High revives its science fair

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