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Opinion

  • By Rod Thomson
  • May 18, 2011
MY VIEW: Turn off the TV. Quick!

TV and the rest of Digital Land that we use to watch videos are making us fat, lazy, dumb and horrible citizens.

  • East County
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 18, 2011
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

L'Ambiance ladies create special ambience for events; Gov. Scott is despised by more than the media.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 12, 2011
Our View: Right turns in the Legislature

Gov. Rick Scott, a Tallahassee outsider despised in the media and willing to take unpopular stands on principle, had a surprising amount of success during his first legislative session as governor.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 11, 2011
Our view: Right turns in the Legislature

Gov. Rick Scott, a Tallahassee outsider despised in the media and willing to take unpopular stands on principle, had a surprising amount of success during his first legislative session as governor.

  • East County
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 11, 2011
Our View: Right turns in the Legislature

Gov. Rick Scott, a Tallahassee outsider despised in the media and willing to take unpopular stands on principle, had a surprising amount of success during his first legislative session as governor.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
  • By Rod Thomson
  • May 11, 2011
Purchase audit a wise precaution

Considering all that is unfolding in Sarasota County government - its reputation firmly stained by scandal - Town Manager Bruce St. Denis is smart to be conducting a purchasing audit of his operation.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 5, 2011
OUR VIEW: Newtown needs fresh leaders

Newtown is a community black eye that Sarasota leaders have been trying feverishly to put mascara over to protect the important tourism industry. That effort will be successful, and Sarasota and her beaches, golf courses and snowbird industries will recover. Memories are often short.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Charles Hewett, executive vice president and chief operating officer of The Jackson Laboratory, stands at the proposed site of research lab in eastern Collier County last summer before the institute abandoned the project at the end of 2010.
  • By Carolann Cahill and Jim Lampl
  • May 5, 2011
MY VIEW: Go slow on Jackson Lab

The non-profit Jackson Laboratory has a solid reputation in its field and a demonstrated track record of success in securing public funding. But that does not justify Sarasota County jumping on the Jackson Lab bandwagon heading our way.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 4, 2011
Our View: Fed beach funding a gamble

Living in paradise with beaches comes with a cost called renourishment. As Longboaters know, it's a steep cost, but a necessary oxygen for the Key's survival.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
  • By Rod Thomson
  • May 4, 2011
Running afowl of its own rules

The whole peacock dust-up should just be a fun moment worthy of a hundred groaning puns. Unfortunately, it is not.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 4, 2011
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

LBK trolley schedules forced visitors into cars

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 4, 2011
OUR VIEW: Budget woes an opportunity

Like every other county and municipality in Florida, Manatee County is facing yet another round of budget cuts. But times of pain and crisis are always times of opportunity - with just a little vision.

  • East County
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 4, 2011
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Slow down and save wildlife

  • East County
  • Opinion
    By
  • Michael Eng
  • May 4, 2011
OBSERVED: To incorporate or not? That is the question

In my 11 years with the East County Observer, no single decision has carried as much weight as the one of whether Lakewood Ranch should become its own city.

  • East County
  • Opinion
Anthony and Ivette Littlejohn with their son, Adrian
    By
  • Michael Eng
  • May 4, 2011
In memory: Adrian Shawn Littlejohn

In the last two months, we featured Adrian Shawn Littlejohn, the 1-year-old son of Lakewood Ranch coach Anthony Littlejohn who battled bravely a rare cancer, twice on our cover. Sadly, he died at 9:15 a.m., May 1, resting comfortably in his mother's arms.

  • East County
  • Opinion
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