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Opinion

Commissioner Bob McCann stands behind the amendment he brought before the commission in January that would reinstate additional wetland buffers in Manatee County. He says the amendment is not more "burdensome or restrictive" because it was already in place.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • August 13, 2025
Upcoming Manatee land use meeting should grab your attention

Wetland buffers and the Future Development Area Boundary will be discussed.

  • East County
  • Opinion
District 72 Rep. Bill Conerly, FDOT's John Kubler, Commissioner Bob McCann, Commissioner George Kruse and former Commissioner Carol Whitmore handle ribbon-cutting duties for the 44th Avenue Extension Aug. 4.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • August 6, 2025
Joyous occasion for Manatee County, but more drama on the way

The opening of 44th Avenue extension deserves celebration, but commissioners and SMR are headed for confrontation.

  • East County
  • Opinion
With the gravy train about to crash, now is the time for county officials to start a diet
  • By Tom Knight | District 3 Sarasota County Commissioner
  • July 30, 2025
With the gravy train about to crash, now is the time for county officials to start a diet

Sarasota County’s budget has grown 56% in the last four years. As revenue growth slows, spending needs to be trimmed to prepare for the future.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
A flyover of Interstate 75 is planned near the water tower to relieve traffic congestion at UTC, but the project continues to drag along.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • July 30, 2025
Is a traffic apocalypse nearing at UTC?

Officials need to speed up steps to increase access to the popular area.

  • East County
  • Opinion
One 'Mighty Banyan'
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • July 30, 2025
One 'Mighty Banyan'

It's a wonderful story of college spirit and pride — how one of Sarasota's own, Anna Lazzara, created the new mascot for New College.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Keep the name of Longboat's Gulf of Mexico Drive
  • By Letter to the Editor
  • July 28, 2025
Keep the name of Longboat's Gulf of Mexico Drive

America should "stand up" again as it it did under President Eisenhower, a reader says.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Steve Stricker is likely to be one of the favorites at the 2026 Senior PGA Championship in April at the Concession.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • July 25, 2025
A perfect match for the PGA of America?

Lakewood Ranch-area businesses needed to help service the 2026 Senior PGA Championship at the Concession.

  • East County
  • Opinion
What’s best for NCF, USF?
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • July 23, 2025
What’s best for NCF, USF?

The governor should appoint a commission to determine what the best long-term structure should be for the Ringling, New College and USF.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Lakewood Ranch Community Activities' Paige Venuto, Keith Pandeloglou, and Danielle Bugel look forward to the first Communi-tee Golf Classic at Calusa Golf and Country Club Sept. 17.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • July 17, 2025
Lakewood Ranch Community Activities launches its first golf tournament

Calusa Golf and Country Club in Lakewood Ranch will host the inaugural event Sept. 17.

  • East County
  • Opinion
Corcoran's compelling case
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • July 16, 2025
Corcoran's compelling case

When you see what is occurring at New College, Richard Corcoran’s vision for consolidating three institutions deserves serious examination.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Roller skating sensation Anita Zeman manages to keep smiling, even as her husband Karoly Zeman launches her into the air under the Waterside Place Pavilion July 4 during Star-Spangled Spectacular.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • July 10, 2025
Star-Spangled Spectacular tests the limits of Waterside

Lakewood Ranch's first major July 4 draws more than 8,000 people.

  • East County
  • Opinion
Housing plan falls short
  • By Jeffrey Brandes, Adrian Moore, Edward Pinto
  • July 9, 2025
Housing plan falls short

The affordability crisis is not a market failure. Sarasota needs to remove barriers. Other cities have done so and are seeing meaningful results.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
We’re all sea turtles. Rise to the occasion.
  • By Letter to the Editor
  • July 8, 2025
We’re all sea turtles. Rise to the occasion.

We go the extra mile for sea turtles. We should do the same for other people.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
The poles are gone, cheers to Lynn Larson
  • By Letters to the Editor
  • July 2, 2025
The poles are gone, cheers to Lynn Larson

Longboat's undergrounding of utility wires means no more unsightly structures, says a reader.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
25 years devoted to liberty
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • July 2, 2025
25 years devoted to liberty

For a quarter-century on the Fourth of July, we have used this page as a reminder of the magnitude of 1776.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
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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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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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