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Opinion

Arts can (and should) stand on their own
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • May 28, 2025
Arts can (and should) stand on their own

Whenever the region’s arts organizations and their leaders and representatives convene for a conference or summit, inevitably, discussions get around to lamenting the state of taxpayer funding for the arts.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Democracy takes foresight and forethought
  • By Letter to the Editor
  • May 27, 2025
Democracy takes foresight and forethought

One should consider the consequences before making a decision, a reader says.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
'Save the Mira Mar' is inappropriate form of horse trading
  • By Letter to the Editor
  • May 21, 2025
'Save the Mira Mar' is inappropriate form of horse trading

Seaward's development plan rests on two shaky pillars that lacks an economic need and historic preservation, a reader says.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Gardeners Out East members Carolyn Lowry-Nation, Nancy Schneider and Melodie Friedebach stand by the Gold Star Memorial installed by the club at the Lakewood Ranch Library.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • May 21, 2025
A Memorial Day service in Lakewood Ranch would warrant a gold star

Move of Tribute to Heroes Parade to November leaves a void.

  • East County
  • Opinion
How to boost affordability
  • By Adrian Moore, Eliza Terziev
  • May 21, 2025
How to boost affordability

There are some simple steps Sarasota city and county can take to relieve the lack of housing that is affordable — and it’s not requiring public subsidies.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
How we compare
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • May 21, 2025
How we compare

Living in a capitalistic, competitive society, we all like to know how we compare. Are we best? Worst? First? Last?

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Manatee does it again
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • May 14, 2025
Manatee does it again

Learning Manatee commissioners voted to pursue voiding a contract was too much for SMR’s Rex Jensen.

  • East County
  • Opinion
County should study traffic before buying admin building
  • By Letter to the Editor
  • May 13, 2025
County should study traffic before buying admin building

Give animals on University Parkway a brake, one Observer reader says.

  • East County
  • Opinion
There’s no need for search
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • May 8, 2025
There’s no need for search

The idea of enduring the City Commission's search for a city manager could make you cringe. So why do it when the best and right candidate is already here?

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Manatee County commissioners unanimously approve the purchase of 9000 Town Center Parkway May 6.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • May 7, 2025
Manatee's proposed $23.5 million purchase raises transparency issues

While buying a Lakewood Ranch building appears to be positive for East County, residents had little chance to offer input.

  • East County
  • Opinion
LBK survey: What about $?
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • May 7, 2025
LBK survey: What about $?

It's no surprise Longboat Key residents expressed high satisfaction in the town survey. That's great. But maybe they also should be asked about their taxes.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Stillpoint Mission's Marge Slepica, Gene Tischer, Linda Burman, Gary Scott and Jim Keiner and Annual Appeal fundraisers Bob Smith, Diane Brune, Judy Balmer and Bob Keehn celebrate the record $84,017 raised.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • April 30, 2025
Stillpoint Mission Appeal sets another record for Bob Smith and friends

Time to celebrate charity, and to get some swim lessons, in Lakewood Ranch.

  • East County
  • Opinion
Tyranny of Trump's tariffs
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • April 30, 2025
Tyranny of Trump's tariffs

Who is ripping off whom in international trade. How can Donald Trump know more about tariffs than 250 years of economic evidence? Tariffs punish everyone.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
In truth, our trade deficits benefit Americans
  • By Randall G. Holcombe
  • April 30, 2025
In truth, our trade deficits benefit Americans

While the Trump administration’s economic policies are aimed at least partly toward eliminating the nation’s balance of payments deficits, Americans should understand that they benefit from those deficits.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Noted economists past and present on tariffs and free trade
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • April 30, 2025
Noted economists past and present on tariffs and free trade

In any discussion to understand free trade, protectionism and tariffs, there is no debate among credible economists: Free trade: good; protectionism and tariffs: bad.

  • 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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