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Sarasota | Neighbors

Janet Minker’s love of architecture is rooted in her career as a graphic designer.
    By
  • Eric Snider
  • January 29, 2024
Sarasota architecture inspires graphic designer to preserve its legacy

Lido Shores resident Janet Minker is a tireless advocate for preserving Sarasota’s historical buildings — and, by association, the city’s character and charm.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
A guide to the birds to spot each month in Sarasota
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 25, 2024
A guide to the birds to spot each month in Sarasota

When and where to find the bird of the month (and how to identify them), according to local experts.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Mashara Mirtolooi performs "To Error is Human."
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 24, 2024
Music Compound songwriters showcase original compositions

Songwriters Showcase allowed students of all ages to perform their own compositions.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Historical frame worth $1.4 million going to auction in Sarasota
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 24, 2024
Historical frame worth $1.4 million going to auction in Sarasota

The world’s most expensive period frame, designed by architect Stanford White, will be auctioned by Sarasota's Helmuth Stone Gallery.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Paella cooking at the Seafood Market food truck at St. Armands Food Truck Rally and Music Festival.
    By
  • Petra Rivera
  • January 22, 2024
St. Armands Food Truck fest brings cuisine from around the country

The weekend-long festival drew a restaurant-turned-food truck featured on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives."

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Jessie Ochsendorf, a 7th grader at Pine View School and winner of Best In Show Quotation, and artist Michael White
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 22, 2024
Sarasota welcomes Embracing Our Differences art exhibit

There were more than 16,000 submissions this year. Judges' selections are on display through April 14 at Bayfront Park.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Rylen Gibbs, Dylan Luper and Owen Nystrand help spread mulch around the tree.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 21, 2024
Garden Club, Oak Park School plant 'tourist tree' on Florida Arbor Day

Students from the school, which serves children with disabilities, helped carry out the project.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Clayton Rosaire greets a black jaguar April 21, 2023.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 18, 2024
Big Cat Habitat operator bonds with exotic animals through trust and love

Clayton Rosaire specializes in big cats and has spent a large portion of his life working with them on an everyday basis.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
The Unconditional Surrender statue is cleaned.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 18, 2024
Meet the 'invisible' team cleaning Sarasota's sidewalks and statues

Gorilla Kleen staff describe the thankless task of cleaning landmark locations while the city sleeps.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Ozzy Pirner, 2, discovers the wonders of snow in Florida.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 15, 2024
Sarasota sees snow day at First Sarasota Baptist Church

More than 20,000 pounds of fresh "snow" gave local children a chance to build snowmen and toss snowballs.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Booker High School cheerleaders bring their enthusiasm to the walk.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 15, 2024
Celebrations span Sarasota for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

The day’s events included the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast and Community Awards, the Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Walk and Celebration, and MLK Music Fest.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Roseate spoonbills feed by wading in shallow water and sweeping their unique bill from side to side. Spoonbills are very sensitive to shifts in water depth.
    By
  • Miri Hardy
  • January 15, 2024
Myakka bird count shows park's avian habitat importance

A citizen science event tallied 14,386 individual birds on one day in Myakka River State Park.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Zumba is among the activities offered at The Bay Park.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 12, 2024
Free ways to get fit and stay healthy in Sarasota

From beach yoga to high-intensity training at The Bay, the city has something to offer fitness seekers of all stripes.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Bob Horne
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 11, 2024
20 years in, Bob's Train owner journeys to restore Ringling's rail car

Bob Horne, owner of Bob's Train, hopes to see the yearslong project completed, even if it means continuing to perform much of the work himself.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
  • By Goodwill Manasota, Inc.
  • January 10, 2024
New Year, New Look: Elevate Your Wardrobe with Goodwill!

Since 1902, Goodwill’s mission-integrated donated goods business model has contributed to the sustainability of the planet.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Sponsored Content
Joel Morganroth, chair of the board of trustees, cuts the ribbon.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 9, 2024
Selby Gardens cuts the ribbon on Phase 1 of its Master Plan

The new facilities include what the organization says is the world’s first net-positive energy botanical garden complex.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Autumn Tselios leads the Naples-based band, The Rockefellers, at Fresh Fridays on Jan. 5.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 9, 2024
How downtown Sarasota block party organizers find fresh bands

Fresh Fridays, held the first Friday of each month, sources high-end bands locally and from outside the area.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Harry Strunk, 2, explores inside a cardboard tunnel.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 9, 2024
Sarasota Children's Museum kicks off quest for a dedicated space

The inaugural event of Sarasota's Children's Museum drew families to The Bay Park, offering children interactive experiences and hands-on learning activities.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
A plant grows from a conch shell in a display by William Tippit of Apopka, Florida.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 7, 2024
Orchids in Paradise show grows knowledge of the flowers

The show brought together vendors from the local area and beyond, as well as other Sarasota County orchid societies.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Children's 'museum without walls' to host inaugural event
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 4, 2024
Children's 'museum without walls' to host inaugural event

A new Sarasota nonprofit wants to create a dedicated hands-on museum space for children.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Dr. Marty Reichgut
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 3, 2024
Sarasota tai chi instructor spurs others to find their potential

Instructor Marty Reichgut, 85, says that thanks to the form of martial arts, he's more agile now than he was as a teenager.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
The SMN-Sarasota Campus labor and delivery team.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • January 2, 2024
Sarasota's first baby of 2024 arrives at SMH

A girl was born at Sarasota Memorial Hospital at 1:56 a.m. Jan. 1.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Daimy Sainz rides a mechanical bull.
    By
  • James Peter
  • January 1, 2024
Sarasota rings in 2024 with downtown block party

Carnival rides, amusements and mechanical bulls entertained all ages on New Year's Eve.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
New York trumpet player and Sarasota Jazz Festival Music Director Terell Stafford performs March 17, 2023, at the Sarasota Jazz Festival.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 30, 2023
Don't miss these Sarasota events in 2024

Sarasota offers events to suit many interests in 2024.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Things To Do
See Sarasota's 2023 in photos
    By
  • James Peter
  • December 28, 2023
See Sarasota's 2023 in photos

Classroom lizards, high-flying hoopsters, knights in shining armor and dancing reindeer made 2023 a year to remember in Sarasota.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
A look back at 2023 on YourObserver.com
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • December 25, 2023
A look back at 2023 on YourObserver.com

The past year was packed with news in our area. Here are readers’ favorite stories from YourObserver.com.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
The RoboRumble program teaches students how to build robots from Legos, leading up to a competition pitting the different teams' robots against one another.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 21, 2023
Student-designed Lego robots battle in Fab Lab competition

The inaugural Lego RoboRumble competition pits students’ robotic Lego creations against one another for awards, prizes and learning.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
  • By Florida Power & Light Company
  • December 20, 2023
Be Jolly and Bright This Holiday Season with FPL’s Energy-Saving Tips

Try implementing the energy saving tips below and read on about how you can use FPL’s Energy Manager to stay on top of your energy use.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Sponsored Content
Chloe Marino, 7, meets Santa Claus at the Downtown Sarasota Holiday Parade on Dec. 2, 2023.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 19, 2023
Sarasota Santa shares what it takes to wear the red suit

Mark Welikci, who has been a fixture of the Downtown Sarasota Holiday Parade, explains what makes the perfect "Ho, ho, ho," his favorite cookie flavor, and the heart and soul of being Santa Claus.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
  • By JFCS of the Suncoast
  • December 18, 2023
Help Us Create a Path of Hope and Success for All Local Families

JFCS is a leading Mental Health and Human Services Agency providing support to youth and families through Counseling and Financial Assistance.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Sponsored Content
Taylor Galford
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 18, 2023
Music Compound now offers virtual, hybrid guitar instruction

The Sarasota music school's new course, “Introduction to Guitar Fundamentals: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide," was launched in early December.

  • Sarasota
  • Business
Mason Rivera, 7, meets The Grinch (Debbie Maxa).
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 16, 2023
Southside Baptist Church becomes a Christmas town

The celebration brings together the Grinch and Santa Claus along with activities like snowball throwing.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Temple Emanu-El celebrates Hanukkah with giant menorah
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • December 15, 2023
Temple Emanu-El celebrates Hanukkah with giant menorah

The synagogue’s gathering also included time for children to write letters to young people displaced from their homes in Israel.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • James Peter
  • December 12, 2023
Sarasota author’s book to be featured in Times Square display

Ritu Anand’s children’s book “Kara’s Dreams” won recognition in the 2023 New York City Big Book Award contest.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Habitat restoration zones help protect plants and wildlife, while offering park visitors superior wildlife viewing opportunities thanks to reduced human-related disturbances.
    By
  • Miri Hardy
  • December 12, 2023
Habitat restoration zones help stabilize natural environment

These areas give wildlife and vegetation a chance to flourish free from human disturbances.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Brown Eyed Girl, captained by Cooper Tholmes, gives a wave to the audience.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 11, 2023
Sarasota decks the hulls for Holiday Boat Parade of Lights

Held in support of Suncoast Charities for Children, the 37th annual event featured 27 boats and a tribute to "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation."

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
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1
This Lido Shores home at 1436 John Ringling Parkway is listed at $12.98 million.
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Citywide speed limits set at 20 mph on local streets
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Man falls for electronic payments scam of $6,000
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Bravo's Pizzeria & Italian Eatery at 1995 Main St. in Sarasota has closed.
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From left, Drew Ferguson, Jason Creasy, Noah Green, Benjamin Newman, Olivia Ledwith and Eric Coley are the newest sworn officers of the Sarasota Police Department.
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