Opinion | Sarasota | Your Observer

Sarasota | Opinion

Matt Walsh
March 1, 2023

For SMH, context matters

All things considered, in the fog of the crisis, Sarasota Memorial Hospital’s handling of COVID was exemplary — except in one area.

Sarasota
Opinion

Emily Walsh
February 22, 2023

Nearly two years after forming a mental health district, the Sarasota County Commission has yet to distribute $8 million in funding. Now Commissioner Mike Moran wants to restructure the process — and what services get funded.

Sarasota
Opinion

Matt Walsh
February 15, 2023

No longer inexpensive

Housing costs (and government) have made Florida expensive. A great reason to fix policies.

Longboat Key
Opinion

Matt Walsh
February 9, 2023

The War of Education

The inevitable has been exposed: State-controlled, taxpayer-funded education doesn’t work. The power needs to shift from politicians to parents.

Sarasota
Opinion

Matt Walsh
February 2, 2023

Declare fentanyl a WMD

President Joe Biden’s ineptness at stopping fentanyl from China and Mexico has fueled Florida’s fentanyl death toll — second highest in the U.S. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody makes a case for decisive action.

Sarasota
Opinion

Matt Walsh
January 25, 2023

What is ‘effective’ notice?

Florida’s Republican lawmakers hate the daily newspapers and for 25 years have sought to end laws requiring public notices in newspapers. Their answer: Let government control public notice. Ha!

Longboat Key
Opinion

Matt Walsh
January 18, 2023

Do or die for New College

With his recent appointments to the New College board, Gov. DeSantis has put the school on notice that it can no longer do what it has been doing. There is a better strategy for the future.

Sarasota
Opinion

By Adrian Moore, Geoffrey Lawrence
January 11, 2023

Nikki Fried is right to sue for medical marijuana patients’ gun rights

Although federal law prohibits marijuana use, it doesn’t give it grounds to discriminate against marijuana users.

Sarasota
Opinion

Matt Walsh
January 5, 2023

Wake up. Have hope.

Our word for 2023 is "hope." We all must have hope — hope that our fellow Americans wake up to what is being done to them. History shows us the power of hope. It propels us to take action.

Sarasota
Opinion

Emily Walsh
December 28, 2022

Vision 2023

As we move into the new year, Observer Media Group remains committed to its vision statement: Innovate and elevate.

Sarasota
Opinion

Matt Walsh
December 14, 2022

Right step for SMH board

Hearing the stories of families who lost loved ones during the pandemic was a gut-wrenching baptism for SMH’s new board members. But they responded the right way. Rather than look for blame, they chose to learn.

Sarasota
Opinion

Matt Walsh
December 14, 2022

DeSantis’ political future? It’s property insurance

Long after Gov. Ron DeSantis is gone from Florida politics, his legacy will be tied to the issue Florida legislators are addressing this week in Tallahassee: property insurance.