• Alternate Text
  • Loading

  • Sand Bucket List
  • Health Observed
  • Crossword
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • e-Newspaper App
  • Longboat
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Opinion
  • East County
    • News
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
  • Sarasota
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
    • Siesta Key
  • Arts + Entertainment
    • Eat + Drink
    • Arts + Culture
    • Reviews
    • Things To Do
    • Black Tie
    • Spotlight Partners
  • Elections
  • Galleries
  • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Health Observed
    • Sand Bucket List
    • Celebrations
    • Contests
    • Tributes
    • Submit a Celebration
    • Submit a Tribute
    • Public Notices
    • Classifieds
  • Longboat
    • Longboat
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Opinion
  • East County
    • East County
    • News
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
  • Sarasota
    • Sarasota
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
    • Siesta Key
  • Arts + Entertainment
    • Arts + Entertainment
    • Eat + Drink
    • Arts + Culture
    • Reviews
    • Things To Do
    • Black Tie
    • Spotlight Partners
  • Elections
  • Galleries
  • More
    • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Health Observed
    • Sand Bucket List
    • Celebrations
    • Contests
    • Tributes
    • Submit a Celebration
    • Submit a Tribute
    • Public Notices
    • Classifieds
  • Sand Bucket List
  • Health Observed
  • Crossword
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • e-Newspaper App

Sarasota | Opinion

    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • December 30, 2020
Word for 2021: Anthem

Taken from Ayn Rand’s 1937 novella, it’s a warning to reject the spread of collectivism and the state and fight for the principles that made the U.S. exceptional.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
A time to keep our perspective
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • December 23, 2020
A time to keep our perspective

Caesar Augustus and Herod were all about self-centered status, power and ego. Mary and Joseph were the antithesis: humble, not materially wealthy, ordinary in all appearances. And yet they were extraordinary.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • December 10, 2020
Our challenge: Keep Florida Florida

You can interpret Florida’s presidential election results as delivering two messages.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • December 10, 2020
Stay the course, governor

The media chafes that DeSantis is an outlier. But his approach is helping 95% of Floridians not infected with the coronavirus.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • December 3, 2020
Florida bounces back

Despite the struggles in hospitality, Florida indeed has seen a V-shaped recovery. But questions remain about early 2021.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • November 25, 2020
Triumph of a noble cause

On the 400th anniversary of the Puritans settling in the New World, the story of the repatriation of Williams Bradford’s history of Plymouth Colony is a vivid reminder of why our nation exists.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
  • By Jim Tollerton
  • November 18, 2020
My view: Pilgrims learned socialism doesn't work

The first colonists at Plymouth, Mass., almost starved until they switched to private property and ownership.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
  • By Vittorio Nastasti and Adrian Moore
  • November 18, 2020
Florida ballot measure results are a mixed bag

Florida passed three of the six amendments on the general election ballot.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Guest Author
  • November 16, 2020
Letters to the editor: Readers question recent column on elections

Readers sound off

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • November 12, 2020
Voters deserve the truth

The integrity of the national election process far outweighs Biden’s unofficial victory claim.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • November 12, 2020
A shoutout to Florida’s elections officials and staffs

With each screw-up, elections supervisors and the Legislature reformed and refined the system to the point now that Florida’s elections system is a national model and gold standard.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • November 5, 2020
A legacy decision for the city

The new tax increment district for the Bay Park is a Big Deal — a major step forward for the city.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • October 28, 2020
How Florida goes, the US goes

Florida is often called a microcosm of the U.S. electorate. Our state has sided with nine of the past 10 winners.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Guest Author
  • October 26, 2020
Readers respond to "Liberty or enslavement" editorial

Letters to the editor.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • October 21, 2020
Liberty or enslavement

If you’re still undecided, forget the candidates’ personalities. It’s the philosophies that matter.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
« 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 »
The best of Your Observer, delivered directly to your inbox

Get the latest in news, sports, schools, arts and things to do in Sarasota, Siesta Key, Longboat Key and East County.

Sign Up

Latest in Sarasota

1
Front porch rug drying sparks a boarding house fight
  • July 22, 2026
Front porch rug drying sparks a boarding house fight
2
Hamlet Perez was a senior left-hander for Sarasota High baseball in 2026. It was the Sailors' first season under coach Sterling Pell, who hopes to help develop future pros in seasons to come.
  • July 22, 2026
Sarasota can strengthen its pipeline to professional baseball
3
The City Commission moved ahead with an effort to bury utility lines on St. Armands and Lido keys, such as these along Benjamin Franklin Drive.
  • July 22, 2026
City commits $3.1 million toward utility burial on Lido, St. Armands
4
The USF Sarasota-Manatee campus has steadily grown over the past 20 years on Tamiami Trail.
  • July 21, 2026
USF names new Sarasota-Manatee leader for New College transition
5
Natalia Lesniewska raked in a meet-high 11 medals — 10 gold, one bronze — among all girls at the Florida Summer Age Group Championships.
  • July 21, 2026
Sarasota Athlete of the Week: Natalia Lesniewska

App

Download the Your Observer app

Stay in the know with the latest local news. Any device, anytime, anywhere.

DOWNLOAD NOW

Contact

  • 1970 Main St.
  • Third Floor
  • Sarasota, FL 34236
  • Phone: 941-366-3468
  • FPN Verified

Extra, Extra!

  • Newsletters
  • App
  • Crossword
  • Contests

more

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Classifieds
  • Advertise
  • Rack Locations
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Options

sister sites

  • Business Observer
  • Jax Daily Record
  • Orange Observer
  • Accessibility Options
  • Copyright © 2026 Observer Media Group Inc., All Rights Reserved
Sign Up for Daily Headlines

A daily dose of news from Longboat Key, East County, Sarasota and Siesta Key.

Sign Up for In Case You Missed It

A Saturday dose of the week's top stories from Sarasota, Longboat Key and East County.


Anytime. Anywhere. Observer.

From in-depth local reporting to real-time breaking news, stay connected to the stories shaping our community with the Your Observer app.

Download Now for Free