• Alternate Text
  • Loading

  • Valentine's Day Gift Guide
  • 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
  • Key Life
  • Galleries
  • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Red Tide Map
    • Health Observed
    • Sand Bucket List
    • Calendar
    • 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
  • Key Life
  • Galleries
  • More
    • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Red Tide Map
    • Health Observed
    • Sand Bucket List
    • Calendar
    • Celebrations
    • Contests
    • Tributes
    • Submit a Celebration
    • Submit a Tribute
    • Public Notices
    • Classifieds
  • Valentine's Day Gift Guide
  • Health Observed
  • Crossword
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • e-Newspaper App

Sarasota | Opinion

Sandy Loevner and Jan Crudele, with the Florida Winefest & Auction.
    By
  • Kat Wingert
  • May 23, 2018
Follow the money

The Winefest awarded $187,300. Over its 28 years, it has donated more than $8.5 million to charities that help children — and this is just one small organization in Sarasota’s huge philanthropy scene.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • May 23, 2018
They chose liberty over enslavement

Monday is Memorial Day

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
  • By Tom Barwin, Sarasota City Manager
  • May 22, 2018
Tom Barwin: We have listened, tried to be reasonable about Big Pass dredging

The city has insisted, and the permit will require, that we monitor the Big Pass project to be certain it does no harm.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
The city’s pursuit of Big Pass sand continues to raise the question: Why create endless strife and risk unknown effects when other options exist?
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • May 17, 2018
Look elsewhere for Lido Key sand

Sarastoa's pursuit of Big Pass sand continues to raise the question: Why create endless strife and risk unknown effects when other options exist?

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Emily Walsh
  • May 9, 2018
The opioid crisis here is real — and big

Manatee County has the highest opioid death rate in the state. Even so, local efforts to combat it are making some progress.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Adrian Moore
  • May 3, 2018
Why  Florida’s  Medical  Marijuana  Program  Is  Failing

Here’s a solution to fix implementation woes.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Columnist .
  • April 26, 2018
Readers offer up ideas on Van Wezel

Upgrade? Replace? Honor? A wide range of suggestions.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Kat Wingert
  • April 25, 2018
Public records: Preserve our right to know

Florida has among some of the most open records laws in the country. It’s up to all of us to make sure it stays that way.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • April 19, 2018
Is it curtain time?

The experts say the Van Wezel is obsolete and preserving it is looking increasingly remote. That is, unless you have some ingenious, affordable idea.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Caroline Zucker
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • April 19, 2018
School board: The high road and the low road

Rather than accept the apology with grace and forgiveness, Caroline Zucker scolded.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • April 12, 2018
Knight, Robinson know better

Have they tarnished their reputations?

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
The Sarasota County School Board, from left, includes Eric Robinson, Caroline Zucker, Shirley Brown, Vice Chair Jane Goodwin, Chair Bridget Ziegler and Superintendent Todd Bowden.
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • April 11, 2018
To rebuild board trust

Sarasota School Board member Eric Robinson and Superintendent Todd Bowden unveiled their broiling distrust. The board’s effectiveness now hinges on its chair.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Does Donald Trump really know more about the effects of tariffs than leading economists?
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • April 4, 2018
Tariffs not fit for print

Donald Trump’s tariff wars started with punishing Canadian paper mills. Thank you, Donald. Our prices are rising 10% to 12%. A Trump adviser told us, ‘It’s just dumb.’

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Sarasota police said a man on a bicycle produced a gun when officers tried to talk with him.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 2, 2018
Sarasota police: Officers wound man who pulled gun

Officers were not hurt in the 12:53 a.m. incident.

  • Sarasota
  • News
  • By Adrian Moore and Spence Purnell | Contributors
  • March 29, 2018
Florida says no to power

Voters should demand the state open its electricity market to competition.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
« 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 »
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
Sarasota nonprofit Casting For The Kids helps children with cancer and their families breathe a little easier.
  • February 6, 2026
Annual fishing tournament casts for a cause
2
Jennifer Rominiecki brought the living museum concept to Marie Selby Botanical Gardens when she was named president and CEO in 2015.
  • February 5, 2026
Botanical gardens' potential lured Rominiecki family to Sarasota
3
Capt. A.J. Grande operates a "six pack" fishing charter business who often picks up and drops off customers at Nora Patterson Park.
  • February 5, 2026
Permits will be required for charter boat operators using county parks
4
The home at 3851 Tangier Terrace was built in 2024 and has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,379 square feet of living area.
  • February 5, 2026
Top residential real estate sales for Jan. 19-23 in Sarasota, Siesta Key, Palmer Ranch, Osprey, Nokomis
5
Sarasota residents Erma and Dave Miller were drawn into the world of bicycle motocross because of their son, Doug Miller, and have spent decades in the sport.
  • February 5, 2026
Sarasota couple stand side by side with BMX

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.


The Your Observer App is Here!

Get local news you can trust — now on your phone, tablet or laptop. Fast. Free. Easy to Use.
Stay informed, wherever you are.

Download Now