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Your Observer

Online romance ends in trespassing warning
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • December 17, 2025
Online romance ends in trespassing warning

Boy meets girl online; boy gives girl credit card number; girl has surprise child and "cousin"; boy lets girl move in; boy finally figures it out. This and other Sarasota Police Department reports in this week's Cops Corner.

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
Manatee County administrators address the Manatee Chamber of Commerce Dec. 8. From left to right: Deputy county administrators Corey Stutte, Bryan Parnell, Courtney De Pol and County Administrator Charlie Bishop.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • December 17, 2025
Convention Center expansion tops 'state of Manatee County' presentation

County administrators spoke to the Manatee Chamber of Commerce at its December luncheon.

  • East County
  • News
A Goodwill bookstore and donation center will occupy the new outparcel building at 3160 Gulf of Mexico Drive by the end of the year.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • December 16, 2025
Goodwill to open Dec. 18 on Longboat Key

The used bookstore and donation drop-off location will hold a grand opening with a local author signing and giving away books.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
Sixth grader Stella Schechter holds up a finished craft for David Stone.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 16, 2025
Emanu-El students celebrate Hanukkah with Aviva Senior Living residents

Temple Emanu-El's religious school visits the senior living development each year, to allow kids the opportunity to celebrate the holiday together.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Bo O'Daniel poses for a photo on Dec. 15 at Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School. The senior had three touchdown catches for the Cougars in the Dec. 10 FHSAA Class 2A state championship.
    By
  • Jack Nelson
  • December 16, 2025
Sarasota Athlete of the Week: Bo O'Daniel

The wide receiver concluded his Cardinal Mooney football career as a two-time state champion.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Kindergartener Santiago Perez checks out the crochet items.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 16, 2025
Holiday House SRQ now serves a fifth school, but holiday shopping costs rise

This year, the nonprofit provided its free holiday shopping experiences to five elementary schools, but rising prices for gifts pose a challenge.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
Pator Caleb Free's daughter JoJo Free attends Risen Savior Academy.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • December 16, 2025
Lutheran church brings more Christian education to Lakewood Ranch

Risen Savior Lutheran Church begins its expansion toward being a K-8 school in January.

  • East County
  • Schools
Lakewood Ranch High football coach Scott Paravicini looks on during an Oct. 30 game against Bayshore. Per the FHSAA's tentative classifications, the Mustangs are bound for Class 6A-District 12 after finishing the 2025 season at 4-6 in 6A-11.
    By
  • Jack Nelson
  • December 16, 2025
More reclassification won't help area football teams

Lakewood Ranch High and Braden River High might be facing an even tougher lineup of opponents in reworked districts.

  • East County
  • Sports
Check out the following options for holiday services this season.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • December 16, 2025
Celebrate season's tidings at these Longboat holiday services

Longboat Key residents and visitors have no shortage of ways to celebrate their faith this holiday season.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Braden River High School junior Mystique Quinones shakes hands with Dave Daily, post commander for VFW Post 12055, as she receives her $100 reward for her essay which answered the question “How are you showing patriotism and support for our country?”
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • December 16, 2025
Essay contest winners named by VFW Post 12055 Braden River

Of the seven winners for this year's Voice of Democracy essay contest, six of them are Braden River High School students, and five are part of JROTC.

  • East County
  • Schools
Joan M. Durante Community Park, Longboat Key.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • December 16, 2025
Longboat Key's Durante Park reopens after hurricane repairs

Fourteen months after the 2024 hurricanes, boardwalks on the 1.4-mile walking trail have been repaired, and the park has reopened to visitors.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Plans are to replace the Roy McBean Boys & Girls Club in Newtown with a new building and convert the current structure into outdoor play space.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • December 16, 2025
After years of repairs, Boys & Girls Club plans to rebuild

The Roy McBean Boys & Girls Club plans to replace its existing Newtown facility, which will be converted to outdoor space.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Longboat man calls cops on suspected cheating wife
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • December 16, 2025
Longboat man calls cops on suspected cheating wife

A man followed his wife to a house and called the police to document an expected affair. This and other Longboat Key Police reports in this week's Cops Corner.

  • Longboat Key
  • Cops Corner
A Lake Club home at 15315 Anchorage Place sold for $5.45 million. Built in 2024, it has five bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a pool and 5,997 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • December 16, 2025
Top residential real estate sales for Dec. 1-5 in Lakewood Ranch

A home in The Lake Club topped the week’s sales at $5.45 million.

  • East County
  • Real Estate
Manatee County Commissioner Tal Siddique was picked in a 4-3 vote by the commission to serve as chair in 2026.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • December 15, 2025
Tal Siddique selected as chair of Manatee County Commission

Elected in 2024, the commissioner representing Longboat Key, Anna Maria and downtown Bradenton was chosen as chair in a 4-3 vote.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Residents line up behind the podium to object to a proposal for Altman Rye Townhomes.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • December 15, 2025
Planning commission reviews three projects in east Manatee County

The combined projects would add nearly 400 housing units to the area.

  • East County
  • News
Maddox and Lou Towery have packed up shoeboxes during the Community Holiday Shoebox Collection Drive for the last seven years.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • December 15, 2025
Lakewood Ranch community rallies to support seniors with shoebox event

Community Holiday Shoebox Collection Drive heads toward another record year in donations.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Kelis McGrady poses for a photo on Dec. 11 before Braden River girls basketball's home game against Manatee. The forward/guard has been the engine behind the Pirates' early-season success.
    By
  • Jack Nelson
  • December 15, 2025
East County Athlete of the Week: Kelis McGrady

The junior averaged a double-double through Braden River's first eight games of 2025-26.

  • East County
  • Sports
Zac Boone, 6, showcases his crystals.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 15, 2025
Children's Entrepreneur Market offers kids business experience

The organization has been active in Sarasota since April and gives kids space to host their business at community events.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
District 5 representative Ron Cutsinger will be the 2026 chairman of the Sarasota County Commission.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • December 15, 2025
Stormwater, budget and spiffing up Siesta Key named county priorities

Sarasota County commissioners worked on their to-do list for the coming calendar year at their annual retreat.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Lakewood Ranch's Karen and Tom Eckert work as master gardener volunteers with the University of Florida to educate the public about gardening, plants, landscaping and more.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • December 15, 2025
Master gardeners plant seeds of wisdom at Lakewood Ranch Library

Lakewood Ranch's Karen and Tom Eckert are among the experts who teach important gardening techniques.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Jason Bond and his mother, Donna DeLuca, have been hard at work renovating the space for the new Longboat Key Provisions, the latest addition to The Centre Shops.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • December 15, 2025
Newest addition to The Centre Shops offers sophisticated picnic supplies

Longboat Key Provisions is set to host a grand opening Dec. 19, showcasing its high-quality picnic blankets, charcuterie, snacks and more.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
Golden Ticket arrives, and Olaf the snowman has been invited to the rooftop party.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 14, 2025
Sarasota Bay lights up with annual Holiday Boat Parade

A series of festively decorated boats sailed around Sarasota Bay during the Holiday Boat Parade supporting Suncoast Charities for Children.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
This house on the corner of Wedge Lane and Bogey Lane takes the cake for one of the most colorfully decorated homes on Longboat Key this season.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • December 14, 2025
Which Longboat homes dazzle the most with holiday lights?

Lit-up lights on Longboat Key may take some sleuthing to find, but several homeowners embraced the holiday season with their festive decorations this year.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Joni Hill, Cate Douglas and Gaby Hayashi make their way across the beach.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 14, 2025
Holiday spirit gets moving at Sandy Claws Beach Run

The annual Sandy Claws Beach Run, which is held on Siesta Key Beach and brings a festive spin to running events, is now in its 49th year.

  • Siesta Key
  • Neighbors
Lylah MacDonald, 6, hops along in the sack race.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 14, 2025
Holidays at The Bay brings Hawaiian twist to holidays

The event featured a "Holiday Hula" theme this year as families enjoyed fun activities and greetings with Santa Claus.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
David Forester sings a solo of "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" with The Venice Symphony for a big band-style Christmas concert on Dec. 12 at St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • December 13, 2025
Big band means big tunes at St. Mary Christmas concert

Members of The Venice Symphony performed a 1950s-era big band setlist of Christmas tunes for a concert at St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Katherine Pike (on the left) salsa dances with the cast of "Casa Havana:" Dairon Batista, Isabella Serrano and Jack Gaudreau.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • December 13, 2025
Palm Aire Women's Club members learn to salsa

Club members were treated to a performance and dance lessons from the Tania Vergara Dance-Theater.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
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.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • December 13, 2025
More than 500 runners go the distance in Lakewood Ranch's Jingle 5K

The event supports the Big Bill Foundation and the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center Foundation.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
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.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • December 13, 2025
Longboat deputy chief with 45 years of experience to retire

Frank Rubino started his law enforcement career in 1980 and served Longboat Key for more than a decade.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Gary and Linda Condon of Bird Key decorated their boat to contribute to the beauty of this year's Blessing and Lighting of the Fleet on Dec. 11.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • December 12, 2025
Boats sparkle at Bird Key fleet blessing

Bird Key celebrants decorated their boats, socialized and joined in a prayer for those sailing waters near and far.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
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.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • December 12, 2025
Lakewood Ranch High revives its science fair

Chemistry and Environmental Science Teacher Alexandra Wilcoxson put together an event that showcased the school's brightest minds.

  • East County
  • Schools
Marilyn Wolf Schwartz (1924-2025)
    In Memoriam |
  • December 12, 2025
Marilyn Wolf Schwartz

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother died peacefully at her home surrounded by her family in Sarasota on November 23, 2025.

  • Longboat Key
  • Tributes & Obituaries
The building at the corner of N. Boulevard of the Presidents and Madison Drive may be the location of a revived Shore Restaurant on St. Armands Circle.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • December 12, 2025
Shore Restaurant could return to St. Armands

A three-story mixed-use proposal includes the popular destination, which closed its previous Circle location after 2024's floods.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Andy Harshman of Sarasota High School was named the 2026 Sarasota County Teacher of the Year.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • December 12, 2025
Sarasota High science leader named 2026 Teacher of the Year

Andy Harshman works with advanced math and science research students.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
Greenbrook's David, Hannah and Jaime Marco all had a part in creating Jaime Marco's new book “Unfunkt: Quiet the Noise. Ignite the Light.”
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • December 12, 2025
Readers can shed the funk with Lakewood Ranch author's 'Unfunkt'

Greenbrook's Jaime Marco wrote the book to let others know they can make a positive impact on their lives.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
1 2 3 4 5 »
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Latest News

1
Justin Gomlak helps bring big city glamour to the Sarasota stage in "A Very Broadway Christmas," which plays Monday, Dec. 22, at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.
  • December 17, 2025
The Van Wezel wants you to have 'A Very Broadway Christmas'
2
Online romance ends in trespassing warning
  • December 17, 2025
Online romance ends in trespassing warning
3
Manatee County administrators address the Manatee Chamber of Commerce Dec. 8. From left to right: Deputy county administrators Corey Stutte, Bryan Parnell, Courtney De Pol and County Administrator Charlie Bishop.
  • December 17, 2025
Convention Center expansion tops 'state of Manatee County' presentation
4
A Goodwill bookstore and donation center will occupy the new outparcel building at 3160 Gulf of Mexico Drive by the end of the year.
  • December 16, 2025
Goodwill to open Dec. 18 on Longboat Key
5
Sixth grader Stella Schechter holds up a finished craft for David Stone.
  • December 16, 2025
Emanu-El students celebrate Hanukkah with Aviva Senior Living residents

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