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Your Observer

Regina Morris
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • February 3, 2015
Racing rancher

Most people go to Bermuda to relax and sip margaritas.But Lakewood Ranch's Regina Morris used her Jan. 21 trip there to compete in the 2015 Bermuda Marathon.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • February 3, 2015
Olympic planners use Benderson as row model

Rowing officials say Benderson Park's designs are a gold standard for the Tokyo Olympics.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • February 3, 2015
News Briefs

The word at UTC: Microsoft to open; Students have science smarts; Library closes for makeover

  • East County
  • News
ISIS execution in Iraq.
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • February 3, 2015
Our View: Never again?

If not we, then who will stop them?

  • East County
  • Opinion
Longboat Key Police Sgt. Lee Smith uses a radio to communicate with town dispatchers. Photo by Robin Hartill
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • February 3, 2015
Changes loom for 911 system

The town is finally getting the answers commissioners will need to make a decision about whether to maintain town dispatch.

  • Siesta Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • February 3, 2015
Commission questions utility of proposed position

The Longboat Key Town Commission's questions about hiring a utilities manager irked the town manager, who is responsible for personnel matters.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Harvey Vengroff owns more than 1,400 apartment units in the Sarasota-Bradenton region. He recently started a new business line to convert rundown motels into efficiency apartments for homeless people. Photo by Mark Wemple
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • February 3, 2015
Profit with purpose

Harvey Vengroff seeks to raise $100 million to convert an abandoned motel into housing for the homeless.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Members of the newly formed Southern Ski Fanatics national team perform at the team’s first practice Jan. 24, in Sarasota. Photos by Jason Clary
  • By Jason Clary
  • February 3, 2015
Family matters

The Hannabass family is a true team on the water at Ski-A-Rees. Now, it will take the sport to a new level.

  • East County
  • Sports
Chuck Rogalla, Luci McGee, Tina Backhus and Andrea Klein say Tara Elementary announces the number of math problems each class has completed every Friday. The ongoing contest is a formula for motivation among many students. Photo by Pam Eubanks
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • February 3, 2015
Tara teachers help students add up 1.3 million math questions

Four Tara Elementary School teachers ranked in the top 100 out of IXL's 180,000 worldwide instructors.

  • East County
  • News
Robin McCormick (right) and her husband, Mike, hope to enact change by challenging stereotypes about Alzheimer's disease. Photo by Amanda Sebastiano
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • February 3, 2015
Couple battles stereotypes about Alzheimer's

Robin and Mike McCormick are lobbying legislators to fund research for a cure to Alzheimer's disease.

  • East County
  • News
Pippin, a whippet, flys through the air after jumping off the ramp on his way to the water for a second time. Photo by Amanda Sebastiano
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • February 3, 2015
VIDEO: Flying dogs

When dogs fly? It's already happening in East County at Florida West Coast Air Dogs with some help.

  • East County
  • News
A native of Greece and a Greek Glendi volunteer, Lakis Pape uses his heritage to ensure the annual festival gives attendees a true cultural experience. Photo by Amanda Sebastiano
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • February 3, 2015
Q+A with Lakis Pape

This week, the annual Greek Glendi Festival is back for its 31st year at St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • February 3, 2015
Cops Corner: East County

Enjoy this week's edition of Cops Corner.

  • East County
  • Cops Corner
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • February 3, 2015
We asked for unique; we got it: Mondrian

Trust me you'll get used to it - our new design.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Lynn and Larry Elgart
    By
  • Kristen Herhold
  • February 3, 2015
Q+A with Larry and Lynn Elgart

Larry Elgart's jazz music career on the alto saxophone began when he was 15.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Firefighter Paramedics Brian Kolesa and Tirso Guerrero with Marvin Kocian and Dean Congbalay. Courtesy photo
  • By Dean Congbalay
  • February 3, 2015
Firefighters to the rescue

Quick action by Longboat Key firefighters gave two Portobello residents stuck in an elevator a lift.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Longboat Key Fire Rescue union contract negotiations began Jan. 30. Photo by Kurt Schultheis
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • February 3, 2015
Firefighters seek to address 'burning issue in room'

Talk of discipline and morale dominated the start of a firefighter contract negotiation session.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Longboat Harbour resident Bill Allen came close to throwing away a letter from Citizens that wanted him to transfer to a different insurance company that had a lower rating. Photo by Kurt Schultheis
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • February 3, 2015
Citizens working to shed customers

You've got mail. But before you place your stack of letters in the junk bin, be sure it doesn't contain a letter from Citizens.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Waterlefe CDD Supervisors John Brocki, Ken Bumgarner and Attorney Andy Cohen discuss the termination of an off-duty patrol contract with Florida Highway Patrol. Photo by Pam Eubanks
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • February 3, 2015
Waterlefe rethinks area patrol

The Waterlefe Community Development District met Jan. 27, at the River Club at Waterlefe.

  • East County
  • News
It costs about $5,000 for Tara CDD to resurface a tennis court. The CDD plans to convert one of its two tennis courts to pickeball. Photo by Pam Eubanks
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • February 3, 2015
Tara CDD prepares for pickleball play

The district plans to convert one tennis court for pickleball because of the sport's popularity in Lakewood Ranch.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • February 3, 2015
Turning point

Development in East County is booming. Traffic is growing. Below are the projects planned to add to that growth - and the roads that are planned to help.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • February 3, 2015
It's Read Everywhere

Headed on a great trip? Make sure to take your Observer along! Snap a photo of you holding your Observer on vacation, then submit it and you could win travel tickets, courtesy of Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Kathy Roberts, CEO of the Realtor Assocation of Sarasota Manatee, says discussions of a merger have come up three times in the nine years she led the Sarasota Association of Realtors.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • February 3, 2015
Stronger together

The newly merged Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee is ready to build on its offerings.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
This home at 8016 Royal Birkdale Circle has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,610 square feet of living area. It sold for $980,000. Photo by Pam Eubanks
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • February 3, 2015
Country Club Village home sells for $980,000

Gary Schuster, trustee, and Suzanne Schuster, of Bradenton, sold the home at 8016 Royal Birkdale Circle to David and Alice Young, of Bethesda, Md., for $980,000.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Mary Hoeymans submitted this sunset photo, taken from her backyard in Lakewood Ranch.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • February 3, 2015
Weather: East County

Visit YourObserver.com to submit your local weather or nature-related photos. Each weekly winner will be entered into a monthly drawing for a $25 gift card. One grand prize winner will receive a $5,000 flooring makeover, to be announced in October.*

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Infinity. Courtesy renderings
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • February 3, 2015
Key condo projects boom

Three new projects are off to a constructive start on Longboat and Lido keys. Here's the latest on Aria, Infinity and The Park Residences condominiums.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
This home at 5965 Gulf of Mexico Drive has six bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a pool and 10,087 square feet of living area. It sold for $5.3 million. Courtesy photo
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • February 3, 2015
Gulfside home sells for $5.3 million

Bill and Mary Lou Johnson, of Longboat Key, sold the home at 5965 Gulf of Mexico Drive to Joseph Sena, of Belleair Beach, for $5.3 million.

  • Longboat Key
  • Real Estate
River REPORT. Michael Katz reads his Longboat Observer on the Charles Bridge in Prague. The bridge crosses over the Vltava River and was constructed around 1357.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • February 3, 2015
It's Read Everywhere

Headed on a great trip? Make sure to take your Observer along! Snap a photo of you holding your Observer on vacation, then submit it and you could win travel tickets, courtesy of Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
David Eskin submitted this sunset photo, taken on Longboat Key.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • February 3, 2015
Weather: Longboat Key

Visit YourObserver.com to submit your local weather or nature-related photos. Each weekly winner will be entered into a monthly drawing for a $25 gift card. One grand prize winner will receive a $5,000 flooring makeover, to be announced in October.*

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Sarasota County Administrator Tom Harmer.
  • By Tom Harmer
  • February 2, 2015
My view: Today, Tomorrow, Together

Sarasota County is updating its Comprehensive Plan, here's what it means to you.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Town Manager Dave Bullock made it clear Monday night he’s not comfortable discussing employment decisions with the Longboat Key Town Commission.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • February 2, 2015
Commission questions utility of proposed position

The town manager became irked when the Longboat Key Town Commission began questioning personnel decisions he's charged with overseeing.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
The position will help create lesson plans that will integrate the arts into other subjects, such as math and science.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • February 2, 2015
Sarasota County School District to hire arts specialist

Project Elevate, a US Department of Education grant, will fund the new position.

  • Siesta Key
  • News
The Ringling’s presence in the city of Sarasota contributed to its ranking on real estate blog Movoto’s list of the ‘nerdiest small cities in America.’
    By
  • Alex Mahadevan
  • February 2, 2015
Sarasota named among 'nerdiest' cities in America

Real estate blog Movoto ranked Sarasota No. 2 on its list of the 10 'nerdiest small cities in America,' less than a year after declaring it the 'sexiest small city.'

  • Sarasota
  • News
District 5 Commissioner Vanessa Baugh enjoys meeting with local residents at Town Hall-style meetings throughout East County.
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • February 2, 2015
Commissioner Vanessa Baugh to discuss East County issues

At a Town Hall meeting at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 3, District 5 Commissioner Vanessa Baugh will meet with Ranch residents at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall.

  • East County
  • News
The new three-story, 46,000-square-foot library would be located at Old Bradenton Road and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way.
    By
  • David Conway
  • February 2, 2015
Ringling seeks donations to complete library funding

On Monday, Ringling College of Art and Design announced a pair of matching donations that, if met, would reach the school's $16 million fundraising goal for a new library.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The DID has created this mockup of two of the options for light pole flower basket placement, and wants residents to weigh in on their favorite option.
    By
  • David Conway
  • February 2, 2015
DID seeks public input on flower baskets

Beginning Thursday, the Downtown Improvement District will ask residents to weigh in on their favorite configuration of a proposal to install flower baskets on light poles.

  • Sarasota
  • News
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