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Your Observer

Plymouth Harbor CEO Harry Hobson stands in front of the Smith Care Center, which offers skilled nursing and rehabilitative care. Photo by Robin Hartill
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • February 3, 2015
Plymouth Harbor plans 70 new units

The Sarasota Bay community seeks a new 150,000-square-foot building by 2017.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Ryan Chalmers and Travis Dodson train on the morning of Jan. 29. Photo by Kristen Herhold
    By
  • Kristen Herhold
  • February 3, 2015
Paralympian push

Ryan Chalmers and Travis Dodson hope to get on track for future Paralympic Games.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • February 3, 2015
News Briefs

Half marathon creates temporary lane closures; Meet commission candidates at Observer debate; Voter registration deadline: Feb. 9; Wanted: Code Board member

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Blackberg Ranch/Barefield Farm defeated Tito's 14-9 in the Rolls Royce & Merrill Lynch Cup Sunday, at the Sarasota Polo Club. Courtesy photo
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • February 3, 2015
Blackberg/Barefield Farm defeats Tito's in Rolls Royce & Merrill Lynch Cup

Blackberg Ranch/Barefield Farm played Tito's in the Rolls Royce & Merrill Lynch Cup Sunday, at the Sarasota Polo Club.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • February 3, 2015
Just the Stats

The week in sports by the numbers.

  • East County
  • Sports
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
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Latest News

1
Jeremy Gandon tees off on the first hole of the Commander Course at Lakewood National Golf Club. The 29-year-old Frenchman carded six under par in the third round.
  • April 4, 2026
Race tightens in third round of 2026 LECOM Suncoast Classic
2
Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key President Danielle Gladding welcomes guest speaker Longboat Police Chief Russ Mager to update members about his approach to leadership since he assumed the role last autumn at the April 2 meeting.
  • April 4, 2026
Longboat police chief talks digital security with Kiwanians
3
Lakewood Ranch's Jerry and Marilyn Schneider, who have been married for 63 years, enjoy the live music at Music on Main April 3.
  • April 4, 2026
Dancers show off their moves at Music on Main in Lakewood Ranch
4
St. Regis at Longboat Key is a gulf-facing resort and condo development on the barrier island of Longboat Key. The Unicorp-developed property opened in 2024 at the former site of the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort.
  • April 4, 2026
St. Regis on track to receive permanent certificate of occupancy, eyes tennis courts
5
The Fruitville Townhomes site plan to replace the vacant former Sarasota Lanes bowling center.
  • April 4, 2026
Fruitville bowling alley submits plans to redevelop into 4-story townhomes

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