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Your Observer

    By
  • Nolan Peterson
  • January 8, 2014
School Board starts 2014 with controversy and congratulations

The Sarasota School Board's first meeting of 2014 highlighted some of the district's most noteworthy achievements and showcased a growing controversy over possible health hazards at an area elementary school.

  • Siesta Key
  • News
Braden River junior defender Alex Cook maneuvers the ball up the field during the Pirates 1-0 loss to rival Lakewood Ranch Jan. 7.
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • January 8, 2014
PHOTO GALLERY: Lakewood Ranch Boys Soccer vs. Braden River

The Lakewood Ranch High boys soccer team scored in the final two minutes to edge past district rival Braden River 1-0 Jan. 7. The two teams tied 0-0 in their previous meeting earlier this season.

  • East County
  • Sports
Designed as a private resort, Ohana features two-and-a-half acres of Longboat Key beachfront. Photo by Ryan Gamma.
    By
  • Robert Plunket
  • January 8, 2014
Home of the Month: Dreams for Sale

The most expensive house in town lives up to its $22 million price tag.

  • Arts + Culture
Kelsey Grau. A great blue heron arrived at Save Our Seabirds in early January.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • January 8, 2014
Babies on board at SOS

Baby-bird season is upon us. Save Our Seabirds sees an influx of our feathered friends at the beginning of each year.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • January 8, 2014
Send us your announcements

The Observer is seeking submissions for its announcements section, Occasions.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Courtesy photo. Isabella Paspa, Linda Weber, Cindy Dasta, Jean Tarsy, Jean Zakovec and Mary Lou Decker
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • January 8, 2014
Calling all angels at Frosty Frolic

Linda Weber and Jean Zakovec sparkled in angel costumes at last month's Frosty Frolic, earning them a spot in our 'Spirit of the Season' contest.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Beverly Peterman, seated, center, celebrates with her book club.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • January 8, 2014
Beverly Peterman turns the page on her Key life

After 18 years on Longboat Key, Beverly Peterman and her husband, Ira, are starting a new chapter: They're moving back to Connecticut to be near family.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • January 8, 2014
Reading rainbow

Students at Haile Middle School raised more than $6,000 to further the cause of reading late last month, after the school's language arts department hosted a fundraiser for the Ethiopia Reads! organization.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • January 8, 2014
Gift giver

For Lakewood Ranch resident Doreen Degirolamo, the best Christmas gift was one she already had at home.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • January 8, 2014
Tail tappin'

If Lakewood Ranch resident Helen Hagerty had a tail, it would be wagging.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Sarasota County Interim Transportation Director Jonathan Paul says local officials from both Sarasota and Manatee counties are working to resolve traffic issues surrounding the Mall at University Town Center.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • January 8, 2014
Issues to Watch 2014: Traffic at the mall at UTC

Local officials are working with the FDOT to improve the intersection of University Parkway and Interstate 75. Officials also hope to expand transit in the University Parkway corridor to alleviate traffic congestion associated with the mall.

  • East County
  • News
Mark Wemple. Manatee County Schools Superintendent Rick Mills believes changes in process, among other measures, will fix the district's budget woes.
    By
  • Josh Siegel
  • January 8, 2014
Issues to Watch 2014: Manatee School District budget

Superintendent Rick Mills hopes a competent team, stronger controls and community support help the district right its budget.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Josh Siegel
  • January 8, 2014
Issues to Watch 2014: Sports Tourism

On its journey to become an international sports haven, the Sarasota-Bradenton area has completed the most difficult steps - the first two. Now, it's game time.

  • East County
  • News
Tasked with charting growth for Manatee County, John Osborne, an East County resident who developed the How Will We Grow plan over two years, believes opportunity for efficiencies should drive growth.
    By
  • Josh Siegel
  • January 8, 2014
Issues to Watch 2014: How we will grow

Manatee County leaders are setting a new vision for growth.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • January 8, 2014
Issues to Watch 2014: Real estate

Realtors say they expect fewer investors to snatch homes off the market in the coming year, which will leave more inventory available from which primary homebuyers can choose.

  • East County
  • News
Josh Siegel. Manatee County Administrator Ed Hunzeker views a fast-depleting indigent-care trust fund as a potential health care industry problem that extends beyond the people who benefit from the county’s assistance.
    By
  • Josh Siegel
  • January 8, 2014
Issues to Watch 2014: Indigent care

Manatee County officials and local health care professionals agree there is no easy solution as they brace for a potential health care crisis.

  • East County
  • News
Josh Siegel. After her mother's death, Ellen Gerth, with her husband, Dave, left, continues to run marathons and continues with her career, despite the fact that closure may never come.
    By
  • Josh Siegel
  • January 8, 2014
Lakewood Ranch murder remains unsolved

Two years after Ina Gross was murdered, her daughter says she still believes the Manatee County Sheriff's Office will arrest the killer.

  • East County
  • News
Courtesy photo. Brittany Wenger is a college student who plays Quidditch by day and is an obsessive cancer diagnostician by night.
    By
  • Josh Siegel
  • January 8, 2014
World changer

Time magazine recently included Brittany Wenger, an Out-of-Door Academy graduate and Duke freshman, on its '30 People Under 30 Changing the World' list.

  • East County
  • News
New Stoneybrook homeowners association members Tom Bakalar and Dick Williams (and Williams' wife, Barb) came together for coffee Dec. 17 in anticipation of the Jan. 2 turnover date and election.
    By
  • Josh Siegel
  • January 8, 2014
Stoneybrook names its new board of residents

Members of the new nine-person board of residents all identify with the 'Pro-Stoneybrook Team.'

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • January 8, 2014
Cops Corner: East County

Enjoy this week's edition of Cops Corner.

  • East County
  • Cops Corner
Jen Blanco Lakewood Ranch High senior Emily Bulfin has aspirations of scoring 1,000 points in her career and breaking her school record of nine 3-pointers in a game before the end of the season.
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • January 8, 2014
Sharp shooter

Lakewood Ranch High senior Emily Bulfin is on pace to break the 1,000-point mark for her career before the end of the season.

  • East County
  • Sports
Courtney Mirabella
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • January 8, 2014
High five moments of the week

The top five sports moments of the week.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • January 8, 2014
Olympic swimmers hope to inspire young athletes

The Lakewood Ranch YMCA Wave Runners will host the Fitter & Faster Swim Tour, featuring Olympians Davis Tarwater and Claire Donahue, later this month.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • January 8, 2014
Sidelines

LRLL registration upcoming; TOPSoccer to kick off winter season; GSJGA season tees off

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • January 8, 2014
Just the stats

The week in sports by the numbers.

  • East County
  • Sports
Courtesy photo
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • January 8, 2014
Regent wins first match of 2014

East County residents welcomed the start of the new year during the Kitchner & Pierro/iBusinessSolutions Cup Jan. 5.

  • East County
  • Sports
Courtesy rendering. Town Manager Dave Bullock commissioned Sarasota architect Gary Hoyt to draw up renderings for town center concepts around the Longboat Key Publix.
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • January 8, 2014
Issues to Watch 2014: ULI time for change

An Urban Land Institute panel urged residents to work together to plan for the future.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
File photos. Town Manager Dave Bullock told commissioners last month he is "trying to find a logical way to deal with a multitude of issues this collapsing development gives us."
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • January 8, 2014
Issues to Watch 2014: Colony conundrum

A bankruptcy judge is expected to rule on a Colony Beach & Tennis Resort settlement Jan. 27.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
File photo. The Cortez Bridge connects mainland Manatee County to Bradenton Beach.
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • January 8, 2014
Issues to Watch 2014: Cortez Bridge

The new year won't bring a new Cortez Bridge, but it will bring traffic delays that come with a $4 million repair project that's scheduled to begin April 28 and be completed in early 2015.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
File photo. Tropical Storm Andrea caused flooding problems in June in neighborhoods like Longbeach Village and Sleepy Lagoon. Rising flood insurance premiums have Longboat Key residents concerned.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • January 8, 2014
Issues to Watch 2014: Insurance costs

Key residents such as Mayor Jim Brown worry that rising insurance costs will force residents seeking affordable insurance to leave the island.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • January 8, 2014
Issues to Watch 2014: The final bill

This month, the last of the town's three pension plans will freeze.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Commissioner Terry Gans
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • January 8, 2014
Issues to Watch 2014: Election watch

The Longboat Key Town Commission will have at least one new face following the town's March 25 general municipal election.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • January 8, 2014
Our view

Realities of a town center

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
File photo. The Longboat Key Hilton Beachfront Resort will close after the season for an 18-month revitalization project.
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • January 8, 2014
Issues to Watch 2014: Checkout time

The Hilton project is the first to ask for additional tourism units.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • January 8, 2014
Issues to watch 2014: Beach project

Times, they are a changing. And that goes for the town's beach-management plan and how Longboat Key's coastline will be maintained moving forward.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • David Conway
  • January 8, 2014
Issues to Watch 2014: Circle retail

For Marty Rappaport and the St. Armands Business Improvement District, 2014 could be the year a growing problem is finally addressed: restaurants.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
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