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Your Observer

Susan Chapman is the newest Sarasota city commissioner.
  • By Roger Drouin and Nick Friedman
  • May 16, 2013
To the finish

Richard Dorfman's strategy was to make his case face to face with voters. Susan Chapman banked on her deep-rooted neighborhood loyalists.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Lourdes Ramirez said there is already enough proposed development in line in Sarasota County. Photo by Roger Drouin.
    By
  • Roger Drouin
  • May 16, 2013
CONA opposes changes to Sarasota 2050 Plan

President Lourdes Ramirez says changes to the plan could increase taxes for Sarasota County residents.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 16, 2013
Our View: Let's hope it's not status quo

The word on the street among Sarasota city business people well before the election was the two Sues - Suzanne Atwell and Susan Chapman - would take it.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Retired Capt. Paul Sutton began his career with the Sarasota Police Department in 1984.
    By
  • Nick Friedman
  • May 16, 2013
The great communicator: Capt. Paul Sutton

Retired Capt. Paul Sutton devoted his 29-year career with the Sarasota Police Department to the golden rule.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Yaryna Klimchak
  • May 16, 2013
Moments in time

The Observer takes a look back at this week in Sarasota's history.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Read this week's Cops Corner.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 16, 2013
Cops Corner: Sarasota

Enjoy this week's edition of Cops Corner.

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 16, 2013
Letters to the Editor

Two-lane Fruitville support

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Elizabeth Martel and her sister, Francesca, with their mother, Lynette Wetheringon
    By
  • Nick Friedman
  • May 16, 2013
Sisters serve up new skills for Special Olympics games

Francesca and Elizabeth Martel will compete this weekend in the state summer games, in Orlando.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Victoria Krupa
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • May 16, 2013
SIDELINES

Coastline volleyball earns national bid; Mooney LAX players named All-Americans

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 16, 2013
JUST THE STATS

16.06 - The time in seconds Riverview High graduate Elise Hinson ran the 100-hurdles at the Northern Athletics Conference outdoor championships, to set a new Aurora University school record.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • May 16, 2013
Athlete of the Week: Shane Shifflett

Sarasota Christian School eighth-grader Shane Shifflett went 3-for-3 with two doubles, a triple, three RBIs, a run scored and an intentional walk to lead the Blazers to a 6-5 victory over Canterbury School of Florida in the Class 2A-Region 2 semifinals May 7.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Photo by Yaryna Klimchak
    By
  • Yaryna Klimchak
  • May 16, 2013
YOUR NEIGHBOR: Olivia Marie Braida-Chiusano

Oliva Marie Braida-Chiusano has an extensive resume filled with art exhibitions; botanical art commission work; botanical art teaching positions; and both art and business awards and honors.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Samantha Bisceglia submitted this photo of a sunrise over Siesta Key.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 16, 2013
Weather Photo: SKY'S THE LIMIT

Samantha Bisceglia submitted this photo of a sunrise over Siesta Key.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
This home in South Cocoanut, which has six bedrooms, six baths, three half-baths, a pool and 7,535 square feet of living area, sold for $3.8 million. Photo by Yaryna Klimchak.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • May 16, 2013
Home in South Cocoanut sells for $3.8 million

A home in South Cocoanut tops all transactions in this week's real estate. Samuel and Sacha Rosenfeld, of Sarasota, sold their home at 4315 Mangrove Place to Asepsis LLC for $3.8 million.

  • Sarasota
  • Real Estate
Sheila Raye Charles
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 16, 2013
SCHOOL BOARD BULLETIN

Upper-elementary students at The NewGate School celebrated Cinco de Mayo with a salsa-garden harvest Monday, May 6. Students harvested the vegetables they had been growing since February in their garden.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Sarasota Middle School student Zachary Rafael
    By
  • Yaryna Klimchak
  • May 16, 2013
Student Spotlight: ZACHARY RAFAEL

Zachary Rafael may only be in the seventh grade, but he's already made strides in educating students and the public about the harmful effects of tobacco.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • May 15, 2013
Bay Isles home sells for $4.75 million

The two-year-old home at 560 Harbor Point Road closed today.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
  • By Jorge Blanco
  • May 15, 2013
Castaway

Enjoy this week's Castaway cartoon.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Tara Elementary School’s A, B and C dance team, a group of 54 dancers ages K-5, performed “School’s Out.”
    By
  • Josh Siegel
  • May 15, 2013
PHOTO GALLERY: Tara Elementary/Braden River Middle School Dance Recital

Tara Elementary School's Dance Team and Braden River Middle School's Panther Dancers performed a recital at Braden River High School May 14. The free event also featured appearances by Braden River High School dance teams.

  • East County
  • News
Angelo Ragone of NBI Sun Control, attorney Ann Johnson and Anthony Swart of SunTrust bank
    By
  • Josh Siegel
  • May 15, 2013
PHOTO GALLERY: Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance May Executive Briefing

Kristi Bracewell spoke about how to implement a wellness program into a company and the importance of a healthy workforce when she lectured at the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance May Executive Briefing, May 15.

  • East County
  • News
Foodie feasts in Southside Village
    By
  • Eddie Kirsch
  • May 15, 2013
May 15: Daily Headlines Video

Top Stories: Atwell, Chapman win runoff election; Mar Vista approval attracts opposition; Desoto Speedway welcomes new owners, name; Foodie feasts in Southside Village

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Sheri Hennard, Laurie Gomes, Kim Davis and Jamie Aymerich were honored multiple times throughout the meeting for being such active volunteers.
    By
  • Rachel S. OHara
  • May 15, 2013
PHOTO GALLERY: St. Armand's Circle Annual Meeting

The St. Armand's Circle Association held its annual meeting Tuesday, May 14, in the "Sunset Room" at The Lido Beach Resort.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Yaryna Klimchak
  • May 15, 2013
New College students awarded teaching positions in France

Six New College students were chosen from 1,100 students across the country to teach in France.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Mar Vista owner Ed Chiles wants to renovate the second floor of the historic Jordan House to be able to offer private meeting space  and small receptions.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 15, 2013
Our View: Let the vote stand

To one extent, it really doesn't come as a surprise. Longbeach Village residents flooded Longboat Key town commissioners with emails over the past weekend, begging commissioners to rescind their May 6 approval of the Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub's site-plan amendment application.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Kevin Williams, one of the new owners of Desoto Speedway, now Full Throttle Speedway, stands on the freshly renovated track, which has 18-degree banked turns primed for fast driving. The new racing season started May 4.
    By
  • Josh Siegel
  • May 15, 2013
Desoto Speedway welcomes new owners, name

New owners hope to revive the South's 'fastest short track.'

  • East County
  • News
Commissioners have heard fed-up residents say it whenever the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort is discussed.
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • May 15, 2013
The Colony question mark

The shuttered resort represents an unknown for potential buyers of Longboat Key properties.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub owner Ed Chiles, third from left, hosted a small gathering Tuesday at his Longboat Key restaurant to discuss issues some Village residents have with his project.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • May 15, 2013
Mar Vista approval attracts opposition

Longbeach Village residents flooded commissioners' inboxes over the weekend. Dozens of residents asked the commission to reconsider the restaurant's site-plan amendment.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Lee Fox
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • May 15, 2013
Fox, board disagree on SOS departure

Lee Fox says the Save Our Seabirds Board fired her, but board officials insist she rejected an extension of her contract.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 15, 2013
Ranch rallies against cancer

East County residents will rally to fight cancer Saturday, May 18, as the American Cancer Society hosts its annual Lakewood Ranch Relay for Life event at the Lakewood Ranch YMCA.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Michelle, Cyndee and Melanie Vanderford. Courtesy photo.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 15, 2013
Barista pours on fun for daughters

State Road 70 Starbucks barista and East County resident Cyndee Vanderford showed her daughters the world of lattes and mochas for Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day April 25.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Meghan McConnaghey, Hope Clark, Alexa Bland and Bella Dombroski. Courtesy photo.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 15, 2013
Troop plants Freedom's courtyard

Girls in Girl Scouts Junior Troop 181, at Freedom Elementary School, recently earned their Bronze Award by researching and planting the back of the school's courtyard.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 15, 2013
Main Street restaurant serves up patriotism

One local eatery is hoping to bring platefuls of community support to military troops overseas.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 15, 2013
Exchange programs seeks host families

Education First, a non-profit student-exchange company, will be bringing 50 teenage students from France and Spain to the East County and surrounding area this summer and needs host families for the program.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Sherry Wiley, Shirley Noyes, Pam Eustace, Pat Ihlenburg, Dee Pelton, Angel Molaro and Joyce Mazurek. Courtesy photo.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 15, 2013
Hat's off to Dee Pelton, volunteers

Dee Pelton held a luncheon that will be tough to top.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
...
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 15, 2013
Youth sailors descend on City Island

Approximately 250 people hit the water Saturday, April 20 through Sunday, April 21, for Sailfest. The regatta, Sarasota Youth Sailing's biggest fundraiser of the year, included four classes of competition - Optimus, 420, Laser and Multi-hull - and a barbecue feast.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
...
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 15, 2013
Book club sunsets for the season

The Sunset Beach Book Club, in its 10th year, ended this season with a luncheon and discussion of the book 'Gone Girl,' by Gillian Flynn, April 18, at Lazy Lobster. Discussion moderator was Ricki Carroll. Together, the group read five books this season.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
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