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Your Observer

Fifth graders Miranda Morales Briceno and Janyl Alvarado Hernandez wear special back-to-school glasses in fifth grade science teacher Justine Holcomb's class at Tuttle Elementary.
    By
  • Ian Swaby, Petra Rivera
  • August 12, 2024
Sarasota students return to school

The first day of school around Sarasota was Aug. 12.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
Ringling College of Art and Design.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 12, 2024
Symposium kicks off Ringling College AI program

The new certificate program at Ringling College of Art and Design will help students employ artificial intelligence in a variety of disciplines.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
Cristina Campbell and Kevin Campbell have mixed feelings about sending their daughter Charlotte Campbell to kindergarten, but they're comforted that her brother, Bryson Campbell, is across the hall in first grade.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • August 12, 2024
5 things to know as Manatee County students return to school

There are some new initiatives and programs starting this school year after students returned Aug. 12.

  • East County
  • Schools
Sarasota Yacht Club built a playhouse for a Harvest House campus.
    By
  • Petra Rivera
  • August 12, 2024
Sarasota Yacht Club builds a playhouse for Harvest House

Club members teamed up to fund and build a playhouse for children who live at Harvest House campuses.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Lakewood Ranch High running back Cullen McRae (23) and quarterback Liam Fernandez (28) will both get chances to shine in 2024.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • August 12, 2024
Lakewood Ranch High football wants to see growth in 2024

Head Coach Scott Paravicini said the Mustangs can succeed despite their inexperience.

  • East County
  • Sports
Jing Wu, Savana Byrne and Mei-Li Thompson
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • August 12, 2024
Collectibles and characters abound at SarasotaCon

Attendees showcased their love of pop culture at the event, which also featured vendors and special offerings.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Audit machines won't be used, but voting will carry on as usual for the primary election on Aug. 20.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • August 12, 2024
Manatee County's new vote audit machines stalled until November election

The primary election will follow the old protocol and be audited by a hand count.

  • East County
  • News
Regarding the Longboat Key library proposal
  • By Letter to the Editor
  • August 12, 2024
Regarding the Longboat Key library proposal

A reader writes that Sarasota County library on Longboat Key is a mistake.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Michael Bodnyk, Monica Sirocchi, Kenneth Bowermeister, Andrii and Yurii Padkovskyi
    By
  • Petra Rivera
  • August 11, 2024
St. Armands Lutheran host Strings Con Brio to kickstart free concert series

The Midsummer Music on the Circle series aims to make arts and culture more accessible to the public.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Aquatic exercise offers a host of benefits for "vintage bodies," including low-impact resistance training, stress relief and cardiovascular fitness.
    By
  • Mirabai Holland
  • August 11, 2024
The way of water: How aquatic exercise can benefit seniors

Aqua workouts are easy on joints, relief stress and can improve strength and cardiovascular fitness.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Siesta Key legal arguments based on longstanding laws
  • By Letter to the Editor
  • August 11, 2024
Siesta Key legal arguments based on longstanding laws

A reader weighs in on the upcoming Sarasota County Commission election and development on Siesta Key.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
In addition to benefiting native flora and fauna, wetlands within and upstream of urban areas are particularly valuable for flood protection.
    By
  • Miri Hardy
  • August 11, 2024
Myakka wetlands reduce downstream flooding

By containing waters, flooding in the park supports natural and human communities.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Lakewood Ranch resident Willow Reilly shows off her athleticism at the Toddler Olympics at Lakewood Ranch Library on Aug. 9.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • August 10, 2024
Competition heats up at the Lakewood Ranch Library Toddler Olympics

About 15 area toddlers ran an obstacle course to earn medals.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
City Furniture will open a 120,000-square-foot showroom in UTC's East District by summer 2025.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • August 10, 2024
Furniture store going big and green at University Town Center

City Furniture will open a 120,000-square-foot showroom in UTC's East District by summer 2025.

  • East County
  • Business
The Humane Society of Sarasota County wants to purchase a 1.6-acre city-owned site to create a dog walking path. The bottom portion of the site is a Sarasota County stormwater retention easement.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • August 10, 2024
Humane Society moves closer to buying city lot for dog-walking path

More than half of a 1.6-acre city-owned site adjacent to the Humane Society of Sarasota County is under a stormwater retention easement. The rest would be a walking path.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Flooding near the dock on Linley Street.
    By
  • Carter Weinhofer
  • August 10, 2024
Full scope of Debby’s damage still to be determined, Longboat officials say

A preliminary assessment estimates that 35-40 structures were damaged by flooding.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Longboat Island Chapel members bring lunch to the Longboat Key Fire Department.
    By
  • Petra Rivera
  • August 9, 2024
Longboat Island Chapel treats Longboat firefighters to lunch

Every summer, the chapel shows its appreciation to first responders by bringing them food throughout their busy days.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Tweaks made to Longboat’s final recommended budget for FY25
    By
  • Carter Weinhofer
  • August 9, 2024
Tweaks made to Longboat’s final recommended budget for FY25

The final recommended budget for fiscal year 2025 included changes in revenue and some expenditures ahead of the next budget meetings on Sept. 9.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Lakewood Ranch's Christine Monachos celebrates her hole-in-one.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • August 8, 2024
MVP Sports and Social brings big fun to mini golf in Sarasota

Participants meet new people while working on their mini golf game.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
The home at 2157 Wisteria St. has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,237 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • August 8, 2024
Top residential real estate sales for July 22-26 in Sarasota, Siesta Key, Palmer Ranch, Osprey

A Grovelawn home on Wisteria Street tops the week's sales at $1.84 million.

  • Sarasota
  • Real Estate
10-year-old Kylie Ung, 12-year-old Isaiah Edwards, 11-year-old Isariah Edwards and 13-year-old Isaialyah Edwards at the 2023 Sarasota County Fair.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • August 8, 2024
Fairgrounds operator calls aging site a valuable community asset

Despite failed efforts to redevelop and improve the site, Rory Martin says county should appreciate its value "instead of poking fun at us."

  • Sarasota
  • News
On the left, the canopy of the worst-scoring site in Suncoast Waterkeeper's new mangrove survey. On the right, healthy mangroves at the survey's reference site.
    By
  • Carter Weinhofer
  • August 8, 2024
Mangroves are healthier when allowed to grow naturally, research shows

Suncoast Waterkeeper’s pilot study will help advocate for stricter enforcement of mangrove protection regulations.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Sarasota Christian School wide receiver Travis Miller (12) led the team in receiving yards in 2023 with 545.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • August 8, 2024
Sarasota Christian makes transition to 11-man football

The Blazers played eight-man football for two seasons before the jump.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Shaded in blue are sending-only zones and in yellow sending and receiving zones in this draft map of the city's proposed transfer of development rights program.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • August 8, 2024
Transfer of development rights workshop postponed until Monday

The program would allow owners of designated historic properties to sell height and density rights to other developers in downtown.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Jospeh Vavrik as the Penguin and Heidi Vavrik as Lark.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • August 8, 2024
Sarasota cosplayers find place to be themselves and fictional characters

Cosplayers describe the experience and effort of bringing their favorite heroes and villains to life.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
  • By BayView Dental
  • August 8, 2024
This One Habit Can Make You a Cavity Magnet.

Habitual snackers, brace yourself.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Sponsored Content
Gov. Ron DeSantis talks with Sarasota business owners affected by Tropical Storm Debby at the Philippi Creek Oyster Bar on Wednesday, Aug. 7.
    By
  • Jim DeLa
  • August 7, 2024
DeSantis visits Sarasota to survey storm damage

Gov. Ron DeSantis offered assistance and heard from business owners following Tropical Storm Debby.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Breeze Airways will offer nonstop service to eight total destinations from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.
    By
  • Elizabeth King
  • August 7, 2024
6 nonstop flights coming to SRQ airport

The Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport will offer service to 60 nonstop destinations, with the addition of new flights from Breeze Airways.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Looking toward Bee Ridge Road from the Tuttle Circle roundabout
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 7, 2024
Debby's impact felt after dumping historic rainfall on Sarasota

The National Weather Service reports nearly 18 inches of rain fell in Sarasota, the fourth highest reading in the state.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Flooding around noon Aug. 5 off Shadow Ridge Circle near Celery Fields
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 7, 2024
Tropical Storm Debby: By the numbers

A few statistics help tell the tale of Sarasota's latest storm.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Lakewood Ranch High junior Payton Griffin has shown out for both the Mustangs and her club team, Sarasota Tsunami, this season.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • August 7, 2024
Sarasota Athlete of the Week: Payton Griffin

The Sarasota Tsunami swimmer finished eighth in the 200-meter freestyle at the USA Swimming Futures Championship.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
A rendering of the planned new Bird Key Yacht Club building.
    By
  • Carter Weinhofer
  • August 7, 2024
Bird Key Yacht Club looks toward future with new club building

The club's new $20 million building will be hurricane-resilient and compliant with federal regulations.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Streetside bather arrested for indecent exposure
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 7, 2024
Streetside bather arrested for indecent exposure

A woman who said she was taking a bath on Central Avenue was arrested for vulgar and indecent behavior. This and other Sarasota Police Department reports in this week's Cops Corner.

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
Palm Aire's Nick Barbi says students in the Community Observations and Analysis using Spectroscopic Techniques and Wetlands Imaging to build Stewardship of the Environment program will use spectrometers. The program is funded through the Mary Jo Barbi STEAM Education and Scholarship Fund.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • August 7, 2024
Nonprofit creates education fund in honor of Palm Aire resident

Science and Technology Society fund will provide educational programming to students.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Averleigh Cross couldn't wait to start kindergarten at Freedom Elementary School in 2023. The School District of Manatee County is encouraging all families ensure their kindergartners are present on the first day.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • August 7, 2024
Are you ready to go back to school?

Students and parents should make sure to check these off their back-to-school prep list.

  • East County
  • Schools
Temple Beth Israel on Longboat Key.
    By
  • Petra Rivera
  • August 7, 2024
Longboat congregations use summer to renovate

Temple Beth Israel and Longboat Island Chapel discussed current and future renovation plans.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
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