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Your Observer

Contact Brian Howard, owner/director of the Bridge Center of Bradenton, at 795-8981.
  • By Brian Gunnell
  • April 11, 2012
Bridge Bites: A trump demotion

Trump promotions are not so difficult once you get the hang of them, but it takes real talent to organize a trump demotion!

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Janet Briggs submitted this sunset photo, taken near Islands West condominiums on Longboat Key.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 11, 2012
Cool Today Weather Photo Contest Winner

Janet Briggs submitted this sunset photo, taken near Islands West condominiums on Longboat Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Albree Morgan Craig
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 11, 2012
East County Births

Congratulations to the East County parents who celebrated recent births.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • April 11, 2012
Lakewood Ranch home tops sales at $800,000

A home in the Country Club of Lakewood Ranch tops all transactions in this week's real estate. Thomas and Glenda Armstrong, Bradenton, sold their home at 6946 Westchester Circle to Scott and Diane Allshouse, Lakewood Ranch, for $800,000.

  • East County
  • Real Estate
Javier Huanay took this sunset photo at Jiggs Landing.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 11, 2012
Cool Today Weather Photo Contest Winner

Javier Huanay took this sunset photo at Jiggs Landing.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Don Purvis led Braden River to a 7-14 record and made the playoffs in his first season after finishing as the district runner-up.
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • April 10, 2012
Braden River football coach resigns

Braden River High football coach Don Purvis turned in his letter of resignation to Braden River principal Jim Pauley April 5, citing personal reasons.

  • East County
  • Sports
Join Emily Walsh for the Observer Daily Headlines. Image shown will not play video.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 10, 2012
April 10: Daily Headlines Video

Join us as we observe and report today's stories from Longboat Key, East County, Sarasota and Siesta Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Oliver Copeland
    By
  • Mallory Gnaegy
  • April 10, 2012
PHOTO GALLERY: Key Club Easter

The islandside golf course was full of hundreds of kids decked in their Easter finest - just to dig in the hay. The children participated in a variety of activities: mini golf, egg decorating, cookie decorating and necklace making before digging in to the hay. Each age grouping had a different hay-shaped letter with eggs buried inside (all together it spelled out LBKC). When they were given the go-ahead, hay went flying everywhere until baskets were full of colorful eggs.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Piper Barde with the Easter Bunny
    By
  • Mallory Gnaegy
  • April 10, 2012
PHOTO GALLERY: Bird Key Yacht Club Easter

Stevie Dee the magician would need a very large hat to pull the Easter bunny out of at Bird Key Yacht Club's Easter party on April 8. Instead, Mr. Bunny made his rounds before the magic show. An egg hunt followed the festivities.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Blake DeJongh
    By
  • Mallory Gnaegy
  • April 10, 2012
PHOTO GALLERY: Sarasota Yacht Club Easter

The Easter Bunny hopped on over to Sarasota Yacht Club for an Easter celebration on Saturday, April 7. Magician Stevie Dee put on a show and made inflatable Easter hats and bunnies for the children. They made crafts and enjoyed an ice-cream bar, too.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Katherine Crane sprints to find the next egg
    By
  • Mallory Gnaegy
  • April 10, 2012
PHOTO GALLERY: Sand Cay egg hunt

It took less than two minutes for the hundreds of eggs at Sand Cay Beach Resort to be found on Friday, April 6. It was a wild dash for the most eggs, and more than one child had an overflowing basket.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • April 10, 2012
SCORES: Lady Mustangs power past Lady Warriors

The Lakewood Ranch High softball team defeated Seminole Osceola 15-1 to improve its record to 18-4 (4-0 6A-12).

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • April 10, 2012
Scores: Pirate wins state qualifier

Braden River High senior Nathan Kirkman won the 199-pound weight class of the Class 2A-District 7 state qualifier April 4 at Charlotte High.

  • East County
  • Sports
Lakewood Ranch developer Schroeder-Manatee Ranch officials announced today new home sales in the community are up 35% compared to the same time last year.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • April 10, 2012
New home sales up in Lakewood Ranch

First quarter 2012 new home sales are up 35% compared to last year.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Nick Friedman
  • April 10, 2012
Man arrested in connection with robbery on beach

Sarasota County Sheriff's Office has arrested a man accused of robbery.

  • Siesta Key
  • News
Commissioners will hold a public hearing to consider an ordinance to allow adopted Critical Area Plans (CAPs) to establish a maximum height and minimum setback on barrier islands.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • April 10, 2012
County to discuss beach accesses Wednesday

Sarasota County commissioners meet this week to discuss modifications to Siesta Bay beach access 12.

  • Sarasota
  • News
More than 25 specialty camps are scheduled throughout the summer and allow the opportunity to focus on a favorite activity or try something different.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • April 10, 2012
Sarasota County camp registration begins

New specialty camps offered this year include Beach Volleyball Camp, Bricks 4 Kidz Camp, Fishing Camp, Sand Sculpture Camp, Skateboard Camp and Surf and Paddle Camp.

  • Sarasota
  • News
New business owners and service providers are offered a one-time opportunity to receive a complimentary news release from the city announcing their newly opened business.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • April 10, 2012
New business comes to Sarasota

The city of Sarasota has welcomed a company called Southwest Solutions to Fruitville Road.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Barbecued chicken recipe, with sweet potatoes and grilled vegetable skewers topped with a spicy papaya sauce.
    By
  • Nick Friedman
  • April 10, 2012
IN THE KITCHEN WITH: Kevin Dawson

Sarasota chef Kevin Dawson has prepared food for concerts and music festivals, and he can often be found behind the grill at various downtown events.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Longboat Key Vice Mayor David Brenner retained his District 3 seat on the town commission in March by a narrow, 90-vote margin.
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • April 10, 2012
In the Public Eye: Vice Mayor David Brenner

Vice Mayor David Brenner was recently re-elected to the District 3 Longboat Key Town Commission seat.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Muriel Hendricks and Marjorie Rosenthal
    By
  • Nick Friedman
  • April 10, 2012
PHOTO GALLERY: Temple Emanu-El Passover Seder

An estimated 255 people were in attendance as Temple Emanu-El celebrated the start of Passover Friday, March 6. All generations were represented at the Seder, where Rabbi Brenner Glickman reminded guests of the importance of family before beginning the ceremony.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Grace and Anna Ourednik
    By
  • Nick Friedman
  • April 9, 2012
PHOTO GALLERY: Trinity United Methodist Church Egg Hunt

Families celebrate Easter at Trinity United Methodist Church Children and their parents celebrated Easter in style Saturday, April 7, at Trinity United Methodist Church. In addition to an egg hunt, guests enjoyed a magic show and photo opportunities with the Easter bunny.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Aviana Garrison
    By
  • Nick Friedman
  • April 9, 2012
PHOTO GALLERY: Sarasota Children's Garden Easter Egg Hunt

Families celebrated Easter at the Sarasota Children's Garden's by searching for the nearly 1600 eggs hidden throughout the garden. Children climbed, crawled and explored the grounds in search of eggs. Blake Fagan found the golden egg, which earned him a gardening basket.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Lakewood Ranch freshman Ashley Bongart won district titles in No. 1 doubles and No. 2 singles.
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • April 9, 2012
PHOTO GALLERY: Class 3A-District 12 Tournament

The Lakewood Ranch High girls tennis team captured the Class 3A-District 12 team title April 3-4 while the boys tennis team finished as the district runner-up. Cari Berry and Ashley Bongart won the No. 1 girls doubles title while Arnav and Arsav Mohanty won the No. 1 boys doubles title. Braden River's Marie Babayan won the No. 1 girls singles title.

  • East County
  • Sports
Join Jessica Luck for the Observer Daily Headlines. Image shown will not play video.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 9, 2012
April 9: Daily Headlines Video

Join us as we observe and report today's stories from Longboat Key, East County, Sarasota and Siesta Key.

  • Siesta Key
  • News
Summer camp programs are offered over 11 weeks for children entering grades 1 through 9.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • April 9, 2012
Sarasota County camp registration begins

New specialty camps offered this year include Beach Volleyball Camp, Bricks 4 Kidz Camp, Fishing Camp, Sand Sculpture Camp, Skateboard Camp and Surf and Paddle Camp.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Visit www.mymanatee.org/utilities for information.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • April 9, 2012
Manatee utilities customers can go paperless

The Manatee County Utility Department now is offering online services to customers.

  • East County
  • News
Yoshihito Nishioka was the winner of the wild card tournament.
    By
  • Rachel S. OHara
  • April 9, 2012
PHOTO GALLERY: Sarasota Open Wild Card Tournament

The Sarasota Bath and Racquet Club held the Sarasota Open Wild Card Tournament April 6 - 8. There were 29 players in the three-day tournament. The winner of the wild card was 16-year-old Yoshihito Nishioka.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Mathilde Wesson, 2, was off and running to collect Easter eggs, Saturday, April 7, at St. Michael the Archangel.
    By
  • Rachel S. OHara
  • April 9, 2012
PHOTO GALLERY: St. Michael the Archangel Easter egg hunt

St. Michael the Archangel held an Easter egg hunt, Saturday, April 7. The event started at 9:00 am with games, temporary Easter tattoos and making frosted cookies. Kids collected tickets by playing the games that they later turned in for fun Easter themed items.

  • Siesta Key
  • Neighbors
Ashley James, Christine Conley, Maleah Howell, Jamie Buckingham and Jack Joy dressed up as the cast of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”, for the Turtle Run, Saturday, April 7, on Siesta Key Beach.
    By
  • Rachel S. OHara
  • April 9, 2012
PHOTO GALLERY: Run for the Turtles

Mote's 26th Run for the Turtles was a huge success, Saturday, April 7, with more than 1,000 runners and walkers. Both the 1-mile fun-run/walk and 5K took place out on Siesta Public Beach.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Robert Peltier, Hailey Childress and Logan Brisson
    By
  • Mallory Gnaegy
  • April 9, 2012
Key Club employees rescue teens

After noticing two teens swimming Friday in the Gulf of Mexico were in distress, two Longboat Key Club employees rescued them via kayaks.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Allison Smith, Rob Hetterich, Claire Barr and Andrew Swanson
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • April 9, 2012
East County runners lace up for trail run

East County runners hit the trail for the first Camp Flying Eagle 5K trail run April 7.

  • East County
  • Sports
Isabella Sanchez, 4 ½, Zack Sanchez, 7, and Portia Sanchez, 4 ½, sit together on a bench while they wait for their turn to go find Easter eggs.
    By
  • Rachel S. OHara
  • April 9, 2012
PHOTO GALLERY: SKVA 12th Annual Easter Egg Hunt

The Siesta Key Village Association hosted the 12th Annual Easter Egg Hunt and Games, Saturday, April 7, at Beach Access 5. The event was for children ages 1-6 and egg hunts happened every few minutes for different age groups so that everyone had a fair chance at finding some colorful eggs out on the beach.

  • Siesta Key
  • Neighbors
Southwest Solutions recently received a welcome package from the city of Sarasota.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • April 9, 2012
City offers 'Succed in Sarasota' welcome package

New business owners and service providers are offered a one-time opportunity to receive a complimentary news release from the city announcing their newly opened business.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Pat Bass and Diana Crowley
    By
  • Loren Mayo
  • April 8, 2012
PHOTO GALLERY: Woman's Exchange Anniversary Party

The Woman's Exchange celebrated its 50th anniversary with live music by Jazz Juvenocracy, cocktails and a raffle.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Abigail Cobb
    By
  • Loren Mayo
  • April 8, 2012
PHOTO GALLERY: Jungle Trails and Bunny Tails

Kids and families had a hoppin' good time at Jungle Gardens Easter weekend.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
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