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Your Observer

Enjoy our quarterly edition of Health Matters.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 28, 2011
SPECIAL ISSUE: Health Matters

Cover Story: Coastal Orthopedics surgeon Dr. William Tontz is on a mission to change the way doctors do medicine, and he's starting it in the East County.

  • East County
  • News
Enjoy this week's edition of Castaway
  • By Jorge Blanco
  • September 28, 2011
Castaway

Enjoy this week's edition of Castaway

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 28, 2011
News Briefs

Town receives pension boards applications; Female spinner dolphin dies at Mote; Town dismisses auditing company; Town regains Class 3 ISO rating

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Darryl Strawberry, courtesy photo.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 28, 2011
MLB legend to visit East County

Baseball legend Darryl Strawberry and his wife, Tracy, will share their stories in the East County next month.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 28, 2011
Temples prep for High Holy Days

Jewish congregations will celebrate the High Holy Days beginning this week.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • September 28, 2011
Town Commission considers aesthetics of new codes

The Longboat Key Planning Zoning & Building Department frequently fields complaints from residents about aesthetic issues: torn screens, peeling paint and swimming pools that are not maintained, for example.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Read this week's Cops Corner
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 28, 2011
Cops Corner: Longboat Key

Enjoy this week's edition of Cops Corner

  • Longboat Key
  • Cops Corner
This home at 675 Mourning Dove Drive sold for $5.25 million. Photo by Mallory Gnaegy.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • September 28, 2011
Bird Key home sells for $5.25 million

RPF Developments Inc., a Florida corporation, sold the home at 675 Mourning Dove Drive to Kevin Kiernan, trustee of 675 Nominee Trust, for $5.25 million.

  • Longboat Key
  • Real Estate
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 28, 2011
Scoreboard

Congratulations to this week's bridge winners.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
  • By Donna Swan
  • September 28, 2011
Deal Us In: How to save an entry to dummy

There is nothing sadder than having winning tricks in the dummy that you have no way of reaching. We have all been there, done that.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Chet Chmielewski submitted this sunset photo, taken at Bayport Beach and Tennis Club on Longboat Key.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 28, 2011
Weekly Winner: Grandstanding Gulf

Chet Chmielewski submitted this sunset photo, taken at Bayport Beach and Tennis Club on Longboat Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Brian Jones, Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club resident, Jones managed to reserve his new Nissan Leaf before it officially became available in Florida in August.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • September 28, 2011
Lakewood Ranch leads the charge

Lakewood Ranch installs charging stations for hybrid and electric vehicles.

  • East County
  • News
Officials announced the project, which featured a Design & Economic Acceleration Lab, or DEAL, in January.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • September 28, 2011
Ranch DEAL stalls

State College of Florida Officials are not actively working on the Design & Economic Acceleration Lab the college announced, with partners, in January.

  • East County
  • News
Under the settlement, the county is paying about $1.7 million for the land, attorneys’ fees and other expenses.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • September 28, 2011
MPO panel recommits to bridge

The Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization voted to put the two-lane Tara Boulevard extension back on its 25-year transportation plan.

  • East County
  • News
Steve and Kristin Coad held their first service as Oasis last weekend. Courtesy photo.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 28, 2011
Couple opens Oasis Church in East County

Led by Steve Coad and his wife, Kristin, Oasis Church launched Sept. 25. The church meets Sundays at Braden River Elementary School.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Plan A Under Plan A, District 5’s boundaries would remain much the same but would expand farther west, particularly in areas north of Saunders Road.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • September 28, 2011
Back to the (re)drawing board

Manatee County officials are seeking public input as they reconfigure district lines to accommodate changes in Manatee County's population.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 28, 2011
News Briefs

Keep Manatee Beautiful organizes site cleanups; Ranch Medical Center to host open house; FEMA recognition aids Manatee County residents; Rescue hosts adoption event; Bank merger deal called off

  • East County
  • News
Angie Cegar
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • September 28, 2011
Realtor group selling Lakewood headquarters

The Manatee Association of REALTORS is selling its two-building campus in Lakewood Ranch for $2.5 million. Officials say the organization is not in financial distress.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 28, 2011
Our View: 44th Avenue handled well

In the end, Manatee County commissioners made the right compromise for traffic and for neighbors.

  • East County
  • Opinion
  • By Rod Thomson
  • September 28, 2011
My View: Teachers unions sue for status quo

The new merit-pay law is obviously good for students and provides accountability. Sadly, and predictably, teachers unions feel threatened.

  • East County
  • Opinion
Lakewood Ranch resident Jon Flenniken took this sunset photo Sept. 19, on Holmes Beach.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 28, 2011
Weekly Winner: Goodness Gracious...

Lakewood Ranch resident Jon Flenniken took this sunset photo Sept. 19, on Holmes Beach.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 28, 2011
Letters to the Editor

9/11 cover in bad taste; Blame game not working anymore

  • East County
  • Opinion
Read this week's Cops Corner
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 28, 2011
Cops Corner: East County

Enjoy this week's edition of Cops Corner

  • East County
  • Cops Corner
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • September 28, 2011
University Park Country Club home sells for $1.28 million

A home in Sloane Gardens tops all transactions in this week's real estate. Robert and Paulette Bourgeois, trustees, of Gilford, N.H., sold their home at 7906 Sloane Gardens Court to James Moran, University Park, for $1.28 million.

  • East County
  • Real Estate
Running back McKenzie Hathaway rushed for 133 yards and two touchdowns against rival Braden River Sept. 2. On Sept. 23, Hathaway scored a 22-yard touchdown to lead Lakewood Ranch past Boca Ciega.
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • September 28, 2011
Ranch's Hathaway runs wild

The Mustang running back has rushed for nearly 400 yards and four touchdowns through four games this season and is well on his way to reaching his goal of 1,000 yards rushing for the season.

  • East County
  • Sports
Jamie Loring started on the mound for the Storm 01 team in its first single-elimination game Sept. 25.
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • September 28, 2011
Suncoast Storm defends home turf

Twenty-six teams from throughout the region flocked to Lakewood Ranch for the Suncoast Storm's USSSA I Heart Softball Fall Kickoff Sept. 24-25.

  • East County
  • Sports
Meet this week's athlete, Mariah Robertson
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • September 28, 2011
Athlete of the Week: Mariah Robertson

Lakewood Ranch junior outside hitter Mariah Robertson recorded 20 kills and a block to lead the host Lady Mustangs past Palmetto Sept. 20, 25-17, 25-18, 25-23 in district action.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 28, 2011
Sports Briefs

Thunder's rally comes up short; Mustangs finish fourth at Tarpon Invitational

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 28, 2011
JUST THE STATS

See the Observer's by-the-numbers breakdown of the week in East County sports.

  • East County
  • Sports
Andy McCain, as Morham the Giant, marches around the stage on stilts shouting “Fe Fi Fo Fum” during “Jack and the Enchanted Beanstalk” Tuesday, Sept. 27 at the Gompertz Theatre.
    By
  • Rachel S. OHara
  • September 27, 2011
PHOTO GALLERY: FST's Jack and the Enchanted Beanstalk

Florida Studio Theatre opened their doors to students from IMG Pendleton and St. Martha's School to experience 'Jack and the Enchanted Beanstalk' Tuesday, Sept. 27 at the Gompertz Theatre.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Tyrone Edwards, of Wilhem Bros., works on putting together a rock retaining wall out in front of St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church. "It's kind of like a puzzle," said Edwards of his work.
    By
  • Rachel S. OHara
  • September 27, 2011
PHOTO OF THE DAY: Rock puzzle

St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church is currently undergoing some lawn maintenance and will soon have a brand new garden area.

  • Siesta Key
  • Neighbors
This yellow candlestick senna plant is blooming right outside the main entrance to the Selby Botanical Gardens.
    By
  • Rachel S. OHara
  • September 27, 2011
PHOTO OF THE DAY: Hello, Yellow

Selby Botanical Gardens has beautiful and exotic flowers and plants, both inside and outside of the main gardens.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Aida Matic has worked for Tidewell since 2009.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • September 27, 2011
Tidewell names new fundraising professional

Tidewell Hospice recently promoted Aida Matic to administrative director of philanthrophy.

  • East County
  • News
Travelers who wish to see traffic conditions before getting on the highway now can do so thanks to a new app made available by the Florida Department of Transportation.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • September 27, 2011
FDOT offers traffic insight tool

The Florida Department of Transportation now is offering an app that allows drivers to see traffic conditions.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • September 27, 2011
Mustangs finish fourth at Tarpon Invitational

The Lakewood Ranch High girls and boys swim teams both finished fourth in team scoring at the Tarpon Invitational Sept. 24.

  • East County
  • Sports
The Lakewood Ranch High girls cross country team finished second out of 58 teams Sept. 24.
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • September 27, 2011
Lady Mustangs finish second at Mountain Dew Invite

The Lakewood Ranch High girls cross country team finished second to Estero in the 58-team field at the University of Florida Mountain Dew Invitational Sept. 24, in Gainesville.

  • East County
  • Sports
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