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Your Observer

The Manatee County Board of County Commissioners tonight will hold a public hearing to adopt its 2012 Fiscal Year budget.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • September 15, 2011
County to adopt budget

Manatee County commissioners will vote tonight to adopt their 2012 Fiscal Year budget.

  • East County
  • News
The Sarasota County Commission Tuesday unanimously approved a staff recommendation that the new Gulf Gate Library be built on the site of the current facility, 7112 Curtiss Avenue.
    By
  • Rachel Brown Hackney
  • September 15, 2011
New Gulf Gate Library to be built on current site

The Sarasota County Commission Tuesday unanimously approved a staff recommendation that the new Gulf Gate Library be built on the site of the current facility, 7112 Curtiss Avenue.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The suspect is Bradford Wilson, 51.
    By
  • Eddie Kirsch
  • September 15, 2011
Police catch Sweetbay armed robbery suspect

At 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14, a man entered the liquor store of Sweetbay Supermarket with a handgun and demanded money from the store clerk.

  • Siesta Key
  • News
Lakewood Ranch senior soccer players Marissa Milko, Audrey Reinisch, Haley Martin, Kaitlin Deglman and Taylor Halligan made sure to get spaces next to each other.
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • September 15, 2011
PHOTO OF THE DAY: Pavement Painting Party

Seniors at Lakewood Ranch High hit the pavement Sept. 13 to paint their designated parking spaces. The painting party is an annual tradition at Lakewood.

  • East County
  • News
Read one of our favorite Cops Corner entries from the archives.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 15, 2011
Classic Cops of the Day: Sarasota

Enjoy a classic Cops Corner entry from the Sarasota Observer archives.

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 15, 2011
Classic Cops of the Day: Longboat Key

Enjoy a classic Cops Corner entry from the Longboat Observer archives.

  • Longboat Key
  • Cops Corner
Milt Flinn took his post at LWR Communities in February 2008.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • September 15, 2011
Flinn leaves LWR Communities

Milt Flinn, president of Schroeder-Manatee Ranch subsidiary LWR Communities, has left the company.

  • East County
  • News
Drainage improvements at Siesta Key Public Beach have been planned to prevent runoff carrying high levels of bacteria to the Gulf of Mexico. Photos by Rebecca Baxter.
    By
  • Rachel Brown Hackney
  • September 15, 2011
County wants more options for beach improvements

The Sarasota County Commission Tuesday asked staff to create options that could lead to the completion of the Siesta Key Public Beach improvements as fast as 18 months after their start.

  • Siesta Key
  • News
The Siesta Key Condominium Association has succeeded in the first part of the process to get a reduction in the speed limit from 35 mph to 30 mph, along with crosswalk improvements on Beach Road. Photo by Rachel Brown Hackney.
    By
  • Rachel Brown Hackney
  • September 15, 2011
Council recommends lower Beach Road speed

The Sarasota County Traffic Advisory Council this week approved a Siesta Key Condominium Association request to lower the speed limit from 35 to 30 mph on the section of Beach Road that includes the public beach.

  • Siesta Key
  • News
    By
  • Rachel Brown Hackney
  • September 15, 2011
County staff concentrates on Phase 2 plans for Access 12

Now that the parking lot and drainage improvements have been completed at Access 12 on the Key, county staff is hoping it can move forward before the end of the year with plans that would allow emergency use of the access to collect beach seaweed.

  • Siesta Key
  • News
County roads with posted speeds greater than 45 mph soon may be getting new signs as large as 3 feet by 4 feet, so they are more visible to drivers. Photo by Rachel Hackney Brown.
    By
  • Rachel Brown Hackney
  • September 15, 2011
County may begin installing bigger signs

Because drivers need more time to respond to speed limit changes, Sarasota County may install bigger signs on roads with speed limits of 45 mph or higher.

  • Siesta Key
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 15, 2011
News Briefs

Attempted kidnapping investigation still active; Registration open for communities workshop; County seeking volunteers for Public Lands Day event

  • Siesta Key
  • News
Read this week's Cops Corner
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 15, 2011
Cops Corner: Pelican Press

Enjoy this week's edition of Cops Corner

  • Sarasota
  • News
Courtesy photo.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 15, 2011
Cockatoo's mug seen everywhere

He's shared the stage with Shari Lewis, David Seville and the Chipmunks and Anita Bryant on the "Ed Sullivan Show" and even has his own mugshot from Folsom Prison, where he taught inmates patience, caring and responsibility.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Photo by Mallory Gnaegy.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 15, 2011
Booker High holds ceremony

The morning of Sept. 9, Booker High School held a flag-unfurling assembly in remembrance of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
The Sarasota Police Department union has rejected a special magistrate’s recommendation on the ongoing contract dispute with the city.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • September 15, 2011
Contract ruling rejected

The Sarasota Police Department union is upset that the city won't give its officers the same option it afforded the local Teamsters union last month: the option to keep their pensions.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Sarasota-based J MAR Cleaning Services began cleaning Downtown Improvement DIstrict sidewalks this week. The crew is starting in Newtown and will begin pressure cleaning Main Street sidewalks this weekend.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • September 15, 2011
Districts demand increased levels of service

Both the Downtown Improvement District and St. Armands Circle Business Improvement District have plans to spend more for cleaning and landscaping services than the city can provide.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • September 15, 2011
Wayfinding system issues begin to arise

A Delray Beach-based mobile media company proposing a free downtown Wi-Fi system may have some competition from other companies.

  • Sarasota
  • News
This depiction of how a Palm Avenue parking garage wall would look was presented to the Public Art Committee. Courtesy photo.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 15, 2011
News Briefs

Parking garage art debate continues

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Rachel Brown Hackney
  • September 15, 2011
School board approves millage rates, budget

With no members of the public present to offer comments, the Sarasota County School Board took about five minutes Tuesday evening to approve the fiscal year 2011 millage rates and final budget.

  • Sarasota
  • News
County Administrator Jim Ley resigned in late May. File photo.
    By
  • Rachel Brown Hackney
  • September 15, 2011
Residents describe the county administrator they want

A strong sense of ethics and the ability to work well with people are among the desired traits for the person who will take Jim Ley's former job as Sarasota County administrator.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 15, 2011
Our View: City financially out of touch

Three out of five Sarasota City Commissioners and city staff still do not get it: The city must keep prioritizing and cutting costs, not raise taxes.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 15, 2011
Letters to the Editor

More regulations for renters is sensible

  • Sarasota
  • News
Dean Kalahar
  • By Dean Kalahar
  • September 15, 2011
My View: The truth about Social Security

With a national debt of $14.587 trillion, the U.S. is on track for bankruptcy. Don't be fooled by politicians.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Read this week's edition of Cops Corner
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 15, 2011
Cops Corner: Sarasota

Enjoy this week's edition of Cops Corner

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
"In fiscal year 2011, (the state officials) were pretty good … in fiscal year 2012 … not so good," said Deputy County Administrator Dave Bullock. Photo by Norman Schimmel
    By
  • Rachel Brown Hackney
  • September 15, 2011
County more pessimistic than state on property values

Sarasota County staff projects taxable property values will drop 4% in fiscal year 2013, while the state is projecting a 2.7% increase. Moody's is even more pessimistic than the county.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Unit 913 at Sarasota Bay Club, 1301 Tamiami Trail, has two bedrooms, two bathrooms and 1,772 square feet of living area. It sold for $795,000. File photo.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • September 15, 2011
Casey Key home sells for $4.5 million

Robert and Jayne Gunther sold their home at 1160 N. Casey Key Road to Lawrence Dickson, of Granville, Ohio, for $4.5 million.

  • Sarasota
  • Real Estate
Massimiliano Marra submitted this sunset photo, taken from the Ringling Bridge.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 15, 2011
Weekly Winner: The Red Eye

Massimiliano Marra submitted this sunset photo, taken from the Ringling Bridge.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Helen and Hal Pelta show a tray of buttons that contain Helen Pelta's favorite buttons in her collection.
    By
  • Rachel S. OHara
  • September 15, 2011
Neighbors: Miniature Artwork

Helen Pelta takes out hundreds of buttons in plastic bags and on button trays and starts laying them out on a table in the Gulf Gate Library.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Sgt. Scott Osborne’s favorite event in the Florida Police & Fire Games is the sporting clays event. Photo by Rachel Brown Hackney.
    By
  • Rachel Brown Hackney
  • September 15, 2011
Neighbors: Siesta Olympian

Sgt. Scott Osborne, leader of the community policing station on the Key, has been winning medals since 2002 in the Florida Police & Fire Games.

  • Siesta Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Rachel Brown Hackney
  • September 15, 2011
Island Beat: Manatees spark light-hearted comments

The subject matter was serious, but both Siesta Key Association directors and audience members injected more than a little levity into the Sept. 1 discussion about protecting the manatees in the Grand Canal.

  • Siesta Key
  • Neighbors
These broomsticks were too amazing to dirty up in a Quidditch match.
    By
  • Loren Mayo
  • September 15, 2011
Quidditch sweeps through campuses

You don't have to be Harry Potter to play the magical wizarding game of Quidditch. Although you may not able to zoom through the air on a broomstick, the earthbound version - Muggle Quidditch - still has its perks.

  • Siesta Key
  • Neighbors
This Solymar Drive home, which has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,959 square feet of living area, sold for $890,000. Photo by Rachel S. O'Hara.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • September 15, 2011
A home in Siesta Revised sells for $2.1 million

A home in Revised Siesta tops all transactions in this week's real estate.

  • Siesta Key
  • Neighbors
Saunders
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • September 15, 2011
MS&Co. sees growth

One of the more prominent realty firms on the Gulf Coast, Sarasota-based Michael Saunders & Co., will attack the residential real-estate market with a "think big" strategy.

  • Sarasota
  • Real Estate
Carolyn Bistline took this photo of a less-peopled portion of the beach on Siesta Key.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 15, 2011
Weekly Winner: The Island Paradise

Carolyn Bistline took this photo of a less-peopled portion of the beach on Siesta Key.

  • Siesta Key
  • Neighbors
Owen Marron of the Center of Integrated Medicine performs acupressure on Windmill Manor resident Ann Carb
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • September 14, 2011
PHOTO GALLERY: 2011 Wellness Expo

More than 100 vendors were on display during the 2011 Wellness Expo Sept. 13 at Woodland, the Community Church. During the event, guests had the opportunity to meet various health and wellness professionals and learn more about their practices. In addition, guests also enjoyed demo fitness classes, including kickboxing, strength training, self-defense and ballroom dancing, among others.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
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