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Your Observer

Ashley and Tim Gruters pose with their Observer newspaper in front of the Biltmore estate in Asheville, N.C. Courtesy photos.
    By
  • Loren Mayo
  • September 22, 2011
Neighbors: No Reservations

A four-day weekend tennis tournament became a 33-day road trip that led Sarasota couple all the way to New York City and back.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
A map released by the Florida Department of Transportation in June shows tentative sites for the 10 pedestrian islands along Midnight Pass Road between Beach Road and Stickney Point Road.
    By
  • Rachel Brown Hackney
  • September 22, 2011
Pedestrian plan peeves public

Condominium association members and others say a Florida Department of Transportation plan to construct 10 pedestrian islands on a 1-mile stretch of Midnight Pass Road will create more problems instead of helping people cross the road more safely.

  • Siesta Key
  • News
The current Gulf Gate Library opened in December 1983. File photo.
    By
  • Rachel Brown Hackney
  • September 22, 2011
Work could start before 2015 on new library

The Sarasota County Commission has agreed to the replacement of the Gulf Gate Library on its current Curtiss Avenue site and has asked staff to look at ways the project can be started sooner than the fiscal year 2015 timetable for which it has been slated.

  • Siesta Key
  • News
Residents of high-rise condominiums on Siesta often are unaware of the county fire code's specifications for alarms.
    By
  • Rachel Brown Hackney
  • September 22, 2011
Condo residents unaware of fire code regulations

In most high-rise condominium buildings, when a fire alarm on one floor goes off, alarms also sound on just the two floors above it and the floor below it, according to the county's chief Fire Prevention Division inspector.

  • Siesta Key
  • News
    By
  • Rachel Brown Hackney
  • September 22, 2011
School board gets news of $14 million hole in next budget year

After approving its fiscal year 2012 budget, the Sarasota County School Board Tuesday examined early projections for revenues and expenses in 2013, including a projected shortfall of $14.5 million.

  • Siesta Key
  • News
    By
  • Rachel Brown Hackney
  • September 22, 2011
Chair defends board's actions

County Commissioner Nora Patterson told a Tiger Bay Club audience that although the commission could have paid more attention to signs of trouble with procurement before a scandal erupted, the board was constrained by the county charter.

  • Siesta Key
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 22, 2011
Cops Corner: Pelican Press

Enjoy this week's edition of Cops Corner

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Rachel Brown Hackney
  • September 22, 2011
More high school students seeking free, reduced-price meals

After the Sarasota County School District Food and Nutrition Services Department made it possible this school year for families to apply online for their children to receive free and reduced-price meals, more high school students have been approved for the aid.

  • Siesta Key
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 22, 2011
News Briefs

Public meeting to be held on new scrap metal law; Henry promoted to Health Department administrator; Planning Board approves Siesta Drive store permit; County business taxes due by Sept. 30

  • Siesta Key
  • News
Nicholas and Lawrence Metcalfe
    By
  • Rachel S. OHara
  • September 22, 2011
Cafeteria Confidants: Take your Dad to School

Phillippi Shores Elementary students asked the important men in their lives to share lunch with them during "Take Your Dad to School" week. We asked the dads, grandfathers and kids to share some of their favorite school memories.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
The home at 1535 Hillview Drive has four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,707 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,275,000. Photo by Rachel S. O'Hara.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • September 22, 2011
Harbor Acres home sells for $1,275,000

Jonathan and Natalie Rosenthal, Atlanta, sold their home at 1535 Hillview Drive, in Harbor Acres, to Robert Stack, Bradenton, for $1,275,000.

  • Sarasota
  • Real Estate
Fran Palmeri took this photo of Siesta Key Beach under an umbrella of summer clouds.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 22, 2011
Weekly Winner: Cotton Candy Clouds

Fran Palmeri took this photo of Siesta Key Beach under an umbrella of summer clouds.

  • Siesta Key
  • Neighbors
Corey Shenkin submitted this sunrise photo, taken in Osprey.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 22, 2011
Weekly Winner: Morning Glory

Corey Shenkin submitted this sunrise photo, taken in Osprey.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 22, 2011
Our View: This is the best we can do?

Seriously? The sign on this page is the best that Sarasota County could come up with not only to celebrate the Siesta Key Beach's top national ranking but to commemorate it for future visitors?

  • Sarasota
  • News
This Sarasota Beach home, which has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 4,076 square feet of living area, sold for $1.25 million. Photo by Rachel S. O'Hara.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • September 22, 2011
Sarasota Beach home tops sales at $1.25 million

A home in Sarasota Beach tops all transactions in this week's real estate.

  • Siesta Key
  • Neighbors
Where is this pelican statue on Siesta Key?
    By
  • Rachel S. OHara
  • September 22, 2011
Photo of the Day: Where am I?

Where can you find this statue on Siesta Key? Be the first to answer this trivia question and we'll give you a shout out on Facebook.

  • Siesta Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 22, 2011
Classic Cops of the Day

Enjoy a classic Cops Corner entry from the East County Observer archives.

  • East County
  • Cops Corner
Jean and Doug White pose for a photo at the Sarasota Yacht Club during the Republican Club’s kick-off meeting.
    By
  • Mallory Gnaegy
  • September 21, 2011
PHOTO GALLERY: Presidential Candidate Jon Huntsman's Daughters Campaign at the Republican Club

PHOTO GALLERY: Presidential Candidate Jon Huntsman's Daughters Campaign at the Republican Club

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Read one of our favorite Cops Corner entries from the archives.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 21, 2011
Classic Cops of the Day: Longboat Key

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

  • Longboat Key
  • Cops Corner
Read one of our favorite Cops Corner entries from the archives.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 21, 2011
Classic Cops of the Day: Sarasota

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

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
On a hot summer afternoon, the Gulf & Bay Club’s swans, Valentino and Natasha, sought some extra cooling from the fountain spray in the complex’s big pond. Photo by Nancy Deckard.
    By
  • Rachel Brown Hackney
  • September 21, 2011
Island Beat: Gulf & Bay Club members mourning loss of swans

During the summer, Nancy Deckard, a regular attendee at Siesta Key Association meetings, said she would send me a photo of the current pair of swans at the Gulf & Bay Club on the Key.

  • Siesta Key
  • Neighbors
Kirby is enjoying a morning walk in Joan M. Durante Park with his human, Mary Crawford.
    By
  • Mallory Gnaegy
  • September 21, 2011
Photo of the Day: Tail-Waggin' Walk

Kirby is enjoying a morning walk in Joan M. Durante Park with his human, Mary Crawford.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Alex Fontecha, 13, looks quizzically at the edible "oobleck!" she made during Ms. Munson's eighth grade "fear factor" science lab at the Imagine School at Palmer Ranch.
    By
  • Rachel S. OHara
  • September 21, 2011
Photo of the Day: A gooey situation

The eighth graders in Ms. Laura Munson's class at the Imagine School at Palmer Ranch touched, created and ate odd things as part of a "fear factor" science day.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
All other Sarasota County libraries will be open Saturday, Oct. 1 while the Selby Public Library closes that day as part of its renovation project.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • September 21, 2011
Selby Library closes temporarily Oct. 1

Sarasota County's busiest library, the Selby Public Library, must close temporarily Oct. 1 and will re-open Oct. 3.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Don O'Leary
    By
  • Michael Eng
  • September 21, 2011
FIVE THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT: DON O'LEARY

The unofficial mayor of Lakewood Ranch, Don O'Leary accepted recently a position as East Manatee Fire Rescue fire commissioner. Read more about him in our candid Q&A.

  • East County
  • News
Matthew and Vreyni Fuenfschilling, Harold Ronson and Agatha and Stephan Thoma. Molly Schechter.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 21, 2011
It could only happen here ...

It's the story of a casual encounter outside Ben & Jerry's on St. Armands Circle.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Courtesy Photo.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 21, 2011
Couple celebrates 50th anniversary

Glenn and Lisa Peterson, of Longboat Key, were married Oct. 14, 1961, in Chicago

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Town Manager Bruce St. Denis exits the Longboat Key Town Commission Chambers Monday, Sept. 19, during a standing ovation for his 14 years of service to the town. Rachel S. O'Hara.
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • September 21, 2011
Bruce St. Denis' final bow

Bruce St. Denis resigned after 14 years as town manager, the longest tenure of a town manager in Longboat's history.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Town Manager Bruce St. Denis cites the town’s beach program, the Longboat Key Public Tennis Center and rebuilt town facilities as some of the town’s greatest accomplishments under his direction. Photo by Rachel S. O'Hara.
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • September 21, 2011
St. Denis: a history

Bruce St. Denis began his tenure with the town in October 1996 and became town manager less than a year later.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • September 21, 2011
Commission plans search strategy

It's been 14 years since Longboat Key was without a permanent town manager.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Rachel Brown Hackney
  • September 21, 2011
UPDATE: Hospital board keeps same millage rate

The nine-member Sarasota Memorial Hospital Board of Directors Sept. 19 approved an ad valorem millage rate of 1.0863 for fiscal year 2012, which is unchanged from the previous fiscal year.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The 11,700-square-foot retail plaza will connect to the Publix store. Courtesy rendering.
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • September 21, 2011
Publix shops plan revisions to P&Z

The latest preliminary application includes landscaping and layout changes and states that the plaza's CVS store could be open 24/7.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
St. Denis. Photo by Rachel S. O'Hara.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 21, 2011
Our View: He was good for Longboat

"He is a good man," said Longboat Key resident Michael Lendrihas as he exited Longboat Key Town Hall Monday afternoon.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 21, 2011
Letters to the Editor

Town manager should evaluate the commissioners; Thank you to Longboat Observer's community editor; Flags should have been flown at half-staff on 9/11

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • September 21, 2011
Whitney Beach owner checks out hotel plans

Could a hotel check-in at the north end of Longboat Key?

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 21, 2011
News Briefs

Colony Association will discuss recommendations; IberiaBank to foreclose on Chart House property; DCA approves comp plan amendment changes; Town hires part-time code enforcement officer

  • Longboat Key
  • News
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