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Your Observer

Weston, Wellington and Bonita Springs all share similarities to Lakewood Ranch.
  • By Rod Thomson
  • July 13, 2011
INCORPORATION: A Tale of Three Cities

The East County Observer examines the incorporations of Weston, Wellington and Bonita Springs and how they compare to Lakewood Ranch.

  • East County
  • News
Weston contracts out every service in the city, including police, to the Broward County Sheriff's Office, to keep overhead low. The city of 64,000 residents employs nine people but has services including motorcycle patrol dedicated to Weston.
  • By Rod Thomson
  • July 13, 2011
A Tale of Three Cities: Weston: City Government Lite

Weston has put the concept of contracting out for government services on steroids - and wouldn't have it any other way.

  • East County
  • News
Wellington decided contracting out most services was not the best way to go for customer service, Wellington City Manager Paul Schofield said.
  • By Rod Thomson
  • July 13, 2011
A Tale of Three Cities: Wellington: City by a Neck

Wellington overcame intense opposition to become a city, maintaining its equestrian culture but seeing taxes rise.

  • East County
  • News
The popular Riverside Park band shell sits on the site of a former run-down old mobile home park and came about as a result of incorporation.
  • By Rod Thomson
  • July 13, 2011
A Tale of Three Cities: Bonita Springs: Second Time's the Charm

Bonita Springs seems to have everything going for it from a 1999 incorporation into a city, including lower taxes and self-determination.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 13, 2011
Observers launch new eEditions

Trying to go green? Or, are you simply too anxious to wait for your favorite news about You, Your Neighbors, Your Neighborhood to arrive on your doorstep?

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 13, 2011
Bobcat surprises Lakewood golfer

Bill Morris had a rather unusual golfing partner during a recent outing at Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 13, 2011
News Briefs

Ranch Humane Society to host family festival Ranch announces increases in lot prices Lakewood Reps to host July luncheon

  • East County
  • News
Stan Abshier keeps a framed photo of NASA’s first space shuttle.
    By
  • Michael Eng
  • July 13, 2011
It's 'Just' Rocket Science

As Atlantis left the pad July 8 for the final flight of NASA's shuttle program, one Lakewood Ranch resident watched with a heavy heart. Stan Abshier helped develop the rocket boosters used to propel the shuttle into space.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 13, 2011
Our View: What about the taxpayer?

As is all too common, an important party has not been at the table in the negotiations between the Manatee County School District and the Manatee Education Association.

  • East County
  • Opinion
  • By Rod Thomson
  • July 13, 2011
My View: Teacher lawsuit instructive

There is much to be learned from the lawsuit filed by the statewide teachers union and joined by others, including an entitlement mentality.

  • East County
  • Opinion
More than 70 students participated in Project B-Town.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • July 13, 2011
Woodland church missionaries target hometown

Youth at Woodland, The Community Church spent a week of their summer volunteering throughout the local community as part of Project B-Town.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • July 13, 2011
Ranch's Polo Grill sizzles with annual shrimp boil

The Polo Grill and Bar will host its fourth annual Sypder Broussard Low Country-East County Shrimp Boil from 6:30-10:30 p.m., July 16.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 13, 2011
Cops Corner

7:05 a.m. - the intersection of Pope Road and Center Ice Parkway. Grand theft. Unknown person(s) stole storm sewer grates from the roadway on Pope Road and Center Ice Parkway. The person(s) fled in an unknown direction in an unknown vehicle.

  • East County
  • Cops Corner
This University Park home has four bedrooms, five-and-one-half baths, a pool and 4,301 square feet of living area and sold for $1.15 million.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • July 13, 2011
University Park home tops East County real estate sales

A home in Grosvenor Gardens tops all transactions in this week's real estate. Paul and Carole Farnsworth sold their home at 8318 Grosvenor Court to James and Linda Cole, of Wayland, Mass., for $1.15 million. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, five-and-one-half baths, a pool and 4,301 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $1.86 million in 2006.

  • East County
  • Real Estate
Darinka Angelova finished first on vault, balance beam and uneven bars to secure her fifth-consecutive all-around national title July 3.
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • July 13, 2011
Five-Time Champ

Kids Supergym's Darinka Angelova captured her fifth national title in the Level 8 Women's Division of the AAU Age Group Gymnastics National Championship July 3.

  • East County
  • Sports
Luck be a Lady... this sandhill crane is one lucky bird to have survived the abuse she suffered. Today, Lady is one of the most helpful and loving sandhill cranes at Save Our Seabirds.
    By
  • Rachel S. OHara
  • July 13, 2011
VIDEO: Lady The Bird

Lady is a sandhill crane and a permanent resident at Save Our Seabirds. Watch this video to hear the guttural call that she makes every morning at Save Our Seabirds.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 13, 2011
Community Golf

Check out results for local golfers in the East County area.

  • East County
  • Sports
BRINLING
  • By Christopher Miller
  • July 13, 2011
Athlete of the Week: Austin Brinling

Ten-year-old center fielder Austin Brinling maintained a positive attitude and displayed good sportsmanship during the District 26 All-Star Baseball Tournament, helping lead Braden River Little League's 9- and 10-year-old All-Star team to the division title July 6.

  • East County
  • Sports
Lois Braley took this photo of a double rainbow July 4 over the Manatee River at Braden Castle Park.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 13, 2011
Weekly Winner: What does it all mean?

Lois Braley took this photo of a double rainbow July 4 over the Manatee River at Braden Castle Park.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 13, 2011
Cops Corner

Night lights 9:31 p.m. - 700 block of St. Judes Drive North. Code Enforcement. A woman reported that a neighbor's light was shining too brightly into her bedroom at night, which caused her not to be able to see the sunrise. The neighbor unscrewed the bulb and promised to dim the light.

  • Longboat Key
  • Cops Corner
Jamie Gregorich works behind the scenes to prepare dinner at Euphemia Haye.
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • July 13, 2011
Euphemia Haye chef to appear in the hot seat

Here are a few ingredients that flavor Jamie Gregorich's cooking. There's her mother, who was her first inspiration in the kitchen.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
The Longboat Island Chapel announced its plans for the Aging in Paradise Resource Center in December 2009.
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • July 13, 2011
Aging in Paradise Center will build upon chapel's tradition of service

Construction will begin soon for Longboat Island Chapel's planned 3,700-square-foot Aging in Paradise Resource Center.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • July 13, 2011
A true lady

Lady survived a brutal beating nearly two years ago and now has a permanent home at Save Our Seabirds. She was always known for her gentle disposition, so last season, she took on a new, motherly role.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Unit 502 at the Water Club I, 1241 Gulf of Mexico Drive, has three bedrooms, five bathrooms and 3,400 square feet. It sold for $1,925,000.
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • July 13, 2011
Water Club unit sells for $1,925,000

David and Alberta Purpora, St. Armands Key, sold Unit 502 at the Water Club I, 1241 Gulf of Mexico Drive, to Thomas Grusecki and Christina Grant, of Schiller Park, Ill., as joint tenants with rights of survivorship, for $1,925,000. Built in 1996, the 3,400-square-foot unit has three bedrooms and five bathrooms. It last sold for $771,000 in January 1999.

  • Longboat Key
  • Real Estate
The home at 700 Lyons Lane sold for $1,775,000 in June.
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • July 13, 2011
June real-estate sales summary

The following is a summary of key residential real-estate sales recorded for the month of June at the Sarasota and Manatee county courthouses. Data from June 2010 is also listed for comparison.

  • Longboat Key
  • Real Estate
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • July 13, 2011
Business Observer

Kohlenberger named president of Stroke Association of Florida Florida Green Building Co. ranks Pine Avenue in top 10

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Stanley
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • July 13, 2011
Real Estate Report

Signature Sotheby's reports more than $1 billion in sales Coldwell Banker announces increase in activity Island Real Estate starts new monthly photo contest

  • Longboat Key
  • Real Estate
  • By Donna Swan
  • July 13, 2011
Deal Us In: Card combinations can be crucial

There has been much written about how to handle certain card combinations. There are still many that you have to work out at the table.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Jackie DeAngelo submitted this sunset photo, taken from Jessmyth Drive on Longboat Key.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 13, 2011
WEEKLY WINNER: Sunset salutation

Jackie DeAngelo submitted this sunset photo, taken from Jessmyth Drive on Longboat Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
About 40 homeless people were fed in front of Vice Mayor Terry Turner's Cherokee Park home.
    By
  • Robin Roy
  • July 12, 2011
Sarasota homeless fed in front of vice mayor's house

A downtown resident chartered a bus and catered a meal for about 40 homeless people in front of Vice Mayor Terry Turner's house in Cherokee Park to protest Turner's position on homeless feedings.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Televised Longboat Key Town Commission meetings will be eliminated if the commission decides not to continue filming the meetings at Town Hall.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • July 12, 2011
Town Hall may eliminate televised meetings

A studio production company is offering to provide more services if the town agrees to keep its $17,000 annual contract.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
The horses enjoy down time in a lush pasture when they are not helping children learn to ride.
    By
  • Michael Eng
  • July 12, 2011
PHOTO GALLERY: Rosaire's Riding Academy

Students at Rosaire's Riding Academy saddled up for a day full of horseback riding fun July 11. Campers started the morning by retrieving horses and ponies from the academy pasture. Then, once back at the riding arena, they honed their riding skills with the help of Ellian Rosaire and her staff.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Pat Rounds, left, and Cathy Antunes represent Sarasota Citizens for Responsible Government.
    By
  • Robin Roy
  • July 12, 2011
Group requests more complete county audit

Now that impropriety has been discovered in the county's procurement department, a citizen group wants an audit that cleared the county of wrongdoing in its baseball contract awards to be conducted again.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • July 12, 2011
District 26 All-Star Scoreboard July 9-11

Braden River and Lakewood Ranch Little League's 11/12 and Junior All-Stars both earned victories this past weekend.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • July 12, 2011
PGA Tour pro Steve Marino to host AJGA tournament

PGA Tour pro Steve Marino will host the Under Armour/Steve Marino Junior All-Star Championship July 18-21 at The Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club in Sarasota.

  • East County
  • Sports
Superintendent Tim McGonegal increased the cuts to $14.04 million from his original $11.68 million plan.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 11, 2011
Manatee school board approves budget

Superintendent Tim McGonegal recommended $14.04 million in cuts.

  • East County
  • News
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