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Your Observer

The Lady Pirates celebrate after making school history with a win over rival Lakewood Ranch in the regional semifinals April 29.
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • April 30, 2011
Lady Pirates rally to advance to finals (VIDEO)

The Braden River High softball team scored six unanswered runs to defeat rival Lakewood Ranch 6-4 in the Class 4A-Region 3 semifinals April 29.

  • East County
  • Sports
Officials broke ground around 8 a.m.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • April 30, 2011
PHOTO GALLERY: Cattlemen groundbreaking

Sarasota and Manatee County officials today broke ground on the extension of Cattlemen Road, just before the start of the Florida State Championship Regatta.

  • East County
  • News
Brittany Ann Ornsby currently is taking medication, which investigators say is a concern.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 30, 2011
Deputies searching for missing Lakewood Ranch woman

According to Manatee County Sheriff's Office reports, 18-year-old Brittany Ann Ornsby was last seen at her house on Tumble Wood Trail before 10:30 p.m. last night.

  • East County
  • News
Angie Cole and Linda Clough of Lucchesi Vineyards
    By
  • Black Tie Staff
  • April 29, 2011
Beach Feast

Beach Feast

  • Black Tie
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • April 29, 2011
ODA wins district crown

Lucas Friss hit a game-winning double to right field in the top of the seventh inning, propelling The Out-of-Door Academy baseball team to a 1-0 victory over Shorecrest Prep in the Class 2A-District 11 championship April 28.

  • East County
  • Sports
Robert Warren, Dr. Sherry Lawrence, Angela Hartvigsen, Monica Slater Van Buskirk and Norman Olshansky were the speakers at the 10th Annual Education Celebration Friday, April 29 at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.
    By
  • Rachel S. OHara
  • April 29, 2011
PHOTO GALLERY: Van Wezel Foundation Education Celebration

The Van Wezel Foundation's 10th Annual Education Celebration happened Friday, April 29 at the Van Wezel. The event included breakfast, speakers recapping the year as well as looking towards the future, followed by a performance for the attendees and Sarasota and Manatee County school children of "There's An Alligator Under My Bed, A Nightmare In My Closet, And Something My Attic".

  • Sarasota
  • News
Commissioner Terry Turner felt it wouldn't be fair to allow two board appointments if they were just going to be voided.
    By
  • Robin Roy
  • April 29, 2011
City commission pushes for Planning Board appointments

In their last meeting in office, three outgoing city commissioners pushed to appoint members to the Planning Board, even though the city attorney advised them other potential candidates were not given enough time to apply.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Molly Cress counts to five in Spanish during the performance.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • April 29, 2011
PHOTO GALLERY: Bashaw Art & Music Festival

The sound of music filled the air April 29 at Bashaw Elementary School as the school celebrated its 25th anniversary and its annual Art & Music Festival.

  • East County
  • Schools
Angela Ward and Holly Kraft wear Queen Elizabeth cardboard masks Friday, April 29 while celebrating the royal wedding at the Ritz Carlton.
    By
  • Rachel S. OHara
  • April 29, 2011
PHOTO GALLERY: A Royal Affair

The Ritz Carlton in Sarasota celebrated the royal wedding by hosting a 4 a.m. live broadcast and breakfast affair. The event had 150 people in attendance. Many of the people who attended the event dressed up and wore extravagant hats.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Zach Kleer proved to be a fierce competitor.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • April 29, 2011
PHOTO GALLERY: Dodgeball Finals (VIDEO)

Select teachers and students faced off today for the championship title of the "Mann Up Against Cancer" Dodgeball Tournament at Braden River High School.

  • East County
  • News
The City Commission will be asked to approve a charter recommendation to raise their own salaries.
    By
  • Robin Roy
  • April 29, 2011
Sarasota commission to review charter changes

City commissioners could allow voters to decide on a host of city charter improvements, including those that deal with funding sports stadiums, at-large commission seats and increasing commissioners' salaries.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Event organizer Sandra Loevner with Polo Grill owner Tommy Klauber
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • April 29, 2011
PHOTO GALLERY: Winefest event

More than 300 restaurateurs and wine enthusiasts gathered April 28 at the Polo Grill and Bar's Fete Ballroom for the Florida Winefest Trade Tasting Event.

  • East County
  • News
The Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch has more than 70 members in total.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • April 29, 2011
Ranch Rotary turns 10

The Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch turned 10 this month.

  • East County
  • News
Donna McGarry poses with her team, the 1992 Blue Jays, during their World Series game against the Atlanta Braves Friday, April 29 out at Twin Lakes.
    By
  • Rachel S. OHara
  • April 29, 2011
PHOTO GALLERY: Ashton Elementary's Fifth Grade World Series

The fifth graders at Ashton Elementary recreated the 1947 and 1992 World Series games Friday, April 29 out at Twin Lakes.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Rebecca and David Taylor
    By
  • Dora Walters
  • April 28, 2011
PHOTO GALLERY: Bird Key Yacht Club fashion show

Saks Fifth Avenue, the Fifth Avenue Club presented a fast-paced fashion show April 28, at the Bird Key Yacht Club. Presented in three sections, the show featured attire for casual occasions, luncheons and a dazzling selection for evening.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Jackie Watanabe, Cheryl Fuller, Katelyn Knaak, Amanda Ortega and Gabriela Ortega enjoy themselves at the Paint the Town Blue event.
    By
  • Rachel S. OHara
  • April 28, 2011
PHOTO GALLERY: Paint the Town Blue

The Paint the Town Blue event was a big success Thursday, April 28 at Westfield Southgate. The sponsors of the event included the Junior League, Westfield Southgate and The Child Protection Center. The event was held to grow awareness about child abuse prevention in Sarasota.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Longboat Key Commissioner Lynn Larson wants the town to eliminate overtime for the police and fire rescue departments.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • April 28, 2011
Village will reduce peafowl flock

Longbeach Village residents told the Longboat Key Town Commission it will reduce the peafowl population to a dozen birds.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Vanessa Fine Jewelry co-owner Vanessa Baugh announced her candidacy from her storefront at 2 p.m., Thursday.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • April 28, 2011
Baugh announces candidacy (VIDEO)

Lakewood Ranch business owner Vanessa Baugh will run for the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners District 5 seat.

  • East County
  • News
More than 75 people attended the meeting at Christ Church of Longboat Key, Presbyterian.
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • April 28, 2011
Residents discuss options for maintaining health care

A community meeting focused on ways to preserve medical services on Longboat Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
The accident occurred around 10:15 a.m., Wednesday.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • April 28, 2011
Driver dies in S.R. 70 crash

An accident at the intersection of Lockwood Ridge Road and State Road 70 yesterday proved fatal to one and left three others with injuries.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • April 28, 2011
Bulldogs registration set for Saturday

The East Manatee Bulldogs will be holding registration for the league's football and cheerleading program from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., April 30 at Lakewood Ranch Park.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • April 28, 2011
Braden River advances to regional semifinal

The Braden River High softball team defeated Dover Strawberry Crest 3-1 in a Class 4A-Region 3 quarterfinal April 27.

  • East County
  • Sports
The Town Commission also will discuss what to do with the growing number of Longbeach Village peacocks today.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • April 28, 2011
Commission debates beach funding today

The Longboat Key Town Commission will discuss whether it should try to attain federal funding for future beach projects.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
The Lakewood Ranch Good Earth location opened in September 2009.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • April 28, 2011
Good Earth closing on Ranch Main

The space occupied by Good Earth on Lakewood Ranch Main Street will close and be converted into several smaller spaces for businesses.

  • East County
  • News
Booker High School junior advisory board members Sara Stolpe, Miles McCreery, Amanda Stambrosky and Kurt Hoffman spell out P-R-O-M.
    By
  • Loren Mayo
  • April 28, 2011
Picture-perfect PROM

Students at Booker, Riverview and Sarasota high schools primp for the most anticipated event of their high school careers.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Sarasota Garden Club members Ginger Vance, Bill Dalgarno and Wilda Meier
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 28, 2011
Garden Club dedicates tree

Forty Carrots preschoolers joined the Sarasota Garden Club in an Arbor Day tree planting and dedication ceremony Jan. 21

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Julie Eisele and Kay Chandler
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 28, 2011
Women exercise their flower power

The first time Julie Eisele attended a service at Church of the Redeemer, the priest asked everyone who chaired a committee to stand up and be recognized.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Robin Roy
  • April 28, 2011
Lame-duck move stirs controversy

An outgoing commissioner's desire to reappoint members to the Planning Board next week, so that the new commission won't have a say, has critics raising fairness questions.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Robin Roy
  • April 28, 2011
City counters British press accounts

The murders of two British tourists in Newtown sparked a rush of tabloid stories, many of which contained unverified accounts of why the men were in that neighborhood and how Sarasota is a 'gangland.'

  • Sarasota
  • News
Eileen Hampshire tends to the colorful flowerbed in front of her store, Art to Walk On, as she has for the past five years. She has performed and funded all landscaping maintenance outside her front door.
    By
  • Robin Roy
  • April 28, 2011
Palm Avenue spruce-up in the works

The Downtown Improvement District is ready to use its tax dollars to help spruce up both North and South Palm Avenue.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 28, 2011
Observer Updates

DID could gerrymander new boundaries; Garage retail nearly ready for market

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 28, 2011
Sarasota: Letters to the Editor

Scott's low polls reflect back policies; Separate church and state, not God and state; Money shift to Orioles is a disgraceful act

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 28, 2011
OUR VIEW: North Trail hypocrisy

The politicians on the Sarasota City Commission talk a good talk about redeveloping North Trail.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 28, 2011
OUR VIEW: Scaring Voters

When rational discourse fails to win the day politically, sometimes all that is left is hyperbolic scare tactics.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 28, 2011
GOVERNMENT GONE WILD

Blaise Ingoglia is traveling the country spreading the word on just how big and bad the United States' debt is.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Robert Martini
    By
  • Rachel S. OHara
  • April 28, 2011
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Robert Martini

Robert Martini got into prone paddleboarding seven years ago while he was living in Hawaii.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
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