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Your Observer

    By
  • Michael Eng
  • April 1, 2011
Ranch changes signature color

APRIL FOOLS' DAY - One year after changing its signature color, Lakewood Ranch is again swapping swatches.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Michael Eng
  • April 1, 2011
GOTCHA!

Welcome to our the East County Observer's 2011 April Fools' issue!

  • East County
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 1, 2011
Our Town

APRIL FOOLS - Williams' dreams come crashing down; Longboat provides novel backdrop

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Clair
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • April 1, 2011
ELECTION DEBACLE

APRIL FOOLS - Because all town elections from the last four years are invalid due to advertising errors, the Town Commission must hold an emergency special election to re-vote for all commissioners.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • April 1, 2011
Key license-plate cameras to reduce crime, raise funds

APRIL FOOLS -- Longboat Key Police Chief Al Hogle is investigating a license-plate recognition system that would give Key residents exclusive rights to the island.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Tricycle rider Freda Perrotta follows all the rules of the road, such as wearing a helmet, when she cruises down Gulf of Mexico Drive.
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • April 1, 2011
Longboat tricycle riders want third-wheel treatment to halt

APRIL FOOLS - A new battle is pedaling its way onto Longboat Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 1, 2011
By the numbers

APRIL FOOLS - The town is currently facing a projected budget shortfall of $667,388.01 due to declining property values and skyrocketing pension costs. Fortunately, the Organizational Review Subcommittee found creative ways to cut town costs and are holding officials responsible for every penny. Here is a breakdown of how they will make up for the shortfall.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 1, 2011
In Brief

APRIL FOOLS -- Repaving to take residents down memory lane; Heat is on for Longboat volunteer firefighters; Paradise found in U.S. Census Bureau numbers

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Michael Eng
  • April 1, 2011
Meet the new Lakewood Ranch

APRIL FOOLS' DAY - After watching the incorporation debate rage in their neighboring community to the south, leaders in Heritage Harbour, GreyHawk Landing, Greenfield Plantation and Mill Creek have organized to petition for incorporation.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Michael Eng
  • April 1, 2011
Meet the new Lakewood Ranch

APRIL FOOLS' DAY - After watching the incorporation debate rage in their neighboring community to the south, leaders in Heritage Harbour, GreyHawk Landing, Greenfield Plantation and Mill Creek have organized to petition for incorporation.

  • East County
  • News
Susie Klingeman with Henry, Eleanor, Tracy and Lily Stalza in Lilly Pulitzer
    By
  • Loren Mayo
  • March 31, 2011
GALLERY: Lilly Pulitzer and La Mariee

Models sporting fashions from Lilly Pulitzer and La Mariee stalked the runways at Bird Key Yacht Club's latest style show.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Downtown parking advocates suggest the city enact hours of enforcement for the new meters that take into account the busiest times of day for a particular area, when on-street parking is in high demand.
    By
  • Robin Roy
  • March 31, 2011
Parking meters arrive this week

The city will begin to accept this week its first shipment of parking meters for its new paid-parking program and will begin installation during the second week of April.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The Regency House displays signs opposing the proposed South Palm overlay district. Crome Dollase, board president of the Regency House, said an overlay would equate to a "taking of residents' property."
    By
  • Robin Roy
  • March 31, 2011
Overlay district decision delayed

South Palm Avenue residents on both sides of the overlay-district issue will meet this week to come to an agreement, after the City Commission slows down the district's approval process.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Kindergartener Daron Nouri is all smiles with his mom, Rebekah, and dad, Bejan.
    By
  • Maria Amodio
  • March 31, 2011
GALLERY: Tatum Ridge Elementary School Kindergarten Roundup

Incoming kindergarten students and their parents toured their new school at Tatum Ridge Elementary School Kindergarten Roundup on Thursday, March 31.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
General Manager Darrin Foil, founder Bill Shumate and Vice President of Operations Bill Milner represented Square 1 Burgers, which opened in the East County March 1.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • March 31, 2011
GALLERY: EDC Hob Nob

Severe thunderstorms and a last-minute venue change didn't keep business professionals away from an annual Hob Nob barbecue event hosted by the Manatee Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Council. Hundreds of guests enjoyed an evening of food and drink, live entertainment and networking March 31 at the Manatee Civic Center.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Kennedy McClain and Piper Carson hold the preschool's mural.
    By
  • Loren Mayo
  • March 31, 2011
PHOTO OF THE DAY: Perfect summer day

First Presbyterian preschoolers today painted a mural depicting their perfect summer day.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • March 31, 2011
Lady Pirates swing past Lady Rams

The Braden River High softball team defeated Riverview 4-1 March 29.

  • East County
  • Sports
Fifth-grade students demonstrated tricks during Bashaw Elementary's Jump for Fun event March 30.
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • March 31, 2011
GALLERY: Bashaw Elementary Jump for Fun

Students at Bashaw Elementary School showed off their jump-roping skills during the school's annual Jump for Fun event March 30. Fifth-grade students demonstrated a variety of jump-roping tricks before the rest of the school joined in on the fun.

  • East County
  • Schools
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • March 31, 2011
OBITUARY: Alfred 'Alf' Rudolph

Alfred 'Alf' Rudolph, 95, was past president of Beach Harbor Condominium Association.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Longboat Key will see high winds and storms throughout the day today.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • March 31, 2011
Longboat under tornado watch

Longboat Key and the rest of the area are under a severe thunderstorm and tornado watch today.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Downtown condo owner Phil Grande is tired of the people feeding the transients in Selby Five Points Park and the lack of action from the city.
    By
  • Robin Roy
  • March 31, 2011
Petition seeks to end homeless feedings

Downtown condo owners are making another push to rid Selby Five Points Park of the criminal element that many say has taken over the park.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Sarasota’s new economic-development coordinator, Randy Welker, said one of his priorities is to find a drugstore willing to build a downtown location.
    By
  • Robin Roy
  • March 31, 2011
Development coordinator focuses on downtown

Through a public-private partnership, the city and others created a new position to pursue bringing businesses that could revitalize the downtown area.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The Rev. Don Henry  receives gifts from Sister Judy Baldino Sunday, March 27. Later in the day, Henry also received another surprise gift — keys to a new Acura, a present from his parishioners.
    By
  • Maria Amodio
  • March 31, 2011
Priest celebrates 40th anniversary

Parishioners at St. Thomas More Catholic Church recently honored The Rev. Don Henry for his 10th anniversary as their church pastor and his 40th anniversary of priesthood.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
  • By Rod Thomson
  • March 31, 2011
MY VIEW: Needed: Barbarian with a pen

The mask of journalism falls when a Herald-Tribune job posting reveals the type of investigative reporter the newspaper wants - 'reporters of questionable hygiene.'

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • March 31, 2011
Our View: County must fix its bad reputation

While Manatee County is shedding its anti-business and anti-construction reputation, Sarasota County's remains distressingly intact.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • March 31, 2011
News Briefs

County health record ranks fourth in state; Lido Beach prepares for turtle-nesting season; Home demolition for small neighborhood park complete

  • Sarasota
  • News
  • By Cheyenne Fauvel and Katie Patrice
  • March 31, 2011
Students find touching story in 'The Lost Thing'

Through Sarasota Film Festival's Outreach and Education Department, middle-school classes participated in the Classroom Critic program and screened official short films selected for the festival's youthFEST. This week, a seventh-grader at St. Stephen's Episcopal School and a sixth-grader at Out-of-Door Academy review 'The Lost Thing.'

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • March 31, 2011
Students find touching story in 'The Lost Thing'

Through Sarasota Film Festival's Outreach and Education Department, middle-school classes participated in the Classroom Critic program and screened official short films selected for the festival's youthFEST. This week, a seventh-grader at St. Stephen's Episcopal School and a sixth-grader at Out-of-Door Academy review 'The Lost Thing.'

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • March 31, 2011
Students find touching story in 'The Lost Thing'

Through Sarasota Film Festival's Outreach and Education Department, middle-school classes participated in the Classroom Critic program and screened official short films selected for the festival's youthFEST. This week, a seventh-grader at St. Stephen's Episcopal School and a sixth-grader at Out-of-Door Academy review 'The Lost Thing.'

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • March 31, 2011
Students find touching story in 'The Lost Thing'

Through Sarasota Film Festival's Outreach and Education Department, middle-school classes participated in the Classroom Critic program and screened official short films selected for the festival's youthFEST. This week, a seventh-grader at St. Stephen's Episcopal School and a sixth-grader at Out-of-Door Academy review 'The Lost Thing.'

  • Sarasota
  • News
Megan Wallin
    By
  • Rachel S. OHara
  • March 31, 2011
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Megan Wallin

Megan Wallin, a Sarasota native, is the founder of SpikeKey. Wallin has focused on playing beach volleyball and on running SpikeKey, which offers volleyball clinics on Siesta Key beach.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Mikeya Jackson and Alexcia Cavanaugh are learning to play songs for the school’s cultural fair.
    By
  • Loren Mayo
  • March 31, 2011
Bay Haven students rock out on homemade guitars

When you're in fourth grade, not much beats building your own guitar from scratch and then hoisting it up like you're a rockstar.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Rachel S. OHara
  • March 31, 2011
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Megan Wallin

Megan Wallin, a Sarasota native, is the founder of SpikeKey. Wallin has focused on playing beach volleyball and on running SpikeKey, which offers volleyball clinics on Siesta Key beach. Wallin has played all over the world and is gearing up for another season of beach volleyball competitions.

  • Siesta Key
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • March 31, 2011
COPS CORNER

Looks fishy March 22, 7 p.m. -- 1 block of Marina Plaza. Burglary. The owner of a fishing boat reported an on-board burglary. Someone had jimmied the door to get inside and stole 11 fishing rods, valued at $1,600.

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
This home at 751 Siesta Key Circle has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths and 4,717 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.9 million.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • March 31, 2011
Casey Key home sells for $2.6 million

A home on Casey Key tops all the transactions in this week's real estate, Aquos Properties LLC sold the home for $2.6 million.

  • Sarasota
  • Real Estate
Harold Ashby submitted this sunset photo, taken on Siesta Key.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • March 31, 2011
WEEKLY WINNER: WATER'S EDGE

Harold Ashby submitted this sunset photo, taken on Siesta Key.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
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