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Your Observer

    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • August 16, 2009
Gray team secures Founders Cup

Performance Lacrosse, a local lacrosse organization, recently finished its summer league season with the annual Manasota Summer Lacrosse Shootout, Green vs. Gray Game Aug. 12 at Greenbrook Adventure Park in Lakewood Ranch.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • August 16, 2009
Longhorns seek new players

The Lakewood Ranch Longhorns 13U travel team will hold open tryouts at 6:30 p.m., Aug. 21.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Loren Mayo
  • August 14, 2009
TBI Russian Dinner

Temple Beth Israel hosted a Shabbat dinner that featured Russian food and entertainment provided by members of the Sarasota-Manatee Russian-Jewish community.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Robin Roy
  • August 14, 2009
Supporters vow to save iconic bookstore

Upon hearing that the economy may claim Sarasota News and Books as one of its victims, Sarasotans take to the Internet to try to save it.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • August 14, 2009
Pirates seek lady golfers

Tryouts for the Braden River High girls golf team will be held from 3:30-5:30 p.m., Aug. 19-20.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 14, 2009
Driver strikes, kills two pedestrians

Two Sarasota men are dead after being struck by an oncoming vehicle in the early morning hours of Aug. 14.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 14, 2009
Teen shoots brother accidentally

A 17-year-old Sabal Harbour boy was disassembling his father's gun when the shooting occurred early this morning.

  • East County
  • News
  • By Maggie Pahos
  • August 13, 2009
THE PERFORMER: Charley Leonard

Booker Middle School: Charley Leonard finishes helping a slew of first- and second-graders across a low-wire balance beam, finds another counselor to watch her group of campers and sits down in one of the Pal Sailor Circus' plastic audience seats to talk.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Loren Mayo
  • August 13, 2009
THE KINDERGARTNER: Ansley Morris

Southside Elementary: Ansley Morris is all about chocolate. When she spots her mother, Amanda, stirring a bowl of chocolate-pie filling, the soon-to-be kindergartner doesn't have much interest in discussing school.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Loren Mayo
  • August 13, 2009
Back to School: The Graduate Taylor Stein

Taylor Stein loves the feeling of starting something new. As Riverview High School student body president, Stein will be the first person to walk across the stage and graduate from the renovated school, leading the way for her fellow students - the class of 2010.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • August 13, 2009
Thunder coaches set the tone for parents

The Out-of-Door Academy will host a mandatory fall sports informational meeting for all middle and upper school parents from 7-8:15 p.m., Aug. 24.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Robin Roy
  • August 13, 2009
Burns Square plans special events

The Burns Square Merchants Association president hopes holding different events each month will attract more customers to the historic district.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Robin Roy
  • August 13, 2009
DID votes against meters

The Downtown Improvement District board decided now was not the time to install meters downtown, but indicated it could support paid parking in the future.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 13, 2009
School board honors business partners

More than 300 entities partner will Manatee County schools to enrich the educational opportunities of students this year.

  • East County
  • News
  • By Pam McTeer
  • August 13, 2009
Planning commission considers Ranch retail project

Board members will consider whether SM Duck Dog 2 LLC should be allowed to build a project that includes a grocery store, a bank, retail stores, offices and a convenience store with gas pumps on a 14.46-acre site at the southwest corner of State Road 64 and Lorraine Road.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Robin Roy
  • August 13, 2009
Art committee rejects sailor statue

Public Art Committee members turned down an anonymous veteran's offer to buy 'Unconditional Surrender' and then donate it to the city, on the condition that it stay on the bayfront.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Michael Eng
  • August 13, 2009
Chef signs deal with Paula Deen's literary agent

Lakewood Ranch's Jaden Hair will have New York-based agent Janis Donnaud supporting her when she releases her first book in October.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 13, 2009
Justin Matthews staged python capture

East County wildlife rehabilitator Justin Matthews admitted to staging a dramatic capture of a 14-foot Burmese python from a Manatee County drain pipe July 25.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • August 13, 2009
Obituary: James Sumpter

James Sumpter, 92, of Kettering, Ohio, and Longboat Key, died July 30.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
  • By Maggie Pahos
  • August 13, 2009
St. Thomas More groups get crafty

The quilters group and crafty ladies group at St. Thomas More Catholic Church meet twice a week.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • August 13, 2009
IPOC chairman considers commission run

Islandside Property Owners Coalition Chairman Bob White said he will make a decision in the fall about whether to seek the District 1 seat.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 13, 2009
Students to lead high school tours

The public is invited to tour the new Riverview High School buildings at an open house from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 15. Riverview students will be leading tours at the new facility, located at 1 Ram Way, Sarasota.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 13, 2009
Conference hosts youth leaders

Ten high school students from Community Youth Development participated in the inaugural Lawton Chiles Leadership Corps. Aug. 7 through Aug. 9, at the University of Central Florida.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 13, 2009
In Brief

Community News and Notes

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Loren Mayo
  • August 13, 2009
Movers and shakers

The sign guys are everywhere around Sarasota.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Robin Roy
  • August 13, 2009
Merchants make seat bid

Two business owners asked for a private meeting with Michael Connolly, deputy city attorney, to receive a re-interpretation of the state law governing the BID board.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Loren Mayo
  • August 13, 2009
Mom-preneur creates school organizer

One Sarasota mother created a better way to eliminate clutter by systematizing her children's schedules, homework, drawings and books into a hanging organizer - The Homework Caddy.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
  • By Thomas Sowell
  • August 13, 2009
My View: A price for Obama's amateurism

The president's injecting himself into a local police issue is just a small sign of a big danger.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 13, 2009
Our View

St. Armands subterfuge?

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 13, 2009
Letters to the Editor

To send in your letters, please e-mail them to [email protected], or mail them to The Sarasota Observer, 1517 State Street, Sarasota, 34236. The Sarasota Observer gives priority to letters of local interest and about local issues. The Observer will print all letters to the editor if it feels they are of general interest, but only if the letter is signed and the author's street address and phone number are given. The editor reserves the right to condense letters.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 13, 2009
Cops Corner

n apartment complex manager reported someone discharged a fire extinguisher near the pool area and that some of the contents got into the hot tub, which will need to be drained and cleaned. There were no witnesses.

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 13, 2009
Cops Corner

Cops Corner

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • August 13, 2009
The Oaks home sells for $1.55 million

A home in the Oaks tops all real-estate transactions for the week of July 16 to July 22. Zachary and Suzanne Takerian sold their home at 64 Osprey Point Drive to Paul and Jean Beggan, of Osprey, for $1.55 million.

  • Sarasota
  • Real Estate
    By
  • Loren Mayo
  • August 13, 2009
THE COOL TEACHER: Justin Niemann

Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences: Soccer ball in hand, Justin Niemann bounds down the stairs of his Siesta Key townhouse, hippie curls bouncing with his rhythm. Wearing a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops, he's ready to head to the beach and kick around a soccer ball.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Loren Mayo
  • August 13, 2009
THE ATHLETE: Molly McKinney

Pine View School: When Pine View School let out for winter break last year, Molly McKinney made a break for it and landed herself in the hospital.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Loren Mayo
  • August 13, 2009
THE PRINCIPAL: Kathy Helean

Imagine School: A lunch box, makeup case, purse, stuff-she-should-be-doing-at-home bag and workbag sit on top of Kathy Helean's desk. The principal at Imagine School, in Palmer Ranch, admits she hasn't moved in yet.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
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Letters to Santa carry Christmas wishes and love
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Christmas decorating isn't just for kids

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