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Your Observer

    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • May 18, 2009
Resident receives waiver request

A waiver from the town’s daylight plane ordinance allows a Key resident to expand onto a home that already has 3,940 square feet of space.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • May 18, 2009
Soccer Club announces tryouts

The Braden River Soccer Club will begin holding tryouts for all competitive boys and girls teams ages 8-18 at 6 p.m., May 26.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 18, 2009
Robber hits East County bank

Manatee County Sheriff's Office detectives are searching for a man they believe robbed an East County First Bank this morning.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Robin Roy
  • May 18, 2009
Lido Beach makes national 'best of' list

The beach is one of six to be recognized as the best-restored beaches in the nation.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 18, 2009
Manatee County revives Planning Task Force

For the first time in several years, Manatee County's Planning Task Force will meet today to discuss Manatee County's development review process and related topics.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 18, 2009
Sheriff's office conducts underage drinking sting

Six East County businesses were charged with selling/serving alcohol to a person under 21 during a Manatee County Sheriff's Office underage drinking operation May 15.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • May 15, 2009
Storms delay regional final

The second game of The Out-of-Door Academy baseball team's regional final versus Cambridge has been suspended until tomorrow.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • May 15, 2009
Two Braden River High seniors earn athletic scholarships

The Braden River High School Athletic Boosters recently awarded $1,000 scholarships to seniors Chris Garcia and Kayla Kerns.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • May 15, 2009
Armitage elected as Mote chairman

Bird Key resident Arthur Armitage was recently elected chairman of Mote Marine Laboratory's board of trustees.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
  • By Pam McTeer
  • May 15, 2009
Good Earth coming to Lakewood

After a deal with Ada's Natural & Organic Foods fell through several months ago, Lakewood Ranch Commercial Realty has secured a lease with Good Earth Natural Food Store. The deal was finalized Thursday.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 15, 2009
Mill Creek to restore community ponds

The Mill Creek Homeowners Association Board of Directors needs volunteers to assist the community in its Mill Creek Pond Restoration Project at 8 a.m., this Saturday, at ponds 15 and 16 near 602 137th St. NE.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Loren Mayo
  • May 14, 2009
Sarasota Military Academy students share poetry

Sarasota Military Academy held its Beatnik Poetry Cafe Thursday, May 7.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Robin Roy
  • May 14, 2009
$72 million bus system advances

SCAT's rapid-transit project gets past the first federal-government hurdle.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Robin Roy
  • May 14, 2009
Police eye surveillance system

The high-tech system could monitor suspicious activity from a half mile away.

  • Sarasota
  • News
  • By Rod Thomson
  • May 14, 2009
Osprey teen wins congressional art contest

The winner will travel to Washington, D.C. to see her painting put on display.

  • Sarasota
  • News
  • By Ken Chetlain
  • May 14, 2009
Five of 10 Key sales surpass $1 million

Not only are there encouraging signs in the area, state and nation but also right here on the keys, because sales recordings for the week of April 27 through May 1 rose from six the week before to 10.

  • Longboat Key
  • Real Estate
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • May 14, 2009
Prudential Palms April numbers up 30%

Short sales account for part of the 30% increase in activity in April '09 compared with April '08.

  • Longboat Key
  • Real Estate
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 14, 2009
Obituaries

Obituaries

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Dora Walters
  • May 14, 2009
Five Irish sisters, one 'father' reunite

Parishioners at St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church enthusiastically welcomed the Rev. Gerry Finegan's five sisters, all visiting from Ireland, at a reception after Mass May 3.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • May 14, 2009
Longboat residents gear up for Bike MS

Arthur Wood was in pain the first time he rode in a National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society: Bike MS event.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 14, 2009
Community Calendar

Find out what's happening on the Key and this week's "Don't Miss" event.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 14, 2009
Cops Corner

Cops Corner

  • Longboat Key
  • Cops Corner
  • By Weldon Frost
  • May 14, 2009
A political 'bucket list' to fix America

Here are multiple steps to correct the nation's socio-political scene, brought on 'by the thuggery' in Washington, D.C.

  • East County
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 14, 2009
Our View

Take our governor, please!

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 14, 2009
Cops' Corner 05.14.09

The following information was gathered from incident and arrest reports obtained from the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

  • East County
  • Cops Corner
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • May 14, 2009
Athlete of the Week: Marco Rometo

The Observer highlights Out-of-Door Academy runner Marco Rometo.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • May 14, 2009
Pirates fall in Class 4A quarterfinal

The Braden River High baseball team saw its season come to an unexpected end in a Class 4A regional quarterfinal May 5.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • May 14, 2009
Boards approve pension fix

The members of the town's three pension boards unanimously approved pension reports for the Division of Retirement's review within 30 days.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • May 14, 2009
Pirates fall in Class 4A quarterfinal

The Braden River High baseball team saw its season come to an unexpected end in a Class 4A regional quarterfinal May 5.Â

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • May 14, 2009
Relay team runs into record books

The Lakewood Ranch High girls 3,200-meter relay team set a new school record of 10:00.51 at the Class 3A state track and field championships May 8 in Winter Park.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • May 14, 2009
Water charges change

The Longboat Key Town Commission approved modifications to water utility account charges and penalties at its Monday, May 4 regular meeting that affect all water account users.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • May 14, 2009
Thunder edge past HEAT

ODA advanced to the regional finals for the first time in school history with an 8-7 victory over the Manatee HEAT in a Class 1A regional semifinal May 8.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • May 14, 2009
Mustang golf squad names new head coach

After 11 seasons at the helm, Lakewood Ranch High girls golf coach Greg McGrew is stepping down. Wendi Golden was named the Lady Mustangs' new coach last week.

  • East County
  • Sports
  • By Pam McTeer
  • May 14, 2009
Lakewood boys namesakes behind two rescued hawks

Wildlife rehabilitator Justin Matthews has named the two fledgling red-shouldered hawks he rescued after Ethan and Owen Ingham, who recently raised money for Matthews Wildlife Rescue from their front yard.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • May 14, 2009
News Briefs

Community news and notes

  • East County
  • News
  • By Pam McTeer
  • May 14, 2009
Larger than Life

Tom Hennessy, the fire chief for Southern Manatee Fire & Rescue District, will retire June 12. During his 30 years of service he's seen the district grow from four full-time employees to 96.

  • East County
  • News
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