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Your Observer

Paul Seed (left) presents the literal big check in the amount of $10 million to SPAC Foundation Board Chairman Jim Travers.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • January 24, 2023
SPAC Foundation receives $10 million gift

A foundation operated by a Canadian businessman with a seasonal home on Longboat Key is helping fund the architectural design phase for the proposed Sarasota Performing Arts Center.

  • Sarasota
  • News
New Sarasota High football Coach Josh Phillips was previously the defensive coordinator at Manatee High.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • January 23, 2023
Sarasota High hires Manatee defensive coordinator as football coach

Josh Phillips played football and ran track at Yale before embarking on a coaching career.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Police handcuff 36-year-old Darryl Williams in a store parking lot in Sarasota. He was charged with four felonies.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • January 23, 2023
Officer bitten in scuffle leading to Sarasota man's arrest

Police say that another officer was spit on as officers worked to detain the suspect on a felony charge.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Progress at University will be located next to the former Sarasota Kennel Club, which may be developed into another apartment complex.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • January 23, 2023
One SRQ-adjacent apartment complex progresses while a second remains on hold

The City Commission gave the go-ahead for the 280-unit Progress at University apartment development. Meanwhile the legal battle over Aventon apartments next door will go on at least through the spring.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Gisele Pintchuck and Edie Chaifetez attend Embracing Our Differences 20th Anniversary Grand Opening.
    By
  • Dariela Delgado
  • January 23, 2023
Bayfront art exhibit emphasizes our differences

The 20th anniversary of the Embracing our Differences exhibition attracted more than 13,000 entries.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Will Frentz has been a member of the U.S. Deaf Men's National Team for 16 years, joining when he was in high school.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • January 23, 2023
U.S. Men's Deaf National Team captain shares his soccer story

Will Frentz and his team held a training camp Jan. 14-16 at Premier Sports Campus.

  • East County
  • Sports
Traffic circulates near the Bay Isles north entrance.
    By
  • Lauren Tronstad
  • January 23, 2023
Police can ticket Bay Isles drivers starting Feb. 1

The agreement, approved by town commissioners in December, allows police to enforce traffic laws in the gated community.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
City Hall cultural exhibit showcases Sarasota's history
    By
  • Dariela Delgado
  • January 22, 2023
City Hall cultural exhibit showcases Sarasota's history

The opening reception for the City Hall Cultural Exhibition will be Jan. 26.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Lakewood Ranch's Martha Gaffney loves hearing the history and poetry of Robert Burns every year at the Burns Supper.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • January 21, 2023
St. Andrew Society of Sarasota hosts Burns Supper

The annual Burns Supper celebrates the Scottish poet's birthday, camaraderie and Scottish heritage.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Freedom Elementary School's Jenessa Bunker, Jakob Flemming, Camila Aviles-Pagan and Mya Barrett lead the Autrey All Stars onto the track.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • January 20, 2023
Olympian visits east Bradenton elementary during Fun Run

Richard Thompson, a four-time Olympian shares a message of encouragement, with students before they begin their run.

  • East County
  • Schools
Founded by Anthony Petalia, Tralia offers Detroit-style and “sourdough rounds” that resemble traditional Neapolitan pizza.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • January 20, 2023
Pop-up pizza maker finds permanent home in Gulf Gate

Tralia, already offering takeout and delivery, is expected to open its first brick-and-mortar pizzeria for dine-in next month.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
Ten residents were present for Wednesday's citizens academy course.
    By
  • Lauren Tronstad
  • January 20, 2023
Citizens Academy provides close look into town services

Courses run through Feb. 22 at Longboat Key Town Hall for residents interested in learning about the inner workings of the town government.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Bucky demonstrates how Newton's Laws work in Circus Arts Conservatory's Circus Machine.
    By
  • Dariela Delgado
  • January 20, 2023
Sailor Circus mixes science and whimsy

Sarasota and Manatee students learned while laughing at the Circus Arts Conservatory’s Education Outreach show.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Waterside's Eugene Koshel and Sarasota's Dan Rutkowski converse during the Night Market on The Green at UTC.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 20, 2023
Hosting a market is an art form at UTC

Artists love making connections at The Mall at UTC in Sarasota.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Short-term plans at SRQ will consolidate car rental facilities along Rental Car Road onto Block 7, freeing up land along Uiversity Prakway for additional parking lots and commercial development.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • January 20, 2023
'Lots' of development planned at SRQ

The Sarasota-Manatee International Airport has begun working with the city to address its parking problems and plans to develop a commercial node along University Parkway.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • January 20, 2023
Earn your beads at a Mardi Gras run in Lakewood Ranch

The Lakewood Ranch Community Fund is hosting its first 5K fundraiser.

  • East County
  • Opinion
The parking structure at the Bahia Vista Apartments site will be renovated for use of the residents. The medical practice building to the right will be demolished. The grass area is the former Doctors Hospital location.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • January 20, 2023
Zoning approved for additional, affordable units at Bahia Vista Apartments

By the 4-1 supermajority required for a future land use change, the Sarasota City Commission paved the way for Bahia Vista Apartments. The 250-unit complex will include 35 affordable and attainable dwellings.

  • Sarasota
  • News
U.S. Rep. Greg Steube's 17th District covers all of Sarasota and Charlotee counties and some of Lee County.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • January 19, 2023
Sarasota Congressman recovering after 25-foot fall

U.S. Rep. Greg Steube is recovering after a night in the intensive care unit.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Views of the water can be found throughout the home.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • January 19, 2023
Top residential real estate sales for Jan. 2-6 for Sarasota, Siesta Key, Palmer Ranch, Nokomis, Osprey

A Sapphire Shores home on South Shore Drive tops the week's sales at $6.35 million.

  • Sarasota
  • Real Estate
Mooney senior Olivia Davis drives the baseline against Brooks DeBartolo.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • January 19, 2023
Mooney girls basketball seeks third-straight Final Four appearance

The Cougars are 13-5 as of Jan. 18 against a difficult schedule but still have more to learn.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • January 19, 2023
Longboat church rolls up its sleeves to collect sweaters, coats

The Longboat Island Chapel embarked on its second winter-clothes drive of the season for Turning Points in Bradenton.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Timothy Ferguson has taught music for 20 years in New York and Florida.
  • By Observer Staff
  • January 19, 2023
Garden Elementary's Ferguson is Sarasota's top teacher

The music instructor will represent the school district as nominee for the statewide recognition.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
This nearly eight-acre site at 2211 Fruitville Road is proposed for Sarasota Station, a nearly 400-unit affordable rental community with at least 20% of the apartments priced at or below 80% of the city's average median income.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • January 19, 2023
Affordable apartment community inches closer to approval

Eight years and several revisions after it first surfaced, affordable-priced apartment community Sarasota Station enters the late stages of Development Review Committee approval.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Deer cross a path beside the Williams Road property.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 19, 2023
Environmental lands purchase moves forward in East County

The Manatee County committee has identified tracts of environmentally significant land along Manatee River and near Myakka City to purchase with funds approved by voters.

  • East County
  • News
Meet Medge Jaspan at the All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church art gallery from 5-7 p.m. Jan. 20.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • January 19, 2023
Longboat Key artist finds her passion by accident

Medge Jaspan's works will be displayed at All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church beginning Friday.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
The 780 SRQ Condominiums rendering shows metal rails on balconies and also planned is aluminum screening on the parking structure.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • January 19, 2023
Fruitville Road condo plan meets metal roadblock

As the first condominium project under to the Rosemary District Overlay District, the developer and staff find themselves at odds over an exterior surface material restriction.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Volunteer Brenda Terihay taps rackets with Bryanna Schmidt after a successful point in a 2022 session of Tennis for Fun on Longboat Key.
    By
  • Dariela Delgado
  • January 19, 2023
Tennis clinic for athletes with disabilities heads to Arlington Park

The Tennis For Fun program is making a move to the Sarasota mainland after a stint on Longboat Key.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Kyle Grimes, an attorney for Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, speaks at the Dec. 15 meeting.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 19, 2023
Race village proposed for SR 64 development near racetracks

Schroeder-Manatee Ranch has tweaked its plan to attract racetrack-friendly homeowners to Taylor Ranch.

  • East County
  • News
Cardinal Mooney boys soccer senior Owen Clough.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • January 18, 2023
Sarasota Athlete of the Week: Owen Clough

The Cardinal Mooney goalkeeper kept a clean sheet against Clearwater Central Catholic on Tuesday.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 18, 2023
Commissioner Kruse's crash scene statements ruled inadmissible

A circuit court judge agreed with Commissioner George Kruse's attorney that statements recorded by an officer's body cam would violate Kruse's right against self-incrimination in his upcoming DUI trial.

  • East County
  • News
Former Riverview High swimmer and Olympian Emma Weyant will compete in six events at the 2023 Toyota U.S. Open Championships, held Nov. 29-Dec. 2 in Greensboro, North Carolina.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • January 18, 2023
Sarasota's Weyant sets example for sensible NIL deals

As NCAA sports become more money-driven, Emma Weyant shows how name, image and likeness rights should work.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Former Braden River quarterback Louis Colosimo played for the Sollerod Gold Diggers in Denmark in 2022.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • January 18, 2023
Former Braden River QB continues his football career overseas

After playing one year in Denmark, Louis Colosimo will play in the Italian Football League.

  • East County
  • Sports
Artist Court, at the corner of South Washington Boulevard and Adams Lane, is proposed as a 139-unit market rate apartment development.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • January 18, 2023
New apartments progress in downtown Sarasota

A nine-story, 139-unit multifamily building called Artist Court is proposed at Washington Boulevard and Adams Lane.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • January 18, 2023
Do or die for New College

With his recent appointments to the New College board, Gov. DeSantis has put the school on notice that it can no longer do what it has been doing. There is a better strategy for the future.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
The upper school at Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy is expected to be open by the fall 2023 semester.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • January 18, 2023
Lakewood Ranch Prep's upper school begins to take shape

As enrollment opens for kindergarten through seventh grades and ninth and 10th grades, construction continues on the upper school.

  • East County
  • Schools
The property at 453 Royal Flamingo Drive on Bird Key overlooks a canal with direct access to Sarasota Bay.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • January 18, 2023
Top residential real estate sales for Jan. 2-6 on Longboat Key, Lido Key, St. Armands Key, Bird Key

A Lido Key property on John Ringling Parkway tops the week's sales at $5.67 million.

  • Longboat Key
  • Real Estate
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Latest News

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Santa greets visitors from the window of 9605 Governor's Club Place in The River Club.
  • December 20, 2025
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The Family Church caroling crew from left to right is Melody Johnson, Laurie Houston, Nancy Pilato, Pastor Phil Derstine and Terrial Robinson.
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Evidence discovered in the home of 33-year-old Demond L. Smith who was arrested by Sarasota police on multiple charges.
  • December 20, 2025
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Keera Herbst, Donn Githens, Kim Verreault and Alexa Olivas help celebrate the opening of the new Longboat Key Goodwill bookstore and donation site on Dec. 18.
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