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Your Observer

The south boat ramp and southern shoreline are set to be repaired.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 9, 2022
Benderson Park undergoes more than $3 million in hurricane repairs

Work at the Sarasota County park is expected to be complete by April 1 in time for the competitive season.

  • East County
  • News
Javier Torres, a fifth grader dressed as Santa, wishes everyone a Merry Christmas.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • December 8, 2022
Tara Elementary School fifth graders perform 'Snow Jubilee!'

Fifth graders perform an interpretation of "Snow, What Fun!" using music teacher's original compositions.

  • East County
  • Schools
Summerfield Park is among the assets maintained by the IDA.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 8, 2022
Lakewood Ranch IDA urges CDDs to consider upgrades

Some CDD board members, however, say maintaining their villages’ status should be the focus.

  • East County
  • News
The store provides for the needs of children in the foster care system.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 8, 2022
The Twig of Bradenton offers extra holiday gifts to foster children

The nonprofit gives the children extra regular shopping items, along with games and a gift card.

  • East County
  • Business
The driveway leads past the tennis courts and guest house on its way to the main house.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • December 8, 2022
Top residential real estate sales for Nov. 21-25 for Sarasota, Siesta Key, Palmer Ranch, Nokomis, Osprey

A two-property Siesta Key sale on Midnight Pass Road tops the week's transactions at $5.25 million.

  • Sarasota
  • Real Estate
Water management is a key factor during reconstruction of the Bobby Jones Golf Course both to prevent the formerly frequent flooding of the course and for the adjacent nature park. The entire project is designed to purify water flowing through the site through natural filtration.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • December 8, 2022
Bobby Jones Golf Course opening now set for mid- to late 2023

A two-month permitting delay pushed work into the rainy season, forcing an eight-month delay in opening the restored Bobby Jones Golf Course.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Local underprivileged children will have an opportunity to "Shop with a Cop" on Saturday.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • December 8, 2022
Kids get a chance to 'Shop with a Cop' Saturday

The Sarasota Housing Authority and SPD will team up on Saturday for the annual Shop with a Cop event.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Although traffic will begin using the entirety of the roundabout on Dec. 17, work will continue for months on the approaches from Main Street to Fruitville Road.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • December 8, 2022
Roundabout at 41 and Gulfstream expected to open Dec. 17

Although the entire project won't be completed until next spring, the long road to replacing the intersection at U.S. 41 and Gulfstream Avenue with a roundabout is expected to end next weekend.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Avoiding a ballot question saves the town between $10,000 and $20,000.
    By
  • Lauren Tronstad
  • December 8, 2022
Town identifies options for avoiding July meeting near holiday weekend

Commissioners unanimously passed a motion to schedule a June 30, 2023, special meeting to cover business scheduled for July 3.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
The Booker High boys basketball team huddles during a timeout against North Port High on Tuesday. The Tornadoes came back from and eight-point deficit to tie the game at 40 before ultimately losing.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 8, 2022
Booker boys basketball wants to get back to glory days

The Tornadoes are inexperienced and on their third coach in three years, but a base of talent is there.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Braden River High School seniors Nathan Zapote and Grace Pino are happy to be at the school, which is open for school choice in the 2023-2024 school year.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • December 8, 2022
Parents have more school choice options in Manatee County

More schools in the Lakewood Ranch area are open to school choice as enrollment at elementary and middle schools decreases.

  • East County
  • Schools
Fahd Khair, David Simonov and Jack Goehring play for the Lakewood Ranch Chargers U9 team.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 8, 2022
Lakewood Ranch soccer community says sport's popularity on the rise

As the 2022 FIFA World Cup rolls along, members of the community talk about how the sport's popularity has grown and where it could go from here.

  • East County
  • Sports
The U.S. 41 roundabout at Gulfstream Avenue is the fourth on the state highway along Sarasota's bay front with four more in the early planning stages.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • December 8, 2022
City receives MPO blueprint for decades of transportation projects

Sarasota city commissioners approve the Sarasota/Manatee MPO 2045 long-range priority list of transportation improvement projects. Most have a construction start date of 2030 and beyond.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Tramm Hudson
  • By Tramm Hudson
  • December 8, 2022
SMH Board chair vows to impartially examine COVID-19 response

A report is expected on what went right, what went wrong and what the hospital system can learn.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Connor LaGrange of the Patterson Foundation, Stacey Efaw and Laurie Swink of Selah Freedom and Jerry Fox of Christ Church of Longboat Key
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • December 8, 2022
$100,000 donation helps stop sex trafficking nationwide

Christ Church made a $50,000 donation matched by The Patterson Foundation to cover startup costs for Selah Consulting.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Community Foundation has a coffee talk with Diane McFarlin
    By
  • Dariela Delgado
  • December 7, 2022
Community Foundation has a coffee talk with Diane McFarlin

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County held a private meeting to chat with Diane McFarlin on Dec 7.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
  • By Adrian Moore, Vittorio Nastasi
  • December 7, 2022
It’s time for Florida to stop relying on ‘taxation by citation’

Relying on fees and fines as a source of recurring revenue isn’t sustainable and should be reconsidered.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Denise Kleiner owns the concessions at Jiggs Landing.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • December 7, 2022
Not just for the birds: History buffs welcome at Jiggs Landing

Denise Kleiner stuffs her boat tours with years of knowledge she picked up living on the Braden River.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
River Club's Vera and Jim Slocum have been each other's yin and yang for 65 years.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • December 7, 2022
Chance meeting led to 65 years of marriage for River Club couple

Lakewood Ranch's Jim and Vera Slocum have laughed a lot while being each other's "yin and yang."

  • East County
  • Opinion
    In Memoriam |
  • December 7, 2022
Myron “Mike” Phillips

Myron “Mike” Phillips, 94, of Crescent, GA passed away after a short illness on November 23, 2022.

  • Longboat Key
  • Tributes & Obituaries
    In Memoriam |
  • December 7, 2022
Daniel Louis Hessel

Daniel Louis Hessel (Dan) age 84 of Longboat Key, FL, and former resident of Roseville and Ham Lake, MN, passed away November 28, 2022 after a nine year battle with Parkinson's Disease.

  • Longboat Key
  • Tributes & Obituaries
Built in 1995, Unit 26A has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 3,564 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • December 7, 2022
Top residential real estate sales for Nov. 21-25 on Longboat Key, Lido Key, St. Armands Key, Bird Key

A unit at Regent Place was the top seller of the week at $4.55 million.

  • Longboat Key
  • Real Estate
Longboat Key beaches were not crowded in early December.
    By
  • Eric Garwood, Lauren Tronstad
  • December 7, 2022
Busy season arrives on Longboat Key

Longboat's tourist time looks hearty with Southwest Florida vacationers scrambling to find winter accommodations.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Woman won't return home from jail until ex-boyfriend leaves the house
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • December 7, 2022
Woman won't return home from jail until ex-boyfriend leaves the house

A woman arrested for battery in Jacksonville calls Sarasota police to remove her ex-boyfriend, who was caring for her two children, from her home before she returned. This and other Sarasota police reports in this week's Cops Corner.

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
Brennan Asplen came to Sarasota County Schools in 2020.
    By
  • Lauren Tronstad
  • December 7, 2022
Longboat commission refrains from involvement in Asplen firing

The town commissioners' discussions centered on concern for appearing partisan in their decision when their goal is the opposite.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Sarasota's Kathy Collums, Lakewood Ranch's Amy Gorman and Sarasota's Brenda Kleiber work to develop lifelong relationships for Sisterhood for Good.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • December 6, 2022
Sisterhood for Good benefits from the power of partnerships

Concession residents hosted a cocktail party to support Lakewood Ranch's Sisterhood for Good.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Joyce Peralta, Arthur Wasserman and Marc Schreiber hold signs along Tamiami Trail on Nov. 30 in protest of Asplen's potential termination.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • December 6, 2022
Sarasota School Board sets meeting to vote on terms of Asplen's departure

Superintendent Brennan Asplen would be paid a total of about $170,000, along with moving expenses, upon departure.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
Mary Tucker transferred from Kentucky to West Virginia for her seniro season, as the former SMA student has continued her collegiate and international success in women's rifle.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 6, 2022
Sarasota winter sports college athletes take the stage

Plus, updates on a few non-football fall sports athletes from the area.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 6, 2022
Athlete of the Week: Olivia Davis

The Cardinal Mooney girls basketball senior, who lives in Lakewood Ranch, leads the Cougars with 19.3 points per game.

  • East County
  • Sports
Mitchell Teitelbaum was appointed as a county administrator on No. 29.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • December 6, 2022
New Manatee County deputy administrator grows with the county

GreyHawk Landing's Mitchell Teitelbaum said he is excited to continue serving Manatee County in a different capacity.

  • East County
  • News
Nick Bollettieri almost had a sixth sense for coaching.
    By
  • Amanda Postma
  • December 6, 2022
Longboat Key tennis pioneer Nick Bollettieri dies

One of the sport's most influential teachers, Bollettieri launched the tennis school at the iconic Colony Beach & Tennis Resort.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Man found sleeping in sports car on Longboat beach waiting for sunrise
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • December 6, 2022
Man found sleeping in sports car on Longboat beach waiting for sunrise

Police told an out-of-town resident that slumbering in a sports car is no way to prepare for a sunrise beach meditation session. This and other police reports from Longboat Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • Cops Corner
Riverwalk's Richard Tatem has been sworn in as the District 5 representative on the School Board of Manatee County.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • December 6, 2022
Retired Air Force colonel ready to begin new duty as school board member

Lakewood Ranch's Richard Tatem, the new District 5 representative, says the search for a new School District of Manatee County superintendent is a top priority.

  • East County
  • Schools
This River Club South home at 9617 Governors Club Place sold for $1.5 million. It has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,502 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • December 6, 2022
Top residential real estate sales for Nov. 21-25 in Lakewood Ranch

A River Club South home on Governors Club Place topped the week's sales at $1.15 million.

  • East County
  • Real Estate
Sailor Circus' Kaylee Dutkiewicz performs high above the circus ring.
    By
  • Dariela Delgado
  • December 6, 2022
Circus Ring of Fame Foundation announces Awards Ceremony Inductees

The Feb. 4, 2023, event will take place under the big top in Nathan Benderson Park.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Traffic circulates near the Bay Isles north entrance.
    By
  • Lauren Tronstad
  • December 6, 2022
Bay Isles traffic agreement approved, pickleball plans move forward

The proposed pickleball court plans will visit the Longboat Key Town Commission again at its Jan. 9 meeting.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
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Latest News

1
DragonBoot Quartet performs the world premiere of Roger Zare’s “Gamma” for string quartet for Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota on April 12.
  • April 6, 2026
Pine View grad solves for 'Gamma' in his latest music composition
2
Benderson Development's latest plans for the former Sarasota County Administrative Center property as presented to Laurel Park residents in December 2025.
  • April 6, 2026
Benderson begins trek through rezoning of 1660 Ringling Boulevard
3
Emi Frydman checks out the basket of Easter eggs her family members found at the April 4 egg hunt at St. Armands Key Lutheran Church. The Easter activities, open to the public, made their return for the first time since the early 2020s through the efforts of church members.
  • April 6, 2026
Back from pre-COVID hiatus, St. Armands hosts Easter bash
4
Lydia Lardner, 3, makes an impressive start filling up her Easter basket with Kelly Lardner and family at the April 3 Sand Cay Condominiums Beach Resort's Easter egg hunt, a beloved tradition at the resort for more than a decade.
  • April 6, 2026
Families return for Easter egg hunt tradition at Sand Cay
5
Sarasota's Harlyn Voyles, 7, holds on for dear life during the mutton busting at Dakin Dairy Farms' Bull Bash April 4.
  • April 5, 2026
Dakin Dairy Farms' Bull Bash attracts 2,000 fans on Easter weekend

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