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Your Observer

    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • June 29, 2022
Mote's Shark Zone welcomes a new shark

Arty the shark made his debut on June 24

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
An artist's rendering of the future ArtCenter Manatee facility. (Courtesy image)
    By
  • Spencer Fordin
  • June 29, 2022
ArtCenter Manatee moves closer to fundraising goal

ArtCenter Manatee has big dreams for a future expansion, and several philanthropic donors have helped them make it a reality.

  • East County
  • News
From planning to design and setting up, hundreds of hours are put into making Nathan Benderson Park's Fireworks on the Lake a reality. File photo.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • June 29, 2022
Fireworks company adds spark to Benderson Park's annual Fourth of July show

Pyrotecnico puts in hundreds of hours to create Nathan Benderson Park's Fireworks on the Lake.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Bambi Bowman Huisveld completed the OWS Triple Crown on June 14 with her Catalina Channel swim.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • June 29, 2022
Sarasota swimmer completes Open Water Swimming Triple Crown

Bambi Bowman Huisveld swam across the Catalina Channel in nine hours and 41 minutes on June 14 to complete the Triple Crown.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
(File photo)
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • June 29, 2022
City, police union square off over compensation, anti-discrimination policy

With its collective bargaining agreement expiring this fall, the union that represents Sarasota police officers charges that the city is slow to respond to demands.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Lakewood Ranch's Sanddy Marchena and his wife, Melodie Marchena, love living in Florida with their daughters, Camila and Sophia Marchena. Sanddy Marchena says immigrating to the U.S. changed the trajectory of his life. (Courtesy p)
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • June 29, 2022
US citizenship opens a world of opportunities for Lakewood Ranch man

Sanddy Marchena says his mother's decision to immigrate to the U.S. changed the trajectory of his life.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Kat Wingert
  • June 29, 2022
America: We have a lot in common

Don’t let the noise fool you. As Americans, we agree on more things than you might think.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • June 29, 2022
50 songs to get you in the Fourth of July spirit

Celebrate your American pride with these patriotic songs.

  • Arts + Culture
Unit 246 condominium at 3040 Grand Bay Blvd. has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 2,781 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • June 29, 2022
Grand Bay condo sells for $3 million

A three-bedroom unit in Grand Bay is the week's top seller at $3 million.

  • Longboat Key
  • Real Estate
Henry uses animals to teach leadership skills in her book, "Wisdom from the Wild."
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • June 29, 2022
Former Mote intern shares leadership skills from the animal kingdom in her first book

Julie C. Henry elevates a sea cucumber to a leader in her book, "Wisdom from the Wild."

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • June 29, 2022
Sarasota Cops Corner: Ice, ice, baby

Police reports from around Sarasota.

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
Lakewood Ranch's Sabine Kvenberg, who also is a teacher at the Music Compound, takes Lakewood Ranch's Jasleen Kaur through a singing lesson. Both have sung the national anthem before polo matches at the Sarasota Polo Club.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • June 29, 2022
Sarasota singers share what it takes to do the national anthem justice

Three local singers approach the national anthem in different ways that fit their voice, abilities and emotions.

  • Arts + Culture
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • June 29, 2022
Sarasotans bond over their love of cars

A Cars and Coffee gathering can be quick confirmation that we are an auto-maniac nation.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Each of Der Dutchman's pies has about three pounds of pie filler and feeds six people.
    By
  • Harry Sayer
  • June 29, 2022
The keys to the perfect apple pie, from a Sarasota expert

Der Dutchman staff get into what it takes to make some great apple pie.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
Arturo Sandoval brought the house down at the Sarasota Jazz Festival in March. (File photo)
    By
  • Spencer Fordin
  • June 29, 2022
Jazz Club has grown from fascination to institution

Steady hands have helped the Jazz Club of Sarasota grow by leaps and bounds over decades.

  • Arts + Culture
Myakka River State Park is just one of many wide-open spaces bordering Sarasota. (Photo: Spencer Fordin)
    By
  • Spencer Fordin
  • June 29, 2022
3 short drives from Sarasota where Old Florida has been preserved in an oasis

Sarasota's metro area is cut out of a forest that covers much of the Gulf Coast, with every inch packed of wildlife to enjoy.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Dragos Alexandru immigrated to the U.S. from Romania in 1988. He lived in New York until moving to Sarasota in 2002, where he worked in IT and became a rowing coach.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • June 29, 2022
Romanian immigrant looking for more freedom of choice relishes what he found

For Romanian Olympian Dragos Alexandru, stories of the American dream were all the motivation he needed to leave the restrictive country and immigrate to the U.S.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
The Braden River football program has been elite since Head Coach Curt Bradley was hired in 2012.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • June 29, 2022
How football grew to dominate the US sports landscape — and all fall weekends

The rough-and-tumble sport isn't for the faint of heart. That's why Americans love it.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Bald eagles often frequent the area in Lakewood Ranch aptly named White Eagle Boulevard. (Photo by Jay Heater)
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • June 29, 2022
Florida aviary enthusiasts flock to photograph the nation's emblem

As anyone who has seen one of these beauties in person can attest, it’s hard to imagine a better symbol of strength and freedom than the bald eagle.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
The Bidwell-Wood House is among the earliest documented structures in the Sarasota area.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • June 29, 2022
Sarasota landmarks to connect to the city's history

From native peoples that inhabited Sarasota 5,000 years ago to the establishment of modern communities, the Sarasota area is rich in history that reveals surprising ties to the events of the past.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Big Top Brewing co-founder and partner Mike Bisaha draws a beer from a tap at the outdoor bar at its Cock & Bull location on Cattlemen Drive.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • June 29, 2022
Commercial or craft, beer drinkers unite over some frosty brew

While craft brewers take beer to new levels, legacy commercial brews still dominate American consumption.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • June 28, 2022
Fourth of July 2022 events in Sarasota, Longboat Key and Lakewood Ranch

From races to the classic fireworks, check out these events to help you celebrate Independence Day right.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Things To Do
Ted Sperling Park is operated by Sarasota County Parks and Recreation.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • June 28, 2022
Ted Sperling Park MURT underway after 12 years of planning

Originally conceived in 2010, a multiuse trail at Ted Sperling Park will serve to connect walkers and bikers from Sarasota Bay to South Lido Beach.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Members of Save Gates Creek gather on June 24, 2022. Vice President Walter Wulczak stated the group has a membership of approximately 200.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • June 28, 2022
Court date nears for car lot planned for Lakewood Ranch border

A July 13 court date will decide if Cox Chevrolet can begin building a car lot the northwest corner of S.R. 64 and 117th Street East.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • June 28, 2022
Longboat Key Cops Corner: Hello? There's a golf cart parked poorly.

Police reports from around Longboat Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • Cops Corner
(File photo)
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • June 28, 2022
Freedom Fest is a Fourth of July staple for Longboat Key

The Observer's own Lisa Walsh is this year's grand marshal.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • June 28, 2022
Manatee School District considers how to use vacant land to address growth

The district has three parcels totaling 186 acres in the Lakewood Ranch area on which to build new schools.

  • East County
  • Schools
Canal 1A connects the lagoon created by Greer Island to the rest of Sarasota Bay just south of Longboat Pass.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • June 27, 2022
Emergency dredge work to begin soon on Longboat Key

Area east of Longboat Pass Bridge will be closed to boaters and bathers for about three weeks.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
This Country Club home at 6803 Dominion Lane sold for $1,762,000. It has four bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,268 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • June 27, 2022
Country Club home tops sales at $1.76 million

A home in Country Club is the week's top seller at $1.76 million.

  • East County
  • Real Estate
Currently, there are no traffic control measures at the intersection of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard and Balmoral Woods Boulevard/Water Lily Way. (Photo by Ian Swaby)
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • June 27, 2022
Construction begins on Lakewood Ranch Blvd. traffic signal at Balmoral/Water Lily

Manatee County schedules the $2.8 million traffic light project in response to residents' requests for a safer intersection.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • June 27, 2022
Business Park district to establish multiuse campus zoning along key county corridors

Sarasota County is on pace to establish Business Park zoning districts in south and west county areas before November. So far, five corridors in unincorporated areas have been identified

  • Sarasota
  • News
Tom Harmer made a point of meeting with groups around town following his acceptance of the position. Among the first was a visit to the Kiwanis Club in 2018.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • June 27, 2022
Harmer tells Longboat Key he's retiring in December

Commissioners are expected to begin talking about how to replace him during the meeting Friday, July 1.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Ryan Kohn holds up the signature Bridgestone golf ball he played with at PopStroke. Each PopStroke golfer gets to keep their ball.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • June 26, 2022
Columnist aces good time at Sarasota's PopStroke

Best score is chicken flatbread after the round on the putting course.

  • East County
  • Sports
Sean Laureano used the three years between his first Puerto Rico team tryout and the 2022 championships to improve his game and earn a sport on the U21 team alongside his brother Christian Laureano.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • June 26, 2022
Cardinal Mooney High School brothers represent Puerto Rico in the Lacrosse U21 World Championship

East County's Christian and Sean Laureano will play in the lacrosse world championships Aug. 10-20 in Limerick, Ireland.

  • East County
  • Sports
Ruth Frushour and Aura Rasmussen with the St. Clair Butterfly Foundation release a number of monarch butterflies into the sky.
    By
  • Harry Sayer
  • June 26, 2022
Butterflies soar at Children's Garden

The morning family event had children learning about monarch butterflies.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Ben Kloss celebrates following a solo home run in the Lakewood Ranch Little League 8-9-10 All-Star team's game against Buffalo Creek June 22. Lakewood Ranch defeated Buffalo Creek 13-3.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • June 25, 2022
All-Star baseball season in Lakewood Ranch off to triumphant start

Area baseball players dream of the Little League World Series as the tournaments begin.

  • East County
  • Sports
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Latest News

1
Santa greets visitors from the window of 9605 Governor's Club Place in The River Club.
  • December 20, 2025
Christmas decorating isn't just for kids
2
The Family Church caroling crew from left to right is Melody Johnson, Laurie Houston, Nancy Pilato, Pastor Phil Derstine and Terrial Robinson.
  • December 20, 2025
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3
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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5
Traffic cleared after fire, bridge malfunction in Sarasota, Longboat
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Traffic cleared after fire, bridge malfunction in Sarasota, Longboat

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