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Your Observer

Laura Straussfeld and Lauren Proctor-Brown of the Ocala team greet the fans at the Sarasota Polo Club before Sunday's title game of the Women's Challenge.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • April 3, 2022
Plenty of thrills during Women's Challenge at Sarasota Polo Club

Power Group beats Ocala for Women's Challenge title at Sarasota Polo Club.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Kettle of Fish's Greg Polous on electric guitar, Dana Lawrence on acoustic guitar, and Todd Adams on keys, entertain the Music on Main crowd.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • April 3, 2022
Thousands catch Fish at Music on Main in Lakewood Ranch

Popular band Kettle of Fish has them dancing in the streets.

  • East County
  • News
Ricardo Acevedo, a college and career counselor, addresses seniors who received a $10,000 scholarship. Courtesy photo.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • April 2, 2022
Nine Lakewood Ranch students get a boost with $10,000 scholarships

Picerne Family Foundation presents grants to Lakewood Ranch High School seniors.

  • East County
  • Schools
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • April 2, 2022
Pet owners paws for weekend festival

Dogs take center stage at Get Your Mutt Movin' dog walk and expo.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • April 2, 2022
Science takes flight at radio-controlled car races

The seventh annual event, conducted by Suncoast Science Center/Faulhaber Fab Lab, attracts about 160 students on nearly 60 teams.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
Karen MacKay prepares to board with Jamie VanDenson and Kim Boyd, already on board.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • April 1, 2022
Longboat friends take a surprise pirate cruise

Tennis enthusiast raises money for the Red Cross with a secret trip for her friends.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • April 1, 2022
County considers higher tourist-tax rate

Sarasota County passed the threshold in 2021 for state certification as a High Tourism Impact County.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Peggy Kronus says goodbye to her aunt, Sade Toseeya Geoux, during a "You Urned It" ceremony on Kingfisher Lake.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • April 1, 2022
APRIL FOOL: Kingfisher Lake becomes top cremation depository in Florida

"You Urned It" finds a final resting spot at Waterside Place at Lakewood Ranch.

  • April Fools
    By
  • Nat Kaemmerer
  • April 1, 2022
Tidewell Foundation hosts 13th annual Signature Luncheon

The event focused on connection and the 2021 merge with Empath Health.

  • Black Tie
Lakewood Ranch's Jacob and Grace Lopez will be part of the inaugural class at Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy. Courtesy photo.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • April 1, 2022
Families excited about new opportunities at Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy

The K-12 charter school, which opens in August, already has a waitlist for every grade it offers.

  • East County
  • Schools
Cascades' Marsha Bloomfield looks through the clothes available for sale. Bloomfield already had purchased the clothes she modeled during the fashion show.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • March 31, 2022
Cascades of Sarasota Women's Club hosts benefit fashion show

After two years of pandemic cancellations, Cascades of Sarasota Women's Club hosts its annual fashion show.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • March 31, 2022
APRIL FOOL: Manatees owe $125,000 after bad Super Bowl prediction

Complicated parlay bet could have helped finance Mote aquarium.

  • April Fools
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • March 31, 2022
Sarasota weather page photo: March 31

Tatiana Ortiz captured this view of Sarasota Bay.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • March 31, 2022
Longboat Key weather page photo: March 31

Deb Carver captured this photo of “Darwin,” a dolphin that frequents the seawall on the north end of Longboat Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • March 31, 2022
East County weather page photo: March 31

Jeannie Harvey captured this squirrel having a snack in Heritage Harbour Park.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Nat Kaemmerer
  • March 31, 2022
St. Mary Catholic Church Women's Guild welcomes new members

Leadership held a luncheon with 17 new members in attendance to meet and greet with longterm members.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Nat Kaemmerer
  • March 31, 2022
Friars golfers get together for 28th anniversary

The Longboat Key golfers haven't met in two years.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Galbi, or grilled ribs, are one of Dokko's favorite items on the menu.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • March 31, 2022
Korê Steakhouse to bring Korean food and culture to Waterside Place

The new Korean restaurant brings no-tipping policy to Lakewood Ranch.

  • East County
  • News
Lunch, anyone?
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • March 31, 2022
APRIL FOOL: Roundabout restaurant coming to Sarasota's bayfront

First-of-its-kind project designed to help traffic feature pay for itself.

  • April Fools
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • March 31, 2022
APRIL FOOL: High school rethinks musical after flap over masks

Charter school backs away from Webber classic following high-powered visit from state leader.

  • April Fools
Artfully designed wraps are one of the proposals.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • March 31, 2022
APRIL FOOL: Company proposes artful twist on cell towers

Arizona firm wants to build up to 72 poles in a variety of pleasing designs.

  • April Fools
    By
  • Nat Kaemmerer
  • March 31, 2022
APRIL FOOL: Swan reality dating show to begin filming on Longboat Key

After the sensational scandal with wife-swapping swans last season, one TV producer smelled an opportunity.

  • April Fools
Scientists believe one of the artifacts found at the former site of the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort is the recipe for civilization's first key lime pie.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • March 31, 2022
APRIL FOOL: 'Colony Man' civilization unearthed at resort-construction site

Ancient inhabitants of island unlike others of the paleo-indian period.

  • April Fools
One caller reported seeing tiny, perfectly shaped orange fish in a trail along the surfline in front of the Diplomat Resort. Others reported slightly larger, translucent fish in red as far south as the Quick Point Park.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • March 31, 2022
APRIL FOOL: Concerned Longboaters report fish kill

Weekend angst subsides as sloppy family is blamed for scaring locals in the middle of tourist season.

  • April Fools
Town officials found graffiti sprayed on the practice backboard of the court-sport complex.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • March 31, 2022
APRIL FOOL: Vandals court trouble, put park in pickle

Latest round of pranks involve spray-painted messages.

  • April Fools
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • March 31, 2022
Country Club home tops sales at $2.48 million

The Westchester Circle home topped this week's sales at $2.48 million.

  • East County
  • Real Estate
Grace Riker visits her mother Ann every
    By
  • Harry Sayer
  • March 31, 2022
Sarasota resident celebrates 108th birthday

Grace Riker and her 108-year-old mom, Ann Fischbeck, have a special relationship.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
City commissioners voted to keep the form of government under which they work.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • March 31, 2022
City Commission turns away elected-mayor proposal

Other charter-revision proposals are approved for the ballot that voters will consider in November.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Both properties at 3820 Flamingo Ave. were built in 1925.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • March 31, 2022
Pair of Bay Island properties sell for $6.2 million

A pair of Bay Island properties tops this week's sales at $6.2 million.

  • Sarasota
  • Real Estate
Derek Wagner, standing second from right, was honored before Cardinal Mooney's game against Canterbury. Wagner poses alongside his family (Bryce Wagner, Grant Wagner and Sara Wagner) and Mooney senior Joseph Beach.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • March 31, 2022
Mooney boys lacrosse coach motivates team to massive comeback

Derek Wagner picked up his 100th career win in February and has plenty of wisdom to share.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Riverview sophomore Jayson Evans is in second place on the school's 100- and 200-meter dash lists, primed to break both of them soon.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • March 31, 2022
Prose and Kohn: Riverview sophomore sprints into school's record books

Plus, a look at how other track and field athletes in the area are doing.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • March 30, 2022
We need Colorado’s TABOR

All of our governments are spending unthinkable amounts of money. After Colorado limited spending to population and CPI growth, wild government spending stopped, and Colorado’s economy flourished.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Nat Kaemmerer
  • March 30, 2022
Sutton Place on Longboat Key celebrates 50 years

The condominium complex celebrated its 50th year with an anniversary party March 26.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Bradenton's Dr. Dwight Fitch will lead Advocate Radiation Oncology's newest cancer treatment center in east Bradenton.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • March 30, 2022
Advocate Radiation Oncology opens new cancer treatment center

New east Bradenton cancer treatment center gives Lakewood Ranch area patients a short drive for care.

  • East County
  • Business
JC and Allison Cornell, their children Kendall, 3, and Carter, 4 (center), and Martha and Brian Cornell.
    By
  • Blake Fussell
  • March 30, 2022
SMH Cornell Family Behavioral Health Pavilion to open in fall 2023

Project leaders held a groundbreaking event on Wednesday.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Commissioner Kyle Battie stands next to a Martin Luther King sculpture in the Capitol. (Courtesy photo)
    By
  • Blake Fussell
  • March 30, 2022
City commissioners visit D.C. to learn how federal funds can be brought to Sarasota

Sarasota commissioners attended the 2022 National League of Cities Conference.

  • Sarasota
  • News
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Latest News

1
Letters to Santa carry Christmas wishes and love
  • December 21, 2025
Letters to Santa carry Christmas wishes and love
2
Sue Wertman has rung the bell outside the Publix on Longboat Key on behalf of the Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key since 2013.
  • December 21, 2025
Longest-serving Longboat bellringer attributes motivation to family
3
Sarasota Memorial Hospital's Kolschowsky Research and Education Institute.
  • December 21, 2025
SMH participates in global bladder cancer treatment clinical trial
4
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
5
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
East Manatee church members will go through bars to spread Christmas joy

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