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Your Observer

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
There are about 200 miles of seawalls in Longboat Key.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • June 24, 2022
Longboat study aims to prepare town for rising tides

A multi-phased approach was designed to offer a range of ideas on sealing off the sea from island properties — and how to pay for it.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Chris McComas, the co-founder of MVP Sports and Social, hopes he can get a hole-in-one while using the putter as a pool stick. (Photo by Liz Ramos)
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • June 24, 2022
MVP Sports and Social starts mini golf league in Lakewood Ranch

The new mini golf league at The Fish Hole in Lakewood Ranch offers unique challenges.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Ellianna Rogers, who is 14, brings Tilly out of her stall so they can head to the arena. The SMART camp is the first time Rogers has been able to ride a horse.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • June 24, 2022
SMART campers get back in the saddle in east Bradenton

Sarasota Manatee Association for Riding Therapy's summer camp gives campers a chance to improve their riding skills.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
An artistic rendering of the enhanced Koski Production Center. (Courtesy image)
    By
  • Spencer Fordin
  • June 24, 2022
Asolo Repertory Theatre opens expanded rehearsal space

For years, Asolo Rep has longed to spread its wings and build a bigger rehearsal space. Finally, that day has arrived.

  • Arts + Culture
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • June 23, 2022
Longboat Key weather page photo: June 23

Sergio Albuquerque took this snapshot of a calm, sunny day on Longboat Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • June 23, 2022
East County weather page photo: June 23

Gordon Silver captured this brave white ibis walking past an alligator near the Lake Club in Lakewood Ranch.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • June 23, 2022
Sarasota weather page photo: June 23

Richard Bottorff captured this photo of a great horned owlet looking down from a tree the Saddlebag Creek neighborhood in Myakka City.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Avid anglers, Dawn Milstead and Laura Groppo, spend a lot of time on the water.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • June 23, 2022
Pair of boaters help save tangled turtle near Longboat Key

A fishing trip turned into a successful rescue operation.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • June 23, 2022
Rotary Club passes the gavel to new president

Bo Fuller passed the gavel to Jeff Driver at the club's annual ceremony.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Members of the Sarasota County School Board meet Tuesday, June 21 in Longboat Key Town Hall.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • June 23, 2022
Longboat leaders tout demand for continued education during school board visit

Funding for a library and community center has gained initial nods from the County Commission, but school district participation was sought as well.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
This home at 1373 Harbor Drive was built in 2006 and offers four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and more than 5,800 square feet of living area. (Photo by Eric Garwood)
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • June 23, 2022
Harbor Acres home sold for $5.3 million

A Harbor Acres home tops the week's sales at 5.3 million.

  • Sarasota
  • Real Estate
Lisa Krouse has been interim executive director of the EDC of Sarasota County for one year. (Photo by Andrew Warfield)
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • June 23, 2022
Overhauling in overdrive: Lisa Krouse describes the past year of revamping the EDC

As the third top execitive of the Economic Development Corp. of Sarasota County in recent years, Lisa Krouse looks back in the organization's progress over the 11 months.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Many of the flowers are made from pages from a colorful flower book. (Photo by Harry Sayer)
    By
  • Harry Sayer
  • June 23, 2022
Sarasota artist with cancer makes paper flower garden

Sandy Payson has embraced life while battler cancer by crafting flowers with scissors and her own imagination.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Sarasota Sailors alum Conner Whittaker, who just finished his freshman season at Florida State, held a 2.48 ERA over 36.1 innings in 2022. (Photo courtesy of FSU Athletics)
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • June 23, 2022
Former Sarasota High baseball star was a key piece of Florida State's bullpen in 2022

Conner Whittaker held a 2.48 ERA over 36.1 innings as a freshman at FSU. He thanks his high school coaches for making his transition to college ball a smooth one.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Meals on Wheels PLUS driver Steve Gadberry, left, helps prepare bags of hot meals at the Meals on Wheels kitchen, in Bradenton. File photo.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • June 23, 2022
Meals on Wheels Plus celebrates 50 years of serving the community

The nonprofit, which in 2020 hit a total 11 million home-delivered meal served since its 1972 inception, now delivers more than 320,000 meals a year.

  • East County
  • Business
The State Attorney General's Office said it will charge Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse with one count of driving under the influence for an accident April 20 on GreyHawk Boulevard. (File photo)
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • June 22, 2022
Florida State Attorney's Office files DUI charge against Manatee commissioner

George Kruse will be charged with one count of driving under the influence.

  • East County
  • News
Jamier Jones announced June 17 that he will be transferring to IMG Academy from Riverview High.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • June 22, 2022
3 things Sarasota sports fans need to know this week

Notes on some college athletes you should drive to see, a big-time high schooler making a big-time move and a baseball alum finding success in an unlikely place.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Earth moving equipment is shaping the traffic circle of the roundabout project at U.S. 41 and Gulfstream Avenue. The project is scheduled to be completed this fall. (Photo by Andrew Warfield)
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • June 22, 2022
Gulfstream Avenue roundabout finally taking shape

With grading well underway, the roundabout at U.S. 41 and Gulfstream Avenue is finally looking like a traffic circle.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Dolphin Aviation scholarship winners Jaxson French, Gabriel French, presenter Shannon Ciaravella, Chloe Sebiro, Halden Parker and Sephena Jackson. (Courtesy photo)
    By
  • Harry Sayer
  • June 22, 2022
Local students awarded at Dolphin Aviation scholarship ceremony

The ceremony was held June 20.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
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Latest News

1
Sarasota Art Museum Senior Curator Rangsook Yoon poses in front of an unnamed piece in Judy Pfaff's exhibition, "Picking Up the Pieces."
  • April 6, 2026
Sarasota Art Museum senior curator heading to Seattle
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John Atanassov and Joel King, co-owners of Blu Kouzina, are eager to serve and get to know new customers at their new location at University Town Center.
  • April 6, 2026
Blu Kouzina adds its Greek flavor at University Town Center
3
The Citizen Tax Oversight Committee meets once a year to review expenditures of revenue brought in from the infrastructure surtax. The 2026 meeting lasted about 15 minutes on Thursday, April 2.
  • April 6, 2026
Longboat infrastructure tax spending plan comes up $6 million short
4
Bella Toscano is one of two Mustangs, as of April 3, hitting over .450, but also boasts the lowest ERA among her teammates.
  • April 6, 2026
East County Athlete of the Week: Bella Toscano
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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

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