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Your Observer

The Paradise Center, located at 546 Bay Isles Road, has until August to raise funding to move to a new space after its rent went up under new ownership.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • August 8, 2025
The Paradise Center continues fundraising

The community center is set to move from its current location at the end of August, later moving to Longboat Island Chapel.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Lakewood Ranch residents Shaun Ulstad and Andrew Cordani are eager to start their senior year at Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy, which is one step closer to a potential future at MIT.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • August 8, 2025
One final year for Lakewood Ranch Prep seniors to chase their dreams

Shaun Ulstad and Andrew Cordani hope their work gains them acceptance into MIT.

  • East County
  • Schools
Sarasota Memorial Hospital has been rated five stars by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for each of the past 10 years.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 8, 2025
SMH maintains top federal government ranking

Sarasota Memorial Hospital has earned a five-star ranking for Medicare and Medicaid services in each of the past 10 years.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Charles Moore, Mattie Mae and John Cox
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • August 7, 2025
Former Sarasota deputy goes global in providing wheelchairs to animals

When John Cox founded Ruck9, he was hoping to help a few dogs to walk again, but his mission has encompassed animals around the world, from geese to skunks.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Paul Hoback is the next president and CEO of Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, succeeding Rick Piccolo after 30 years.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • August 7, 2025
New CEO brings airport rebirth expertise to SRQ

Paul Hoback helped remake Pittsburgh International Airport into "the best origin and destination airport we can be." Now he aims to carry on a similar legacy built by Rick Piccolo at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The two properties at 1714 Irving St. sold for $3.8 million. The first property was built in 2012 and has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,718 square feet of living area. The second property was built in 2012 and has one bedroom, one bath and 797 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • August 7, 2025
Top residential real estate sales for July 21-25 in Sarasota, Siesta Key, Palmer Ranch, Osprey, Nokomis

A home on Casey Key on Casey Key Road tops the week's sales at $4 million.

  • Sarasota
  • Real Estate
Booker quarterback Joel Morris will be without one of his top targets from last year after receiver Tyree Mannings Jr. transferred to Venice.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • August 7, 2025
The top high school football transfers to know in Sarasota

Some key players have switched schools ahead of the 2025 season.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Sarasota Mayor Liz Alpert passed the gavel to make the motion to approve a Comprehensive Plan amendment to allow rezoning for Temple Beth Sholom's apartment plans.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • August 7, 2025
Temple Beth Sholom apartment plan rejected

The Sarasota City Commission declined a Comprehensive Plan amendment that would allow the century-old synagogue to sell for development a portion of its 10-acre property.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Fans won't want to miss any of Cardinal Mooney's home football games in what should be a fun 2025 season.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • August 7, 2025
The best high school games to watch this fall in Sarasota

Rivalries, district matchups and top talent litter the schedule this year.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Sarasota School Board approves tentative budget and millage
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • August 7, 2025
Sarasota School Board approves tentative budget and millage

The school board approved a tentative budget of $1.35 billion and a proposed millage rate of 6.095 mils.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
Death of 76-year-old on Longboat Key beach ruled an accident
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 6, 2025
Death of 76-year-old on Longboat Key beach ruled an accident

A Louisiana woman had drowned in the Gulf on the evening of July 31.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Fourth grade English language arts teacher Christine Harrington and fourth grade math and science teacher Riley Hamilton plan the display they will create on their bulletin board.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • August 6, 2025
Southside Elementary teachers prepare for the start of school

Creating bulletin board displays, providing bright spaces and assembling "Star Wars" memorabilia are a few of the ways teachers are preparing their classrooms.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
Sarasota High junior Sydney Mullen is learning how to play libero for a new-look Sailors volleyball team.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • August 6, 2025
Sarasota Athlete of the Week: Sydney Mullen

The junior Sailor is learning a new position to play beyond high school.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Tennis for Fun has grown in size since it began hosting clinics at Arlington Park & Aquatic Complex.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • August 6, 2025
Tennis for Fun helps develop the skills of athletes with disabilities

The program has helped advance local players to the State Summer Games of the Special Olympics.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
District 72 Rep. Bill Conerly, FDOT's John Kubler, Commissioner Bob McCann, Commissioner George Kruse and former Commissioner Carol Whitmore handle ribbon-cutting duties for the 44th Avenue Extension Aug. 4.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • August 6, 2025
Joyous occasion for Manatee County, but more drama on the way

The opening of 44th Avenue extension deserves celebration, but commissioners and SMR are headed for confrontation.

  • East County
  • Opinion
Lakewood Ranch resident Arelis Calkins sees life as a beautiful thing despite traumatic experiences in her life. She shares stories and advice in her book "Rising Above Adversity: Healing and Nurturing your Inner Child."
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • August 6, 2025
Lakewood Ranch author writes about blazing path through childhood trauma

"Rising Above Adversity: Healing and Nurturing your Inner Child” documents Arelis Calkins' personal struggles and how she overcame them.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Brenda Jameson, a permitted volunteer, shows the public one of the unhatched loggerhead turtle eggs from a nest excavated for research purposes. A total of 87 eggs hatched from the early nest, while only three hadn't.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • August 6, 2025
First Longboat Key evening turtle nest excavation in years takes place

At the mid-point of the turtle hatching season, Longboat Key has seen record-breaking nest numbers.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Manatee County commissioners approve the purchase of Mixon Fruit Farms for $13.5 million July 29, exactly two years after the farm's last day of business.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • August 6, 2025
Manatee County moves forward with Mixon Fruit Farms purchase

The property will be purchased for $13.5 million and be developed into a living museum, a library and other public uses.

  • East County
  • News
Coco Claypoole, who recently founded the Florida branch of the youth environmental group Bubbles of Hope, prepares for a Sunday morning dive in Venice.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • August 6, 2025
Teen diver takes initiative cleaning up local waters

Inspired by her watery surroundings on Longboat Key, 15-year-old Coco Claypoole recently started her own scuba-certified youth cleanup crew in Florida.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
The home at 650 Penfield St. was built in 1978 and has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,579 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • August 6, 2025
Top residential real estate sales for July 21-25 in Longboat, Lido, St. Armands, Bird Key

A home in Sleepy Lagoon Park on Penfield St. tops the week’s sales at $1.05 million.

  • Longboat Key
  • Real Estate
Lakewood Ranch football coach Scott Paravicini is aiming to lead the Mustangs to back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in 14 years.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • August 6, 2025
Rivalries among top East County fall sports events

A pair of key volleyball matches is on the schedule in August.

  • East County
  • Sports
Workers with Kearns Construction Company, who have been leading the charge installing the new "living wall" at Bayfront Park on Longboat Key, said plenty of parkgoers have been curiously inquiring about the project.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • August 6, 2025
Living wall comes to life on Longboat Key

A project to improve water quality at Longboat Key's Bayfront Park is only a few weeks from completion and already starting to meet its goal.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Lakewood Ranch High golfer Emily Storm wants to make one last run at the state championships this fall as a senior.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • August 6, 2025
East County Athlete of the Week: Emily Storm

The Lakewood Ranch High golfer has committed to play for Austin Peay.

  • East County
  • Sports
The final leg of the 44th Avenue East extension project will open to drivers on Aug. 9.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • August 6, 2025
44th Avenue East extension into Lakewood Ranch welcomes drivers Aug. 9

The project that took over $268 million and over 50 years to come to fruition is complete.

  • East County
  • News
Man arrested on charge of assault with canned goods
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 6, 2025
Man arrested on charge of assault with canned goods

After being called a racially charged word, a man responded by hurling canned food at a woman, causing a minor injury. This and other Sarasota Police Department reports in this week's Cops Corner.

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
Commissioners George Kruse, Bob McCann and Amanda Ballard debate the merits of a curfew for residents under the age of 17 at the Aug. 5 commission meeting.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • August 5, 2025
Kids 16 and under in Manatee County face possible curfew

Commissioners directed the county attorney to draft an ordinance to establish a curfew in unincorporated Manatee County.

  • East County
  • News
Chef Fred Lugano dishes up pulled pork at Christ Church of Longboat Key's Aug. 3 fundraiser to support those recovering from severe flooding in Texas.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • August 5, 2025
Texas flood survivors gain support from Longboat Key church

Congregation members raised more than $21,000 to support the recovering community, inspired by familial connections.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
J. Jeremy T. Whatmough (1934-2025)
    In Memoriam |
  • August 5, 2025
J. Jeremy T. Whatmough

On July 21, 2025, J. Jeremy T. Whatmough passed away at home surrounded by his family.

  • Longboat Key
  • Tributes & Obituaries
A rendering by PSDW Architecture of the proposed new Sarasota Youth Sailing facility at City Island shows boat storage beneath a climate-controlled second floor.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • August 5, 2025
Meeting on planned Sailing Squadron building set for Aug. 13

Sarasota Sailing Squadron is seeking a zoning waiver for planned Youth Education Building.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Bradenton residents Sandjina Alexis, 5 and Berline Valcius were thrilled to receive backpacks.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • August 5, 2025
Stillpoint Mission distributes 810 backpacks for students in need

Each backpack includes school supplies and a $35 gift card to use at Bealls.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Driver with two driver's licenses gets one ticket
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • August 5, 2025
Driver with two driver's licenses gets one ticket

An out-of-state motorist with a suspended Florida license learns you can't have it both ways. This and other Longboat Key police reports in this week's edition of Cops Corner.

  • Longboat Key
  • Cops Corner
The second option for High School AAA, with a $107,000,000 budget, would provide 1,000 student stations and 139,000 square feet of space. Later additions might include an auditorium, gymnasium and other athletic fields.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • August 5, 2025
School board to decide fate of new high school in Lakewood Ranch

Two options being studied for a high school at Rangeland Parkway and Post Boulevard, along with a possible expansion at Braden River High.

  • East County
  • Schools
The Sarasota Seagrass sculpture selected for the roundabout at 10th Street and U.S. 41 has been redesigned to remove the fish per Florida Department of Transportation safety standards.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • August 5, 2025
Design and perhaps location changes affect 10th Street roundabout sculpture

For safety reasons, the small fish in the Seagrass sculpture selected for the roundabout at 10th Street and U.S. 41 have been removed while the location choice remains in flux.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Manatee County CFO Sheila McLean presents a new budget proposal July 31.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • August 5, 2025
Manatee property values decelerate, but tentative millage stays steady

Countywide property values were anticipated to grow by 10% but only grew by 7.09%.

  • East County
  • News
Lakewood Ranch returns just one player on offense who scored a touchdown last year after losing several playmakers via transfer this offseason.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • August 5, 2025
Transfers have reshaped East County football teams

Lakewood Ranch High was hit hard with the loss of seven talented transfers.

  • East County
  • Sports
An Azario Esplanade home at 3568 Santa Caterina Blvd. tops the week’s sales at $1.7 million. Built in 2023, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 3,101 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • August 5, 2025
Top residential real estate sales for July 21-25 in Lakewood Ranch

A home in Azario Esplanade topped the week's sales at $1.7 million.

  • East County
  • Real Estate
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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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