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Your Observer

Construction work is underway on Segment 1 of the trail. Brynn Mechem
    By
  • Brynn Mechem
  • September 24, 2020
Construction on Legacy Trail underway

Segment 1 of the Legacy Trail, which stretches from Proctor Road to Bahia Vista Street, will open by spring 2021.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Jill Eisenbeis, a library assistant, gathers materials for curbside orders. Braden River Library will start providing curbside service again Oct. 1. File photo.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • September 24, 2020
Braden River Library to offer curbside pickup

Curbside pickup will be available by appointment at any Manatee County library.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 24, 2020
Manatee County Court Judge: Melissa Gould

Meet the candidate.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 24, 2020
Manatee County Court Judge: Kristy Zinna

Meet the candidate.

  • East County
  • News
George Kruse
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 24, 2020
Manatee County Commission District 7: George Kruse

Meet the candidate.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 24, 2020
Manatee County Commission District 5: Vanessa Baugh

Meet the candidate.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 24, 2020
Manatee County Commission District 3: Matt Bower

Meet the candidate.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Rams senior quarterback Will Evans scrambles after being pressured by the Southeast defense.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • September 24, 2020
Riverview football is undefeated despite offensive challenges

The Rams have a big test in Venice High this week.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Nickie Halbert said she is proud of how her young players have responded to being without their senior captains.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • September 24, 2020
Prose and Kohn: Riverview volleyball uses challenges to its advantage

The Rams have had younger players step into big roles.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 24, 2020
Manatee County Commission District 1: James Satcher

Meet the candidate.

  • East County
  • News
The Luxe on Tenth developer has filed preliminary plans with the city, but a detailed application is still to come. Image via city of Sarasota.
    By
  • David Conway
  • September 24, 2020
Developer pitches higher-density housing for Tenth Street

The team behind the proposed Luxe on Tenth project must secure a series of approvals from city officials before construction can begin.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Island residents have drawn the city’s attention to issues associated with large vacation rentals in their neighborhoods like this seven-bedroom Lido Key home advertised as “sleeping 25.”
    By
  • David Conway
  • September 24, 2020
City to pursue rules targeting ‘hotel houses’

A lobbying campaign from barrier islands residents has spurred officials to take action against large vacation rentals in single-family neighborhoods.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 24, 2020
Cops Corner: Sarasota 9.24.20

Enjoy this week's edition of Cops Corner.

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
Alexa Horiuchi.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • September 23, 2020
Sarasota Athlete of the Week: Alexa Horiuchi

The Riverview High junior talks switching positions and her best advice.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
    By
  • Brynn Mechem
  • September 23, 2020
Sarasota County Commissioners adopt $1.3 billion budget

Commissioners also adopted a millage rate of 3.46.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Although Selby Gardens said reducing the height of a proposed 450-space parking garage represented a compromise from the last master plan proposal, some residents continued to object to the mass of the structure. File image.
    By
  • David Conway
  • September 23, 2020
Planning Board endorses revised Selby Gardens plans

Supporters of the botanical gardens’ proposal framed it as a compromise that would ensure the organization’s long-term sustainability, but some resident critics weren’t won over.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 23, 2020
Florida House District 74: Lisa Stortstrom

Meet the candidate.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 23, 2020
Florida House District 73: David Reeves Fairey

Meet the candidate.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 23, 2020
Florida House District 73: Tommy Gregory

Meet the candidate.

  • East County
  • News
Footage from a body camera shows a Manatee County Sheriff's Office deputy responding to a scene in the Lakewood Ranch area. Courtesy image.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • September 23, 2020
Manatee deputies to get body cameras

Manatee County Sheriff's Office to purchase body cameras for deputies.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 23, 2020
Florida House District 72: Drake Buckman

Meet the candidate.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 23, 2020
State Representative District 72: Fiona McFarland

Meet the candidate.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 23, 2020
Florida House District 71: Will Robinson

Meet the candidate

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 23, 2020
Florida House District 71: Andy Mele

Meet the candidate.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • September 23, 2020
Children's book decades in the making

Daughter follows through in publishing her mom's children's story.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Donna Marino. Photo by Liz Ramos.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • September 23, 2020
COVID can't halt run for funds

Lakewood Ranch resident to run virtual race to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Kylie Caffrey and Ava Laurie. Photo by Liz Ramos.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • September 23, 2020
Masked ninja in Lakewood Ranch

Summerfield residents try innovative ways to protect bird feeder.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Brendan Lavell
  • September 23, 2020
COVID blues? Try Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota.

Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota provides relief from the COVID blues.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Spoonbills are tactile feeders whose rosy coloring comes from their diet of crustaceans. (Miri Hardy)
    By
  • Guest Author
  • September 23, 2020
Bird of the week: roseate spoonbill

Spoonbills hunt by sense of touch, stirring up small crustaceans, then snapping their beaks closed.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Guests of the 2019 Taste of Downtown mingle on the main stage of the Sarasota Opera House.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • September 23, 2020
Taste of Downtown goes digital for 2020

Annual event benefits Sarasota Opera's Youth Opera.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Annemarie Graff of Bank OZK and former LWRBA CEO Heather Kasten volunteer at the first annual Alliance Gives Back Volunteer Days in 2018.
    By
  • Brendan Lavell
  • September 23, 2020
Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance's altruistic event survives

The third annual Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance Gives Back Volunteer Days will be a hybrid of in-person, virtual sessions.

  • East County
  • News
Tim Hornung stands by the Polo Ranches' gate at Deer Drive and Cow Camp Lane on Thursday before it went live. Hornung is the president of the Polo Ranches HOA.
    By
  • Brendan Lavell
  • September 23, 2020
New gates installed at Sarasota Polo Ranches in Lakewood Ranch

The five gates at Sarasota Polo Ranches were installed mostly for the safety of residents and their horses.

  • East County
  • News
(From left)Gene Gelpke, Harry Benas, RC Bartley and Brian Biery discuss Central Park's e-voting system at an outdoor pavilion in the community. Bartley and Biery are board directors. Gelpke and Benas are subcommittee volunteers.
    By
  • Brendan Lavell
  • September 23, 2020
Central Park HOA in Lakewood Ranch switches to e-voting

An HOA in Lakewood Ranch finds that 45% of households have opted in to e-voting, higher than any previous rate of voter participation

  • East County
  • News
Guests will have fun trying to find their way through the maze. File photo.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • September 23, 2020
Pumpkin Festival will be held in East County

Hunsader Farms will host its 29th annual Pumpkin Festival with COVID-19 precautions in place.

  • East County
  • News
Amy Jones, a senior at Lakewood Ranch High School, is a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • September 23, 2020
Lakewood Ranch High senior earns academic award

Amy Jones is one of three School District of Manatee County students to be named a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist.

  • East County
  • News
Carson Goda catches a first-drive touchdown pass from Shawqi Itraish.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • September 23, 2020
Prose and Kohn: Football's back, and it just feels right

Being on the gridiron acts as a balm for the soul.

  • East County
  • Sports
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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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