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Your Observer

Lakewood Ranch's Linda McMillan, Gail Edelman, Mercedes Andrus and Helene Levin gather to play Canasta through the Lakewood Ranch Women's Club Canasta/Mahjong Club.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • October 7, 2025
Canasta and Mahjong mean socialization and strategy for women's club

Beginners receive instruction and patience when they join the Lakewood Ranch club.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Latex-glove wearing Uber driver spooks Longboat riders
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • October 7, 2025
Latex-glove wearing Uber driver spooks Longboat riders

A trio of vloggers stopped at a mansion, a woman in a dumpster and a latex-glove wearing Uber driver are among Longboat Key police reports in this week's edition of Cops Corner.

  • Longboat Key
  • Cops Corner
A conceptual rendering of the mural planned for Arlington Park Aquatic Center.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • October 7, 2025
Community painting day will highlight mural in Arlington Park

The Arlington Park Aquatic Complex will serve as the canvas for a large-scale mural with the public invited to participate in the painting.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Gordon Folkes (on the left) explains how the drone works to members of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance in August 2024.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • October 7, 2025
Manatee County EMS drone expands coverage area

The Lakewood Ranch coverage area expanded from serving about 5,000 residents to about 42,000.

  • East County
  • News
This Lake Club home at 8537 Pavia Way sold for $3.5 million. Built in 2022, it has five bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,291 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • October 7, 2025
Top residential real estate sales for Sept. 22-26 in Lakewood Ranch

A home in the Lake Club topped the week’s sales at $3.5 million.

  • East County
  • Real Estate
Jack Dean, left, of Jack Dean Flooring is among the three nominees up for a lifetime achievement awards at this year's Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce Awards.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • October 7, 2025
Longboat chamber releases its list of yearly award nominees

The Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce is bringing in nonprofit and town partners to this year's celebration.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Mirabai Holland has developed a stretch exercise technique called Moving Free. The certified health coach has perfected and refined the craft during her 30 years of teaching.
    By
  • Mirabai Holland
  • October 7, 2025
Prevent muscle injury with appropriate tendon stretch

The Golgi tendon organs connect the muscle to the tendon and stretching can improve flexibity.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Lakewood Ranch High School seniors Zachariah Kersey, Kylie Scott and Chloe Drapak were the winners of the Rotary Club of Bradenton's essay contest on what the Constitution means to them.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • October 6, 2025
Three Lakewood Ranch High seniors earn Bradenton Rotary essay awards

Kylie Scott, Zachariah Kersey and Chloe Drapak wrote about what the Constitution means to them.

  • East County
  • Schools
Ryan Gandy has lived in Sarasota for 21 years, but started with the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program in 2024. This November, he will take over as the new executive director of the program.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • October 6, 2025
Sarasota native picked to lead Sarasota Bay Estuary Program

Ryan Gandy describes Sarasota Bay as a unique habitat that's a "well-respected jewel" more accurately described as a coastal lagoon, not a bay.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Allen Clark (left), Edouard Chaput (center) and Cameron Yates (right) line up in the backfield. The three featured prominently in Out-of-Door Academy football's commanding win over Faith Christian in Week 8.
    By
  • Jack Nelson
  • October 6, 2025
Out-of-Door Academy football rolls forward with multiple offensive threats

The Lakewood Ranch high school has pummeled its opposition en route to a 6-1 record.

  • East County
  • Sports
A rendering of Adagio as viewed from the northeast.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • October 6, 2025
Adagio condo project remains on hold with review committee

The 172-unit mixed-use development needs to come back to Sarasota's to Development Review Committee for a fourth submission and is advised to hold a voluntary community meeting.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The city of Sarasota's Neighborhood Canopy Program provides 10- to 14-foot trees installed in front yards for $100 each.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • October 6, 2025
Urban tree canopy program finishes for 2025

The Sarasota Neighborhood Canopy Program that provides installed trees for $100 each has concluded for 2025 with plans to return next summer.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The Women on Wheels Ride participants were pumped up before the start of the 11th annual event Oct. 5 on Main Street at Lakewood Ranch.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • October 5, 2025
WOW! What a ride for women in Lakewood Ranch

More than 200 women ride in the Women on Wheels Ride to support Selah Freedom.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Tingley Library on Bradenton Beach may be used as a short-term solution for the lack of community meeting space on the north end of Longboat Key, according to county commissioner Tal Siddique.
    By
  • S.T. Cardinal
  • October 5, 2025
North-end Longboat community center remains in the works

As property deals have fallen through, Manatee County has begun to look at short-term solutions off the island.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • October 5, 2025
900 traffic stops conducted in grant-funded roadway safety effort

A Sarasota Police Department traffic safety operation funded by a state grant resulted in nearly 900 traffic stops covering 1,100 violations.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Sarasota's Tori Bruinsma, 6, blows her whistle after catching another fish. Dad Kevin Bruinsma says that fishing is the first activity his daughter has gravitated towards on her own.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • October 4, 2025
Lakewood Ranch fishing tournament reels in nearly 100 kids

The Lakewood Ranch Anglers Club hosted the tournament Oct. 4 on Lake Uihlein.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
A rendering of Seventh & Central Condominiums fronting Seventh Street at the corner of Cohen Way.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • October 4, 2025
Seven-story, 24-unit condo proposed for Rosemary District

Plans for a seven-story, 24-unit residential building at Seventh Street and Cohen Way include replacing an existing multifamily building with a public park.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Lakewood Ranch's Payton Marshall, along with her mother-in-law Marie Marshall, cheer on No Filter. The band played at her wedding on June 22, 2024.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • October 3, 2025
Ranch Nite Wednesdays returns in Lakewood Ranch after summer break

The weekly event is back every Wednesday through May with food trucks, music and cornhole.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
To recognize Domestic Violence Awareness month, GFWC's Woman's Club of Sarasota, including members Diana Freidinger, center, and Sharlene Cox, right, presented victim advocate Talia Casey with $1,400 and donated items to support Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center's mission.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • October 3, 2025
Woman's club raises $1,400 for domestic violence victims

The GFWC's Woman's Club of Sarasota raised $1,400 and collected donated items to support survivors of domestic violence for its Day of Service.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
As members of VFW Post 12055, Post Commander Dave Daily and retired U.S. Army Col. Gill Ruderman meet once a month with post members at Wolveshead Pizza and Wings.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • October 3, 2025
Is veterans park a sugar pill being fed to taxpayers?

Manatee County wants the planned Palmetto veterans memorial park and connections hub to serve the region, but local VFW members say it's too far out of the way.

  • East County
  • News
Visit Sarasota County reports a continuing downward trend in 2025 tourism data.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • October 3, 2025
Tourism continues downward trend in Sarasota County

Visit Sarasota County reports lodging prices were up but overall visitors and spending were down in July compared to 2024.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Osprey man arrested in drugs investigation
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • October 2, 2025
Osprey man arrested in drugs investigation

Sarasota Sheriff's Office employed multiple units in serving search warrant.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Dickey Betts, who died in 2024, was named by Rolling Stone as one of the 100 best rock guitarists of all time.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • October 2, 2025
Rock pioneer Dickey Betts could be memorialized on Sarasota highway

The longtime Sarasota County resident would join a wide and varied list of luminaries honored in Sarasota County by Florida since 1932.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Stan Ambro adjusts the animatronic of the bartender.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • October 2, 2025
Local haunted house is the vision of one individual

Hollowgraves Haunted Manor, part of the Fruitville Grove Pumpkin Festival, belonged to amusement parks on the Jersey Shore before arriving in Sarasota.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
The home at 2189 Hillview St., built in 1953, sold for $815,000.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • October 2, 2025
Top residential real estate sales for September 15-19 in Sarasota, Siesta Key, Palmer Ranch, Osprey, Nokomis

A Oaks II home on Oriskany Court tops the week's sales at $2,625,000.

  • Sarasota
  • Real Estate
Some blocks along Main Street, such as the 1800 block, already include a mix of angle and parallel parking.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • October 2, 2025
Main Street vision pits walkability against parking

The Sarasota City Commission advances the Main Street Complete Street project to the design phase with an eye toward debate over pedestrian enhancement.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Kelli Veit and Mindy Brandt help with a community cleanup on Longboat Key as part of Temple Beth Israel's new tashlich tradition.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • October 2, 2025
Longboat temple cleans highway for Rosh Hashanah

Temple Beth Israel launched a new Tashlich tradition on Longboat Key for Rosh Hashanah, encouraging members to lend a hand keeping waterways and roads clean.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Toryeon James (21) of Riverview football sprints down the sideline en route to a touchdown against Sarasota. The junior ran for nearly 300 yards in the team's Week 6 defeat of its longtime rival.
    By
  • Jack Nelson
  • October 2, 2025
Backfield beasts: Riverview's running backs guide undefeated start

Toryeon James and Isaiah Belt of Riverview football combined for seven touchdowns in their latest showing against Sarasota.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Vito Sgroi poses for a photo before a Sept. 30 practice at Selby Aquatic Center. The senior for Riverview boys' swimming & diving is one of the program's most recent Division I talents.
    By
  • Jack Nelson
  • October 1, 2025
Sarasota Athlete of the Week: Vito Sgroi

The senior for Riverview boys' swimming & diving committed to Arizona last month

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Outgoing Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key president Michael Garey passes the gavel to Danielle Gladding at a Sept. 25 meeting at his restaurant, the Lazy Lobster.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • October 1, 2025
Longboater who rebuilt Kiwanis membership hands over reins

Three-year Kiwanis Club President Michael Garey, who played a pivotal role in forging new interest in the group, passed the title to Danielle Gladding.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Ella Quaid and Joey Baar, both 24 years old, have been friends since they were babies.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • October 1, 2025
Manasota BUDS creates lifelong friendships

The group supports individuals with Down syndrome and their families.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Senior Isabelle Harrell begins work on another mural at Lakewood Ranch High School.
  • By Chloe Drapak
  • October 1, 2025
School spirit for this Lakewood Ranch High senior means painting murals

Isabelle Harrell masters the Mustang mascot as she puts her unique stamp on the campus.

  • East County
  • Schools
For the "TTYL" music video, Em Godfrey, Alicia Tom, Olivia Millin, Tori Vincent and Michelle Figueiredo danced in two locations with four costume changes. The dancers were from Koresh Dance Company.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • October 1, 2025
Lakewood Ranch singer-songwriter dreams of performing at sold-out stadiums

Olivia Millin is gaining popularity across the globe as an independent artist with songs such as "TTYL."

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Unruly patron puts on a strip show in a downtown bar
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • October 1, 2025
Unruly patron puts on a strip show in a downtown bar

A man refused service because of intoxication retaliates by dropping his pants. This and other Sarasota Police Department reports in this week's Cops Corner.

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
Longboater Harold Cullison recently celebrated a running milestone as he took first place in his age division for a 10K run, clocking a time of 55:34.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • October 1, 2025
Lifelong Longboat runner shares motivation for staying on the move

Harold Cullison, who owns the Sandpiper Inn with his wife, Christine, has much to celebrate this fall as he took first place in his category for a 10K race and recently reopened the inn.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Sarasota resident Jordan Wenck created Beanie Bites.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • October 1, 2025
Sarasota resident creates bean-based dessert mixes

Jordan Wenck will be bringing her Beanie Bites products, which are gluten and dairy free, to the Sarasota Farmers Market on Oct. 4.

  • Sarasota
  • Business
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