• Alternate Text

  • Loading

  • Sand Bucket List
  • Health Observed
  • Crossword
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • e-Newspaper App
  • Longboat
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Opinion
  • East County
    • News
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
  • Sarasota
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
    • Siesta Key
  • Arts + Entertainment
    • Eat + Drink
    • Arts + Culture
    • Reviews
    • Things To Do
    • Black Tie
    • Spotlight Partners
  • Things to Do
  • Galleries
  • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Elections
    • Health Observed
    • Sand Bucket List
    • Calendar
    • Celebrations
    • Contests
    • Tributes
    • Submit a Celebration
    • Submit a Tribute
    • Public Notices
    • Classifieds
  • Longboat
    • Longboat
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Opinion
  • East County
    • East County
    • News
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
  • Sarasota
    • Sarasota
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
    • Siesta Key
  • Arts + Entertainment
    • Arts + Entertainment
    • Eat + Drink
    • Arts + Culture
    • Reviews
    • Things To Do
    • Black Tie
    • Spotlight Partners
  • Things to Do
  • Galleries
  • More
    • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Elections
    • Health Observed
    • Sand Bucket List
    • Calendar
    • Celebrations
    • Contests
    • Tributes
    • Submit a Celebration
    • Submit a Tribute
    • Public Notices
    • Classifieds
  • Sand Bucket List
  • Health Observed
  • Crossword
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • e-Newspaper App

Your Observer

A male suspect fleeing a Manatee County Sheriff's Office deputy died in a one-car crash late Jan. 1.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • January 2, 2021
Domestic battery suspect dies in Bradenton crash after fleeing Manatee County Sheriff's Office deputies

A 26-year-old woman and her 1-year-old son escaped serious injuries after a 30-year-old man threatened to kill them at a Bradenton home.

  • East County
  • News
Manatee County will have more time to distribute CARES ACT funding.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • January 2, 2021
Manatee County gets more time to disburse CARES Act funding

The COVID-19 Relief and Omnibus Spending Package allows CARES Act funding to be disbursed through Dec. 31.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Harry Sayer
  • January 1, 2021
Sarasota celebrates 2020 New Year's Eve

Sarasota locals celebrated the new year on Main Street.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
  • By Meals on Wheels Sarasota
  • January 1, 2021
Meals on Wheels Sarasota

Meals on Wheels Sarasota

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Sponsored Content
    By
  • Nat Kaemmerer
  • December 31, 2020
See ya, 2020

Here are the most popular libations to say goodbye forever to 2020.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
David Novak and Dan Wade. Courtesy photo.
    By
  • Nat Kaemmerer
  • December 31, 2020
Swan snapshot

The Longboat Key Club now immortalizes an iconic swan photo.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • David Conway
  • December 31, 2020
Best of Cops Corner: 2020

Some of the most memorable police reports of 2020.

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • December 31, 2020
Longboat Key Cops Corner: Anchors aweigh . . . er . . . away!

Police reports from around Longboat Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • Cops Corner
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 31, 2020
A shot at winning: Sarasota's year in sports photos

A lot took place on the courses, fields and courts in 2020.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • December 30, 2020
Word for 2021: Anthem

Taken from Ayn Rand’s 1937 novella, it’s a warning to reject the spread of collectivism and the state and fight for the principles that made the U.S. exceptional.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • December 30, 2020
May we quote you? The Sarasota Observer news quiz

See what kind of 2020 newshound you were. Like you had somewhere better to go or something better to do.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • December 30, 2020
May we quote you? The Longboat Observer news quiz

You're not going to a New Year's Eve party, so why not play our little game?

  • Longboat Key
  • News
  • By Eric Garwood
  • December 30, 2020
Sarasota's year in pictures 2020

A look back at photos that gave us pause during a most unusual year.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    In Memoriam |
  • December 30, 2020
Walter Maurice Harold Budde Jr, PhD

Walter Maurice Harold Budde, Jr. PhD succumbed to COVID – 19 on December 4, 2020 in Sarasota, Florida after a valiant battle.

  • Sarasota
  • Tributes & Obituaries
JANUARY — Lakewood Ranch High senior boys soccer forward Jacob Jordan goes for a header against Manatee High on Jan. 15. Jordan had two goals in the game.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 30, 2020
The best East County sports photos of 2020

These were the views from the top of the sports mountain.

  • East County
  • Sports
Bella Patterson.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 30, 2020
East County Athlete of the Week: Isabella Patterson

The Braden River junior talks getting her own points and her love of reading.

  • East County
  • Sports
Chef Danny Barbos slides a pizza into what he calls the Lamborghini of pizza ovens, a Marana.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • December 30, 2020
Put down your dough on this pizza in Lakewood Ranch

Legacy Golf Club in Lakewood Ranch introduces a pizzeria within its clubhouse.

  • East County
  • News
The property at 7712 Sanderling Road was built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 6,480 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • December 29, 2020
2020: Sarasota's top real estate transactions

Siesta Key home was the area's top seller.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • December 29, 2020
Best of Longboat Key Cops Corner: 2020

A look back at a year of protecting, serving.

  • Longboat Key
  • Cops Corner
The Moderna vaccine was administered to Lakewood Ranch Medical Center employees last week. Now Manatee County is distributing the vaccine to those 65 and over.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • December 29, 2020
Manatee County makes Moderna vaccine available for those 65 and over

Manatee County registration filling up quickly for the first 3,500 available Moderna vaccinations, more on the way.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • December 29, 2020
2020 through the lens on Longboat Key

The year started out like most do, with us complaining about traffic and marveling at where we live. Then . . .

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • December 29, 2020
2020 Digital Year in Review

The Observer stayed busy online in 2020. Here are the top stories of the year from YourObserver.com.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    A time to celebrate |
  • December 28, 2020
Rookie and Jordan Shifrin

Rookie and Jordan Shifrin of Lakewood Ranch celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary with a drive-by party consisting of friends and relatives.

  • East County
  • Celebrations
    A time to celebrate |
  • December 28, 2020
Dan Lobeck and Xin Akawi

Dan Lobeck and Xin Akawi of Sarasota became husband and wife December 19, 2020, in a lovely garden ceremony at Suncoast Community Church.

  • Sarasota
  • Celebrations
845 Longboat Club Road
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • December 28, 2020
2020: Top 10 real estate transactions on Longboat

It was a busy year for property sales on Longboat Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • Real Estate
This Lake Club home at 15514 Anchorage Place sold for $3.5 million. Built in 2015, it has four bedrooms, five-and-two-half baths, a pool and 7,060 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • December 27, 2020
Lake Club home tops local sales at $3.5 million in the Lakewood Ranch and east Bradenton areas

Lake Club home tops residential real estate transactions in the Lakewood Ranch and east Bradenton areas from Dec. 7-11.

  • East County
  • Real Estate
Myakka's Sarah Wiegand bakes cream wafers from scratch. The cookies are a Christmas tradition for her family.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • December 26, 2020
Christmas cookie tradition won't crumble in Lakewood Ranch area

Christmas cookie recipes have been passed down through generations of these Lakewood Ranch area families.

  • East County
  • News
Tara's Donna Sutton Van Riper and Gerald Van Riper used this Christmas tree topper as their wedding cake topper.
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • December 26, 2020
Lakewood Ranch area residents tell stories of what makes their Christmas ornaments special

Lakewood Ranch area residents share stories about what makes their Christmas ornaments precious.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • December 25, 2020
Two fatal crashes reported in Sarasota

Sheriff's office says two killed in separate single-vehicle wrecks on 17th Street and Beach Road.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Nat Kaemmerer
  • December 24, 2020
Longboat Key Turtle Watch sets out on December cleanup

The club saw warm weather for their first winter beach cleanup on Longboat Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Nat Kaemmerer
  • December 24, 2020
St. Mary, Star of the Sea hosts Christmas concert

There was plenty of social distancing and almost no socializing, but the members upheld their tradition.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Painting by Truman Adams
    By
  • Nat Kaemmerer
  • December 24, 2020
Open-air Christmas

St. Armands Key Lutheran Church went a different way with their display this year.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Photo courtesy of Cyndi Seamon.
    By
  • Nat Kaemmerer
  • December 24, 2020
And to all a good night

Christmas on Longboat Key has a certain glow.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Nat Kaemmerer
  • December 24, 2020
Bird Key Yacht Club hosts annual Blessing of the Fleet

The evening serves as the club's holiday party every year.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Mercedes Matthews makes coffee and ice cream and may one day deliver it with the company's delivery bike.
    By
  • Harry Sayer
  • December 24, 2020
Coffee and ice cream shop offers work worth doing

The Rise Coffee Co. and Nye’s Cream Sandwiches business employs people with special needs.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Byron, Tatyana and Paloma Sharoubim-Stewart stay busy and happy every Christmas morning
    By
  • Harry Sayer
  • December 24, 2020
Holiday memories ring true for Sarasota residents

Sarasota residents look back on their favorite holiday memories and share how they'll celebrate the season this year.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
« 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 »
The best of Your Observer, delivered directly to your inbox

Get the latest in news, sports, schools, arts and things to do in Sarasota, Siesta Key, Longboat Key and East County.

Sign Up

Latest News

1
An aerial view of Holmes Beach on Anna Maria Island.
  • June 25, 2026
Anna Maria beach renourishment kickstarted with TDT funds
2
Bill Schey is a Marine Corps veteran and a board member for the Folds of Honor Southwest Florida and Chicago chapters (with his wife, Connie Schey).
  • June 25, 2026
Voices of America: What is a patriot today?
Sponsored Content
3
Florida Power & Light brings 2026 infrastructure upgrades to Sarasota County, Manatee County and Longboat Key
  • June 25, 2026
Florida Power & Light brings 2026 infrastructure upgrades to Sarasota County, Manatee County and Longboat Key
Sponsored Content
4
  • June 25, 2026
Is It Time to Take a Look Under the Hood of Your Financial Plan?
5
Myakka City's Mike Harrison is running for the District 1 seat on the Manatee County Commission.
  • June 24, 2026
Myakka City resident throws his cowboy hat into Manatee County Commission race

App

Download the Your Observer app

Stay in the know with the latest local news. Any device, anytime, anywhere.

DOWNLOAD NOW

Contact

  • 1970 Main St.
  • Third Floor
  • Sarasota, FL 34236
  • Phone: 941-366-3468
  • FPN Verified

Extra, Extra!

  • Newsletters
  • App
  • Crossword
  • Contests

more

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Classifieds
  • Advertise
  • Rack Locations
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Options

sister sites

  • Business Observer
  • Jax Daily Record
  • Orange Observer
  • Accessibility Options
  • Copyright © 2026 Observer Media Group Inc., All Rights Reserved
Sign Up for Daily Headlines

A daily dose of news from Longboat Key, East County, Sarasota and Siesta Key.

Sign Up for In Case You Missed It

A Saturday dose of the week's top stories from Sarasota, Longboat Key and East County.

Anytime. Anywhere. Observer.

From in-depth local reporting to real-time breaking news, stay connected to the stories shaping our community with the Your Observer app.

Download Now for Free