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Your Observer

    By
  • Whitney Elfstrom
  • December 14, 2019
Preschoolers learn meaning of Hanukkah

Temple Emanu-el held its Tot Shabbat on Dec. 14.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Nat Kaemmerer
  • December 14, 2019
Water Club celebrates new clubhouse

Residents gathered for the holiday season in the newly redecorated center.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • December 13, 2019
Holidays Around the Ranch a jolly time for all

Lakewood Ranch's Holidays Around the Ranch a jolly time for all

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Nat Kaemmerer
  • December 13, 2019
Christ Church members buddy up with kids for Christmas

The Reading Buddies of Christ Church celebrated Christmas with their students.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Kiyarah Martin, 5, picks out one of the toys.
    By
  • Whitney Elfstrom
  • December 13, 2019
Boys & Girls Clubs celebrate the holidays

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota held its north Sarasota clubs holiday party on Dec. 12.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
After retiring as fire chief from East Manatee Fire Rescue District, Henry Sheffield began working as Manatee Technical College's Fire Science Academy coordinator. File photo.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • December 13, 2019
Manatee County community mourns loss of firefighter, educator Henry Sheffield

Manatee County community mourns loss of firefighter, educator Henry Sheffield

  • East County
  • News
    In Memoriam |
  • December 13, 2019
Mary Ellen Criste (née Waite)

Mary Ellen Criste (née Waite) was born on March 25, 1934 in Pittsburg, PA and died December 8, 2019 in Baltimore, MD.

  • Longboat Key
  • Tributes & Obituaries
Several residents gathered in Phillippi Estate Park to protest the county's redistricting map.
    By
  • Brynn Mechem
  • December 13, 2019
Residents protest Sarasota County commission redistricting

A lawsuit was filed in federal court stating county commissioners discriminated against black voters when they approved the redistricting map.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Brynn Mechem
  • December 13, 2019
Moran chosen as Sarasota Board of County Commissioners chair

Michael Moran, who holds the District 1 seat, was selected as the chair for 2020.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Nat Kaemmerer
  • December 13, 2019
Physics Club gathers for annual Christmas party

The Longboat Key Physics Club enjoyed dinner and good conversation.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Nat Kaemmerer
  • December 13, 2019
Frosty Frolic is a warm event for Longboat Key golfers

The women of Longboat Key golfed and frolicked in a festive way.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Guest Author
  • December 12, 2019
Starfish Initiative celebrates reading at book fair

Temple Emanu-el hosted a book fait at Barnes and Noble on Dec. 8 for kindergarten classes at Wilkinson Elementary School.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Guest Author
  • December 12, 2019
Temple Sinai installs Samantha Kahn as rabbi

Rabbi Samantha Kahn started with Temple Sinai in July.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Nat Kaemmerer
  • December 12, 2019
Garden Club celebrates the holidays with a surprise

Members mingled on the beachfront and looked forward to the new year.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Bob Gary, speaker Jay Rixse and club president Ken Marsh.
    By
  • Nat Kaemmerer
  • December 12, 2019
Longboat Key Democratic Club holds December meeting

The club wrapped up the calendar year with a discussion from a former intelligence community official.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Longboat Key's northern tip is popular with boaters.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • December 12, 2019
Manatee Commissioners signal general support of Longboat beach project

Board votes 7-0 to authorize County Administrator to further discuss town's request for $2.69 million.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • December 12, 2019
calendar

calendar

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Nat Kaemmerer
  • December 12, 2019
Chamber of Commerce jingles merrily into the holidays

Festive attire and chatting with friends was on the menu for Business After Hours.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Doug Engebretson at the St. Armands Key kettle.
    By
  • Nat Kaemmerer
  • December 12, 2019
Ringing for a cause

The St. Armands kettle raises expectations

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • December 12, 2019
Longboat Key Cops Corner: No skim scams here

Police reports around around Longboat Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • Cops Corner
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • December 12, 2019
Longboat Key weather page photo: December 12

Billie Dawson captured this image of a seagull that caught a fish at Quick Point Nature Preserve on Longboat Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • December 12, 2019
East County weather page photo: December 12

Gordon Silver captured this bunny exploring a front yard in Del Webb of Lakewood Ranch.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Melissa Leduc
  • December 12, 2019
Sarasota weather page photo: December 12

Jeannie Sparks captured this night of remembrance at the Sarasota Lantern Festival.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Haylee Hunderup and Yaritzel Ortega-Gomez carry Alannah Beausoleil to the morgue.
    By
  • Brynn Mechem
  • December 12, 2019
Sarasota Military Academy students survive pandemic simulation

Students work their way through a simulated pandemic to learn teamwork, communication, decision making skills.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
Indiana cornerback Jamar Johnson lines up against Michigan. Photo courtesy IU Athletics.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 12, 2019
Hoosier daddy: A Riverview football alumnus is thriving at Indiana

Defensive back Jamar Johnson is making the most of his opportunity.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Blaise Freeman is filming the Sarasota High boys basketball team all season long.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 12, 2019
Prose and Kohn: Sailing the digital seas

Sailors senior transitions from being in the action to filming it.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Lauren Golon was a girls soccer captain at Cardinal Mooney High in 2019.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 12, 2019
Sarasota Athlete of the Week: Lauren Golon

The Cardinal Mooney junior talks toughening up and taking the ball to the net.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Depending on how bouncy your favorite tennis players likes their tennis balls, you may need quite a few cans, as balls can wear out in just a couple days.
  • By Nat Kaemmerer and Brendan Lavell
  • December 12, 2019
The Longboater's guide to Christmas shopping

Longboaters will enjoy these gifts all year round — or at least until they migrate north for summer

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Traffic in St. Armands Circle often slows for pedestrians in crosswalks. (eric)
    By
  • Brendan Lavell
  • December 12, 2019
No easy solutions for Longboat traffic

The causes of traffic congestion are easy to identify, but Tom Freiwald and Jack Daly say they are hard to fix.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Mark Huey is stepping down as president and CEO of Sarasota's Economic Development Corp. (File photo)
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • December 12, 2019
There should be one EDC for Sarasota and Manatee counties

The board of the Economic Development Corp. of Sarasota has an opportunity to innovate. Consolidating with Manatee makes sense.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
Orange Avenue resident Donna Ciemny says she regularly sees cars speeding down the stretch of road in front of her home, and she's hopeful the city can address her concerns.
    By
  • David Conway
  • December 12, 2019
Southside Village traffic troubles residents

A resident is asking the city to take action to curb speeding on Orange Avenue.

  • Sarasota
  • News
A listing for this Lido Key property advertises that the home has seven bedrooms and "sleeps 25."
    By
  • David Conway
  • December 12, 2019
‘Hotel houses’ draw ire of island residents

The city plans to discuss strategies for addressing problematic rental properties on St. Armands and Lido early next year.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The city previously closed the Osprey Avenue bridge in 2016 and 2017, using sign boards and speed tables to divert traffic away from residential streets. File photo.
    By
  • David Conway
  • December 12, 2019
Another extended closure coming on Osprey Avenue

With more than a year left to go before the completion of Lift Station 87, the project team is working to prepare residents for the effects of construction.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The city has made earlier efforts to plant mitigation trees in neighborhoods, but officials are hopeful a new initiative will overcome some previous challenges. File photo
    By
  • David Conway
  • December 12, 2019
City tests tree giveaway program

The city is giving away up to $25,000 as it tries a new strategy for planting trees in residential areas.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Enjoy this week's edition of Cops Corner.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • December 12, 2019
Cops Corner: Sarasota 12.12.19

Enjoy this week's edition of Cops Corner.

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
    By
  • Liz Ramos
  • December 11, 2019
Celebrating community support during the holidays in Lakewood Ranch

Lakewood Ranch Women's Club hosts third annual Holidays on Broadway dinner theatre charity fundraiser

  • East County
  • News
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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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