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Your Observer

Antonella Imperiale, Sebastian Chasey, Naomi Rodriguez and Sarah Arco attended first grade at Braden River Elementary School which was given an A grade for the 2024-2025 school year.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 23, 2025
12 of 17 east Manatee County schools earn overall A grades

The School District of Manatee County receives an overall B rating.

  • East County
  • Schools
A goat serves as the best friend of Winnie the Moo at the Farmhouse Animal and Nature Sanctuary. A larger pasture will be available to them after a $50,000 grant from the Bishop-Parker Foundation.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • July 23, 2025
Myakka animal sanctuary lands important grant

The Bishop-Parker Foundation has gifted Farmhouse Animal and Nature Sanctuary $50,000 to complete hurricane damage repairs.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Huey Magoo's On the Fly is located in Terminal B, next to Jimmy John's, at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.
    By
  • Elizabeth King
  • July 23, 2025
Chicken tender restaurant makes airport debut at SRQ

A new fast-casual dining option is now open at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
The Longbeach home at 6821 Longboat Drive S. sold for $2 million.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • July 23, 2025
Top residential real estate sales for July 7-11 in Longboat, Lido, St. Armands, Bird Key

A home in Sleepy Lagoon Park on Penfield St. tops the week’s sales at $3.3 million.

  • Longboat Key
  • Real Estate
Behind-the-scenes coach connects ODA football players with college opportunities
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • July 23, 2025
Behind-the-scenes coach connects ODA football players with college opportunities

Josh Medeiros is dedicated to helping the Thunder players find a place to play at the next level.

  • East County
  • Sports
A rendering of one of the two light industrial buildings that Tavistock Development is constructing on Lakewood Ranch Boulevard in Waterside.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • July 23, 2025
Tavistock begins light industrial project in Lakewood Ranch

Tavistock's two buildings on Lakewood Ranch Boulevard will offer 93,022 square feet to area businesses.

  • East County
  • News
Leadership change made at Intercoastal Medical Group
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 23, 2025
Leadership change made at Intercoastal Medical Group

Co-founder Dr. John Steele steps down as president at age 83. He is succeeded by Dr. Mark Ramos.

  • Sarasota
  • Business
What’s best for NCF, USF?
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • July 23, 2025
What’s best for NCF, USF?

The governor should appoint a commission to determine what the best long-term structure should be for the Ringling, New College and USF.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
The home at 601 Avenida De Mayo was built in 2005 and has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,496 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • July 22, 2025
Top residential real estate sales for July 7-11 in Sarasota, Siesta Key, Palmer Ranch, Osprey, Nokomis.

A home on Sarasota Beach on Avenida De Mayo tops the week’s sales at $2.55 million.

  • Sarasota
  • Real Estate
Sarasota man arrested on child sex crime charges
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 22, 2025
Sarasota man arrested on child sex crime charges

Registered sexual offender Mark McGoldrick is charged with attempting to lure a 13-year-old girl into his vehicle after allegedly stalking her for nearly a year.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Bri Rivera and bandmates play at Café on St. Armands on July 17 for the first "Circle the Date" celebration of summer.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • July 22, 2025
Circle the Date kicks off summer shopping on St. Armands

Businesses on St. Armands Circle encourage patrons to enjoy a day of exploring with deals, treats and live music.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
The Lake Club Women's Giving Circle members Lauren Hirsch, Cinda Krouk, Barbara Najmy, Jennifer Alokeh and Joy Stone sit in front of their record haul of 550 pairs of sneakers donated to The Twig.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • July 22, 2025
Lake Club Women's Giving Circle proves its sneaker drive is a great fit

The Lakewood Ranch group collects 550 pairs of new sneakers to benefit The Twig.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Lakewood Ranch residents Chris and Megan Matras are eager to open Jeff's Bagel Run in Lakewood Ranch. They will serve bagels, cream cheese, coffee and more.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 22, 2025
Jeff's Bagel Run to open in Lakewood Ranch

Lakewood Ranch residents Chris and Megan Matras are eager to bring the Jeff's Bagel Run franchise to Lakewood Ranch.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
Modeled after mangrove roots, this concrete paneling provides habitat for aquatic critters to nestle in along the shore at Bayfront Park.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • July 22, 2025
Pioneering 'living wall' project comes to Longboat's Bayfront Park

Meant to encourage filter-feeder growth along the bayshore, this innovative project is breaking ground on Longboat Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Boorish boater orders acquaintances to the beach
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • July 22, 2025
Boorish boater orders acquaintances to the beach

Two women find themselves suddenly ashore on Longboat Key, miles from their cars. This and other Longboat Key police reports in this week's edition of Cops Corner.

  • Longboat Key
  • Cops Corner
Corinne Arriaga (left) and Alvimarie Corales approach multimodal transportation from different perspectives.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 22, 2025
City transportation staffer named among the nation's best

Senior Transportation Planner Corinne Arriaga is named a Young Leader to Follow by national transportation engineering organization.

  • Sarasota
  • News
A Lake Club home at 7921 Waterton Lane tops the week’s sales at $3 million. Built in 2007, it has three bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 4,990 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • July 22, 2025
Top residential real estate sales for July 7-11 in Lakewood Ranch

A home in Lake Club on Waterton Lane topped the week’s sales at $3 million.

  • East County
  • Real Estate
Circus Arts Conservatory board elects new leadership
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 22, 2025
Circus Arts Conservatory board elects new leadership

Julie Harris succeeds Shari Ashman as board chair, while Ken Woodworth becomes vice-chair.

  • Arts + Culture
Paradise players Owen Barnett, Andres Freire and Jeffrey White helped lead the team to a division championship this season, but might not return in 2026.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • July 22, 2025
Sarasota Paradise ends amateur era with playoff loss

The soon-to-be professional soccer club will have a new look in 2026.

  • East County
  • Sports
Marjorie Snyder Peabody Stapleton (1923-2025)
    In Memoriam |
  • July 21, 2025
Marjorie Snyder Peabody Stapleton

Marjorie Snyder Peabody Stapleton, age 101, of Longboat Key, Florida passed away on July 11, 2025 in Stuart, Florida after complications from a brief illness.

  • Sarasota
  • Tributes & Obituaries
Dr. Steven R. Cohen (1942-2025)
    In Memoriam |
  • July 21, 2025
Dr. Steven R. Cohen

Beloved husband of the late Barbara Cohen passed away on Jul 16, 2025

  • Sarasota
  • Tributes & Obituaries
Shayne Boyle dodges a projectile.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • July 21, 2025
Bedrock Church hosts world record-breaker for marshmallows caught in mouth

The church's Family Night at Payne Park invited Shayne Boyle of Cincinatti, who during the event broke what he said was a new world record, catching 60 marshmallows in 60 seconds.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Florida Housing Coalition's Kody Glazer tells an audience at a Greater Sarasota Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon that the county needs to provide 15,000 new affordable housing units in the next 10 years.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • July 21, 2025
Much done, much more to do on affordable housing

Florida Housing Coalition executive tells Chamber luncheon attendees Sarasota County needs 15,000 affordable homes built in 10 years.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Nicole Williams is the new principal for Bashaw Elementary School. She is entering her 30th year in education in Manatee County, eager to make and grow new connections in the school.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 21, 2025
New principal at Bashaw Elementary has high expectations for staff and students

Nicole Williams will begin her 30th year in education in Manatee County.

  • East County
  • Schools
Class participants work hard to get 120 compressions per minute on the CPR mannequins.
    By
  • Carlin Gillen, Eric Garwood
  • July 21, 2025
Life-saving CPR classes aim to teach, inspire people to take action

Longboat Key Fire-Rescue regularly trains residents in a simpler method designed to overcome fear.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Judy Govalet, a member of Longboat Island Chapel's scholarship committee, joins students Samantha McLead, Kage Jones and Ty'Anna Ash in celebrating this year's awards.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • July 20, 2025
7 scholarship winners recognized at Longboat Island Chapel

All of this year's awardees are previous recipients who kept up with their volunteerism and studies.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Longboat Island Chapel is set to be the new home for The Paradise Center, leaders announced on July 20.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • July 20, 2025
Longboat Island Chapel takes in The Paradise Center

After the community center found itself seeking new headquarters, the north-end church stepped in to offer space for its programs.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Scooby Doo, a dog who belongs to Mike and Victoria Collins, who came from St. Pete to support the location, loves playing in the foam.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • July 20, 2025
Sarasota celebrates reopening of beloved dog bar

Dog Bar Sarasota, originally Boo’s Ice House and Dog Bar, had closed in January but now has reopened as a sister location to Dog Bar St. Pete.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
The Hearts of ODA camp was led by Camela Giraud, the director of collaborative learning and education outreach at ODA. She was assisted by co-facilitator Colby Heidke, who is a 2025 ODA graduate and also the founder of the Sarasota Mobility Alliance.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 18, 2025
Hearts of ODA camp in Lakewood Ranch provides volunteer time and talent

The student campers have volunteered at nonprofits such as All Faiths Food Bank and Meals on Wheels.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Sarasota Memorial Hospital is leading a coalition of community organizations to fill the gap between prenatal care needs and a growing shortage of OB/Gyn physicians.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 18, 2025
SMH leads group to overcome growing OB-GYN shortage

Sarasota Memorial Hospital partners with regional care networks to provide essential prenatal services amid growing lack of obstetricians nationwide.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Authorities speak to guests outside the Zota Beach Resort on Aug. 4, 2017, after a double homicide took place at the resort.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 18, 2025
One more suspect charged in 2017 Longboat Key homicide case

Damien Garvin is charged with first degree murder of Zota Beach hotel clerk and security guard eight years ago.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Interim superintendent Kevin Chapman's contract was finalized in a special board meeting May 29. He will be interim until January 5, 2026 or whenever the school board hires someone in his place.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 18, 2025
Exciting school year ahead for Manatee schools

Interim Superintendent Kevin Chapman says new schools, student achievement strides spark enthusiasm in the new school year.

  • East County
  • Schools
Sarasota softball dog-piled in the pitcher's circle after securing the final out against Riverview Sumner on May 15.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • July 18, 2025
Female athletes at the prep level have more opportunities than ever

Sarasota and Manatee county schools continue to work on evening the playing field.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Richard Tatem
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 18, 2025
Hiring superintendent tops District 5 school board member's goals

Richard Tatem says increasing vocational opportunities, increasing on-time bus routes important goals in 2025-26.

  • East County
  • Schools
Madison Bierl is the education and community reporter at the East County Observer.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 18, 2025
Letter from your education reporter: There's a lot to look forward to in the 2025-26 school year

Manatee County schools provides a much larger district to cover than she grew up with in Iowa.

  • East County
  • Schools
Jessica Bank and Laura Murphy stand in front of the library.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • July 18, 2025
The Out-of-Door Academy holds on to a historic legacy as it moves forward

While a former dormitory building will have to be demolished due to last year’s hurricanes, the campus works out new plans for the space.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
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