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Your Observer

Volunteers are given an introduction by co-founder Mark Coates before heading into the workshop to build.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • July 9, 2025
Lakewood Ranch nonprofit offers a sound night's sleep

Beds for Kids delivers up to 50 beds a month throughout Sarasota and Manatee counties.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Flooding in the area of Celery Fields caused by Tropical Storm Debby in 2024.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • July 9, 2025
Sarasota County hires new Stormwater Department director

Former Sarasota County employee Ben Quartermaine has been selected to head the county's new Stormwater Department.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Booker High rising senior Chauncey Kennon announced his commitment to Florida State University on July 6 at the Desoto Boys and Girls Club in Bradenton.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • July 9, 2025
Chauncey Kennon lives out a dream with commitment to Florida State

The Booker High senior has wanted to play for FSU since he was little.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Housing plan falls short
  • By Jeffrey Brandes, Adrian Moore, Edward Pinto
  • July 9, 2025
Housing plan falls short

The affordability crisis is not a market failure. Sarasota needs to remove barriers. Other cities have done so and are seeing meaningful results.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
We’re all sea turtles. Rise to the occasion.
  • By Letter to the Editor
  • July 8, 2025
We’re all sea turtles. Rise to the occasion.

We go the extra mile for sea turtles. We should do the same for other people.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Nicole Rissler is director of Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 8, 2025
Sarasota County parks department wins national recognition

Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources has earned a conservation award from the National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Lakewood Ranch resident Regina Morris has kept medals and running bibs from each of the marathons she's run in all 50 states.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • July 8, 2025
Lakewood Ranch resident shows resolve in 50-state marathon quest

Regina Morris hasn't let injury, travel or age stop her from reaching the finish line.

  • East County
  • Sports
A Shoreview home at 7717 Mainsail Lane sold for $1.82 million. Built in 2021, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,968 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • July 8, 2025
Top residential real estate sales for June 23-27 in Lakewood Ranch

A Country Club home on Palmers Creek Terrace topped the week’s sales at $2.85 million.

  • East County
  • Real Estate
Commissioners Tal Siddique, Jason Bearden, Amanda Ballard and George Kruse visit the House of Representatives in Tallahassee in March to discuss Manatee County's legislative priorities.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • July 8, 2025
Manatee County hit hard by governor's appropriation vetoes

Gov. Ron DeSantis' vetoes total $1.35 billion across the state, including $576 million in line-item vetoes.

  • East County
  • News
Taylor and Sydney Nichols, co-founders of Le Shop, opening soon on St. Armands Circle, said they are excited to bring high-end espresso and wine to shoppers.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • July 8, 2025
High-end espresso and wine shop coming to St. Armands Circle

The owners aim to bring a little something special to the area, providing provisions for the perfect beach picnic and a go-to spot for high-quality beverages.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
Eric Konovalov of The Goal Guide accepts the Volunteer of the Year award, the top award at the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance's Sandies.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • July 8, 2025
LWRBA sets up Small Business Bootcamp to teach important business skills

Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance sets up a series of seminars to boost business skills.

  • East County
  • Business
Contractors at almost the right address in wrong town set off alarm
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • July 8, 2025
Contractors at almost the right address in wrong town set off alarm

Officers responding to an alarm found two flooring contractors with a valid work order — for a home in Holmes Beach. This and other Longboat Key Police reports in this week's Cops Corner.

  • Longboat Key
  • Cops Corner
Chris Udermann captured pictures of flooding in the Village following a weather event in April 2024.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • July 8, 2025
Money moves ahead for flood resilience project in Longboat neighborhood

The Longbeach Village plan includes raising some roads.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Sarasota Sharks swimmer Emma Lynch, 11, won three gold medals at the Shark Open from June 19-22.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • July 8, 2025
Sarasota Athlete of the Week: Emma Lynch

Lynch is one of the 12 fastest 11- to 12-year-old swimmers in Florida.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
  • By Florida Power & Light Company
  • July 8, 2025
FPL Announces Planned Upgrades for Sarasota County to Continue Building a Stronger, Smarter Grid

Florida Power & Light’s smart grid technology prevented more than 800,000 outages during the active 2024 hurricane season.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Sponsored Content
Suzanne Berry Bissell (1926-2025)
    In Memoriam |
  • July 7, 2025
Suzanne Berry Bissell

Suzanne Berry Bissell died in Sarasota surrounded by her family on Monday, June 23, 2025.

  • Sarasota
  • Tributes & Obituaries
Emma Bailey Gaddy and Vivienne Hansen carefully line up their potato race car at Bird Key Yacht Club's Fourth of July festivities.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • July 7, 2025
Bird Key Yacht Club holds annual potato car races

Bird Key Yacht Club hosted its annual Fourth of July festivities, including the highly anticipated potato car races.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Lakewood Ranch rising senior Caua Magno de Almeida is spending his summer days balancing football, basketball, soccer and working out.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • July 7, 2025
East County Athlete of the Week: Caua Magno de Almeida

The rising senior is a three-sport athlete in Lakewood Ranch.

  • East County
  • Sports
The Grady family, including Jackson, Drake, Freya and Tina, join the Longboat Key Garden Club's butterfly release for the Fourth of July weekend at Bicentennial Park.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • July 7, 2025
July Fourth Longboat Key butterfly release continues post-storm

Freedom Fest might have been canceled, but community members joined in a butterfly release after the Fourth of July.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Unincorporated Manatee County residents can now file some police reports online without having to wait on a deputy.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • July 7, 2025
Unincorporated Manatee County residents can file police reports online

In the first two weeks of service, about 200 online reports were filed through the Manatee County Sheriff's Office website.

  • East County
  • News
Everyone is lined up for Hamlet's Eatery hot dogs, for their fifth annual Hot Dog Day.
    By
  • Carlin Gillen
  • July 6, 2025
Hamlet's Eatery celebrates Hot Dog Day with furry friends

The fifth annual Hot Dog Day was celebrated at Hamlet's Eatery with a hot dog topping bar, free beer samples and furry friends.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
The next SRQ Women's Expo will be held at The Grove July 26-27.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • July 6, 2025
SRQ Women's Expo headed to The Grove

The last expo attracted more than 500 attendees.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Gabriella Brinceanu, 14, and her sister Alaina Brinceanu, 3, work together to pop the bubbles.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • July 5, 2025
Community enjoys barbecue, bubbles at Selby Gardens' Fourth of July

Selby Gardens hosted its annual Fourth of July All-American Cookout.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Stephen Schlabach and his wife Jennifer Schlabach watch the grand finale of the fireworks.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • July 5, 2025
Fourth of July fireworks light up the Sarasota skies

The public once again had the chance to enjoy fireworks on Sarasota Bay.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Members of Church of the Redeemer all stand together to sing American Classics led by Choralmaster, Sam Nelson.
    By
  • Carlin Gillen
  • July 5, 2025
Sarasota church celebrates Fourth of July with special gathering

The Church of the Redeemer celebrates Independence Day with barbeque, music, prayer and fireworks.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Roller skating sensation Anita Zeman manages to keep smiling, even as her husband Karoly Zeman launches her into the air under the Waterside Place Pavilion July 4 during Star-Spangled Spectacular.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • July 5, 2025
Star-Spangled Spectacular lights up Waterside Place in Lakewood Ranch

Lakewood Ranch's first July 4 festival is a smashing success at Waterside Place.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Charlie Metzler, Samantha Trotter, Mimi Kruk, JoDene Moneuse, Kelsie Rokicki and 6-month-old puppy Nova held out hope that Freedom Fest and other Fourth of July activities on Longboat Key would continue. However, lightning forced officials to cancel.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • July 4, 2025
Lightning on Longboat causes Freedom Fest cancellation

Despite officials' best efforts, poor weather caused them to cancel the 'world's shortest parade' and other Fourth of July activities.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Peter Hotaling, 13, represented R. Dan Nolan Middle School at the HOSA International Leadership Conference June 18-22 in Nashville, Tennessee.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 4, 2025
Nolan Middle student places third at international HOSA event

Peter Hotaling, 13, entered his speech in the Health Career Preparation category against students from around the world.

  • East County
  • Schools
A street level rendering of Adagio by Kobi Karp Architecture.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • July 4, 2025
Live Local tower project ups residential units, commercial space

The Sarasota Development Review Committee got its first look at two downtown residential developments: the 18-story mixed-use Adagio and a boutique building in the Rosemary District.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort opened in August 2024.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • July 4, 2025
St. Regis lands AAA Travel's five-diamond rating

As the resort approaches its first-year anniversary, Forbes' rating is still pending.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Best friends Olivia Geler and McKenna Bonura snap their photos from the finish tower July 3 at Nathan Benderson Park during Fireworks on the Lake.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • July 4, 2025
Rain can't stop the pop at Nathan Benderson Park

The park hosted its annual Fireworks on the Lake celebration July 3.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Members of the Friends of Legacy Trail all prepare for the opening of the new trail bridge.
    By
  • Carlin Gillen, Eric Garwood
  • July 3, 2025
Sarasota cyclists are switching gears for the new Legacy Trail bridge

The Florida Department of Transportation opens the new Legacy Trail bike and pedestrian bridge over Clark Road.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The Crossing team of Michael Barron, James Brearley, Travis Taaffe and Brandon Taaffe won its division during the competition from Bimini in The Bahamas to Lake Worth Beach.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • July 3, 2025
Sarasota brothers paddleboard from Bimini to Florida for cystic fibrosis

Two brothers and two friends take on and wi, an 80-mile Atlantic paddleboard challenge in an effort to provide support for individuals and families battling cystic fibrosis.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
The Unit 17PHC condominium at 50 Central Ave. was built in 2005 and has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and 4,174 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • July 3, 2025
Top residential real estate sales for June 16-20 in Sarasota, Siesta Key, Palmer Ranch, Osprey, Nokomis

A condominium in Plaza at Five Point Residences on Central Avenue tops the week's sales at $4.5 million.

  • Sarasota
  • Real Estate
Booker High rising senior Tyren Wortham committed to Michigan State on June 22 after mulling over offers from 32 other Division-I programs.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • July 3, 2025
Booker High receiver picks Michigan State among 33 Division-I offers

Tyren Wortham has mapped out his path to the NFL.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Sarasota County Public Works Director Spencer Anderson briefs the public about flooding during the 2024 hurricane season.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • July 2, 2025
New stormwater department to separate from Public Works

Citing public perception of slow response to 2024 flood mitigation, the Sarasota County Commission votes to remove that function from the Public Works Department.

  • Sarasota
  • News
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Latest News

1
Louisen Desinor posted an 81.8% completion rate in Braden River's jamboree May 22 against Charlotte and Sarasota.
  • June 1, 2026
East County Athlete of the Week: Louisen Desinor
2
Cyclist killed on Sarasota causeway
  • June 1, 2026
Cyclist killed on Sarasota causeway
3
The pools are waiting on water, and the shaded pickleball structure behind them is waiting on paint for the courts.
  • June 1, 2026
Pool, pickleball facilities close to opening at Premier Sports Campus North
4
The home on Jewfish Key opposite Longboat Key is listed at $5.995 million.
  • June 1, 2026
Selling the island life on Longboat Key takes a big step to boat-only enclave
5
Lakewood Ranch's Cole Mule and Bodie Hogan, both 3 years old, explore the bee-themed magnet activity.
  • May 31, 2026
Literacy lessons a hot summer topic at Lakewood Ranch Library

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