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Your Observer

A person bundled against the cold and rain lies on the sidewalk across the street from the Salvation Army in Sarasota Wednesday, Jan. 22. The county is working with the organization to open a cold weather shelter for the next two nights.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • January 23, 2025
Sarasota County opens downtown cold weather shelter

The Salvation Army will open at 5 p.m. Thursday.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The Purple Ribbon Committee has until June 30, 2025 to submit its report on suggestions for repurposing the Van Wezel Peforming Arts Hall.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • January 23, 2025
Cost to keep the Van Wezel going estimated at $17 million

The draft Karins Engineering report to the city's Purple Ribbon Committee includes systems upgrades and flood proofing the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, but not expanding or reconfiguring seating.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The Sarasota Surge Rugby Club gather together during halftime of its home match against the Lakeland Lancers on Jan. 18. Sarasota won 17-7.
    By
  • Dylan Campbell
  • January 23, 2025
Popularity growth of rugby has attracted strong local response

The Sarasota Rugby Club is back in 2025 with a new home in Ridge Wood Heights.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
The former S.H. Kress store in downtown Sarasota is an example of a property that would be eligible to transfer its by-right developable height and density to a developer of a receiving site.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • January 23, 2025
Program aimed at preserving historic structures approved by city

The Sarasota City Commission OKs an ordinance to permit owners of historic buildings to sell by-right density to other owners of downtown property.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The 18-story BLVD Sarasota condominium tower in downtown Sarasota completed construction in September 2020.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • January 23, 2025
Top residential real estate sales for Jan. 6-10 in Sarasota, Siesta Key, Palmer Ranch, Osprey, Nokomis

A condominium in BLVD Sarasota tops the week's sales at $7 million.

  • Sarasota
  • Real Estate
Eagle Scouts past and present gather together in front of the Don Collins Scout House.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 23, 2025
Boy Scouts Troop 50 celebrates 70 years

The troop, the oldest in Sarasota County, has been supported by Pine Shores Presbyterian Church since its inception.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • January 23, 2025
Transit expert kicks off 2025 Urban Studies Speaker Series

Jarrett Walker will discuss the critical role public transit plays in the lifestyle of developing urban areas.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 23, 2025
Sarasota School Board to decide on science textbooks, cellphone use

On Feb. 18, the School Board of Sarasota County will vote on a list of finalists for K-12 science textbooks and will discuss cellphone policies.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
Senior Ava Kozicky led the Sarasota High girls lacrosse team in scoring last season with 77 goals.
    By
  • Dylan Campbell
  • January 22, 2025
Sarasota Athlete of the Week: Ava Kozicky

The senior attacker is primed for another massive season for the Sarasota High girls lacrosse team.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Braden River sophomore Anquan Polynice had 13 points in the Pirates' victory over Lakewood Ranch on Jan. 21.
    By
  • Dylan Campbell
  • January 22, 2025
Braden River boys basketball downs Lakewood Ranch 65-45

The Pirates avenged an early season loss to Lakewood Ranch with the victory.

  • East County
  • Sports
Washington Hill, Mydahlia Glover, Brock Leach and Walter Gilbert
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 22, 2025
Leonard Reid House celebrates first anniversary

The historic home is now home to an African American arts, culture and history center.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
The handheld section of the Lefty's menu features a Maine lobster roll, grouper sandwich, seafood tacos, smash burger, fried chicken thigh sandwich and soft shell crab BLT.
    By
  • Elizabeth King
  • January 22, 2025
Seafood restaurant opens Monday in Sarasota's Rosemary District

Lefty's Oyster & Seafood Bar will welcome diners to its Lemon Avenue location on Monday, Jan. 27.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Eat + Drink
Melody Arndt from Bay Isles is successful at a champagne sabrage during her first-ever Longboat Key Garden Club meeting at The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • January 22, 2025
Nods to Florida flora and fauna central to St. Regis tour

The Longboat Garden Key Club enjoyed a personalized view of the St. Regis Longboat Key Resort on Jan. 14.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Commissioner Bob McCann is looking into the possibility of a building moratorium in District 5.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • January 22, 2025
Manatee County District 5 commissioner pushes for building moratorium

Bob McCann says a residential building moratorium would allow for flooding prevention and infrastructure improvements.

  • East County
  • News
Braden River senior Matthew Ireland is all smiles before his match against George Jenkins High's Everett Smith Jan. 18. Ireland won the match by pin and went on to win the 122-pound title of the Ricky Gullet Invitational at Bayshore High.
    By
  • Dylan Campbell
  • January 22, 2025
Wrestler reaches elite level by being a gym rat at Braden River High

Senior wrestler Matthew Ireland looks to be a medal contender at the 2A state tournament in Kissimmee.

  • East County
  • Sports
Those who hire Myakka City's Casey Kantenwein to shoe their horses say his creativity sets him apart from other farriers.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • January 22, 2025
When it comes to TerraNova's horses, this farrier nails it

If the shoe fits, it's probably Casey Kantenwein doing the work.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Sarasota Crew Head Coach Casey Galvanek brings a gold-medal pedigree to his coaching at the youth level. Galvanek coached the U.S. men's four boat to gold at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
    By
  • Dylan Campbell
  • January 22, 2025
Casey Galvanek is more than just a high school coach

Sarasota Crew Head Coach Casey Galvanek overcame chemistry issues with his crew en route to coaching the U.S. men's four boat to a historic gold medal in the 2024 Olympic Games.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Students at William H. Bashaw Elementary School planted a new garden last week with the help from Supervisor of Student Nutrition Skye Grundy (left), EBD self-contain teacher Ms. Bratton, EarthBox representative Will Carlton and Principal James Dougherty.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • January 22, 2025
Bashaw Elementary plants garden to further campus improvement project

The school garden will be used for cooking, math, science lessons — and lunch.

  • East County
  • Schools
The Longboat Key Planning and Zoning Board's Jan. 17 agenda included a discussion on boat dock and lift heights after a recommendation from the town commission.
    By
  • Carter Weinhofer
  • January 22, 2025
Ordinance to raise max boat dock, lift height passed by planning board

With final approval from the Longboat Key Town Commission, the ordinance would allow homeowners to raise boats higher for protection from high surges.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
The home at 3140 Bayou Sound has three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,312 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • January 22, 2025
Top residential real estate sales for Jan. 6-10 in Longboat, Lido, St. Armands, Bird Key

A Bay Isles home on Bayou Sound tops the week's sales at $1.4 million.

  • Longboat Key
  • Real Estate
Meet the two candidates for Longboat's at-large commission seat
    By
  • Carter Weinhofer
  • January 22, 2025
Meet the two candidates for Longboat's at-large commission seat

Deborah Murphy and Steve Branham are up for election for one of the Town Commission's at-large seats, which will be left vacant.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Eleanor Maxim plays a hand a bridge.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • January 22, 2025
Beloved card game helps bridge social gaps

The popularity of bridge clubs on Longboat Key has soared, nearly topping out capacity at The Paradise Center in recent weeks.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Officers don't take social media bait
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • January 22, 2025
Officers don't take social media bait

Two males streaming videos to a popular social media site fail to draw officers into compromising scene. This and other Sarasota Police Department reports in this week's Cops Corner.

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
The Gulf of America: Yes!
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • January 22, 2025
The Gulf of America: Yes!

Given what Mexico has done to the United States, Mexico doesn’t deserve to have that wonderful body of water named after it.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
The new Bridge includes Dan Sullivan, Domini Wood, Renee Nadiv, Lois McKenzie David Siesel, commander Barbara Warshaw, Dennis Holly, Sam Doak and Perry Page
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 21, 2025
Sarasota Power and Sail Squadron holds annual change of watch

The organization, which is dedicated to boating safety, welcomed its new officers including Commander Barbara Warshaw.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Irene Langlois races to the ball during her match.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • January 21, 2025
Observer Challenge tennis tournament players praise new format

Participants in the 25th annual Observer Challenge tennis tournament widely praised the new format of brackets, which eliminated singles matches.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Francesca Bisordi is a sophomore wrestler on the Lakewood Ranch High girls wrestling team. Last season, wrestling in the 170-pound weight class, she was named the Girls 1A District 11 Champion when she pinned Bayshore High's Alexandra Lopez in the tournament last February.
    By
  • Dylan Campbell
  • January 21, 2025
East County Athlete of the Week: Francesca Bisordi

The Lakewood Ranch sophomore wrestler is thriving in her second year in the sport.

  • East County
  • Sports
The National Weather Service predicts the cold weather will persist through the weekend.
    By
  • Jim DeLa
  • January 21, 2025
Bundle up: Series of cold fronts hit Southwest Florida this week

Lows will be in the low 40s for most of the week.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Divers cheerily waved their steins in greeting to attendees at Saturday's Sharktoberfest.
    By
  • Dana Kampa
  • January 21, 2025
Sold-out Sharktoberfest packed to the gills

Despite hurricane-related setbacks, the third annual Sharktoberfest saw robust support from community members looking to support marine research while enjoying craft brews.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
The Winn-Dixie in the Southeast Plaza, at the corner of Bee Ridge Road and McIntosh Road, is being converted to an Aldi, the company said.
    By
  • Jim DeLa
  • January 21, 2025
Sarasota Winn-Dixie to close, reemerge as Aldi

The conversion could take several months, the company said.

  • Sarasota
  • Business
The home at 8458 Pavia Way has three bedrooms, three-and-two-half baths, a pool and 3,754 square feet of living area.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • January 21, 2025
Top residential real estate sales for Jan. 6-10 in Lakewood Ranch

A Lake Club home on Pavia Way tops the week's sales at $3.4 million.

  • East County
  • Real Estate
The Planning and Zoning Board approved an ordinance to allow Verizon to increase the height of its existing wireless cell service poles to allow for better service quality.
    By
  • Carter Weinhofer
  • January 21, 2025
Verizon cell service improvements on the way for Longboat Key

The ordinance for taller poles to improve wireless coverage will now go before the Longboat Key Town Commission in February for public hearings.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Jennifer Walker
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • January 21, 2025
Sarasota resident discusses appearance on 'Wheel of Fortune'

Resident Jenn Walker, a lifelong viewer of "Wheel of Fortune," appeared on a Dec. 5 episode.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Citizen reports suspicious smoker relaxing on the sidewalk
    By
  • Carter Weinhofer
  • January 21, 2025
Citizen reports suspicious smoker relaxing on the sidewalk

Officers investigated the report of a man lying on the side of the road and smoking a cigarette. This and other Longboat Key Police reports in this week's Cops Corner.

  • Longboat Key
  • Cops Corner
Calusa Country Club is hosting a grand opening event on Jan. 23. It will open to the public shortly after.
    By
  • Vinnie Portell
  • January 21, 2025
Calusa Country Club to open in Lakewood Ranch in February

Lakewood Ranch's newest golf course will feature 30 holes and a socialized concept.

  • East County
  • Business
Manatee County's Library Advisory Board will reconvene by April.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • January 21, 2025
Manatee library advisory board set to reconvene

The board hasn't met in over a year but will hold its first meeting by April.

  • East County
  • News
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Latest News

1
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
2
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
3
Evidence discovered in the home of 33-year-old Demond L. Smith who was arrested by Sarasota police on multiple charges.
  • December 20, 2025
Repeat felon faces charges in Sarasota drug bust
4
Keera Herbst, Donn Githens, Kim Verreault and Alexa Olivas help celebrate the opening of the new Longboat Key Goodwill bookstore and donation site on Dec. 18.
  • December 20, 2025
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5
Traffic cleared after fire, bridge malfunction in Sarasota, Longboat
  • December 19, 2025
Traffic cleared after fire, bridge malfunction in Sarasota, Longboat

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