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Your Observer

Smoking hot crawfish from Walt's Fish Market.
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • January 23, 2016
Residents keep warm with Sarasota Seafood & Music Festival

Festival takes over Selby Five Points Park for weekend full of seafood and entertainment.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Lakewood Ranch's LaDazhia Williams finished with 21 points and nine rebounds.
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • January 23, 2016
Mustangs fall in OT

The Lakewood Ranch High girls basketball team narrowly fell to Winter Haven 49-48 in overtime Jan. 23.

  • East County
  • Sports
The Lakewood Ranch High boys soccer team captured its fourth-consecutive district championship Jan. 22.
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • January 23, 2016
Mustangs win fourth straight title

The Lakewood Ranch boys soccer team came from behind to beat Riverview 2-1 in the Class 5A-District 8 championship Jan. 22.

  • East County
  • Sports
Addison and Jimmy Gill dance to the music.
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • January 22, 2016
Braden River Elementary students have a ball

The school hosted its annual Fairy Tale Ball Jan. 22.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Jack Short
  • January 22, 2016
Benderson seeks waiver and extension to plan "Fruitville Initiative"

The Commission will consider whether to allow Benderson to present a rezone request before the required time elapses.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Kristen Herhold
  • January 22, 2016
Beachplace greets seasonal residents

Beachplace Association welcomed back owners at a party Jan. 21.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Kristen Herhold
  • January 22, 2016
Water Club welcomes back residents

Residents of Water Club attended the association’s welcome back party Jan. 21.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • January 22, 2016
Students re-enact Ellis Island at Phillippi Shores

Phillippi Shores Elementary School helps students trace family heritage.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
    By
  • Kristen Herhold
  • January 22, 2016
St. Mary has an Italian feast

St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church Men’s Club hosted its annual Italian Night Jan. 22.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
One team made a butterfly from a strawberry and apple slices.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • January 22, 2016
Freedom Elementary students build with broccoli

Technology Student Association members create scenes from fruits and vegetable

  • East County
  • Schools
A $675,000 seasonal traffic study that’s going to analyze traffic in both Manatee and Sarasota counties is going to need some local money to get it done.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • January 22, 2016
Traffic study needs local funds

A $675,000 study will examine seasonal traffic on the barrier islands but local money is needed to help pay for the study.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Braden River sophomore forward Lexi Madrid battles Ida Baker midfielder Marcela Montoya for the ball in the first half.
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • January 22, 2016
Pirates season ends in regional quarterfinals

The Braden River High girls soccer team fell to Cape Coral Ida Baker 4-3 Jan. 21.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • January 21, 2016
Mermaids makes splash at ODA

ODA students bring 'Little Mermaid' to life.

  • East County
  • Schools
Ed Smith Stadium, which was built in 1989, was named the 2015 Field of the Year for professional baseball. (courtesy photo)
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • January 21, 2016
Ed Smith Stadium named Field of the Year

Over the past six years, 640,000 fans have enjoyed Orioles baseball at Ed Smith Stadium.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Ryelee Lococo dressed as the statue of liberty to signal to passengers that they had arrived at Ellis Island.
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • January 21, 2016
Phillippi Shores reenacts Ellis Island arrivals

Phillippi Shores Elementary students research heritage back to immigrant roots.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
    By
  • Kristen Herhold
  • January 21, 2016
Garden Club finds its roots

The Longboat Key Garden Club honored Florida Arbor Day by donating four trees to the island Jan. 21, at Bicentennial Park.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Rep. Tom Rooney and Joe Hembree
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • January 21, 2016
Argus Foundation welcomes new president

The Argus Foundation hosted its 32nd annual meeting and installed Rod Hershberger as president.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Samantha Bisceglia, of Sarasota, captured this shot of an osprey spreading its wings in its nest.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • January 21, 2016
Sarasota weather page photo: Jan. 21

Samantha Bisceglia, of Sarasota, captured this shot of an osprey spreading its wings in its nest.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • January 21, 2016
East County weather page photo: Jan. 21

John DiGirolamo, of Lakewood Ranch, submitted this sunset photo, captured from his lanai.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
File photo.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • January 21, 2016
Flood warning issued for Myakka River

Flooding should be isolated to the Myakka River State Park.

  • East County
  • News
Wayne Piazza, the general manager of the Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club, will continue in his role under new owner Heritage Golf Group.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • January 21, 2016
Country club life may work out

Struggling industry hopes to get healthy by catering to health-conscious baby boomers

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • January 21, 2016
Wave Volleyball gears up for winter

Wave Volleyball Alliance will hold a six-week winter league, beginning Jan. 24.

  • East County
  • Sports
Stan Singer captured this photo of the sunset casting colors on the water and sand at Beachplace on Longboat Key.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • January 21, 2016
Longboat Key weather page photo: Jan. 21

Stan Singer captured this photo of the sunset casting colors on the water and sand at Beachplace on Longboat Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Members of the Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte counties' school boards discussed their priorities for 2016.
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • January 21, 2016
Manatee County School Board attends joint board meeting to discuss 2016 goals

Among the district's list of priorities for this year is expanding VPK implementation.

  • East County
  • News
DeQuandra Hill will be honored during Sarasota High's Senior Night Jan. 21.
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • January 21, 2016
That's the ticket ...

The top sports happenings this week in Sarasota sports.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
A home in Oyster Bay Estates tops all transactions in this week’s real estate.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • January 21, 2016
Oyster Bay Estates home sells for $3.5 million

The following residential real estate transactions took place between January 4 and January 8.

  • Sarasota
  • Real Estate
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade on Main Street in 1998.
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • January 21, 2016
This week in history 1.21.16

A glimpse of the way things were from the archives.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Amanda Gambert, featured speaker Anna Quindlen, Chairwoman Susan Powers and Heather Clark at the 2015 Legacy Luncheon.
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • January 21, 2016
Sarasota calendar 1.21.16

Sarasota and Siesta Key events for the week of Jan. 21.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Jack Short
  • January 21, 2016
County explores sales tax to help homeless

Though it's no longer working on the shelter concept, Sarasota County is still exploring how to pay for services for the homeless.

  • Sarasota
  • News
T.J. Cochran
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • January 21, 2016
Pine View student shoots for the stars with fashion

Pine View student welcomes NASA scientists in his astronaut best.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • January 21, 2016
WHAT'S HAPPENING: Thunder by the Bay and city elections

WEEK OF JAN. 21

  • Sarasota
  • News
John Moran believes this six-person electric vehicle could serve as the foundation for a downtown transportation service.
    By
  • David Conway
  • January 21, 2016
Downtown circulator route gains momentum

Five years into his quest to establish a downtown transportation service, John Moran believes he’s found the ideal vehicle. Now, he’s working to gather support for the concept.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Arts Alliance Executive Director Jim Shirley and Communications Manager Rachel Denton apply finishing touches to artist Robert Demperio's piano, "A Classical Response to Experimental Composition."
    By
  • David Conway
  • January 21, 2016
Sarasota Keys pianos return for sidewalk encore

The project, organized by the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County, begins its third season Thursday — a tradition that leaders hope to keep alive for a long time.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Parking Manager Mark Lyons believes the city should consider a paid parking system for premium spots, like those on Main Street. The city has not substantively discussed full-time paid parking downtown since 2013.
    By
  • David Conway
  • January 21, 2016
City's lack of comprehensive parking strategy draws questions

In 2014, Sarasota’s parking manager was prepared for a serious conversation about the need for paid parking — so why have officials continued to delay that discussion?

  • Sarasota
  • News
Enjoy this week's edition of Cops Corner.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • January 21, 2016
Cops Corner: Sarasota 01.21.16

Enjoy this week's edition of Cops Corner.

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
Niki Best, Rufino Tegio and Brandon Stockfis look for items to salvage for Nancy Defino, who owns the demolished home.
    By
  • Jack Short
  • January 21, 2016
‘The big boom’

A tornado cut a path across Siesta and the part of the mainland Sunday morning, and caused extensive damage.

  • Sarasota
  • News
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