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Your Observer

Mary Anne Maginot teaches math at Nolan Middle School.
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • December 14, 2015
Nolan Middle teacher selected as Educator of the Year finalist

Math teacher Mary Ann Maginot is among four teachers in the running for the Excellence in Education Awards.

  • East County
  • News
Hunter Reed won the 120-pound weight class to help lead the Lakewood Ranch High wrestling team to a first-place finish at the 21st Annual Cougar Invitational Dec. 11 and Dec. 12.
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • December 14, 2015
Mustangs win Cougar Invite

The Lakewood Ranch High wrestling team won the 21-team tournament Dec. 11 and Dec. 12.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • December 13, 2015
BHS Key Club satisfies sweet tooth with gingerbread house

The Booker High School Key Club creates an entry for the CYD Gingerbread Festival.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Kristen Herhold
  • December 13, 2015
Tennis Center aces Observer Challenge

The 16th annual Observer Challenge tennis tournament hosted 124 players on Dec. 11 to 13, at the Longboat Key Public Tennis Center.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Santa Claus reels in a catch on the back of entry 4.
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • December 13, 2015
Boats light up Sarasota Bay for parade of lights

Boats light up Sarasota Bay for parade of lights

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
This entry was from Seaward Crossfit.
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • December 13, 2015
CYD awards Gingerbread Festival winners

More than 150 Gingerbread Festival entries on display at Westfield Sarasota Square Mall.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Participants on the first lap of the 8.8-mile route.
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • December 13, 2015
Longboards roll through Siesta Key Village

CaliFlorida hosts Longboard Extravaganza races Saturday, Dec. 13 around Siesta Key.

  • Siesta Key
  • Neighbors
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer gets in position for the start of the one-mile fun run.
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • December 12, 2015
Runners sprint to finish Sandy Claws Beach Run

Sarasota County Parks and Recreation hosts 39th annual Sandy Claws 5K and fun run on Siesta Key.

  • Siesta Key
  • Neighbors
New owner Jon Whittemore reads a plaque dedicated to course designer Arnold Palmer at Legacy Golf Club of Lakewood Ranch.
    By
  • Jay Heater
  • December 12, 2015
On course to a brighter future

New owners say personal attention will make the difference at Legacy Golf Club at Lakewood Ranch.

  • East County
  • News
Sam and David Howard with Dani Mallitt and Garret Pearson and their menorahs.
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • December 12, 2015
Temple Emanu-El hosts Hanukkah Happening

Families celebrate the sixth night of Hanukkah together at Temple Emanu-El

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Artist Christopher Eisenberg performed on the stage for attendees.
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • December 12, 2015
Residents take a merry stroll through Southside Village

The annual Southside Village Holiday Stroll wins over the Grinch.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Lakewood Ranch kids Devin Raines, left, finishes up his cookie while Alexa Thornton, right, takes a bite. "It's good!" she said.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • December 11, 2015
Lakewood Ranch Main Street fills with holiday cheer

Community Activities held its annual Holidays around the Ranch Friday.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • December 11, 2015
Pirates hoops to hold Pancake Breakfast

The Braden River High boys basketball team will host an All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Breakfast Dec. 12.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Jack Short
  • December 11, 2015
Seagrass health improves in Sarasota Bay

Coverage has increased dramatically, returning to levels not seen since the 1950s.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The event includes a flashlight night walk, where attendees can admire the 12 Days of Christmas displays at Lake Manatee State Park. Courtesy photo by Rosalie Coddington.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • December 11, 2015
Weekend Best Bet: Holiday Reflections at the Lake

Lake Manatee State Park hosts first annual holiday family event.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Taco Bus had planned to open on Main Street in downtown Sarasota, but re-assigned their lease to a Tampa company.
    By
  • Alex Mahadevan
  • December 11, 2015
Taco Bus nixes downtown Sarasota location

The owners of the Cask & Ale cocktail bars in Tampa Bay have shown interest in the Main Street space.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Samantha Crawford, Bea Kelly, Sarah Johnson, Patty McGuire and Emma Diner with Sarasota Sings provided entertainment for the holiday luncheon.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • December 11, 2015
Palm-Aire Women's Club hosts holiday luncheon

The members filled the country club will festivity Friday, Dec. 11.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Drop off a new, unwrapped toy valued at $5 at the Longboat Key Police Department, 5460 Gulf of Mexico Drive.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • December 11, 2015
Town collecting items for Toys for Tots

Drop off a new, unwrapped toy valued at $5 at Longboat Key Town Hall or the Longboat Key Police Department.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
FDOT anticipates temporary detour routes on University Parkway at I-75, exit 213, interchange at night and overnight from Dec. 14 through Dec. 17.
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • December 11, 2015
FDOT announces I-75 and University Parkway detours, closures

Construction on the Diverging Diamond Interchange will cause traffic interruptions Dec. 14 through Dec. 17.

  • East County
  • News
Bunny Skirboll and Ann Hartka
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • December 11, 2015
Compeer treasures friendships with jam session

Compeer Jam brings friends together for a night of food and music at Sarasota Architectural Salvage.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • December 11, 2015
Mustangs notch district win

The Lakewood Ranch High boys soccer team topped Sarasota 4-1 Dec. 10.

  • East County
  • Sports
Amelia Villa Mosqueda and Chiara Diaz play Ralph the Reindeer and the Candy Cane Kid.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • December 11, 2015
Willis Elementary hosts holiday hoedown

The school's Western-themed winter play was held Thursday, Nov. 10.

  • East County
  • Schools
    By
  • Kristen Herhold
  • December 11, 2015
Chamber gets in the holiday spirit

Members of the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce gathered for a holiday Business After Hours Dec. 10, at Harry’s Continental Kitchens.

  • Longboat Key
  • Business
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • December 11, 2015
Sarasota Polo Club player retrains racehorses for a new profession

Nick Johnson converts failed racehorses to polo ponies.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Kristen Herhold
  • December 10, 2015
Christ Church makes Santa’s nice list

Christ Church of Longboat Key, Presbyterian hosted a Christmas party for 75 of their reading buddies on Dec. 10.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Kristen Herhold
  • December 10, 2015
Game, set match: It’s time for the Observer Challenge

The 16th annual Observer Challenge tournament kicked off with a cocktail party on Dec. 10, at the Longboat Key Public Tennis Center.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Sarasota County Homeless Services Director Wayne Applebee, in front of a private residence on Butler Avenue that the county identified as a potential shelter site.
    By
  • Jack Short
  • December 10, 2015
County defends possible shelter locations

Homeless don’t commit more crimes than people who own homes, according to Sarasota County representatives.

  • Siesta Key
  • News
Harvey Vengroff at the Oakridge Apartments, formerly Sarasota Airport Hotel. Photo by Mark Wemple
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • December 10, 2015
Find a way to say yes

Capital flows where it is welcome. So Sarasota entrepreneur Harvey Vengroff is taking his capital to Manatee. City commissioners could change the story with leadership.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
"We're on the homestretch," said Nancy's BBQ owner Nancy Krohngold. The final touches are wrapping up at her new Lakewood Ranch location, Li'l Nancy's at the Ranch.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • December 10, 2015
Barbecue and beer opening on Lakewood Ranch Main Street

Li’l Nancy’s Barbecue is slated to open before Christmas; Craft Growlers to Go will open in January.

  • East County
  • News
The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort Association’s annual owners meeting will start as scheduled 9 a.m. Dec. 15 on Longboat Key.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • December 10, 2015
Judge blesses Colony owners’ meeting

Owners are also scheduled to hear development presentations from the MW Development Group/The Lutgert Cos. and Unicorp President Chuck Whittall Dec. 15.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Courtesy Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • December 10, 2015
Mystery solved for sandbar party

Did someone host a company party on a Big Pass sandbar?

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Alex Mahadevan
  • December 10, 2015
Developer plans upscale Rosemary hotel

Boston-based developer Jason Cincotta is moving ahead with plans for a 76-room hotel at 599 Cocoanut Ave.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Kristen Herhold
  • December 10, 2015
Garden Club falls in Amore

The Longboat Key Garden Club celebrated the holidays Dec. 9, at Amore by Andrea.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Rather than exchanging gifts, Manatee County schools nurses donated money to send two special needs students to camp.
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • December 10, 2015
Manatee County schools nurses sponsor two Dream Oaks campers

The women donated $675 to provide camp scholarships.

  • East County
  • News
Chase Maasdorp scored 13 points for ODA in its victory versus St. Petersburg Canterbury School Dec. 7.
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • December 10, 2015
Sarasota Sidelines: 12.10.15

Sarasota Sidelines: 12.10.15

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Fisher Schlabach, Trey Lantz, Garrett Mullenax, Grady Martin and Julian Soriano are enjoying every minute they get to spend on the soccer field with Tony Colton.
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • December 10, 2015
No time for excuses

Sarasota Christian sophomore returned to the soccer field this fall after his fourth battle with Clear-cell sarcoma — a rare form of kidney cancer.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
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