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Your Observer

Co-Chairs Peggy Roberts and Donna Koffman
    By
  • Heather Merriman Saba
  • April 15, 2015
Blue Ties & Butterflies

Child Protection Center hosted its 3rd annual Blue Ties & Butterflies event on Wednesday, April 15, at Michael's On East.

  • Black Tie
Paul Tarantino, Lisa Morris, host Howard Rooks and Bunny Skirboll
    By
  • Heather Merriman Saba
  • April 15, 2015
Compeer Celebration

Guests attended Compeer Inc.'s Compeer Celebration on Wednesday, April 15, at a private home.

  • Black Tie
City Commission candidate Liz Alpert says the attack ad was evidence her opponent is desperate to make up the gap from March's election.
    By
  • David Conway
  • April 15, 2015
Political committee attack targets City Commission candidate

A Tampa-based political action committee sent a mailer to city residents this week attacking the financial history of candidate Liz Alpert.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Sarasota Memorial CEO David Verinder with Dr. John Fogarty, dean of FSU College of Medicine and chair of the Council of Florida Medical School Deans. Photo courtesy of Sarasota Memorial Hospital.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • April 15, 2015
Sarasota Memorial, FSU announce residency program

The program, if accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, is two years from launch.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Resort at Longboat Key General Manager Jeff Mayers, AAA Field Manager Don Schwartz and Resort at Longboat Key Director of Communications Sandra Rios
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 15, 2015
Business briefs

Key Club receives 32nd AAA Four Diamond Award; Bayfront home sells for $3.2 million; Pettingell lists and sells $4.55 million Bird Key home; Coldwell Banker honors top agents

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Courtesy of Doctor's Hospital of Sarasota. Michael Schandorf
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • April 15, 2015
Doctors Hospital announces Physician of the Year

Every year the employees of Doctors Hospital of Sarasota nominate a Physician of the Year. The honor for 2015 was given to Dr. Michael Schandorf-Lartey.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Sturkey
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • April 15, 2015
Founding pastor dies after surgery

Dave Sturkey, who led Cornerstone of Lakewood Ranch for 18 years, died April 6, following a heart procedure.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Nicholas Gesualdi and Nicholas Nesser go head-to-head in the one-on-one competition during last year’s Pirates Summer Basketball Camp. File photo
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • April 15, 2015
Sidelines

Mustangs hold off Bobcats; Cardinal Mooney wins district crown; Cougars notch district win; Pirates to hold basketball camp; BRSC to hold tournament this weekend

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • April 15, 2015
Pirates hold off Mustangs

The Braden River High softball team beat Lakewood Ranch 6-5 in eight innings of the Class 7A-District 10 semifinals April 14.

  • East County
  • Sports
This home at 14614 Secret Harbor Place has three bedrooms, three and a half baths, a pool and 2,878 square feet of living area. It sold for $790,000.
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • April 15, 2015
Grosvenor Gardens home sells for $1.06 million

A home in Grosvenor Gardens tops all transactions in this week’s real estate.

  • East County
  • Real Estate
This home at 1400 John Ringling Parkway sold for $2.9 million. Photo by Kristen Herhold
    By
  • Adam Hughes
  • April 15, 2015
John Ringling Parkway home sells for $2.9 million

A home on Lido tops all transactions in this week’s real estate.

  • Longboat Key
  • Real Estate
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • April 15, 2015
Expo tests, educates residents on health

Find free screenings, discussions and demonstrations on healthy lifestyle how-tos at the annual Health & Wellness Expo.

  • East County
  • News
The new crane habitat houses 10 cranes and is the center’s largest habitat. Photos by Kristen Herhold
    By
  • Kristen Herhold
  • April 15, 2015
Craneville hatches at Save Our Seabirds

Injured sandhill cranes get a home of their own at the City Island rescue and rehab facility.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
The office building at 6350 Gulf of Mexico Drive houses five tenants. Eventually, the church will transition the building to its own office space and a meeting facility for church members. Photo by Kurt Schultheis
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • April 15, 2015
Christ Church gives blessing to office purchase

Before members can meet their spiritual needs at Sunday services, they have an earthly need: more parking on the ground.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Mark Walsh, vice president of Delray Beach-based Ocean Properties Ltd., has been making weekly trips to Longboat Key to inform community associations about the upcoming referendum May 12. Photo by Kurt Schultheis
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • April 15, 2015
Q+A with Mark Walsh

All eyes are on Mark Walsh, vice president of Delray Beach-based Ocean Properties Ltd., as Longboaters prepare to vote in a special mail-only referendum.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 15, 2015
MARKET WATCH | What fuels the current economy?

There is little to say that is bad about the existing economy, short term, but many potential problems exist long term.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • April 15, 2015
Town pitches traffic study for mainland/barrier island

Longboat Key Mayor Jack Duncan said for the first time during his tenure on Longboat Key he’s hearing that residents are rethinking living on Longboat Key because of traffic problems.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Adam Caldwell, 17, visited Israel last year through the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee’s Young Ambassador’s Program. That trip focused on Israeli culture and history. Photo by Pam Eubanks
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • April 15, 2015
March of a Lifetime

GreyHawk Landing’s Adam Caldwell, 17, takes steps to make sure the Holocaust is never forgotten.

  • East County
  • News
John Korff, creator of the Sarasota Music Half Marathon, wanted the first-year race to be a “moving party” to make sure it becomes a go-to race for the area. Photo by Pam Eubanks
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • April 15, 2015
Marathon organizer sounds off for LWR Business Alliance

Sarasota Music Half Marathon founder John Korff calls the event a ‘13.1-mile moving party.’

  • East County
  • News
Heritage Harbour South CDD supervisor Tad Parker believes a refinance would benefit residents and make sense.
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • April 15, 2015
Lighthouse Cove bond re-fi yields savings

What would you do with a $43 to $50 windfall?

  • East County
  • News
Jim and Amanda Baar and Mary Jo Baar (not pictured) hike a 14-mile trail near Gainesville to prepare for the 28.3-mile hike they’ll complete next month in South Carolina. Courtesy photo
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • April 15, 2015
Family puts best feet forward for 28.3-mile hike

The Baars will hike 10 hours on a trail to raise money for cancer research for two reasons: Joey and Matthew.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • April 15, 2015
Villa project gains traction

Neal Communities will learn May 7, whether it can build 92 paired villas near the Cascades community.

  • East County
  • News
Manatee County School District officials anticipate an annual growth of 800 students countywide for the next four years.
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • April 15, 2015
Growing pains

Manatee County is considering three new schools, including a new East County high school. But first, it must answer the $150 million question of funding.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 15, 2015
News briefs

Assistance available for residents; Libraries celebrate namesake week

  • East County
  • News
Wal-Mart Neighborhood Markets offer Wal-Mart brand groceries and are smaller than the corporation’s super centers. Courtesy photo
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • April 15, 2015
What’s in store for former Winn Dixie site?

A Walmart Neighborhood Market could be in store for the southeast corner of Lockwood Ridge Road and State Road 70.

  • East County
  • News
Carol Turner-Dembrowski and her husband, Jim, turned their household of two into a full house of six after adopting their Golden Girls — Penny, Candy, Buttons and Bambi. Photo by Amanda Sebastiano
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • April 15, 2015
Golden Girls shine in new home

Four senior dogs at Nate’s Honor Animal Rescue find the most precious gift of all: a forever home.

  • East County
  • News
A hearing today in U.S. Bankruptcy Judge K. Rodney May’s courtroom involves reviewing sanctions for Colony Lender LLC. File photo
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • April 15, 2015
Colony Lender, Unicorp face sanctions

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge K. Rodney May will order both entities to dismiss lawsuits against unit owners and consider what monetary damages they should face.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
A man was pronounced dead at the scene of a car crash on Gulf of Mexico Drive near Pattigeorge’s restaurant, 4120 Gulf of Mexico Drive.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • April 15, 2015
Bradenton man dies in GMD crash

A head-on collision resulted in the death of one man and sent another man to the hospital.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Mark Walsh, vice president of Ocean Properties, and Andy Berger, vice president of operations for Ocean Properties, have been making weekly trips to Longboat Key from Delray Beach to present a rough sketch of a future Key Club project.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • April 15, 2015
Checkout time

Voters will decide May 12 whether Ocean Properties can proceed with a plan that could yield a 259-unit hotel, 93 condominiums and seven villa units.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • April 15, 2015
OUR VIEW | The May referendum

The May 12 vote is not a referendum giving the Resort at Longboat Key Club the approval to expand. But it is a vote that will determine the future prosperity of Longboat Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Gabriel Overmyer, Daron Lowery and Jamie Jeffcoat are all competing in the state weightlifting tournament for the first time. Photo by Jen Blanco
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • April 15, 2015
Mustangs advance to state

Three LWR wrestlers will compete in the Class 2A FHSAA Boys Weightlifting Championships April 17. , in Kissimmee.

  • East County
  • Sports
Sarasota resident Jason Collins began coaching the South Florida Gymnastics boys team about 18 months ago. Photo by Jen Blanco
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • April 15, 2015
Coach earns acclaim

South Florida Gymnastics boys coach Jason Collins raises the bar as the 2015 USA Gymnastics Florida Compulsory Coach of the Year.

  • East County
  • Sports
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • April 15, 2015
High five moments of the week

The top five sports moments of the week.

  • East County
  • Sports
Jen Horvat has done marketing for a museum, AOL and a variety of other organizations. Photo by Pam Eubanks
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • April 15, 2015
Conversation with Jen Horvat

When GreyHawk Landing resident Jennifer Horvat moved to the area from Michigan four years ago, she took her time determining for which organization she wanted to volunteer.

  • East County
  • News
Embracing Our Differences is one of the many organizations Debbie Haspel and her husband, Larry, are involved with in Sarasota. “Larry is on the Embracing Our Differences Advisory Committee and we sponsored this panel in the Marina Jack’s exhibit,” says D
    By
  • Heather Merriman Saba
  • April 15, 2015
People with Purpose: Debbie Haspel

In 2009, Debbie Haspel moved to Sarasota to retire and play golf. Since then, she’s become involved in a variety of causes and serves on the board of three organizations — but she hasn’t golfed in a year.

  • Black Tie
Longboat Key residents have complained that traffic congestion has been worse than ever this season. File photo
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • April 15, 2015
Traffic is top concern for future project

Mark Walsh, vice president of Ocean Properties Ltd., has tried to address every concern residents have about a future Longboat Key Club Islandside project, including density, height and development relocation.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
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Latest News

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Letters to Santa carry Christmas wishes and love
  • December 21, 2025
Letters to Santa carry Christmas wishes and love
2
Sue Wertman has rung the bell outside the Publix on Longboat Key on behalf of the Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key since 2013.
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Sarasota Memorial Hospital's Kolschowsky Research and Education Institute.
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The Family Church caroling crew from left to right is Melody Johnson, Laurie Houston, Nancy Pilato, Pastor Phil Derstine and Terrial Robinson.
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East Manatee church members will go through bars to spread Christmas joy

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