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Your Observer

    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • March 11, 2015
Ready for Business

Goodwill Manasota will open its first East County store March 19.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • March 11, 2015
Veteran cooks up success after culinary program

Success is sweet for U.S. Army veteran Jason Jenkins, who has his first full-time culinary role after completing the Vets 2 Chefs program.

  • East County
  • News
District Engineer Rick Schappacher observed signs of distress on Westbound Stone Harbour Loop.
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • March 11, 2015
Community plans to fill in the cracks

Heritage Harbour South is gearing up for phased road repairs that could be costly.

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • March 11, 2015
Group sews sweet dreams for hospital patients

Dionne Chang hopes her group, Sewing for Sweet Dreams, will help brighten hospital patients’ rooms and moods.

  • East County
  • News
A group of eight students make up Lakewood Ranch High School’s first Poetry Club.
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • March 11, 2015
LWR High students give poetry justice

Lakewood Ranch High students who are versed in poetry meet each week to share their writings.

  • East County
  • News
Nolan Middle School eighth-grade students Alana Kelly, Megan Peters and Cassandra Atzrodt crafted a medical-based project that contributed to the school’s 14 first-place wins.
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • March 11, 2015
TSA competition winners stem from East County schools

Nolan Middle School’s team won’t take a vacation from preparing for its next competition this summer.

  • East County
  • News
Dave Bullock
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • March 11, 2015
Commission confident Bullock isn’t leaving town

Who will be Longboat Key’s next town manager if Dave Bullock opts to retire? Commissioners don’t think they need to start the search just yet.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Community Haven and other officials and future Marlene’s House residents toss dirt for a ceremonial ground-breaking ceremony March 5.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • March 11, 2015
Community Haven breaks ground on group home

Marlene’s House will give its nine residents a home of their own.

  • East County
  • News
Pam Eubanks London, Pilgrim, Jenny and Aiden Benham sit beneath a sign that hangs in the living room of their Creekwood home that says “SDG.” The letters stand for “soli Deo gloria,” or “All glory to God.” Bach wrote the reference at the bottom of all his
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • March 11, 2015
Pastor makes progress with Shoreline Church

The Rev. Pilgrim Benham believes the new Shoreline Church fills a void in Lakewood Ranch.

  • East County
  • News
Amanda Zipperer works for Lakewood Ranch Commercial Realty.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • March 11, 2015
Q&A: with Amanda Zipperer

Amanda Zipperer manages Lakewood Ranch Main Street.

  • East County
  • News
Lois and Nick Mancuso were the second family to close on a home in Cascades. They love the community’s close-knit feel, amenities and social opportunities.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • March 11, 2015
Cascades community celebrates 10 years

The East County community offers residents classes such as pottery and line dancing, as well as other amenities.

  • East County
  • Real Estate
    By
  • Alex Mahadevan
  • March 11, 2015
Dent’s chief of staff files for 2016 election

Supervisor of Elections second-in-command Ron Turner has filed to run for Kathy Dent’s post in the 2016 election.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Bayfront Park plans are moving forward as cost estimates are reduced.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • March 11, 2015
Project Longboat: A town timeline

The following projects are on the town’s agenda for the next two years.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Anabel Procel takes a turn on the barrel horse game with assistantance from Kristina Ihaszy at the Phillippi Farmhouse Market. Megan Swick plays a fishing game with her son Bernard.
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • March 11, 2015
Children's Day offers fun, games

Children were able to join in on the fun at the Phillippi Farmhouse Market on Wednesday, March 11.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • March 11, 2015
Cops Corner: Longboat Key 03.12.15

Enjoy this week's edition of Cops Corner.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Beachgoers have no recreational beach to walk on behind L’Ambiance at high tide.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • March 11, 2015
Beach loss erodes property owners’ wallets

L’Ambiance’s vanishing beach could also cause a $465,000 insurance credit to disappear.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • March 11, 2015
Q&A: Chris and Ethna Lynch

Chris and Ethna Lynch explain how to celebrate St. Patrick's Day like an Irish lad or lass.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Thing 1 and Cat in the Hat pose with student Aubrey Hoonhout.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • March 11, 2015
Birthday bash

Kiddie Academy of Lakewood Ranch held a special birthday celebration for Dr. Seuss March 2. Parents read children Dr. Seuss stories, and children also enjoyed green eggs and ham, crafts and a surprise appearance by Cat in the Hat.

  • East County
  • News
Mayor Jim Brown
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • March 11, 2015
The legacy of Jim Brown

Outgoing Longboat Key Mayor Jim Brown handled his tenure professionally, competently and with the right humor, humility and authority. His successors should keep him in mind.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • March 10, 2015
Women's shooting group aims for new chapter

Virginia-based Girls Really Into Shooting hopes to start a local women-only shooting group in Lakewood Ranch

  • East County
  • News
Kristina Bilicki Paape, unit chair, with award winners Mary Beth Schrowang, Kathryn Shea and Wayne Applebee.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • March 10, 2015
Wayne Applebee selected for National Association of Social Workers award

The Sarasota Manatee unit selected Applebee as citizen of the year

  • Sarasota
  • News
Manatee County officials hope Fort Hamer Bridge will help ease congestion on nearby roads, such as Interstate 75.
    By
  • Amanda Sebastiano
  • March 10, 2015
Groundbreaking ceremony set for East County projects

The Manatee County Public Works Department celebrates breaking ground on Fort Hamer Bridge, other local projects

  • East County
  • News
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • March 10, 2015
Phillippi Shores students compete in Measurement Olympics

The students of Phillippi Shores Elementary International Baccalaureate School spent Friday morning throwing paper planes, pouring water and tossing cotton balls for the 3rd annual Measurement Olympics March 6.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Kristen Herhold
  • March 10, 2015
Longboat Key election day

Residents of Longboat Key voiced their democracy on March 10.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Courtesy photo of Gloria and Louis Flanzer.
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • March 10, 2015
Flanzer leaves legacy of helping

Dedicated philanthropist Gloria Flanzer strived to always help in community

  • Sarasota
  • News
Candidates Jack Daly and Phill Younger
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • March 10, 2015
Daly, Younger win commission seats

Jack Daly and Phill Younger won seats on the Longboat Key Town Commission in the town's general municipal election.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Four candidates will face off in the May 12 runoff election.
    By
  • David Conway
  • March 10, 2015
Headed to runoff, commission race takes partisan turn

City Commission races may be nonpartisan, but the local Democratic and Republican parties say they’ll fight to give their runoff candidates a fair shot of winning May 12.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Right: Shelli Eddie with her parents Thomas and Martha Bullitt.
    By
  • Amanda Morales
  • March 10, 2015
PHOTO GALLERY: City Commission Watch Party

Friends, family and supporters all gathered to wait for results Tuesday night for the City Commission races for District 2 and 3.

  • Sarasota
  • News
    By
  • Kristen Herhold
  • March 10, 2015
Longboat Key Democratic Club luncheon

Longboat Key democrats gathered for the Democratic Club’s monthly luncheon on March 10.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
    By
  • Kristen Herhold
  • March 10, 2015
Israel Tennis Center annual exhibition

Longboat Key welcomed five youth tennis players from Israel for Israel Tennis Center’s annual exhibition and dinner at Longboat Key Club on March 10.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Co-Chairs Mike and Dawn Baer
    By
  • Heather Merriman Saba
  • March 10, 2015
6th annual Friendship Center Gala ‘Friendship Around the World’

The 6th annual Friendship Center Gala benefits Friendship Centers programs and services.

  • Black Tie
Polls are open until 7 p.m. today.
    By
  • Robin Hartill
  • March 10, 2015
Longboat Key polls open for election day

Voting hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today for the town's general municipal election.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • March 10, 2015
Jono Miller briefs CONA on Sarasota County parks and conservation efforts

Jono Miller, a Sarasota County resident who's served on multiple county advisory board concerning conservation and preservation, discussed the challenges facing the county.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The east esplanade walkway is finished, featuring a blue, green and stone colored pattern.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • March 9, 2015
Playground, picnic areas open at Siesta Key beach

Parts of the Siesta Key Beach improvements opened Saturday.

  • Sarasota
  • News
More than 3,000 absentee ballots have been cast in the city election, according to Supervisor of Elections Kathy Dent.
    By
  • David Conway
  • March 9, 2015
Dent optimistic about Sarasota election turnout

Although six days of early voting in the City Commission race saw fewer than 600 residents cast ballots, the Supervisor of Elections says absentee voting has buoyed turnout figures.

  • Sarasota
  • News
A new Aldi is headed to East County.
    By
  • Kurt Schultheis
  • March 9, 2015
Aldi approved for East County

Aldi is adding a second grocer location to Manatee County and its first East County location.

  • East County
  • News
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Santa greets visitors from the window of 9605 Governor's Club Place in The River Club.
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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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