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Results for:

Sarasota City Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch suggested starting the city manager search over again, including with possibly a new search firm.
  • By Andrew Warfield |
  • April 17, 2025
Sarasota retreats back to the full city manager candidate slate

Eschewing the search firm's recommend list of semifinalists, the Sarasota City Commission now wants to scrutinize all 47 remaining candidates for city manager.

  • Sarasota
  • News
A study done by the Florida Department of Transportation estimated that the current drawbridge is raised about 100-300 times a month.
  • By Carter Weinhofer |
  • November 27, 2024
FDOT identifies 5 Longboat Key projects in 5-year work plan

Included in the draft plan are big ticket projects like preliminary engineering for a Longboat Pass Bridge replacement and Gulf of Mexico Drive resurfacing.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Longboat Key police Sgt. Adam Montfort speaks with bikers pulled over on Gulf of Mexico Drive Friday, Sept. 12 while the department was performing “high visibility enforcement.”
  • By S.T. Cardinal |
  • September 17, 2025
Police presence increases on Longboat for pedestrian safety initiative

The Longboat Key Police Department uses FDOT grant money to have three to four more officers patrolling during its "high visibility enforcement" initiative to educate first, enforce second.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy is one of four schools in the nation to have an agreement with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) to provide high school seniors an opportunity for provisional early acceptance into the medical school.
  • By Madison Bierl |
  • May 13, 2025
LECOM strikes deal with Lakewood Ranch Prep for future acceptance

Lakewood Ranch Prep is the fourth high school in the nation to strike such an agreement with LECOM.

  • East County
  • Schools
Former Sarasota High running back Brian Battie played one season at Auburn University before he was shot in the head on May 18.
  • By Vinnie Portell |
  • June 24, 2025
Former Sarasota High football player faces long recovery after shooting

Auburn University running back Brian Battie was awarded the 2025 Wilma Rudolph Award for his resilience.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
School board member Cindy Spray said "students are students to me." She has the most charter school students in her district. She made a visit to ¡HOLA! Elementary School on April 1. Spray was walking through the hallways and saw Dalba Lopez's music class dancing and they performed a special routine for her.
  • By Madison Bierl |
  • June 4, 2025
Manatee school board will vote to give charters a cut of half-penny tax

Since 2023, charter schools have not received funding from the half-penny sales tax.

  • East County
  • Schools
Former School District of Manatee County Superintendent Jason Wysong
  • By Madison Bierl |
  • May 20, 2025
Manatee School Board fires superintendent

Mainly citing concerns over communication, the Manatee County School Board on Tuesday fired Superintendent Jason Wysong with just over 13 months remaining on his contract.

  • East County
  • Schools
A rendering of the boardwalk and public access of the proposed MarineMax post-storm renovations.
  • By Andrew Warfield |
  • July 16, 2025
City sinks MarineMax lease extension proposal

Rather than granting a 25-year extension beginning 2037, the Sarasota City Commission instructs staff to reopen the lease with MarineMax for the storm-damaged marina on City Island based on an updated fair market appraisal.

  • Sarasota
  • News
UMR Sports currently has four sand volleyball courts, six pickleball courts and a baseball/softball cage.
  • By Lesley Dwyer |
  • October 23, 2024
UMR Sports to expand Upper Manatee River Road footprint

The 52-acre expansion will include ball fields, a pickleball barn, a miniature golf course and apartments.

  • East County
  • News
Milene Moreira, Jessé Martins and Nadine Trudel
  • By Ian Swaby |
  • August 29, 2025
Church hits the high note to wrap up its midsummer series

Part of St. Armands Key Lutheran Church's Midsummer Music Festival, the event focused on lesser-known pieces.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
A panther kitten peeks out from its den.
  • By Lesley Dwyer |
  • July 15, 2025
Manatee County wildlife corridor faces funding challenges

Over 18 million acres are listed to eventually be part of the state's wildlife corridor.

  • East County
  • News
Lakewood Ranch CERT's Dick Plotkin and Dave Esslinger talk about using drones after a hurricane to help the community.
  • By Jay Heater |
  • March 20, 2025
Lakewood Ranch CERT explores the use of drones

Manatee County Sheriff's Office explains its use of drones during a CERT meeting at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall.

  • East County
  • News
Sisters Marilyn Woodstock, Paula Piekos and Jan Owens pay a visit to their favorite artist, Pat Lundy, at the annual Longboat Key Town Hall Art Exhibition and Artists' Reception.
  • By Dana Kampa |
  • April 15, 2025
Longboat Key Town Hall extravaganza unites art appreciators

Attending this annual celebration of local artists has become an annual tradition for sisters living across the country.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
A 30,000-gallon water tower sits towards the back of the station. It supplies water for the station's emergency sprinkler system.
  • By Lesley Dwyer |
  • September 30, 2024
East Manatee Fire Rescue prepares to unveil new Myakka City station

A grand opening celebration will be held on Oct. 19 at 10215 Wauchula Road.

  • East County
  • News
White Sands Cabanas after Hurricane Helene
  • By Ian Swaby |
  • November 21, 2024
Architecture Sarasota leads effort to repair historic buildings in wake of hurricanes

Its disaster recovery program "Restoring a Sense of Place" is helping buildings navigate challenges that include buildings code requirements.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Jenny and Mike Schenk are husband and wife and co-owners of Pineapple Kitchen.
  • By Lesley Dwyer |
  • September 15, 2025
Manasota BUDS reaps harvest of Pineapple Kitchen's special event

Mac and cheese, apple fritters and hot toddies were on the menu to raise money for the nonprofit.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Medians located along Bay Isles Rd. next to Town Hall.
  • By Eric Garwood |
  • July 2, 2025
Bay Isles Road could get a sprucing up

A project to replace storm-doomed trees in the median on Longboat Key's Bay Isles Road gains favorable reception.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
The sidewalks and shoulders of the Cortez Bridge will experience closures during Manatee County's utility relocation project.
  • By Carter Weinhofer |
  • December 27, 2024
Utility relocation for Cortez Bridge project will continue through 2025

The work will likely close the shoulder areas of the Cortez Bridge area intermittently through the year.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Schroeder-Manatee Ranch has a contract with Manatee County to build a roundabout on University Parkway where Legacy Boulevard meets Deer Drive.
  • By Lesley Dwyer |
  • August 8, 2025
Planned University Parkway roundabout sparks debate but no action

Technical issues stop the Manatee County Commission from ending the debate and any attempts to stop the roundabout.

  • East County
  • News
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office began flying its new Bell 429 helicopter this spring.
  • By Eric Garwood |
  • April 19, 2025
Sarasota Sheriff's Office adds safety, abilities with new helicopter

The aircraft is designed to make rooftop rescues possible with greater hoisting power.

  • Sarasota
  • News
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