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Results for:

A new historical marker was dedicated at Gillespie Park.
  • By Ian Swaby |
  • March 12, 2025
New Gillespie Park historical marker honors Sarasota's first mayor

The new marker honors the contributions of John Hamilton Gillespie, the "father of Sarasota," in the park bearing his name.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Destroyed landscape outside a home on North Washington Drive on St. Armands.
  • By Carter Weinhofer |
  • January 8, 2025
Garden Club teaches best practices for post-storm landscape restoration

The Longboat Key Garden Club brought local coastal experts to inform residents about the importance of Florida-friendly vegetation when restoring landscaping after the hurricanes.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
A concept map for the Emerson Point expansion.
  • By Lesley Dwyer |
  • March 17, 2024
Manatee County will offer $15.5M to expand Emerson Point Preserve

If sold to the county, the 98-acre property will increase the size of the existing preserve by a third.

  • East County
  • News
Peter Rothstein's a capella musical, "All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914" plays at The Ringling's Historic Asolo Theater through Dec. 22.
  • By Marty Fugate |
  • December 12, 2024
Asolo Rep's 'All Is Calm' re-creates a quiet Christmas miracle

Peter Rothstein's moving a capella musical tells a true story with recovered words and timeless songs.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Reviews
Police investigate suspicious packaging scattered along patio
  • By Carter Weinhofer |
  • March 9, 2025
Police investigate suspicious packaging scattered along patio

A resident called to report what appeared to be packaging tossed around her patio by an animal or a person. This and other Longboat Key Police reports in this week's Cops Corner.

  • Longboat Key
  • Cops Corner
Bruno Wu serves hamburgers.
  • By Ian Swaby |
  • October 17, 2024
Businesses step up to offer meals to those in need

Amid the power outages and aftermath of Hurricane Milton, free hamburgers and hot dogs were on offer.

  • Sarasota
  • Business
Longboat Key Police Department officers were sworn in by the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office to allow them to cross jurisdictions specifically with marine patrol.
  • By Carter Weinhofer |
  • March 18, 2025
Group of Longboat PD officers sworn in with Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office

The cross-jurisdictional agreement helps build relations between agencies and allows the officers to enforce Florida law between the boundaries.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Theater critic Marty Fugate attended Asolo Conservatory's 2024 production of "Romeo and Juliet" twice — once without hearing aids and the second time with them.
  • By Marty Fugate |
  • August 23, 2024
A theater critic tackles his hearing loss

For Observer contributor Marty Fugate, becoming hearing-impaired theatened his livelihood.

  • Arts + Culture
Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche reported a double-digit drop in overall crime rates for the second straight year in 2024.
  • By Andrew Warfield |
  • March 26, 2025
Sarasota crime rate drops 40% in two years

Police Chief Rex Troche attributes the downward trend in overall crime — a reduction of 22.2% in 2024, not including the homicides — to continued advancements in using technology.

  • Sarasota
  • News
The Celery Fields is a more than 300-acre property that doubles as Sarasota County's primary stormwater collection zone as well as a public park and bird estuary.
  • By Jim DeLa |
  • December 3, 2024
Opponents of development near Celery Fields gearing up for next battle

Sarasota County commissioners will decide the matter early next year.

  • Sarasota
  • News
David Green served on the Planning and Zoning Board for six years.
  • By Carter Weinhofer |
  • April 28, 2024
Planning & Zoning chair to move from Longboat and board position

David Green spent six years on Longboat Key's Planning and Zoning Board. His resignation, effective in May, was a decision to move closer to family.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Dream Oaks Camp offers outdoor activities like canoeing and horseback riding.
  • By Lesley Dwyer |
  • August 28, 2024
Foundation for Dreams strikes a deal with Manatee County on 62-acre property

The nonprofit that serves children with disabilities signed a 10-year license agreement with Manatee County.

  • East County
  • News
In defense of developers
  • By Matt Walsh |
  • August 14, 2024
In defense of developers

It was certainly a cringe moment recently when former Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight, who is running for the District 3 Sarasota County Commission seat, made a comment about the region’s most prominent developers.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
This Country Club home at 12523 Highfield Circle sold for $3.7 million. It has three bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths, a pool and 6,111 square feet of living area.
  • By Adam Hughes |
  • September 17, 2024
Top residential real estate sales for Sept. 2-6 in Lakewood Ranch

A Country Club home on Highfield Circle tops the week's sales at $3.7 million.

  • East County
  • Real Estate
Erik Arroyo speaks to his fellow city commissioners, staff and residents during his final address as a Sarasota city commissioner.
  • By Andrew Warfield |
  • November 11, 2024
Arroyo relieved to be relieved of City Commission seat

The outgoing District 3 representative and former mayor pledges to remain involved as the next Sarasota City Commission is sworn in without him.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Sean Rabus, who is 5, defies the odds every day, making his mother, Maureen Flood Rabus, beam with pride.
  • By Liz Ramos |
  • November 11, 2024
Lakewood Ranch family to support epilepsy research with Seany's Shuffle

Sean Rabus is defying the odds as he continues to thrive living with Menkes disease, a rare type of epilepsy.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Country Club's Nancy Opresnick says she loves creating a work of art out of a lump of clay.
  • By Jay Heater |
  • March 5, 2025
Lakewood Ranch potter throws herself into her work

Nancy Opresnick puts her talent on display at the annual Spring Art Show and Sale.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Don O'Leary and East Manatee Fire Rescue Chief Lee Whitehurst celebrate O'Leary's 2019 retirement as fire commissioner.
  • By Jay Heater |
  • January 14, 2025
Lakewood Ranch's No. 1 ambassador dies at 90

Don O'Leary was a pillar of the community who advocated for more fire stations.

  • East County
  • News
The SBDC Mobile Assistance Center in the Centre Shops of Longboat Key.
  • By Petra Rivera |
  • October 29, 2024
Consultants provides free advice to small businesses from the barrier islands

The Florida Small Business Development Center guided local businesses from Longboat Key, Anna Maria Island and St. Armands Circle through disaster loan applications.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Florida shines fiscally
  • By Adrian Moore |
  • January 15, 2025
Florida shines fiscally

Measured against all states, Florida’s total liabilities per capita are among the lowest, thanks to Gov. DeSantis and the Legislature paying down debt. But local governments’ debt is another story.

  • Sarasota
  • Opinion
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