• Alternate Text
  • Loading

  • Sand Bucket List
  • Health Observed
  • Crossword
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • e-Newspaper App
  • Longboat
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Opinion
  • East County
    • News
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
  • Sarasota
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
    • Siesta Key
  • Arts + Entertainment
    • Eat + Drink
    • Arts + Culture
    • Reviews
    • Things To Do
    • Black Tie
    • Spotlight Partners
  • Things to Do
  • Galleries
  • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Elections
    • Health Observed
    • Sand Bucket List
    • Calendar
    • Celebrations
    • Contests
    • Tributes
    • Submit a Celebration
    • Submit a Tribute
    • Public Notices
    • Classifieds
  • Longboat
    • Longboat
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Opinion
  • East County
    • East County
    • News
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
  • Sarasota
    • Sarasota
    • News
    • Cops Corner
    • Real Estate
    • Business
    • Neighbors
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Opinion
    • Siesta Key
  • Arts + Entertainment
    • Arts + Entertainment
    • Eat + Drink
    • Arts + Culture
    • Reviews
    • Things To Do
    • Black Tie
    • Spotlight Partners
  • Things to Do
  • Galleries
  • More
    • More
    • Hurricane Season
    • Elections
    • Health Observed
    • Sand Bucket List
    • Calendar
    • Celebrations
    • Contests
    • Tributes
    • Submit a Celebration
    • Submit a Tribute
    • Public Notices
    • Classifieds
  • Sand Bucket List
  • Health Observed
  • Crossword
  • Contests
  • Newsletters
  • e-Newspaper App

Results for:

Bonnie Michaels, literacy coach at Alta Vista Elementary School, helps students Deja (5th grade), Gianni (4th grade), Yoselyn (1st grade) and Andre (2nd grade) try out the new book vending machine. Sarasota Yacht Club youth board members coordinated the installation to help promote strong reading habits.
  • By Dana Kampa |
  • January 18, 2026
Reading comes with a fun twist via new book vending machine

Members of the Sarasota Yacht Club's youth program took the lead in installing the machine at Alta Vista Elementary School to promote reading habits.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Joel Morris (center) prepares to receive the snap alongside senior running back/safety Jacobey Mobley (left). The senior quarterback threw for 23 touchdowns and 1,803 yards with no interceptions during the 2025 regular season.
  • By Jack Nelson |
  • November 6, 2025
Resurgent quarterback guides Booker football to dominance

Senior quarterback Joel Morris led the Tornadoes to a 9-1 regular season after suffering a season-ending leg injury in 2024.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
The restored Bobby Jones Golf Club opened in December 2023.
  • By Andrew Warfield |
  • August 21, 2025
Bobby Jones Golf Club helps fill area's public golf void

With fewer options for public golf locally, the city of Sarasota's Bobby Jones Golf Club offers a private club experience accessible to all.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Paige Hernandez leads students.
  • By Ian Swaby |
  • October 22, 2025
Tuttle Elementary gets moving with hip-hop educational theater

Performing artists and educator Paige Hernandez, the current artist in residence with Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation, visited the school.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
Sarasota Music Festival 2023 fellows Ellen Hayashi, Ray Wyant, Melanie Chen and Daniel Itzkowitz relax with their instruments.
  • By Monica Roman Gagnier |
  • September 3, 2025
Music director's exit ushers in period of change at the Sarasota Music Festival

The 2026 festival will be scaled back to two weeks and curated by faculty members.

  • Arts + Culture
Kalee Zavela, the Town of Longboat Key's first grants coordinator, explains what factors she weighs when pursuing project opportunities to improve the community, be it hurricane rebuilding or enhancing first responder equipment.
  • By Dana Kampa |
  • October 29, 2025
Rotary honors the dedication of a town's grant coordinator

Rotarians heard from Kaylee Zavela about ongoing hurricane-recovery projects and other current undertakings.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells advocates for a countywide curfew.
  • By Lesley Dwyer |
  • November 21, 2025
Curfew in effect for Manatee kids under 16

County Commission approves nighttime limits, though some parents question the potential effects.

  • East County
  • News
Man's dreadlocks cut goes unresolved
  • By Observer Staff |
  • November 19, 2025
Man's dreadlocks cut goes unresolved

A man accuses his cousin of cutting his dreads while he slept and gaslighting him to believe he cut them himself. This and other Sarasota Police Department reports in this week's Cops Corner.

  • Sarasota
  • Cops Corner
Gardeners Out East president Nancy Schneider gives the plaque for the Japanese blueberry tree that the group donated to Simone Rose, who works as the office manager for Robert Toale & Sons Celebration of Life Center.
  • By Madison Bierl |
  • January 19, 2026
Japanese blueberry tree serves as gift to LWR celebration of life center

Gardeners Out East thanks Robert Toale and Sons Celebration of Life Center for donating use of its facility.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Officer Danny Robbins of the Patrol Division, Community Relations Unit with a recipient of a gift during the Sarasota Police Department's Three Kings Day event.
  • By Observer Staff |
  • January 6, 2026
Sarasota police cap holiday giving with toy distribution event

Community children receive toys from SPD personnel during annual Three Kings Day celebration.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
Carrie Walden, the Project Edge classroom instructor, is teaching 10 students including Mia Pardella and Justin Torres in the Project Edge program at MTC East.
  • By Madison Bierl |
  • December 10, 2025
MTC program teaches students with disabilities skills to enter workforce

At Manatee Technical College, Project Edge is transitional program for students with intellectual disabilities to learn foundational skills.

  • East County
  • Schools
Participants of the Citizens Academy visit the Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department for one of the sessions.
  • By Observer Staff |
  • October 10, 2025
Citizens Academy enrollment open for Longboat Key's 2026 season

Eight sessions cover aspects of town government, beginning in January.

  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
The Tides of Longboat is one of several condo complexes in Manatee County where the first floor units saw a significantly reduced property tax assessment despite being undamaged by the 2024 hurricanes due to the first floor units’ elevations.
  • By S.T. Cardinal |
  • December 10, 2025
Town of Longboat has questions after property valuations decrease

Drastic reductions in property appraisal evaluations for undamaged condo units have raised the alarm for Longboat leaders.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Kevin Gyurka poses for a photo on Oct. 31 at Out-of-Door Academy's Thunder Stadium. The senior long-distance runner has won two races in the 2025 cross country season, and boasts five top-10 finishes in seven meets.
  • By Jack Nelson |
  • November 5, 2025
Prominent ODA runner approaches his career finish line

Senior Kevin Gyurka has put his stamp on three Out-of-Door Academy sports programs.

  • East County
  • Sports
  • By Observer Advertising Content Staff |
  • December 17, 2025
Animal interactions and private experiences at Sarasota Jungle Gardens

Get friendly with some flamingos, take your picture with a parrot. Touch a tortoise.

  • Arts + Entertainment
  • Spotlight Partners
Sponsored Content
The campus of the Hermitage Artist Retreat on Oct. 10, 2024, the day after Hurricane Milton made landfall.
  • By Andrew Warfield |
  • October 23, 2025
Arts organization declines county's damage restoration ultimatum

Hermitage Artist Retreat opts to have Sarasota County repair the campus it leases rather than take a lump sum to make repairs and assume liability.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Cardinal Mooney football gathers at midfield and poses for a photo. The Cougars scored on every single one of their drives in the FHSAA Class 2A state championship, piling up 52 points against the Bulldogs.
  • By Jack Nelson |
  • December 11, 2025
Cardinal Mooney is state football champ again

The Cougars roar past Jacksonville Bolles to win their third title.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Sarasota's Ariana Swayka, 4 and Alexia Swayka, 6 are in the full holiday spirit with their Halloween themed shirts and face paint.
  • By Madison Bierl |
  • October 11, 2025
Hunsader Farms kicks off 34th annual Pumpkin Festival

In case you missed it, the festival continues every Saturday and Sunday in October.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Myakka City's Diane and Rich Bartoszek display a handmade ceramic nativity scene each year.
  • By Jack Nelson |
  • December 23, 2025
Decorating for Christmas with a personal touch in Lakewood Ranch

East County residents share their personal stamps on the holiday season.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
The damage to Whitaker Gateway Park from hurricanes Helene and Milton is estimated at $1.5 million.
  • By Andrew Warfield |
  • August 4, 2025
City park hurricane repairs estimated at $12.45 million

In addition to $12.45 million in repairs to city parks and piers, Sarasota's Parks and Recreation Department budget also took a nearly $200,000 hit in lost revenues following the 2024 storms.

  • Sarasota
  • News
« 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 »
The best of Your Observer, delivered directly to your inbox

Get the latest in news, sports, schools, arts and things to do in Sarasota, Siesta Key, Longboat Key and East County.

Sign Up

Contact

  • 1970 Main St.
  • Third Floor
  • Sarasota, FL 34236
  • Phone: 941-366-3468
  • FPN Verified

Extra, Extra!

  • Newsletters
  • App
  • Crossword
  • Contests

more

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Classifieds
  • Advertise
  • Rack Locations
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Options

sister sites

  • Business Observer
  • Jax Daily Record
  • Orange Observer
  • Accessibility Options
  • Copyright © 2026 Observer Media Group Inc., All Rights Reserved
Sign Up for Daily Headlines

A daily dose of news from Longboat Key, East County, Sarasota and Siesta Key.

Sign Up for In Case You Missed It

A Saturday dose of the week's top stories from Sarasota, Longboat Key and East County.


Anytime. Anywhere. Observer.

From in-depth local reporting to real-time breaking news, stay connected to the stories shaping our community with the Your Observer app.

Download Now for Free