E A ST COUNTY
SEASON WINTER 2019
Observer Lakewood Ranch’s weekly newspaper since 1998
Y R TS A N D S O C I E T G U I D E TO T H E A T H E O B S E R V E R ’S
INSIDE MUSIC DANCE ART THEATER BLACK TIE
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
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FREE THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2018
VOLUME 21, NO. 6
YOUR TOWN
2018
YEAR IN PHOTOS Pam Eubanks
Now she has a story to tell When it comes to books and library standards, Manatee County believes it has a classic in Braden River Library Manager Cathy Laird (above). Laird has been named Manatee County’s “Employee of the Year” for 2018. “It’s quite an honor,” Laird said. “My winning is representative of what the library is doing. It takes a whole crew to get this done. Every single one of us is giving our all, and I wish everyone could have won together.”
It was a year that included tragedy and triumph, lots of growth and even an embarrassing political misstep. See it all in our snapshot review. PAGES 2-14
Although the first Sarasota Balloon Festival produced some pretty sights at Premier Sports Campus in March at Lakewood Ranch, it doesn’t appear a second festival will take off. Nothing was on Premier’s schedule as of late December.
Pam Eubanks
Special delivery Charlie Brown the puppy (above) had an extra special first Christmas. He was one of 18 puppies and six kittens delivered to families as Christmas presents by “Honor Elves,” volunteers and staff at Nate’s Honor Animal Rescue. The elves delivered animals in elf costumes on Christmas Day. “I had volunteers fighting to do this,” Honor Animal Rescue Executive Director Dari Oglesby said of delivering puppies and kittens.
File photos
Left: East Manatee Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Derrick Toney shows off a new aerial truck’s capabilities in May. The truck cost $956,736 and will provide better access as condos in Lakewood Ranch reach new heights. Above: Lakewood Ranch High students place flowers Sept. 18 at the crash site at State Road 64 and Pope Road where two fellow students, Matthew Powers and Chase Coyner, died in a two-car crash that left the community in mourning.