EAST COUNTY
Observer
Lakewood Ranch’s weekly newspaper since 1998
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
Hot days at farmers market. PAGE 2B FREE • THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2022
VOLUME 24, NO. 37
YOUR TOWN
Long discussion on Ranch pool Residents tell commissioners not to come up short on length of lanes. SEE PAGE 3A
Courtesy photo
Support overflows in East County
WE’VE GOT THE POWER
Cascades residents donated so much in school supplies, it overflowed out of a back area of the East County community’s ballroom. In addition to the dozens of backpacks and countless pencils, highlighters, notebooks and rulers, the community donated $1,630 in cash. Ruth Dweck (above), the chair of the Cascades of Sarasota Women’s Club school supply drive, used $810 of the $1,630 raised to purchase more school supplies, and all the supplies and remaining cash was donated to Hope 4 Communities, a nonprofit that serves families in Manatee and Sarasota counties. “Our Cascades community has been so generous,” said Millie Fischer, a member of the women’s club. “Every time we have a drive like this, everybody just comes through.”
Florida Power & Light shows its upgrades aimed to prevent outages during storms. SEE PAGE 2A
Ian Swaby
Ian Swaby
Pike Corp. employee Skyler McCray uses a bucket lift to direct the new pole that will support a “smart” power switch on University Parkway.
Stop to smell the roses Country Club East’s Bonnie Wolk (above) received a surprise gift July 28 after entering Fantasy Flowers during a trip to Main Street at Lakewood Ranch. The store was giving out a free miniature vase to the first 30 women to enter, in what it called its Ladies’ Day Out event. Customers also received a free glass of wine if they so desired. “I think it’s lovely they’re offering something as sweet as this,” Wolk said. Her only regret was that she couldn’t take home the store’s fluffy and mild-mannered dog, Trixie. “We’re just trying to make it a special day for people to get out and enjoy themselves,” said Michelle Bridges, the owner of Fantasy Flowers. Bridges said the shop tries to host a different event every month to bring people to Main Street at Lakewood Ranch.
Trio vies for local school board seat
A+E
The three candidates present their views. SEE PAGE 8A
Jazzy in Japan. PAGE 11A