E A ST COUNTY Lakewood Ranch’s weekly newspaper since 1998
The SMART choice.
PAGE 18
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
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FREE THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020
VOLUME 22, NO. 22
HAPPY PASSOVER!
OUR LIFE ONLINE
YOUR TOWN
Pam Eubanks
Budding artist Summerfield’s Chris Stratford might be a nurse by trade, but since self-quarantining, he has become quite the artist. “I watched YouTube videos,” Stratford said. “They show you how to do it line by line.” On his driveway, he has completed chalk drawings of “SpongeBob SquarePants” characters, a hand making a peace sign and even a 3D cube. Each drawing took a few hours, he said.
Church leaders and parishioners adjust to online services during pandemic. SEE PAGE 4
East County dermatologist goes online to offer appointments. SEE PAGE 6
Grove’s online grocery proves fruitful during the coronavirus outbreak. SEE PAGE 8
Pam Eubanks
Patriotic performance Tara Golf and Country Club’s Judy Harris wanted to start April in a special way, so she rallied friends for her cause. At 4 p.m. April 1, they and other residents of the Tara Golf and Country Club stood at the edge of their driveways to sing “God Bless America” in unison. She even had friends in other parts of the country singing. “We want to show our support of our country and the people of our country,” Harris said.
Builders brace for COVID-19 impact Sales fall, but builders are confident it’s a short-term impact. SEE PAGE 3 Pam Eubanks
Model home associate Cynthia Olcott wipes down handles at Lee Wetherington Home’s Fairwater model in LakeHouse Cove in Waterside.
Manatee music teachers among those with online classroom challenges. SEE PAGE 10
Pint-sized collection comes to the Ranch Suncoast Blood Bank opens a new location in Lakewood Ranch. SEE PAGE 14