E A ST COUNTY
Observer Lakewood Ranch’s weekly newspaper since 1998
Locals show their mettle
PAGE 18
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
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FREE THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2019
VOLUME 21, NO. 30
YOUR TOWN
Sheriff’s presence to expand If 10 deputies are added in the county budget as expected, Lakewood Ranch area planned to become its own policing district. PAGE 3
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CENTER STAGE
Hey, baby! Dick’s 80 Lakewood Ranch’s Dick Vitale, an ESPN basketball sportscaster and former NBA coach, can add another “win” to his resume. He turned 80 June 9. “I can’t believe it — 80 years old,” Vitale said. “I feel like 20 and act like 12. And then reality sets in when I look in the mirror. As one of my favorites of all time, Frank Sinatra, sang, ‘Young at Heart,’ baby!” Vitale, who spends much of his time raising money for pediatric cancer research, planned to celebrate his big birthday with friends, family and colleagues with a party at Selby Botanical Gardens June 13.
Summerville couple lead the fundraising campaign for the proposed theater complex in Waterside. SEE PAGE 8
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Summerville’s John and Tippy Holz are the co-chairs for the Center Stage Capital Campaign for The Players Centre for the Performing Arts.
Pam Eubanks
Feed the arts Andrea Medred, the head of the Oasis Church Anchored Youth Fine Arts Academy, will take 20 of her members, ages 11-17, to the Assemblies of God National Fine Arts Festival July 30 in Orlando. Their group will host a dinner theater performance June 21 at the Oasis Church in Lakewood Ranch. The teens will perform musical theater and contemporary Christian and pop music hits. Dinner starts at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $15 and can be reserved at chloe@ myoasis.org.
A+E
Great Knights in Lakewood Ranch
Take a theatrical journey. INSIDE
Jay Heater
Indigo’s Rosemarie and Jim Coon show off their Family of the Year award.
Indigo couple earns Knights of Columbus’ Family of the Year award for Florida. SEE PAGE 10