E A ST COUNTY
Observer Lakewood Ranch’s weekly newspaper since 1998
New fresh choice
SEE PAGE 12A
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
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FREE THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2018
VOLUME 20, NO. 9
YOUR TOWN
Has district crossed the line? East County residents voice concerns about new Parrish high school. SEE PAGE 3A
File photo
Special celebration East County resident Cathy Laird was thrilled when Manatee County named her Employee of the Month for January, but what made the occasion extra special was it fell within days of her 20th anniversary working at the Braden River Library. Her recognition date was Jan. 2 and her anniversary was Jan. 5. “To have it coincide made it extremely special,” says Laird, who was the first supervisor hired at the Braden River Library after it opened. “The county has been very good to me. I love my job.”
Jay Heater
Chad Cox and C.J. Carlock have been friends for 20 years, and they are both pilots.
SKY HIGH GOALS Pilots hope drone business takes them to new heights. SEE PAGE 8A File photo
Lesson in lifestyle East County resident Monaca Onstad has taken national honors in her field. Lakewood Ranch’s director of community relations was named Lifestyle Director of the Year from the National Association of Home Builders’ National Sales and Marketing Council during a ceremony Jan. 9, in Orlando. The awards, known as “The Nationals,” honor the best in the building industry for “their determination, integrity, creativity and resilience.”
A+E
Quilts to the hilt Central Park resident’s artistry honored at World Quilt Show Florida. SEE PAGE 1B
A new twist on ballet.. INSIDE
Jay Heater
Evelyn Townsend said her last seven quilts have been artistic creations that are meant to hang from a wall.