LONGBOAT
YourObserver.com
2018
Longboat Key’s weekly newspaper since 1978
Holiday Gift Guide INSIDE for everyone find the perfect something / Holiday essentials to needs GIFT IDEAS / Page 4 longer for all your shopping 17 / Area malls stay open PERFECT TIMING / Page time your gift gets there in / Page 24 / Make sure SHIPPING DEADLINES to see St. Nick this season 30 / Don’t miss your chance SANTA STOPS / Page
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. VOLUME 41, NO. 15
FREE
YOUR TOWN
•
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2018
Looking to the future Spanish Main happy its ‘vision’ lines up with town proposal. PAGE 3
Katie Johns
Christmas is coming
GETTING RED-DY
Forget about decking the halls. The outdoors need attention, too. And that’s exactly what St. Armands Circle is doing as the 55-foot Christmas tree is gradually installed at the circle park. Over the weekend, the platform and base of the tree were stacked, with the remaining parts roped up nearby. The tree won’t be lighted until Santa’s arrival Dec. 7 at St. Armands Circle’s Holiday Night. The evening begins at 5:30 p.m., with a sing-along at 6 p.m. to welcome Santa, who will light the tree and be available for photos from 6:30-8 p.m.
Cans for a cause
The Lazy Lobster of Longboat Key is kicking off the giving season. Now through Dec. 21, patrons can drop off nonperishable food items at the restaurant’s collection box. A list of the mostneeded items can be found at the Lazy Lobster’s website, lazylobsteroflongboat.com. In return, the Lazy Lobster will give members who donate 10 rewards points per item, up to 50 points per visit. Nonmembers are welcome to donate, too.
Katie Johns
St. Mary Women’s Guild Christmas Bazaar chairwomen Carol Fischbein, Andy Youngs and Clara McGonigle
Full of holiday spirit, bazaar kicks off the giving season. SEE PAGE 15 A+E
Unicorp strikes final blows at Colony
Welcome, father
St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church, has a new minister. The Rev. Phil Schweda has joined the clergy team at the church. Schweda is a judge in the Tribunal of the Diocese of Venice. This isn’t his first time serving a St. Mary parish. In fact, he went to St. Mary, Star of the Sea, School in Jackson, Mich., where he was born, and then served as pastor in Michigan. In an email, he said he has had a positive and joyful experience on Longboat Key so far.
Suzanne Elliott
A wrecking ball began taking swings Monday at the mid-rise building on the property of the former Colony Beach & Tennis Resort.
Demolition of mid-rise building is underway. SEE PAGE 4
Breaking down plastics. INSIDE