Carter Weinhofer

2 weeks ago | yourobserver.com | Carter Weinhofer

Six months after hurricanes Helene and Milton, the town of Longboat Key’s new estimate for the total financial impact of both hurricanes is around $7.6 million. Close to $5 million of that was drawn from the general fund expenditures, which largely consist of debris removal. About $4.2 million to $4.4 million of those expenditures come from debris removal, according to Finance Director Sue Smith’s presentation to the commission on April 7.

2 weeks ago | yourobserver.com | Andrew Warfield |Carter Weinhofer |Dana Kampa |Ian Swaby

From the southern tip of Siesta Key to the northern edge of Longboat Key, life after the 2024 hurricane season along Sarasota County’s barrier islands is largely the same. Some steadfast residents have vowed, and are doing whatever they can, to stay. Those who do stay know they are losing neighbors they have lived alongside for years, if not decades. Relationships will be lost, perhaps new ones forged in their stead.

2 weeks ago | yourobserver.com | Carter Weinhofer

One of the most noticeable impacts after the hurricanes was the change in the island’s sand. Hurricane Helene’s storm surge propelled water and, with it, sand from the beaches. The surge drove some of that sand across the island, packing Gulf of Mexico Drive and many beachfront properties with sand. Some sand went the opposite way as the surge receded, far out into the Gulf and out of the island’s system. Overall, though, it was a loss of over 400,000 cubic yards of sand.

2 weeks ago | yourobserver.com | Carter Weinhofer

Saturday, March 29Left the lights on2:20 a.m., 4400 block of Gulf of Mexico DriveSuspicious Vehicle: A patrol officer noticed an unoccupied car with its lights on parked in a driveway. The officer spoke to the homeowner, who said she had fallen asleep and must have forgotten to turn the lights off. She was thankful for the officer’s assistance.

3 weeks ago | yourobserver.com | Carter Weinhofer

Friends of Longboat Key’s sea turtles started preparing for the nesting season, which officially starts on May 1. Volunteers with Longboat Key Turtle Watch spent a few hours on March 25 and 26 repainting about 500 stakes used yearly to mark nests along Longboat’s beaches. When turtles begin nesting, volunteers mark the nests with two or four stakes, depending on mechanically raked areas of the beach.