Cooper Levey-Baker has written about food, politics, civic issues, the arts, and music in Southwest Florida for 15 years. His work has won multiple awards from the Florida Magazine Association and the Florida Society of Professional Journalists, as well as an honorable mention from the Julia Child Foundation. Follow him on Twitter: @LeveyBaker.

So close!

State Parks Foundation Nears Goal of Raising $100,000 to Plant 100,000 Pine Trees

Through its Plant a Pine program, the foundation has already put new longleaf pines in the ground in a dozen state parks, including Osprey's Oscar Scherer State Park.

04/21/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Q&A

A New Book From a Sarasota Native Tells the Story of the Fight to Save the Everglades

Amy Green's Moving Water: The Everglades and Big Sugar was recently published by Johns Hopkins University Press.

04/19/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨

MTV's 'Siesta Key' Will Return Next Month

New episodes start on Wednesday, May 12.

04/15/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

In Vino Veritas

A New Bistro Has Opened in the Rosemary District

Vino Bistro serves a mix of tapas-like plates, along with an extensive wine list in the former Lolita Tartine space.

04/15/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Summertime Madness

Savor Sarasota Will Return June 1

The list of restaurants participating this year is nowhere near finalized, but it's never too early to start making dinner plans.

04/14/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

🍳🥞🥓🥗☕️

New Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch Spot Coming to South Sarasota

The Lily Café is set to open in The Landings in June.

04/12/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Piney Point

Environmentalists Warn That Piney Point Pollution Could Affect Sarasota Bay

More than 200 million gallons of wastewater have been discharged into Tampa Bay. That could have major effects on the health of Sarasota Bay.

04/09/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

House Party

Oak & Stone Launches New 'House Beer'

The restaurant's Snowbird Pilsner will be available at all locations year-round.

04/07/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Politics

Sarasota Moves Ahead With New Rules for 'Hotel Houses'

The regulations are intended to curtail large-scale vacation rentals on Lido and St. Armands keys.

04/07/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Crisis in Palmetto

Piney Point Evacuation Leaves Residents and Business Owners Scared and Anxious

"It will have lasting effects for years to come for the entire county."

04/05/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Bottled Up

Spice Boys Is Making Beverages Now, Too

The popular food truck is getting into the liquid game with an apple rose tonic and a botanical kola.

04/05/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Still Happening

Forks & Corks Details Revealed

The festival will be limited this year because of Covid-19 safety precautions, but there's still plenty going on.

04/02/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Cooking

New Cookbook Offers Flavorful Recipes From Across the Arab World

Reem Kassis' The Arabesque Table is a followup to her popular 2017 cookbook The Palestinian Table.

04/01/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Politics

Will Sarasota Crack Down on 'Hotel Houses'?

Next week, the Sarasota City Commission will debate implementing new rules to regulate vacation rentals that residents say are ruining their neighborhoods.

03/29/2021 By Cooper Levey-Baker