Pelican Press alumnus launches new online Sarasota news outlet

It’s rare to report about a new publication opening up shop, but I’m happy to pass along the news: Former Pelican Press Editor Rachel Brown Hackney has launched a new electronic publication dedicated to all things local. The name? The Sarasota News Leader. Right now, it looks like your typical blog, but the long-term goal […]

Tribute to Pelican Press, Readers and a few words from Matt Walsh

For 40 years, the weekly Pelican Press newspaper has been a must-read for year-round key residents, tourists, and snowbirds alike. At its core, it was a Siesta Key paper, but with its robust reporting on city and county goings-on, it certainly enjoyed a sizable following off the island as well. Week in, week out, with […]

Pelican Press Sign-Off from Stan Zimmerman (guest commentary)

M.C., I want to thank you and your readers for your outpouring of concern about the fate of the Pelican Press and its stable of writers. An entire chorus of voices was silenced with one swoop of the axe. Only time will tell if this storied community newspaper will retain the affection of its readership […]

Bloodbath at Pelican Press … 18 names missing from new masthead

In addition to the firing of Stan Zimmerman which I reported on last week, the Observer Group has ousted nearly every writer associated with the Pelican Press. Looks like Paul Roat is gone; Diana Colson who did the Social Notes column — gone. Anne Johnson, who’d been a mainstay at the newspaper — as editor […]

Pelican Press Stan “the Man” Zimmerman Ousted by Observer Group

As most of you know, the Observer Group (of the Sarasota, Longboat, East County Observers) purchased the much-loved island-and-beyond Pelican Press newspaper a couple of weeks back. Word on the street was that axes would soon be swinging … and at least one has already swung. Highly respected and gazillion-award-winning shoe-leather newspaperman Stan Zimmerman was […]