Hundreds gather for annual Palmetto Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade
PALMETTO, Fla. (WWSB) - Ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, the city of Palmetto hosted its annual MLK Day Parade. Hundreds of Suncoast residents gathered to march through the heart of Palmetto in the parade,. Hosted by the Palmetto Youth Center, this year‘s theme is ‘Mission Possible,’...
Raising Children In a City Built For Adults. Why Sarasota Makes Kids Calmer
*** DRAFT *** THIS POST IS SPONSORED **** THIS TEXT WILL BE REMOVED AS SOON AS PAYMENT IS MADE. Sarasota is not a megapolis. So what? Who needs a city of 20 million if you are raising a family? According to the latest numbers, Sarasota population counts about 500,000 people. But that’s not what sets the city apart....
The Record Is Clear: The City Can Plan the Gas Plant
Conceptual master plan image from the City of St. Petersburg’s 2018 Tropicana Field planning study prepared by HKS. This City-commissioned planning work shows the kind of plan-first approach St. Petersburg has already used. A common argument for a proposal-first, master-developer approach at the Gas Plant site is...
North Port Fire Rescue battles 2 acre brush fire
NORTH PORT, Fla. (WWSB) - Fire Rescue units responded to a working brush fire near North Raintree Boulevard and Fielders Road on Jan. 18. The fire is approximately 2 acres in size and is not currently threatening any homes, according North Port Fire Rescue (NPFR). Smoke from the fire is...
Texas man convicted of 4th DUI in Sarasota, now faces potential prison time
Video: Catch up on recent top stories from Tampa Bay SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Texas man is facing up to five years in a Florida prison after being convicted of his fourth DUI. State Attorney Ed Brodsky said last week that Shawn Conway, 48, was found guilty of felony DUI earlier this month in […]
Sarasota mayor accused of violating First Amendment by cutting off speakers
The Sarasota City Commission ushered in the New Year facing complaints from residents who said the mayor violated citizens’ First Amendment rights during its first meeting of 2026. Mayor Debbie Trice twice interrupted speakers during the public input portion of the Commission’s Jan. 5 meeting, warning them that they...
Man driving 95 mph with headlights off gets prison for deadly DUI crash in...
A man was sentenced to nine years in prison after being convicted in a 2021 DUI crash that took the life of a motorcyclist in North Port, according to the state attorney's office. Prosecutors say Zachary Richards, 38, was drinking at a bar for several hours before driving his work...
‘Hands off Venezuela’: march in St. Petersburg sparks debate on both sides
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — A group of protesters demanded the release of Nicolas Maduro Saturday as they marched around Mirror Lake and downtown St. Petersburg. “We believe that we, as a United States, should completely get out of Latin America and allow people to live their lives and have sovereignty every day,”...
Bill to restructure Manatee County Port Authority as independent special district reaches first committee
TALLAHASSEE — A bill that would revise the 2003 charter for the Manatee County Port Authority has begun moving through its assigned House committees. HB 4073, sponsored by Florida Rep. Bill Conerly (District 72), would convert the local Port Authority from a dependent special district under the oversight of the...
Details firm up for Sarasota schools plan
The broad, November sketches of a reimagining plan for a dozen Sarasota County public schools have evolved in early 2026 into more painted-in portraits of the years ahead. Timelines, partnerships and logistics have come into a more detailed vision alongside costs and funding options. Another update is planned in March.
