Bradenton FL

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...

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.

We hear from the wife of a detainee, from a senior citizen who is leaving the United States, and from a 16-year old activist. Host: Last Sunday, WSLR News reporter Ramon Lopez tagged along on a bus trip with a group of Sarasota clerics, worshippers and activists to a protest at the controversial immigration detention...

Tucked along Jacaranda Blvd in Venice, Peach’s Restaurant is the kind of no-frills breakfast spot locals guard like a secret. Regulars line up early because the biscuits and gravy hit that perfect comfort-food note without trying too hard. Prices are friendly, the vibe is casual, and the staff works...

Florida is known for its wild headlines, but even longtime residents weren’t prepared for this one. This wasn’t about alligators wandering into backyards or some usual Sunshine State chaos. Instead, it centered on a boat tied up at a Manatee County pier, and the dozens of lives hidden onboard.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is on Monday, Jan. 19, and trash pickup schedules, in addition to government building hours, will be adjusted in observance of this federal holiday. For the unincorporated parts of Manatee County, there will be no collection on Jan. 19. Trash will be collected one day later than the...

MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — 20 Manatee County residents are displaced following a duplex structure fire that resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage. Cedar Hammock Fire Rescue responded around 1:15 p.m. Saturday in the area of 60th Avenue Drive West where crews found a duplex with heavy black smoke and...

The Sarasota School Board chair’s post about a proposed resolution drew 1,300 comments—most of them negative. Home: The same week a woman was killed by an ICE agent in her own neighborhood in Minneapolis, Sarasota School Board Chair Bridget Ziegler posted on her professional Facebook page that she requested...

A popular downtown Sarasota restaurant — best known for its freshly baked pastries and freshly roasted coffee — recently opened a second location about a mile away. The expansion follows consistently long lines at the counter of the original location, as well as a full crowd during a recent Saturday morning visit to...

The Innovation District, a 560-acre neighborhood on the southeastern edge of downtown St. Pete, is putting the final touches on a new master plan outlining a long-term vision for growth, including possible zoning updates that could lead to larger mixed-use developments. The plan, which was presented during an open...