Sheriff describes Giovanni Pelletier’s last known moments before his disappearance, death
The Manatee County Sheriff's Office is holding a press conference Tuesday morning to provide an update on the body of a missing teen found in a retention pond earlier this month.
Giving exotic animals a new home — here
SARASOTA — When it comes to feeding animals, Sarasota’s Big Cat Habitat has to deal with some exotic appetites.
Crews battle mobile home fire in St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg Fire Rescue said crews responded to an early-morning mobile home fire on 83rd Ave. North on Monday.
AMITW Weekly Nesting Numbers 8/15/2025
Hatches and hatchlings abound this week. We are grateful to all the folks who have called our hotline to alert us to hatchlings found in the road, pools, or otherwise not found on the beach! AMITW’s 24/7 hotline 941-301-8434 allows us to promptly respond to hatchlings and adults that are in trouble. Our team has been...
Tampa law firm with eight attorneys joins national practice
National law firm Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP announced Monday it is absorbing Tampa-based law firm Walters Levine & DeGrave, taking on its eight attorneys and 11 staff members. With offices in Tampa and Sarasota, Walters Levine & DeGrave specialized in civil litigation, construction and real estate and estate planning...
336 speeders caught in Bradenton school zones during first week of school
Just one week into the new school year, 336 drivers have already been caught speeding in Bradenton’s school zones — and police say it’s a clear sign that behavior needs to change.
Anna Maria General Store burglary suspect arrested
ANNA MARIA – Leonardo J. Tilelli, 24, was arrested on Monday morning and confessed to burglarizing the Anna Maria General Store, 503 Pine Ave. He was charged with unarmed burglary of an unoccupied structure. According to a report provided by Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Anna Maria Unit leader...
Manatee County Weighs Youth Curfew Amid Concerns Over Late-Night Crime
Manatee County commissioners are considering a curfew for minors in response to a rise in late-night crimes involving young people. The proposal is expected to be voted on at a future meeting. At the board’s Aug. 5 meeting, Commissioner Amanda Ballard pointed to recent incidents of children and teens breaking...
Bankrupt Sarasota business owner faces 2 felony charges
The owner of Sash & Sill, a Sarasota window and door company that went out of business and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy a year ago, has been charged in Charlotte County with two felonies related to work that was never completed. Todd Hoch, 47, of Nokomis, is charged with two counts of violating state law around...
Illegal Alien in Bradenton Charged With Unlawfully Possessing A Firearm
TAMPA, Fla. — A federal grand jury has indicted a Bradenton man on charges of unlawful possession of firearms, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida announced. Olvin Javier Gutierrez Ponce, 44, is accused of illegally possessing two handguns in July 2025 while knowing he...
