Florida Trident: Sarasota County-owned conservation land disappears from map
Commissioner Ron Cutsinger has been pushing to have the county abandon it. He owns property next to it. After Sarasota County staff was preparing to deny a permit to remove protected mangroves from publicly owned shoreline along Lemon Bay in December 2023, Commissioner Ron Cutsinger pushed to have the county abandon...
Five Finalists Advance in Sarasota’s City Manager Search
In the City of Sarasota, the most powerful person at City Hall is not elected. The city operates under a commission-manager form of government. Five elected commissioners set policy, pass ordinances and approve the budget. The mayor, chosen by fellow commissioners, presides over meetings and serves as the city’s...
Commissioners approve 14-year extension for Mosaic at Four Corners
BRADENTON — In a relatively uneventful hearing, Manatee County Commissioners granted Mosaic’s request for a 14-year extension to its Master Mining Plan (MMP) for its Four Corners Mine. Two Mosaic items were scheduled for hearings during the Wednesday land use meeting: the amendment to extend the MMP and...
Roads to close for Bradenton Area River Regatta. What to know
The Bradenton Area River Regatta is this weekend, and several roads will be closed to accommodate the event. The activities will begin on Friday, Feb. 20, with musical performances and a drone light show in Bradenton’s Rossi Park Pavilion Stage. No road closures will take place on Friday; however, the Rossi Park...
Venice man accused of chloroforming, killing missing woman told nurse he killed 4: Affidavit
VENICE, Fla. - A Venice man has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with a Bradenton woman who vanished in 2024 and is believed to be dead. On Friday, Venice police arrested Ronald Chester Racki, 75, for the murder of 24-year-old Laikyn Marie West. The backstory:. According to the...
El Greco to return in south Sarasota
A Greek eatery that served downtown Sarasota under its original owners for nearly 20 years is reopening in South Sarasota location in the coming months. El Greco Kitchen & Market will be located at 4035 Clark Road in the Expo shopping center near the Sawyer Road intersection. Relatives of the founders of El Greco...
Sarasota County, FL – Rescue Alert: Missing Hiker Found at Deer Prairie Creek Preserve
Country Herald is Local News, Independent Pulse. Covering breaking local news, sports, lifestyle and events. Sarasota County, Florida – A missing hiker was located within minutes of deputies arriving at Deer Prairie Creek Preserve, prompting a coordinated rescue response Thursday. According to the Sarasota County...
Three charged in gas station robbery, Sarasota Police say
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Three teenagers have been arrested by Sarasota Police in connection with an armed robbery at a gas station Feb. 18. Christopher Woo-Piner, 18, a 16-year-old and a 15-year-old were arrested Feb. 20. They are facing charges of armed robbery with a firearm. On Feb. 18, at...
Sarasota’s Leonard Reid House turns 100
The non-profit that runs a cultural center in the historic building is throwing a party this weekend. JW: Now, we’re taking a journey back through a century of our city’s history. The Leonard Reid House is marking its 100th anniversary this Saturday—a milestone that celebrates not just a building, but the very...
Arrest in 1999 Sarasota murder prompts renewed push for cold case tips
SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — A breakthrough in a 26-year-old murder case is renewing calls for more information on cases that remain unsolved. The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of a man accused of killing Esco Hunter Jr. in 1999. His van was found on fire and his body was discovered the next day.
