Hanami Japanese Fine Dining & Lounge Opening in Sarasota’s Rosemary District
A high-end new Japanese restaurant is preparing to open its doors in Sarasota’s Rosemary District, at 1525 Fourth St. Called Hanami Japanese Fine Dining & Lounge, it’s a sister to Lakewood Ranch’s Tsunami Sushi & Hibachi Grill. The menu at Hanami promises to mirror the one served...
Florida woman discovers ex-boyfriend’s bomb-making materials while kicking him out of her house: SCSO
VENICE, Fla. - A Sarasota man’s breakup with his girlfriend attracted more attention to his failed relationship than he wanted when she demanded that he move out. According to documents, she began to remove his things from the home on Mayfield Drive in Venice when she found some items that he was working on in the...
Two Sarasota residents charged with multiple weapons counts after Police Department executes Hillsborough County...
Third resident of same home charged with lewd and lascivious battery against victim under age 12. Two Sarasota residents have been charged with multiple felony counts related to weapons that Sarasota Police Department personnel found in their home after executing a Hillsborough County search and arrest warrant on one...
Minneapolis killing prompts anti-ICE protests in Sarasota
Hundreds rally at downtown bayfront expressing support for immigrants. Host: The killing of a mother of three by an ICE agent in her own neighborhood in Minneapolis triggered hundreds of protests around the country last weekend, including one in Englewood and one in Venice. An estimated 1,000 people rallied along the...
Mayor’s Corner: City of Bradenton
As 2026 gets underway, I want to thank our residents, local businesses, and City team members for the continued care and commitment you show to Bradenton. Over the past year, the city has continued to make meaningful progress. Important work is happening across the organization, whether it’s advancing long-planned...
SMH achieves perfect 5-star Medicare-Medicaid rating for 10th year in a row
No other Florida hospital has achieved that distinction, SMH leaders note. Sarasota Memorial Health Care System has kicked off 2026 “achieving what no other Florida hospital could: a perfect 5-Star rating from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services [CMS] — every year — for 10 years straight,” the health...
A new Home Depot will open in northeast Venice
The site and development plan for Home Depot, the first major occupant of Venice Crossing Commercial Center, received unanimous approval Jan 6 from the Venice Planning Commission. The decision clears the way for construction of the first big box store in Venice city limits. The other major commercial occupant of the...
Complaints pile up after long-time solar company abruptly shuts doors
Complaints are mounting against a Sarasota-based solar company that has been in business for decades, as customers say they paid tens of thousands of dollars for solar projects that were never completed or for warranty work that was never performed.
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...
Suspected pickpocket ring caught on camera in St. Armands
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - The Sarasota Police Department says it recently led an investigation involving at least three other law enforcement agencies to catch a women described as a career criminal. Margarita Elena Urriola Maldonado, 52, of Chile, was arrested Jan. 2, during a traffic stop in Osceola County. She...
