Sarasota man, 65, arrested for trafficking over 400 grams of cocaine: police
SARASOTA, Fla. - A 65-year-old Sarasota man has been arrested for trafficking more than 400 grams of cocaine, according to police. Lazaro Gomez was taken into custody after detectives received a tip that he was selling drugs out of a home at 2105 8th St. in Sarasota. During a search...
Manatee superintendent ushers change after misconduct investigation
The Manatee County School District has implemented new teacher training and reinforced hiring practices following a Suncoast Searchlight and Bradenton Herald investigation into staff misconduct toward students. At least a dozen incidents during the past two years have sparked arrests, costly lawsuits and outcry from...
New Sarasota restaurant with a beloved sandwich opens with big buzz
The only notice Michael Panto gave that his new shop Johnny Longhots Philly Steaks Sarasota would have its soft opening on Jan. 16 was a handwritten note taped to the front door — they sold about 600 sandwiches that day. The pace has barely slowed since the store opened for good the following Monday, in the same...
Big Storm Brewing sells at auction for $5.5M — far less than what former...
A federal bankruptcy judge approved the $5.5 million auction sale of Big Storm Brewing, one of the largest remaining assets tied to Pinellas County businessman Leo Govoni, who faces federal fraud and money laundering charges. Prosecutors say the sale is part of a broader effort to recover money Govoni allegedly...
Manatee County cruise port proposal faces opposition
BRADENTON, Fla. — A cruise terminal proposal has generated pushback from Manatee County residents and raised concern from environmental groups. A cruise terminal proposal in Manatee County raises environmental concerns. Enironmental advocates say the project could impact coastal wetlands, mangroves, and seagrass...
2 Dogs Dead and 2 People Injured After Off-Leash Pit Bulls Attacked During a...
"I couldn’t do anything," dog owner Andrew Nibley said while recalling the moment two pit bulls attacked his pets
Building Careers That Stay Local
For many young professionals in Sarasota, the challenge isn’t ambition, it’s forging a clear career path without leaving the region. That’s the gap Brad Hannon set out to fill when he launched Signature Medicare Solutions (SMS) just a few years ago. Based in Sarasota, SMS advises clients...
Honoring Sarasota’s Artistic Legacy
A chronology of Sarasota’s artistic history is now available for the public to see in downtown Sarasota. On January 16, Michael Saunders & Company unveiled a new public art installation, A Legacy in the Making: Sarasota’s Visual Arts History 1945-65. A Legacy is a 200-foot mural wall that can be seen through the...
A downtown Sarasota condo promised housing. Then it was marketed like a hotel
For more than a year, a proposed 18-story, glass-and-concrete tower in Sarasota moved through the city’s review process as a residential development that would bring nearly 300 condo units to a modest lot downtown. That’s four times more than city codes would normally allow. In exchange for the...
7-story senior living facility coming to downtown Sarasota
Crews recently broke ground at The Reserve Sarasota, which will be a seven-story senior living facility downtown. When complete, the community will offer independent and assisted living residences as well as memory care units, supported by what its creators call “upscale amenities.”. Experience Senior Living — which...

















