Holmes Beach couple complete 110th jigsaw puzzle
HOLMES BEACH – Fran and Wayne Derr started working on their 111th jigsaw puzzle on Sunday, Dec. 28. The Holmes Beach residents live in the Key Royale community and they began doing jigsaw puzzles a little more than five years ago. “In March 2020, the states began to implement...
Pets and Vets: Pit bull survives ax attack in Florida.
Animal health state by state. A Manatee County Animal Services worker walked into Beach Veterinary Clinic in Bradenton, Fla., with a pit bull the afternoon of Nov. 26. The dog, now named Axel, seemed unfazed by the two-inch-deep open gash that had exposed his skull and damaged his sinuses—a wound that looked to be...
Sarasota’s Kindergarten Vaccination Rate Is Among the Lowest in the State
In 2023 and 2024, measles outbreaks occurred in multiple states, primarily affecting children in areas with low measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination coverage. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that local immunity gaps are driving these outbreaks and other vaccine-preventable...
36-year-old man killed in New Year’s Day shooting, Manatee deputies say
A 36-year-old man died in an overnight shooting on New Year’s Day, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said. Deputies responded to the 13000 block of 18th Place East in Bradenton to reports of a shooting around 12:27 a.m., according to a news release. When they arrived, they found a man with a gunshot wound lying in...
Opposition to Manasota Beach Road continues
ENGLEWOOD — It’s been four months since the Sarasota County Commission voted unanimously to enter into a partnership with the Economic Stimulus Working Group to construct an extension of Manasota Beach Road.
NORTH PORT: ‘Discarded cigarette’ causes house fire
NORTH PORT — North Port Fire Rescue responded to a house fire caused by an "improperly discarded cigarette" Thursday night.
Wagon Wheel’s spirit lives on at Derby Lane
While the uber-popular Wagon Wheel Flea Market closed in 2020, many of its previous vendors and customers have found a new home at Derby Lane. The former greyhound track, which is still home to a poker room and gaming facility, began hosting the Farmers and Flea Bazaar in November 2025. Organizer Shawn Yang said the...
Lighting the Path: Advancing Nursing Education and Community Care
At State College of Florida, Manatee–Sarasota (SCF), nursing education is about more than earning a degree. It is about answering a calling and meeting a critical community need. SCF’s nursing programs continue to evolve to meet the growing demand for skilled, compassionate health care professionals, while achieving...
Crowd rings in the new year at Waterside Place
For Lakewood Ranch's Lorena Barona, celebrating New Year's Eve at Waterside Place has become a tradition. Returning for the third year in a row, she is not alone. Now her group of friends has grown. She invites everyone she knows in order to make the event that much more special....
Florida manatees flock to warm springs as cold temperatures hit state
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB/Gray News) - Hundreds of manatees huddled in a Florida waterway on New Year’s Eve as temperatures dropped. Video provided by the Southwest Florida Water Management District shows up to 300 manatees huddling at Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River on New Year’s Eve. The air...
