Sarasota students push back against proposed school merger
A proposal to merge Suncoast Polytechnical High School with Brookside Middle School is drawing pushback from students and parents.
‘No better than a grift,’ says Sarasota school board member about Schools of Hope
Enrollment in many public schools is down, and this week, officials from the state department of education are walking through schools in Sarasota to figure out ways to use their empty spaces. That's after dozens of schools in the Tampa Bay area were put on notice that Mater Academy, a...
SWAT team has part of Palmetto neighborhood closed off
PALMETTO, Fla. (WWSB) - A SWAT team has responded to a home in the Cypress Pond Estates in Palmetto, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. The team is attempting to communicate with a man inside the house, a sheriff’s office spokesman told ABC7. Residents of the neighborhood off Ellenton Gillette Road say streets are...
Sarasota police stop 47 speeders in two hours on Ringling Causeway Bridge
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - In a two-hour period Wednesday morning, 47 drivers were pulled over for speeding on the Ringing Causeway Bridge, Sarasota police said. Of those stops, three citations were for speed more than 30 mph above the posted speed limit of 35 mph, the Sarasota Police Department told ABC7. Those drivers...
Sarasota County commissioners deny housing development near Celery Fields
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Sarasota County commissioners denied a proposed housing development next to the popular Celery Fields and bird sanctuary during Tuesday’s meeting. Developer D.R. Horton wanted to build 85 homes on the Smith Farm property adjacent to the celery fields. Commissioners rejected the proposal,...
Sarasota Memorial Hospital Named Among Newsweek’s “Best-in-State” Hospitals
Sarasota Memorial Health Care System CEO David Verinder. Oct. 22, 2025 – Sarasota Memorial Hospital was named among the nation’s leading hospitals in Newsweek’s annual “Best-in-State” hospital rankings released today. For the third year in a row, SMH-Sarasota was the only hospital in southwest Florida...
Recycling facility may be sued for allegedly polluting Sarasota Bay
A local scrap metal and concrete recycling facility may be sued for allegedly violating the Clean Water Act. Suncoast Waterkeeper — a nonprofit with the mission of protecting Gulf coast waters through environmental monitoring, advocacy and legal action — issued a notice of intent to sue U.S. Recycling, which recycles...
Humane Society of Sarasota County expands lifesaving efforts beyond county lines
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - The Humane Society of Sarasota County is expanding its reach beyond local animal adoptions through programs that assist neighboring counties and provide advanced medical care for shelter animals. The organization operates the TAILS program, which stands for Together Assisting in Lifesaving...
‘Gulf of Mexico Drive’ to keep its name in Longboat Key
The town of Longboat Key is feeling some pressure to change the name of its main street, Gulf of Mexico Drive.
The Coffee Wars Heat Up: 7 Brew Drive-Thru Opens in Lakewood Ranch
Just when you thought Lakewood Ranch couldn’t brew up another cup of competition, 7 Brew Coffee has entered the ring. The new drive-thru coffee stop, which opened on October 20, 2025, along Route 70, introduces a pit-stop-style model that’s all about speed, smiles, and streamlined service. And they...
