Sarasota FL

SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. (WWSB) - Sarasota County has lifted its burn ban after the Keetch-Byram Drought Index fell below 500 for seven consecutive days, according to the Sarasota County Fire Department. The ban had prohibited unpermitted open burns in Sarasota County. It took effect Oct. 11, 2025, when the county’s...

From the Gulf coast to the Atlantic coast, cozy beach towns line Florida's perimeter, making fishing a premier sport in the state. Venice — not to be confused with the Italian island — has 14 miles of beaches, including Caspersen Beach, one of the Sunshine State's best-kept secrets. Just four minutes north of the Caspersen shoreline is the Venice Fishing Pier, where visitors can cast...

Spring has sprung, and with it comes new life. Commuters traveling Gulf of Mexico Drive are likely familiar with the nest that has been a longtime home to a nesting pair of osprey on the intersection with Longboat Club Road. The family of birds is celebrating success this month with...

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - The family of a man shot and killed by Bradenton police in March is asking for body camera video of the shooting to be released. William Bell was killed while SWAT officers were serving a high-risk search warrant at a home near Martin Luther King Boulevard.

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Construction is moving forward on IKEA’s new Sarasota location, part of a wave of major retailers drawn to the area’s growing population and strong economic indicators. Development continues across Sarasota with car dealerships, retail stores and coffee shops filling the landscape. Some residents have...

Florida prosecutors have formally put the death penalty on the table for 43-year-old Diana Cullom, the St. Petersburg mother charged with first-degree murder in the death of her 4-year-old son, Finley. The notice of intent to seek capital punishment was filed on April 1, and a status hearing in the case is set for Monday, April 20.

VENICE, Fla. (WWSB) - Venice Police say a man was shot Tuesday morning in the Tracino Trace neighborhood. The incident happened around 11:30 a.m., the Venice Police Department reported on social media. The victim was taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital after first aid was administered by officer and Venice Fire...

Sarasota County Schools is hosting heart screening events for student athletes this week, ahead of a new statewide requirement set to take effect in July.

They’re back: Congress returns to Washington Congress’ two-week recess has officially ended, with the House returning tomorrow and the Senate back in session today. Both chambers are returning to full agendas, with attention focused on budget hearings, ongoing discussions around funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and continued speculation about a potential “Reconciliation 2.0” package. In the near term, much of the...

LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. — An unpleasant neighbor is damaging front yards, fences, and leaving some residents fearing for their lives. Wild pigs are a problem not just in Lakewood Ranch, but across the Tampa Bay area. A researcher from USF is dedicating her PhD program to finding solutions to...