Sarasota schools’ ‘Future Focused’ makeover creates rare unity
On Tuesday, the superintendent updated board members on $40 million plans for Booker Elementary and Middle, and more. Host: The makeover of Sarasota’s public schools has taken on a dynamic of its own, a dynamic that’s going way beyond countering a challenge by for-profit operators asking to move into underused school...
Online dating scams could cost you dearly, Venice police warn
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - The Venice Police Department is warning residents of a scam involving dating websites. In social media posts, police say scammers are creating believable profiles on dating sites and social media to quickly build trust, then invent “emergencies” to pressure people for money or personal...
Venezuelan exile in Bradenton skeptical of U.S. military intervention
Some celebrate Nicolás Maduro’s removal. Luis Velásquez is not among them. Host: On the streets of Weston and Doral, the South Florida suburbs with the highest concentration of Venezuelan immigrants and exiles, many responded to the removal of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. armed forces with an outburst of joy and hope....
Stone distributor opens 20K-square-foot Manatee County store
A national company that imports and distributes stone has opened a showroom and warehouse in Manatee County. UMI Stone’s newest location is at 7427 15th St. E., just north of the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. Spanning 20,000 square feet, the shop includes a modern showroom with an indoor slab gallery...
Sarasota protesters rally against ICE raid that resulted in woman’s death
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Dozens of protesters gathered Thursday on the Legacy Trail overpass on Clark Road, rallying against an ICE raid that resulted in the death of a woman. The Sarasota Rapid Response Visibility Brigade hosted the rally, with several signs calling for “justice for Renee Nicole Good.”
Big Venice shopping center a step closer to approval
The city planning commission votes unanimously to recommend approval of a Home Depot site plan. Critics focus on traffic. Host: A big commercial development in Venice is winding its way through the approval process, and Ramon Lopez has the details. Ramon Lopez: The first major element of the planned Venice...
$60M in Manatee County projects coming to Lakewood Ranch area in 2026
Manatee County officials will both start and wrap up multiple projects in the eastern part of the county in 2026. Much of that work is focused on sites off Lena Road and at Premier Sports Campus North. Some of the work includes:. Premier Sports Campus North. It took six years...
More new condos on tap for Ringling Boulevard
As redevelopment extends eastward from the core of downtown Sarasota along the Main Street and Ringling Boulevard corridors, the corner of Ringling Boulevard and Osprey Avenue is the next up for a proposal to change in the coming years. A condominium development at 1776 Ringling Blvd. made its first appearance...
Palmetto park bathrooms set on fire, police searching for juvenile suspects
PALMETTO, Fla. - Palmetto police are looking for two juvenile males who are suspected of setting a fire inside the bathrooms at Sutton Park on Jan. 3. The fire caused thousands of dollars in damage to the public restrooms. Investigators say that the two suspects, pictured below, possibly live near...
Global mountain-climbing Sarasota couple seeks new challenges
Jennifer and Dan Vigne. Jennifer is the CEO of the Education Foundation of Sarasota County. She’s held that role since 2015. Prior to that she was in education and banking, overseeing marketing and development for Saint Stephens Episcopal School in Bradenton and marketing for Bank of America in the Tampa Bay area....

















