New restaurant opens at popular Sarasota shopping center
Viva La Vida Cuban American Cuisine recently expanded to lunch and dinner service at Beneva Village Shoppes in Sarasota, about a month after owners Alejandro and Traci Lazo opened the upscale Latin restaurant for lunch service at 3440 Clark Road in mid-December. “We wanted everybody to come in little by little and...
Filmmaker Ken Burns visits Sarasota, says federal funding cuts cost him millions
Award-winning documentary filmmaker, director and producer Ken Burns spoke in Sarasota Monday about how funding cuts affect filmmakers like him, and how history lends context to current events. The government's recent cuts to public broadcasting, by rescinding money in 2025 that had been allocated by Congress,...
NAMI Sarasota and Manatee Counties to Host Free Family-to-Family Mental Health Education Class
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Sarasota and Manatee Counties will offer its nationally acclaimed Family-to-Family Education Class, a free, eight-session program designed to support family members, significant others, and friends of individuals living with mental health conditions. The class will be...
Historic downtown Sarasota redevelopment project moves forward
At a recent Development Review Committee meeting, the Mira Mar redevelopment project in downtown Sarasota received approval for its site plans. It was the Mira Mar’s second site plan submittal to the DRC. After the first submittal, the project’s team still needed to address comments related to zoning; utilities,...
Now Open—Chophouse285: The Hidden Gem for Steak Lovers in Englewood
Chophouse285 is now open, bringing a fresh take on the classic steakhouse right to Dearborn Street. Owners Keith and Laurie Farlow, who you probably know from Farlow’s on the Water, have poured their hearts into this place. They wanted every detail to feel just right: the food, the drinks, the vibe, even the wood on...
Autopsy shows hypothermia as probable cause of death for missing 4-year-old
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - A preliminary autopsy report shows hypothermia as the probable cause of death for 4-year-old Jonathan Bolley, the Manatee County boy who went missing from his father’s home on New Year’s Eve. Bolley’s body was found partially submerged in a creek Fridayn January 2, about...
New rental community brings 284 homes to Parrish
Atlanta-based real estate firm Quinn Residences has delivered its first residential community in the greater Tampa Bay area, adding new rental housing in one of Manatee County’s fastest-growing corridors. The company completed Quinn Residences at Moccasin Wallow in Parrish, a purpose-built rental community with 284...
Conservation, parks referendum could return to Manatee County ballot in 2026
Come November, voters could be faced with another decision regarding how much they want to spend to conserve land in Manatee County. In 2020, residents overwhelmingly passed the Conservation and Parks Referendum with 71% of voters in favor of being taxed an additional .15 mills and allowing Manatee County to bond up...
Bradenton man sentenced to prison after shooting friend dead, records say
A Bradenton man will spend more than a decade in prison after investigators said he fatally shot his friend while handling a handgun inside a vehicle. A Manatee County judge sentenced Jabarre Burney, 19, to more than 10 years in prison after he pleaded no contest to manslaughter by culpable negligence with a firearm...
From Hidden Gem to Hot Property: The Evolution of North Port
North Port’s on the rise. If you’ve been in the area for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed. Now even U-Haul’s calling it out. According to their latest study, North Port landed second place among the nation’s fastest-growing cities, just behind Ocala. Florida basically dominates the list, with Panama City,...
