Herald-Tribune

Ads for GLP-1 drugs flooding the internet

If you watched the Super Bowl in 2026, you likely saw Serena Williams share her weight-loss journey on GLP-1 medications in a commercial. • Like millions of others around the country, if you’ve ever considered taking one of these drugs, you probably...

Sales of Florida homes show increase in April

Florida Realtors reported another month of improving sales of single-family homes in April, but some are expressing concerns over creeping higher mortgage rates and continued uncertainty over the Iran war. “We’ve seen a little slowness in our spring...

In the AI of the storm

Machine learning blustered into the limelight of hurricane forecasting in June 2025 when the National Hurricane Center began operationally using artificial intelligence models, including the pioneering Google DeepMind. By the end of the season which...

Cannabis legalization spurs innovation

Innovation in health care saves lives. But not all health innovations have enough evidence to actually benefit patients. Barriers to innovation are often higher in illicit or restricted markets, including cannabis, stem cells and cryptocurrencies....

A calmer year looks likely, but don’t be complacent

Unlike the government’s secret UFO stash of grainy videos of reflections, mirages, Michael Bay lens flares, and swamp gas reflected off the planet Venus, one thing credulous Mulders and skeptical Scullys can agree on is that the skies in 2025 were a...

Data: Sharp decline in Canadians visiting U.S.

The last time Paul Doroshenko was in the United States for longer than a day was over nine years ago. And the Vancouverite has no plans to change that in the near future. He’s far from alone. Canadians were once America’s largest group of inbound...

Memorial Day on Main Street

Members of South Shore Community Church are joined by elected officials as they prepare for the Memorial Day parade May 25 on Main Street in downtown Sarasota.

Universities still holding Native remains, artifacts

Many universities and museums in the United States have long held Native American burial artifacts, other sacred objects and even human remains. Most of these collections were acquired in the late 19th and 20th centuries. They came from grave...

SW Florida homecoming in June for WWII soldier killed 80 years ago

Bonnie Rolquin believes she was 10 when a cousin came to visit her family on Long lsland, New York. Her cousin, Charles C. Palmer Jr., was 16. They played together during the visit, as much as they could with the age difference and having never...

The world of Disney

Floridians sometimes date things into two distinct eras: Before Disney (BD) and After Disney (AD). BD: Roadside orange juice stands, gator farms and mom-and-pop motels. AD: Theme parks and convention hotels. BD: Miami Beach getaways. AD: Orlando...

EXPENSIVE SUMMER DRIVING SEASON AHEAD IN FLORIDA

Florida gas prices this week jumped yet again ahead of what could be the most expensive summer driving season for motorists in years, according to experts. The statewide average price for regular price of gasoline as of May 21 now stands at $4.511 a...

Pakistan aiming to get peace talks on track

DUBAI – Pakistan stepped up diplomacy on May 21 to hasten peace talks between the United States and Iran even as Tehran appeared to harden its stance over the nuclear issue amid new threats of strikes from President Donald Trump if he didn’t get the...

Floridians could see ban on fireworks for the 4th of July

Floridians may be singing, “bye-bye, Miss American Pie,” this Fourth of July: A fireworks ban may be coming. Here’s why: Wildfires are burning the pine forests outside of Hosford in the Panhandle and scorching the sawgrass wetlands of the Everglades...

RISING COSTS

Americans’ concerns about being able to afford electricity and home heating fuel have been elevated since the beginning of the Iran war. But recently released nationwide data shows that even before the war began, these concerns were widespread,...

THE SHOW WILL GO ON

Theaters usually pick shows based on what they think audiences want to see, actors want to perform in and the capabilities of volunteers and staff to produce them. But for Venice Theatre, reconstruction of its hurricane-damaged mainstage Jervey...

Restaurants, retailers joining Sarasota Square

A new Sarasota development housing one of the nation’s most popular grocery chains will also include several other big-name businesses, ranging from a beloved fast-casual restaurant to a trendy eyewear retailer. The first phase of Sarasota Square —...

Finally within reach

Gloria Harris has lived in Newtown her entire 70 years. ● She knows every street, all her neighbors and every church. ● She knows where the kids play and where the elders still gather. ● What she has known equally well, for most of her life, is where...

Jimmy Buffett-themed waterfront resort coming

The spirit of singer-songwriter and beloved Florida man Jimmy Buffett will live on in Sarasota County through a new waterfront resort bearing the name of his signature song. Local restaurateur Mike Evanoff is teaming with Steven Mullen and Angus...

Serenity PLAYER

Carter Cox always performs the same ritual before he starts to pitch. He’ll crouch with his back to the plate, his hand touching the rear of the mound, and everything becomes muted. The Venice senior left-hander thanks God for the opportunity. He...

Bishop Dewane retiring from Diocese of Venice

The Diocese of Venice called for a rare press conference on Wednesday, May 13, and was expected to announce the retirement of Bishop Frank J. Dewane, the longtime spiritual leader of more than 250,000 Catholics in Southwest Florida. According to the...

Local waterfront business adapts amid forced move

A longtime Sarasota business says it has found a way to survive after being forced from its waterfront home by a planned county park project. The owners of Siesta Key Watersports have worked out a plan to keep most of their business going, once it...

Stalemate in Iran raises oil prices

DUBAI – President Donald Trump’s swift rejection of Iran’s response to a U.S. peace proposal has fueled concerns that the 10-week-old conflict will drag on and continue to paralyze shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, pushing oil prices higher, on...

Bungalow district faces update plan

Plans for a five-story multifamily complex that would replace a set of colorful bungalows in downtown Sarasota are progressing but have yet to receive partial sign-off from the city’s Development Review Committee. The proposed apartment building,...

Which U.S. presidents would be on Florida’s Mount Rushmore? These four: Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon and Donald Trump.

Call them the “resident presidents.” A score of U.S. presidents have connections to Florida, from significant policy initiatives to eyebrow-raising trivial happenings. But only four spent appreciable time here during their terms in the White...

AI-integrated cameras raise alarms

For decades, cars dictated urban planning in the United States. ● Few could have predicted that they would one day also double as nodes for surveillance. ● In thousands of towns and cities across the United States, automatic license plate readers have...

Charting his own path

It’s been nearly 1,000 years since King Henry IV stood barefoot in the Italian snow to beg forgiveness after clashes with Pope Gregory VII, and over two centuries since Napoleon imprisoned Pope Pius VII in France. Now, a battle is underway between a...

Sarasota moves to preserve ranch near Myakka park

The Sarasota County Commission has placed 3,040 acres of Hawkins Ranch near Myakka River State Park on its priority list for the Environmentally Sensitive Land Protection Program. This was done at the county commission’s April 21 meeting. In November,...

Officials dispute grim claims of FL home insurance costs

Florida homeowners pay some of the highest premiums in the country to insure their homes and recent national reports rank the state at No. 1 with the annual average anywhere from $5,838 to $9,449. But officials with the Florida Office of Insurance...

Sarasota County may seek tax hike to fund road work

Sarasota County’s priority transportation goals can be broken down into seven projects, ranging from a hurricane evacuation route for Englewood to extending Lorraine Road north to Fruitville Road, with a projected cost of $322 million. Sarasota County...

Trump visits seniors

THE VILLAGES, FL — They skipped pickleball matches, softball practice and regular Friday card games, broke out their MAGA hats and No Kings signs, hopped into golf carts and gathered in one of the largest senior communities in America to make their...

'My wife is not a burden.'

Hurricane Milton had blown off the carport roof, damaged the lanai and broken several windows of his Sarasota home. • But during that October in 2024, L. Paul Laramee was reeling from an even greater shock. • After months of troubling behavior –...

Commission to consider Sarasota parking changes

Visitors to downtown Sarasota may soon face longer parking hours and higher fines. Under a proposed ordinance, the Sarasota City Commission will consider May 4, street parking would be enforced earlier in the morning and later into the evening. On...

Florida’s housing market has a perception problem

Some national reports depict Florida as a housing market in deep trouble with dire headlines declaring “Foreclosure filings jump,” “Prices ‘dropping hard,’” and “Florida (among) the biggest losers.” But the latest statewide home sales numbers released...

Work progresses on revamp of local icon Snook Haven

Contractors are continuing to shape a new $8.75 million campus for south Sarasota County icon Snook Haven, with the new concession building and dining pavilion taking shape. Sarasota County is still negotiating a contract with the future Snook Haven...

Major downtown Sarasota housing plan back in play

The city of Sarasota’s plan to build attainable housing on First Street across from City Hall, near many of Main Street’s most popular restaurants and bars, received a new spark of life this month, as the Sarasota City Commission voted to revisit...

Latino vote shifting away from Trump, GOP

In the 2024 election, President Donald Trump dramatically improved his performance among nearly all groups of voters from four years earlier. Trump’s growth among Hispanic voters was especially notable, increasing by more than 10 points from 2020 to...

POWER HUNGRY

Ceasefire in place, Iran opens Strait of Hormuz

Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz “completely open” to all commercial vessels, the country’s foreign minister said, meeting a central demand of the United States as the two countries teased another round of peace talks and the clock wound down on a...

Pope warns: ‘Woe to those who manipulate religion’

Pope Leo XIV said the world is “being ravaged by a handful of tyrants” and decried world leaders who use religion for military gain in a speech in Cameroon on April 16. “Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own...

NO FIX IN SIGHT

After striking out with the Legislature and having legal challenges scaled back by a court, opponents of a developer-backed law freezing local planning decisions are facing a grim reality. The restrictive measure has derailed everything from major...

The high cost of U.S. health care

Complex system, competing interests barriers to lower prices In announcing its “Great Healthcare Plan” in January, the Trump administration became the latest in a long history of efforts by the U.S. government to rein in the soaring cost of health...

Downtown Sarasota icon set for towering makeover

The towering transformation of a Sarasota landmark — which housed myriad local residences as well as popular restaurants and shops in its historic two- to three-story design — is poised to begin, remaking a downtown icon with more than a century of...

Guy Fieri again to spotlight beloved Sarasota restaurant

Exciting new details have emerged about a celebrity chef ’s visit — nearly two decades later — to one of Sarasota’s most famous restaurants. That return trip is already taking shape behind the scenes. When Matt Rebhan and his father, Mark, met with...

What to expect for today’s Artemis II’s homecoming

After a 10-day mission of flying around the moon and venturing deeper into space than any humans in history, the Artemis II crew are set to return to Earth on April 10 — triggering a fullscale recovery operation that involves a U.S. Navy ship and four...

U.S., Iran both declare victory with ceasefire

A two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran is underway following an eleventh-hour deal struck just before a deadline imposed by President Donald Trump, who threatened to wipe out a “whole civilization” if Iran did not capitulate to U.S....

Man receives life sentences in double-murder case

In a trial that lasted only a day, Thomas Matejcek of Manatee County was found guilty on two counts of firstdegree murder Monday and received two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. Matejcek, 38, was found guilty of killing...

Artemis II photos show view before lunar flyby

More breathtaking images released over the weekend from NASA’s Artemis II mission showed both the moon and Earth in all their cosmic glory as four astronauts headed toward our celestial neighbor. The three Americans and one Canadian have captured some...

FHP chase tactics bring criticism

After a Florida Highway Patrol high-speed chase in Ybor City’s nightlife district ended in four people dead and 13 injured on Nov. 8, residents, media and elected leaders began asking if the tragedy could have been avoided. The four bystanders — ages...

At a time when concerns about high grocery prices are rising, why are so many grocery chains opening new stores?

Ormond Beach residents Pedro Mosquera and his wife Loraine got up in the middle of the night to drive four cities over for the grand opening of Aldi’s new store in Port Orange, Thursday, Jan. 8. By the time the former Winn-Dixie opened its doors at 9...

Crew maneuvers Orion away from Earth orbit

For the first time since 1972, humans are once again heading toward the moon. The Artemis II mission, which launched April 1 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, got the green light to begin its lunar journey after a day of orbiting high above...

Artemis II rocket starts its journey to the moon

America is sending astronauts back to the moon for the first time in more than half a century. Towering taller than the Statue of Liberty, NASA’s 322-foot Space Launch System rocket — featuring an orange core stage flanked by twin white solid rocket...

Gulf exempted from the Endangered Species Act

A committee of senior Trump administration officials voted on March 31 to exempt the Gulf oil and gas industry from a federal law meant to protect endangered species including whales, birds and sea turtles. The decision, the first of its kind in more...

NASA Artemis II astronauts revved up for rocket launch

NASA’s Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman said he finds it surreal to drive across Kennedy Space Center to historic pad 39B — where Apollo and space shuttle missions launched decades ago — and look up at his massive 322-foot Space Launch System moon...

No Kings protest spurs 5,000 to take to streets

The Sarasota No Kings protests held Saturday, March 28 — opposing what organizers call “authoritarian policies” pushed by President Donald Trump — drew about 5,000 demonstrators downtown, up from roughly 3,000 at a No Kings rally in October. Both...

A stronger shoreline for Sarasota’s Bay Park

Downtown Sarasota’s Bay Park will see about $10 million in improvements to its shoreline to protect against flooding and storm surges, as part of a public works project funded by federal and state grants. ● The Bay Park Conservancy, which co-manages...

By studying dolphins in Sarasota, it’s changing how we see and hear them.

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Beloved shops could be replaced by apartments

A set of colorful bungalows in downtown Sarasota, housing popular restaurants and shops, carry some of the city’s historic character and local business charm. The beloved, one-story buildings from the 1920s and ’30s face a daunting, expanding skyline...

‘Trump slump’ hit U.S. tourism in 2025

With an upcoming FIFA World Cup being staged across the nation, 2026 was supposed to be a bumper year for tourism to the United States, driven in part by hordes of arriving soccer fans. And yet, the U.S. tourism industry is worried. While the rest of...

Protests against Trump could draw thousands

Multiple “No Kings” protests are set for Saturday in Sarasota and Manatee counties, as organizers and participants push back against what they call unjust and cruel acts of violence by President Donald Trump’s administration. The protests on March 28...

U.s. airport executives call for end to standoff

As Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers deployed to ease security lines at airports across the country, the pressure on the White House and Capitol Hill to end the partial government shutdown, which affects the Department of Homeland Security,...

Herald Square building on the market at $8.5M

A yellow and orange building that serves as an entrance to downtown — and as a significant piece of Sarasota history — recently hit the market for $8.5 million. The Herald Square building in the Burns Court district has stood at the corner of South...

Trump’s ‘war on fraud’ a 50-state problem

President Donald Trump declared a new “war on fraud” during his State of the Union, embracing a task that has eluded presidents for decades. He even tapped his vice president to lead the effort. “This is the kind of corruption that shreds the fabric...

IS FLORIDA READY FOR TAKEOFF?

Instead of idling in Central Florida traffic tie-ups between Tampa Bay, Orlando, Daytona Beach and Melbourne, what if commuters could simply hop inside an “air taxi” and fly directly to their airports or downtown cities of choice? • Enter Eve Air...

U.S. sends thousands more troops to Middle East region

Despite promises of the war with Iran ending soon and broad disapproval of further U.S. involvement, the White House is signaling more is coming on the front in the Middle East. The U.S. military is deploying thousands of additional troops, including...

Retirement community expected to open in 2027

A major Sarasota-Manatee retirement development plans to open its doors to hundreds of new residents by 2027. Emerson Lakes, located on the Manatee County side of the sprawling Lakewood Ranch master-planned community — which also extends into Sarasota...

Man executed in murder that changed FL 911 laws

More than 17 years after Denise Amber Lee was abducted and killed, the Sarasota County man convicted of her murder was executed Tuesday, March 17, closing a chapter for her family. The case exposed critical failures in 911 dispatch that have since...

Nation hit by weather extremes coast to coast

A deep freeze settled into the South as a heat wave spread in the West and a trail of high winds and downpours left the East. On the heels of a major storm that delivered downpours, high winds and thunderstorms in eastern states, the National Weather...