Herald-Tribune
Sarasota OKs 3,000 homes as residents fear changes
The Sarasota County Commission approved both the development of up to 3,000 homes on the first village phase of Hi-Hat Ranch and an agreement to Miles Toder build a regional sports complex near Fruitville Road. The approval of the homes on Oct. 7...
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$40M Wellfield Park revamp awaits Amendment 3 results
The Sarasota County Commission unanimously approved the master concept plan for the Wellfield Regional Sports Complex in Venice, though the timeline for development and funding remains in limbo until after Florida voters weigh in on Amendment 3. The...
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Snook Haven’s return nears
Snook Haven Regional Park, Sarasota County’s historic music and food destination on the Myakka River, is expected to reopen Nov. 6 following a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Billed as “Smack Dab on the Myakka River” at 5000 E. Venice Ave., Venice, Snook...
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Sarasota coalition plans $5M Black cultural center
The Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition (SAACC) is building momentum at the historic Leonard Reid House. The coalition is launching new programming, deepening a partnership with The Ringling and laying the groundwork for long-term expansion...
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5 keys to watch in midterm elections
WASHINGTON − In November, does the blue wave become a tsunami? Watch these spaces. Five keys are shaping monster midterms that are poised to revive Democrats’ political power in Washington and reinforce it across the country. But the advantage of...
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SUNDAY HUDDLE 1B
Bob Toski’s recognition wall includes a package of his signature MacGregor golf balls at his home in Boca Raton, Fla., on August 26, 2026. The 2013 PGA Hall of Fame inductee is set to celebrate his 100th birthday in September.
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Hurricane Isaias’ impact will span much of Florida
Hurricane Isaias has strengthened to Category 3 intensity on final approach to a landfall between Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach, expected between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. CT Friday. This intensification increases the wind and surge threats to the western...
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The long afterlife of QAnon
On Election Day in 2024, as voters cast their ballots, Elon Musk posted a campaign music video supporting Donald Trump’s bid for president. h Set to Van Halen’s “Jump,” with a montage of 1980s cultural references and images of Trump in various...
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Siesta Key waterfront home finds buyer for $26 million
A waterfront home on Siesta Key sold for $26 million in an all-cash deal, making it Sarasota County’s most expensive home sale this year. The 1.18-acre estate overlooking the Gulf at 3990 Higel Ave. took the lead for the highest sale this year. The...
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U.K. police detain 5, probe alleged plot at U.S. airbase
FAIRFORD, England – British police said on Sept. 28 they were investigating whether individuals acting for a foreign state were involved in an apparent plot to attack an airbase used by the United States but said five suspects they had arrested would...
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Faith groups could swing midterm election
NEW ORLEANS – The Rev. Demetrese Phillips opened the meeting with a prayer, reminding the evangelists, Muslims, Baptists, Presbyterians, Mormons and nondenominational leaders that “social justice is part of our ministry.” Phillips, the senior pastor...
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A LOOK INSIDE
WEEKEND EXCLUSIVE, 1D They're looking for a special needs school for their daughter. But no one will take her. Charlotte Lange-Geise, 10, looks out the window before getting ready for summer camp Aug. 18. Charlotte has complex care needs that require...
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Apartments pair luxury with lower-priced units
A new modern apartment complex in downtown Sarasota’s Rosemary District is welcoming new residents, blending luxury and affordability for renters. Aspire on 10th is a 157-unit luxury apartment development, which hosted its grand opening Sept. 24,...
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Trump seeks trade win with Xi
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Sept. 24 for a state summit expected to be heavy on symbolism but light on substance, with both leaders keen to showcase stable ties despite a deep...
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Sarasota’s Midnight Pass deemed ‘dynamically stable’
Nearly two years after hurricanes reopened Midnight Pass, Sarasota County has encouraging news for those who want it to stay open: The waterway appears stable. Consultant Michael Jenkins told the Sarasota County Commission on Sept. 22 that data...
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Global diesel shortage unlikely to ease by 2027
NEW YORK – A global diesel shortage fueled by wars in Iran and Ukraine is unlikely to ease before next year, according to storage market indicators and industry participants, extending a spike in fuel costs that is weighing on economies worldwide. The...
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Downtown development cuts back, clears hurdle
A controversial downtown Sarasota development proposed just north of Selby Gardens is moving forward with fewer residences and no hotel component after significantly scaling back its plans. The Sarasota Development Review Committee granted partial...
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The invention of lactose intolerance
Lactose intolerance makes drinking milk or eating ice cream a literal pain. For some people, eating a dairy treat can lead to bloating, nausea and diarrhea. You might’ve experienced its effects yourself. If so, you may think of lactose intolerance as a...
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Are you up for the challenge?
Access our interactive puzzles and prepare to get mentally physical. If cross-words make you cross-eyed, we’ve got plenty of other brain-teasers for you.
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Buffett steps down as Berkshire chairman
Berkshire Hathaway said on Sept. 18 that Warren Buffett will step down as chairman and become chairman emeritus, effective immediately, nine months after handing the CEO reins to longtime lieutenant Greg Abel. The company named his son, Howard...
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Carney pitches closer ties to European Parliament
STRASBOURG, France – Canada and Europe should ally to protect their markets, democracies and rule of law in a world dominated by the United States and China, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Sept. 17, after an EU proposal to make Canada an “associate...
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How AI evolves amid dire predictions
The heads of leading U.S. AI labs came together in a rare show of unity over the weekend to urge a slowdown of the technology’s development, warning it could soon improve on its own and slip beyond human control. The remarks, from fierce business...
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Sarasota homeowners could face new fee for land deal
Sarasota County homeowners could face a new assessment to help fund the purchase of the former Gulf Gate Executive Golf Course after commissioners directed staff to gauge support for a potential funding plan. The county is seeking to acquire the...
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Church still serves homeless people despite zoning issues
More than 50 homeless people traveled from downtown Sarasota to Remnant Church Sept. 9 for lunch and Bible study as the church provided limited homeless outreach services after a county citation for operating a social service facility on land zoned for...
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SEX-TRAFFICKING CRACKDOWN STALLS
WASHINGTON – The Trump administration has repeatedly said the fight against sex trafficking is one of its top priorities. But investigations have stalled and prosecutions declined because of staffing shortages, funding cuts, immigration enforcement...
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THE DUST THAT NEVER SETTLED
Ageneration later data now show that three times as many people have died with a confirmed 9/11-related illness than perished during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. • Some 9,677 people have died since their exposure to the toxic mix of chemicals...
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25th anniversary of 9/11 commemorated
NEW YORK – As the United States marked 25 years since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Americans across the country gathered to honor the nearly 3,000 people who perished and reflect on the day that forever changed the nation. A quarter-century...
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DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
SARASOTA — Firefighters in full gear will lead hundreds of people up the stairs at Nathan Benderson Park on Friday as the community marks the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The inaugural 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb and Day of...
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Luxury condo tower ‘in the home stretch’
A condominium tower bearing one of hospitality’s best-known luxury brands is nearing completion on Sarasota’s downtown waterfront. The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Sarasota Bay, is set to bring 78 luxury condominium residences to Sarasota’s waterfront....
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Homeless outreach cut after quality-of-life complaints
A Sarasota church curtailed most of its homeless outreach services Aug. 26 after county code enforcement determined the program was operating as a social service facility on land zoned for single-family residential use. The Remnant Cafe — which had...
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Flock blocks audit data that led to misuse probes
At least 19 police and sheriff’s office employees in five states were arrested, fired, put on administrative leave or placed under investigation over the past two months for using Flock Safety’s vast network of license plate reader cameras to track...
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Outbreak shows health system under strain
YPSILANTI, MI – During the height of the summer outbreak of cyclosporiasis, Dea Lancaster set aside her usual duties as nurse coordinator at Michigan’s Washtenaw County Health Department to call patients, asking about their symptoms and tracing the...
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REMEMBRANCE & RESILIENCE
Jeffrey Coniglio is dressed in white down to his shoes, his daughter Giada in a flowing pale green gown. They are twirling across the dance floor to music from “The Greatest Showman” when, suddenly, Giada flips head over heels and then swings out into...
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Florida condo glut creates great deals across the state
If you’ve always dreamed of owning a condo on the beach in Florida, now may be your chance. The Sunshine State is the nation’s undisputed condo capital, with more than 1.6 million units, the most of any state. It currently has a glut of nearly 70,000...
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Dating non-negotiables are increasingly about politics
BOCA RATON — Recently divorced, Cesar Ortiz thought dating apps would ease him back into the Wild West of the dating scene. He instead found a political litmus test, literally asking him to swipe right or left. “I’ve seen quite a few dating apps...
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Downtown luxury condo tower hits key milestone
Interior demolition of the former Zenith Insurance building in downtown Sarasota is nearly complete, according to the developer, marking an early step toward replacing the office building with a luxury condominium tower. Waldorf Astoria Residences...
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Embryo personhood debate gains notice
About 100,000 babies were born through in vitro fertilization in 2024, according to the most recent U.S. data. But IVF commonly involves trying to create multiple embryos, because success is never guaranteed. If unused, those embryos can be frozen,...
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‘ISOLATED’
Severe storms, heat waves and wildfires can shut down the social life of a community, flooding out festivals, canceling community events and keeping people indoors. They’re also evidence of how climate change isn’t just changing the environments we...
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$80M boathouse to be ready in 2028
Sarasota’s controversial $80 million Nathan Benderson Park boathouse project is now racing toward a firm 2028 deadline. Conservancy COO Bruce Patneaude assured Sarasota County commissioners Aug. 25 that the boathouse and multisport complex would be...
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Grown with love
How a fruit stand in Sarasota grew into the Detwiler grocery legacy
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Judge dismisses parts of Sarasota flood victims’ suit
Residents seeking compensation from Sarasota County for flooding from Tropical Storm Debby in 2024 received a setback Aug. 12 when 12th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Dana Moss granted most of Sarasota County’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The lawsuit...
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Sarasota County opens its new administration center
Sarasota County’s new $100 million administration center hosted its first County Commission meeting Tuesday, Aug. 25, after a brief ceremony and ribbon-cutting. The new 121,160-square-foot facility is at 1 Apex Road in Fruitville Farms, a fast-growing...
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‘Queen of Country’ Dolly Parton dies
Dolly Parton, the “Queen of Country” singing and songwriting icon with a personality as bold as her signature blond coif and rhinestone-encrusted outfits, has died. She was 80. Parton’s death was announced by her family on her social media pages and...
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Trump gets win in mail ballot dispute
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court said lower courts moved too soon when they partly paused President Donald Trump’s executive order cracking down on mail-in ballots before the midterm elections that will decide control of Congress. The court on Aug. 24...
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Prosecutions pursued more aggressively under Trump
Christian Garcia admits that he threw a water bottle toward officers guarding a federal building near Los Angeles during an immigration protest last summer. The plastic bottle was empty, he said, and hit no one but Garcia himself – the wind blew it...
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FL real estate market is hot, but are sellers being greedy?
There’s encouraging news for those looking to sell homes in Florida — provided they keep things in perspective. For the 11th month in a row, Florida Realtors in July sold more homes than they did a year ago. On the whole, those homes also sold for...
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Fellsmere, In women didn’t the wait for Amendment. 19th They were voting! already
In this small Florida town, women cast ballots five years before nationwide suffrage was secured.
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Florida’s top cop becomes ultimate ‘culture warrior’
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier had no qualms defying a federal judge’s order. The state’s chief legal officer said he even would be willing to go to jail. The showdown occurred in 2025 when U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams ordered...
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FLORIDA RANKS HIGH IN GROCERY COSTS
As grocery prices keep climbing, a new national report has ranked Florida tied with two other states as having the country’s sixth-highest average weekly grocery costs. The ranking by WorldPopulationReview.com coincides with the issuing of the...
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Dems to edge out GOP on Sarasota school board
When three sitting Republican members of the Sarasota County School Board opted not to seek reelection in 2026, it guaranteed that Sarasota voters would usher in a new era on Aug. 18. Regardless of the outcome of a Nov. 3 runoff between Democrat Jimmy...
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Amendment 3 may bring titanic shift
With the August primaries behind them, Florida voters can turn their attention to a robust fall lineup topped by a governor’s race, U.S. Senate contest and what outgoing Gov. Ron DeSantis once envisioned as “the Big Kahuna.” The ballot measure, known...
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PRIMARY SETS STAGE FOR FALL
With Florida’s 2026 primary election upon us, it’s all over but the voting. For those who have not cast a ballot by mail or in early voting, h Aug. 18 is the last chance for their voice to be heard. h Statewide races include governor, two of three...
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What happens if you can’t pay your HOA?
Liens filings by homeowners associations, including condominium associations, are on the rise both nationally as well as in Florida, according to a new report. The Sunshine State accounted for more than 1 in 6 of all filings in the United States in...
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THE FLORIDA HIGHWAYMEN
In the 1950s, they hit the road to sell their paintings of Florida landscapes for as little as $25 each. h Today, their artwork is worth tens of thousands of dollars or more. They have their own museum in Fort Pierce – the only museum in the world...
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Flock scandals in Florida prompt changes
Flock Safety, the company behind the controversial license plate cameras that have spread rapidly across Florida and the United States, announced Aug. 13 new security and privacy safeguards. The move comes as reports pile up of police officers abusing...
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Ranking: Region’s counties among most at storm risk
Pummeled by Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024 — as well as Tropical Storm Debby — Sarasota County ranks among the 10 most hurricanevulnerable counties in the nation, according to a new analysis released as Florida approaches the traditional peak of...
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Snook Haven transformation advances; fall opening eyed
For many Sarasota County residents and visitors, Snook Haven was best known as a rustic riverside joint for barbecue, cold beer and live music along the Myakka River. Now, the longtime Venice landmark is being transformed into the centerpiece of an...
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Publix grocery chain shows no signs of slowing down
Publix is Florida’s biggest grocery chain by a wide margin with nearly 900 stores throughout the state — far more than its two biggest rivals combined: Walmart (387) and Aldi (334). Despite its dominant market share, Lakeland-based Publix Super...
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Democratic socialism: What it is, what it isn’t
Ahead of a challenging midterm election, Republicans have seized an opportunity to castigate their opponents as extremists after democratic socialists won Democratic congressional primaries in New York City, Colorado and Washington, DC. • GOP leaders...
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Tax measure could hurt Florida renters
Camilo Mejía, director of policy and advocacy at the nonprofit Catalyst Miami, knows many Florida homeowners see Amendment 3 as a lifeline, a property tax break in a state that is becoming more unaffordable every day. “There’s a lot of people who are...
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VYING FOR A SPOT
P resident Donald Trump has called the affordability crisis a hoax, but the anointed candidates for Florida governor are putting the issue center stage. ● The question remains which candidate will own the issue by Election Day. ● Money, or the lack...
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For sale: Rare property in downtown Sarasota
A downtown Sarasota property valued at more than $15 million has hit the market. Sarasota Military Academy’s fiveacre Orange Avenue campus is being marketed by Michael Saunders & Company Commercial Real Estate as a redevelopment option under the Live...
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After life-altering shooting, Battie earns Auburn degree
Brian Battie didn’t entertain the conversation at first. He was too focused on healing, mentally and physically, and grieving what was lost. On May 18, 2024, Battie was shot at Tallywood Centre Plaza in Sarasota, where he was taken to Sarasota...
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‘The people have spoken’: City ends paid parking plan
The Sarasota City Commission responded to public comments and rolled back its paid parking plan Monday, Aug. 3, on a unanimous vote. That means parking is free again in downtown Sarasota and on St. Armands Circle before 10 a.m., after 8 p.m. and on...
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Sarasota remains popular for new Florida residents
After a recent report showed Sarasota apartment vacancies rising and rents falling, new driver’s license data suggests thousands of people are still moving to Sarasota County. More than 6,600 people transferred driver’s licenses from other states to...
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Downtown Sarasota condo project to get third review
Developers will again seek approval for a downtown Sarasota condominium tower at the entrance to the historic Laurel Park neighborhood. The administrative site plan for 1776 Ringling Condominium — a 10-story, 52-unit building at the intersection of...
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All ready for its first day of school
When Wellen Park High School opens Aug. 10 with more than 1,000 students in grades 9-12, it will be the first new high school in Sarasota County in 25 years. Between 80 and 90 of those students will be part of the first graduating class for the...
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ARTS
Top Sarasota art events this week and Jay Handelman reviews “The Last Romance” at Florida Studio Theatre.
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Medicare drug plan premiums may rise for seniors
Medicare seniors aren’t going to be happy: changes are coming to their medications’ coverage that is expected to cost them more next year. Specifically the federal agency over Medicare is ending a subsidy program to insurance companies for their...
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