News & City Life

Historical Holiday

How to Celebrate Juneteenth in Sarasota and Manatee Counties

One June 19, 1865, enslaved people in Texas learned they were free—two years after Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.

06/16/2025 By Chloe Nelson

Talking Walls

A New Mural of Irene and Lewis Colson Is Part of Sarasota's New 'Call for Walls' Initiative

The new initiative brings murals—and local history—into the heart of city neighborhoods, one wall at a time.

06/12/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Grant Report

Community Foundation of Sarasota County Awards Scholarships to Hundreds of Local Students

Plus, MITER Foundation commits $200,000 to Tampa's new Ronald McDonald House, and more.

06/09/2025 By Staff

Fast Track

Temple Sinai Director of Early Childhood Education Receives 'Person of Valor' Award

Plus, the Sarasota Chamber receives a national communications award, and more.

06/09/2025 By Staff

Hurricane Prep

Sarasota County to Open Voluntary Self-Service Sandbag Stations

The sites will be open on June 14, July 19 and Aug. 10 so residents can pickup free empty bags and sand to help prepare for potential storms.

06/06/2025 By Staff

Condo news

A New Condo Law May Offer Owners Some Relief. Is It Enough?

Florida’s new condo law aims to ease financial pressure after the Surfside collapse, but rising costs, insurance hikes, and mounting reserves continue to squeeze owners—especially in aging buildings.

06/06/2025 By Kim Doleatto

In Motion

Here's Who’s Moving to and Leaving Our Region

A data-driven look at how steady waves of new residents are reshaping Sarasota and Manatee counties.

06/05/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Fast Track

Sarasota Lifeguard Named Lifeguard of the Year, Receives National Medal of Valor

Plus, the City of Sarasota appoints Dave Bullock as interim city manager, and more.

06/02/2025 By Staff

Grant Report

Bishop Parker Foundation Awards $5 Million in Grants

Plus, Manasota ASALH awards $45,000 in scholarships to 17 local students, and more.

06/02/2025 By Staff

Wild Times

How a Bizarre Promotional Gimmick Changed Local Radio

“We were such idiots. What you heard on the radio? We were that dumb.”

06/02/2025 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Tropical Update

Keep Your Eyes on the Tropics This Month

June can be a concerning month for the Suncoast, because storms form in the southern Caribbean and then move northward through the Yucatan area into the Gulf.

06/02/2025 By Bob Bunting

As Above, So Below

With Help From Sarasota’s Eternal Reefs, Astronaut Mary Cleave Was Laid to Rest in the Gulf of Mexico This Spring

Since Eternal Reefs’ founding in 1998, the company has laid to rest the remains of more than 3,000 people, 1,000 of whom are at a burial site named Silvertooth near Big Pass.

06/01/2025 By Lauren Jackson

Departure Time

SRQ's Outgoing President and CEO Rick Piccolo Reflects on 30 Years of Growth

“I hope I left it better than I found it—but that’s for others to decide," Piccolo says.

05/30/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Collateral Damage

What Are Natural Disasters Doing to Our Mental Health?

Hurricanes wreak havoc on our houses and businesses, but just as serious is the harm to our mental health.

05/30/2025 By Megan McDonald

Be Prepared

How to Prepare for Hurricane Season

Hurricane season starts June 1 and runs through November 30. Here's how to get ready.

05/29/2025 By Staff

Glass Act

Tervis Has Completely Moved Out of Its Venice HQ

The nearly 120,000-square-foot campus is now home to gaming software company Combat Waffle Studios Inc. and the Global Sports Institute.

05/26/2025 By Staff

Trees, Please

City of Sarasota Offers Two More Opportunities for Residents to Acquire Trees

After unprecedented interest in April's tree giveaway at the Bay, City of Sarasota residents can sign up to a free small tree or low-cost canopy tree.

05/16/2025 By Staff

Plant People

A Selby Gardens Botanist Just Helped Discover Four New Plant Species

And one of them is named after Jennifer Rominiecki, Selby Gardens' president and CEO.

05/15/2025 By Megan McDonald

Public Health

Florida Bans Fluoride in Public Water, Ending Decades-Long Public Health Practice

Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed legislation prohibiting additives in municipal water, including fluoride, prompting a divided response from health experts and local officials.

05/14/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Fast Track

Ilene Denton Named to Selby Foundation Board of Directors

Plus, the St. Regis Longboat Key is named “Project of the Year” by Associated Builders & Contractors and more.

05/12/2025 By Staff