News & City Life

Weather Report

Updated: Cold Weather Shelters Open Jan. 23 and 24 Ahead of Freezing Temps

Temps could drop as low as 28 degrees thanks to the winter storm that's pummeling north Florida and other Gulf states.

01/23/2025 By Staff

Deep Freeze

Will the Incoming Cold Front Bring Snow to Sarasota?

It's unlikely—but our area will still see cool weather in the 50s and lows in the 40s, with wind chill as low as 25 degrees.

01/17/2025 By Megan McDonald

Flashback

Photo: Venice Drive-In Church, 1955

Designed by architect Victor Lundy and built in 1955, it was featured in a photo spread published by Life magazine in April of that year.

01/17/2025 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Fighting Fire With Fire

Florida Is Burning, Too. But It's on Purpose.

“We set good fires, or else we get bad ones."

01/17/2025 By Isaac Eger

Be Still

Joe Abel Wows Passersby With His Living Statue Routine

Abel is a regular at downtown Sarasota events and baseball spring training games, where he wears a custom spray-painted uniform and yellow contact lenses. In addition to the tips he earns, people’s reactions make his unusual career rewarding.

01/14/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Fast Track

Climate Adaptation Center Announces 2025 Climate Champions

Plus, Empath Health names its first chief philanthropy officer, and more.

01/13/2025 By Staff

Grant Report

Sarasota County Expects to Receive More Than $210 Million in Hurricane Recovery Funding from HUD

Plus, the Bay reached a milestone $5 million in funding, and Manatee Audubon Society receives a grant to. support its conservation and education efforts.

01/13/2025 By Staff

Let It Flow

Hurricanes Milton and Helene Reopened Midnight Pass

Now the question is: Should it stay open?

01/13/2025 By Megan McDonald

45 Over 45

Meet 45 People Who Are Doing Amazing Things to Make Our Community a Better Place

We think you’ll be moved, surprised and inspired by the stories we’ve collected here.

01/13/2025

45 Over 45

Join Us as We Celebrate 45 Amazing People Over Age 45!

For one special night, we're gathering to honor local entrepreneurs, volunteers, philanthropists, artists, thinkers, movers and shakers who saw opportunities to make a difference and took action.

01/12/2025

Climate Change

The California Wildfires Are a Devastating Reminder of the Effects of Climate Change

After the catastrophic 2024 hurricane season, the Los Angeles fires are a reminder that we need to adapt to the changing climate or face the threat of even more severe weather events.

01/10/2025 By Bob Bunting

Poly Wanna Roundabout

'Poly,' a 20-Foot-Tall Sculpture, Was Just Installed at the 14th Street Roundabout

Five years after its approval, the 20-foot-tall piece by Hou de Sousa is located at U.S. 41 and 14th Street.

01/08/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Hurricane Relief

The Deadline to Apply for FEMA Hurricane Relief Assistance Is Jan. 7

If you have damage from both storms, you will need to apply separately for both disasters.

01/06/2025 By Staff

Q & A

Outgoing Tax Collector Barbara Ford-Coates Looks Back on a Half-Century of Public Service

Ford-Coates joined the tax collector's office in 1975 and has served as its elected leader since 1984.

01/02/2025 By Cooper Levey-Baker

Year in Review

Our 10 Most Popular Stories of 2024

Our roundup of our most-clicked-on stories of the year contains some obvious picks (like breaking news about the hurricanes), but other popular stories might surprise you.

12/31/2024 By Staff

Merry and Bright

Every New Year's Eve, Sarasota Drops a Pineapple With 10,000 Lights on It

Our beloved local holiday traditions, by the numbers.

12/30/2024 By Megan McDonald

Community Partnership

Our Big List of Upcoming New Year's Events

Here's what's happening in Sarasota this season.

12/30/2024 By Lauren Jackson

Year in Review

The Most Compelling Local News Stories of 2024

As the year comes to an end, we take a look back at the stories that defined our region in 2024.

12/30/2024 By Megan McDonald

Fast Track

Venice High School's Kelly Rozelle Named 2025 Sarasota County Teacher of the Year

Plus, Mike Rahn has been elected chairman of the Manatee County Port Authority, and more.

12/23/2024 By Staff