Rainy Day? Go Play!

Where to Take the Kids on a Rainy Day

Rainy day? No problem—from roller-skating to go-carting to visiting a science center or aquarium, we've got a can't-miss list of things to do with kids.

09/30/2025 By Lauren Jackson and Kim Doleatto

Hurricane Helene

Today Is the One-Year Anniversary of Hurricane Helene's Landfall

Catastrophic storm surge, fierce winds and billions of dollars in damages left Sarasota and Manatee struggling to rebuild in the storm's wake.

09/26/2025 By Megan McDonald and Kim Doleatto

Room to Breathe

At Booker Elementary, Revamped Sensory and Motor Rooms Offer Students a Way to Rest and Reset

The updated rooms give children short breaks to regulate their nervous systems so they can return to class ready to learn—tools that many schools struggle to provide.

09/25/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Real Estate Report

Sarasota Single-Family Prices Hold While Manatee's Slip; Condo Medians Fall Into $200,000 Range

In Sarasota, the median price for a single-family home is $475,000; in Manatee County, it's $467,640. Meanwhile, condo median prices fell to $300,000 in Sarasota County and $291,250 in Manatee and time to sale stretched past 100 days in both counties.

09/24/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Campus Memorial

New College of Florida Plans Statue of Charlie Kirk

The Sarasota school is commissioning a privately funded monument to the slain activist as other campuses weigh tributes following his murder in Utah.

09/16/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Mo' Mote

Mote's New Science Education Aquarium (SEA) Is Set to Open Oct. 8

The $130 million, 146,000-square-foot aquarium marks Mote Marine Laboratory’s 70th anniversary and ushers in a new era of science education, research and public engagement.

09/16/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Rhythms & Roots

Where to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in Sarasota and Manatee

Live music, dance, film and food mark a month of culture and community across the region. Plus, fun facts you didn't know.

09/15/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Paths Reimagined

Sarasota Turns to Art After Statewide Crosswalk Ban

Community members in Sarasota will gather to create mosaic stepping stones after the state ordered the removal of rainbow crosswalks and sidewalk art.

09/12/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Liquid Assets

Former FDIC Chairman Bill Isaac Lists His Sarasota Waterfront Estate for $26 Million

Isaac's remodeled Lido Shores home is a Gulf-front property that blends family history, financial legacy and Sarasota’s rarefied real estate market.

09/10/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Weight and See

Sarasota Strongman Jonathan Simos Sets New Guinness Record

Doing nearly 60 dumbbell rows in 60 seconds, Simos powered past the previous record.

09/09/2025 By Kim Doleatto

A Rinse With a View

Four Backyard Showers With Style

From coral rock installations to sleek modern pavilions, outdoor showers aren’t just rinsing stations—they’re statements.

09/08/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Development

Fruitville Gateway Apartments Proposed for Prominent Sarasota Location

A long-empty lot at Fruitville and Fourth may soon give rise to a five-story, 274-unit residential building—with a mix of studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom rentals and an affordable housing component.

09/08/2025 By Kim Doleatto

In Their Own Words

Darwin Tepe Puts Data and Heart to Work for Sarasota’s Seniors

Tepe’s work pairs numbers with human stories, showing legislators and funders that investing in seniors isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s financially savvy.

09/03/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Community Power

Inside Newtown’s Grassroots Push to Become a Trauma-Informed Neighborhood

A national model brought to Sarasota aims to build long-term resilience through local leadership, block-level organizing and deep listening.

09/03/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Sculpting the Unseen

Ringling Students Are Bringing Cold Cases Back to Life Through Forensics

Led by veteran forensic artist Joe Mullins, the workshops are yielding not just practice, but breakthroughs in real-world criminal investigations. 

09/02/2025 By Kim Doleatto

The Rich Keep Coming

How Wealthy Do You Have to Be to Live in Sarasota?

The flow of money and prosperity has accelerated in the last decade, bringing to town more millionaires, multimillionaires and even billionaires. The paradox, of course, is that many households and systems are under strain.

09/01/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Made For Life

Former Tervis CEO Hosana Fieber and Founding Family Member Rogan Donelly Take Over Osprey Store

That means customers can still walk in for warranty service and same-day customization while Tervis LLC focuses on wholesale.

08/29/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Tariff Watch

Tariffs Cloud Florida’s Housing Market With Rising Costs and Uncertainty

Material costs are climbing, uncertainty clouds supply chains, and local builders estimate new homes could cost $8,000 to $11,000 more.

08/22/2025 By Kim Doleatto

Real Estate Report

Condo Prices Dip in Sarasota and Manatee Counties as Single-Family Homes Hold the Line

"If the home is priced appropriately, buyers should stop and offer that price instead of trying to beat it down."

08/22/2025 By Kim Doleatto