Suncoast Searchlight

Candidate Forums Offer Sarasota, Manatee Voters a Chance to Hear From Contenders

Local chapters of the League of Women Voters are hosting a series of nonpartisan candidate forums ahead of the Nov. 3 general election.

2:53pm By Suncoast Searchlight Staff

Flashback

Photo: The Steamboat Manatee, 1910

The "Manatee"—Terra Ceia’s main freight and passenger service—was part of H. Walter Fuller Investment Company’s three-steamboat fleet.

09/01/2026 By Megan McDonald

Tropical Chill

North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton Home Values Are Down 17 Percent From Their Peak

According to the Zillow Home Value Index, it's the third-largest decline among Florida metros since 2022.

08/31/2026 By Kim Doleatto

Real Estate Report

Sarasota-Manatee Home Sales Rise as Inventory Tightens

July brought more closings, fewer active listings and a surge in Sarasota’s luxury market.

08/19/2026 By Kim Doleatto

Vote!

How to Vote in the August 18 Primary in Sarasota and Manatee Counties

Florida is a closed primary state. Here's what to know before you head to the polls.

08/17/2026

You Got The Moves

Sarasota-Manatee Ranks Among Nation’s Top Destinations for Gen X and Millennial Movers

New U-Haul findings add to evidence that the region is attracting more than retirees.

08/10/2026 By Kim Doleatto

Master Class

Lakewood Ranch Holds No. 2 Spot for New Home Sales as Wellen Park Jumps to No. 3 Nationally

Lakewood Ranch and Wellen Park landed among the nation’s top three master-planned communities, while Bradenton’s new SeaFlower earned an honorable mention.

07/31/2026 By Kim Doleatto

River Revival

Oyster River Ecology Wants to Bring the Manatee River Back to Life

The Manatee County nonprofit—born in a driveway—has secured more than $750,000 to expand its oyster work and restore the Manatee River back to its historic glory.

07/29/2026 By Kim Doleatto

Real Estate Report

Sarasota-Manatee Home Sales Surge as Inventory Shrinks and Prices Split

June median prices reached $492,450 for Sarasota single-family homes, $490,000 in Manatee, $343,750 for Sarasota condos and townhomes and $310,000 in Manatee.

07/22/2026 By Kim Doleatto

First Person

Manatee County Commission Candidate Adam Johnson on the Issues

How serious is Johnson, really? And can he transition from his mischievous trolling on X (formerly known as Twitter) for the unsexy slog of zoning ordinances?

07/01/2026 By Isaac Eger

Concrete Dream

Behold: The Priciest Home on the Market in Sarasota-Manatee

Listed for $38.45 million, the under-construction Longboat Key estate began as a family dream house. If it sells anywhere close to ask, it could reset the region’s residential sales record.

07/01/2026 By Kim Doleatto

Real Estate Report

Sarasota-Manatee Buyers Are Back, but They’re Not Rushing

May data shows pending sales rising, with median single-family home prices reaching $475,000 in Sarasota County and $460,000 in Manatee County.

06/18/2026 By Kim Doleatto

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.

06/18/2026 By Chloe Nelson

Sarasota History

Flashback: Friends at the Bradenton Beach Bathhouse, 1922

While bathing suit styles might have changed dramatically over the past century, our love of the beach hasn’t.

06/05/2026 By Megan McDonald

Real Estate Report

Sarasota-Manatee Home Sales Rise as Inventory Tightens and Median Prices Hold Steady

April data shows stronger buyer activity across single-family homes and condos in both counties, with Sarasota’s condo market posting the sharpest jump in sales.

05/19/2026 By Kim Doleatto

Sarasota Confidential

The Locals' Guide to Sarasota

Whether you’re visiting, new to town or just need a refresher on the joys of living here, explore our only-the-locals-know guide to our region.

05/04/2026 By The Editors

Big Dip

Saucy! By KFC Is Bringing Its Sauce-Obsessed Chicken Concept to Lakewood Ranch

The new Manatee County restaurant opens today, Monday, May 4, in a former PDQ space on Lena Road.

05/04/2026 By Kim Doleatto