News across Sarasota County

Sarasota school district to examine claim a teacher 'harrassed' conservative student
Florida's attorney general James Uthmeier took the unusual step of going public with an accusation against a teacher at the highly ranked Pine View School in Osprey.

What to do, Where to go
Top Picks Painting the Beauties of The Peace River Gardens is a workshop at Peace River Botanical and Sculpture Gardens at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 25. Artist Valerie Ann Peterson guides you through sketching, layering and painting. Bring the entire family to Family Fest at Sarasota’s Van…

Two years after Hurricane Milton: What a hurricane’s reach really means
Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, brought a direct hit to Sarasota and placed Tampa Bay within the broader strike zone.

This Week in Local Government
On Wednesday, Sarasota Commissioners will weigh whether to grant a rezone for two key parts of the Lakewood Ranch Southeast megaproject. Both the Manatee County Commission and the City of North Port Council are expected to adopt a data center moratorium this week.

Public Notice: WSLR, Inc. Board of Directors Meeting, September 21, 2026
The regular monthly meeting of the WSLR, Inc. Board of Directors will be held Monday, September 21, 2026, at 5:30 PM via Zoom. The meeting is open to the public.

Kelly Kirschner makes a case for Sarasota’s Florida congressional seat
Florida is just 46 days away from the general election, and in the southern Tampa Bay area, Democrat Kelly Kirschner thinks he can succeed Vern Buchanan in a newly redrawn CD16. Kirschner—a third-generation Floridian, former Mayor of Sarasota, and once the youngest city…

Librarian: Book bans continue to cause pain
After winning an Emmy, one of the protagonists of 'The Librarians' sits down with a WSLR reporter.

School board grants Terry Connor big bonus
The recognition of the superintendent's achievements comes amid turbulent times.

‘Sea Spray’ threatens one of Sarasota Bay’s last stretches of natural shoreline
In a last-ditch effort against the massive development, conservationists seek help from Army Corps of Engineers.

In these elections, party lines are blurring
Democratic candidate fields Republican supporters — among them a sitting county commissioner and a former Congressman.

Sarasota audiences react to WBCN documentary
Our reporter asked Burns Court moviegoers what they thought of 'The Airwaves Belong to the People'.

Comic mystery “Four Old Broads” opens at Venice Theatre
Sometimes the best way to celebrate life is simply to laugh. Venice Theatre’s production of “Four Old Broads” — a comic mystery by award-winning playwright, actor, director and theater advocate Leslie Kimbell — is now playing through Sunday, Oct. 11, in the theater’s temporary…