Local News in Sarasota County

Evan Longoria receives Rays’ highest honor as his No. 3 is retired

Evan Longoria regularly gets lofty praise as the best player in Rays history.

Sarasota County drops burn ban

Thanks to recent rains, Sarasota County’s burn ban has been lifted as of July 12. The burn ban issued by Sarasota County Fire Department, which prohibited non-permitted open burns, ended when the Keech Bryan Drought Index fell below 500 for seven consecutive days, reducing the…

McConnell says a fall led to his hospitalization, breaking weeks of silence about health condition

Sen. Mitch McConnell has for the first time revealed what led to his hospitalization. McConnell, 84, in a statement Sunday said a fall was what landed him in the hospital four weeks ago. The statement comes after weeks of mounting…

Jannik Sinner bounces back with another Wimbledon title after his French Open meltdown

Top-ranked Jannik Sinner beat Alexander Zverev 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-4 for his second consecutive Wimbledon title and fifth Grand Slam overall. Zverev appeared bothered by a knee issue after a slip to the grass on a key point…

What to know about new rules and technology behind the World Cup's most contentious calls

It was another game-changing moment at the World Cup that had more to do with television replays in a room far away than a moment of brilliance on the field. The sending off of Switzerland’s Breel Embolo in Saturday’s quarterfinal…

Sen. Lindsey Graham likely died after aorta rupture, medical examiner says

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close ally of President Donald Trump, has died after a brief illness. The South Carolina Republican was 71. Graham was known for advocating a strong U.S. foreign policy. He initially opposed Trump and ran against him…

Philadelphia's Sánchez to start All-Star Game at home for NL. Toronto's Cease the pick for AL

Cristopher Sánchez of the Philadelphia Phillies will start Tuesday night’s All-Star Game in his home ballpark. He'll take the mound for the National League against Dylan Cease of the Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays announced Sunday that Cease will…

Hundreds attend the Department of Health Charlotte County Back to School Bash

World Cup semifinals: Four previous champions, a bitter rivalry, Mbappé vs Yamal and Messi vs Kane

It’s a World Cup semifinal lineup for the ages. Four previous champions and the four top-ranking teams in the world. Five of the six top scorers, one GOAT and one of the bitterest rivalries in soccer. France, Spain, England and…

One Extraordinary Photo: Argentina's Lautaro Martinez in the stands celebrating his goal with fans

When Argentina's Lautaro Martinez went into the stands to celebrate his goal with fans, AP photojournalist Ashley Landis knew she was seeing something out of the ordinary. That doesn’t happen every match, so Landis stayed on Martinez. Her photo captured…

Police Beat for July 13, 2026

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office reported the following arrests:

Fit for Life Senior Games registration opens

PORT CHARLOTTE — Registration for the 2026 Fit for Life Senior Games opens Wednesday, July 15, in Charlotte County.