The Sarasota City Commission unanimously approved a plan to purchase two plots of land to build two apartment buildings. The nearly 200 units would include employees who have been priced out of living in the city where they work. The city currently owns a parking lot located at 1530 First Street, diagonally across from Sarasota City Hall. The city is working to purchase adjacent properties, 1544 and 1590 First Street, to build attainable workforce housing units. "We're trying to address the working class individuals that work in Sarasota. Hundreds or thousands of cars and traffic every morning ..read more

Police are investigating after a toddler drowned in the pool of a vacation rental home in Manatee County Wednesday afternoon. The Bradenton Police Department said around 4:15 p.m., a family member pulled the 15-month-old child out of a residential pool at the home on 23rd Avenue West. The child was taken to Blake Hospital, where he passed away shortly before 5 p.m. despite life-saving measures. According to police, the child's family was visiting Florida from Arkansas, and the drowning appears accidental. Officers are still investigating ..read more

It's everywhere. The Alvarez's pool. Their tree house. Even inside their garage and home. "We just thought, 'Oh, they're gonna build houses, you know, they're gonna lose the farmland.' But I don't think we ever considered there was going to be dirt blowing over like that," Marcos said, standing in his backyard. As Marcos spoke to us, the wind barely blew, but there was still a small tint of brown in the air. Across the street from the Alvarez's house, Lennar Homes is clearing more than 1,300 acres for the Rye Ranch development. Alvarez has countless pictures of the worst of the dust. Some pict ..read more

The suspect in a workplace shooting at the Tropicana Plant in Bradenton last year is in custody. Demetrius Tyrone Bell, 51, was arrested today in Bradenton. Bell is suspected of going into the Tropicana Bradenton Plant after his scheduled shift on June 5, 2023, shooting a male coworker and forcing a female coworker to leave with him. The woman was released two days later, and Bell has been on the run ever since. On Monday, Bradenton Police received a tip that Bell was back in the Bradenton area. Police attempted to arrest Bell, but he ran from them. Officers then spotted him clinging to the ro ..read more

An undercover operation to investigate suspected illegal gambling resulted in several slot machines being removed from a Bradenton business. According to the Bradenton Police Department, the month-long investigation at a business called Pour Decisions revealed four arcade-style video slot machines for customers to use. The machines were removed from the business on Wednesday. None of the customers or employees have been arrested, and the investigation is still ongoing. Florida law prohibits slot machines without a proper Florida Gaming Control Commission-issued license. Business owners who hav ..read more

The Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority and Manatee County leaders have plans to build a $2.2 million flight observation deck. Construction will begin within the next 30 days on the SRQ Observation Deck. It is located near 15th Street East and Lindberg Court. Dozens of cars pull off to view the planes take off and land at the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport. Michael Brown watches the planes a few times a week. He says it may be noisy, but it is peaceful. "It's fun to just come and watch the planes fly in and out. Its actually very relaxing. It may be noisy, and I live toward the end of ..read more

A Northport motorcyclist was killed on Interstate 75 on Sunday morning after being hit by two vehicles, according to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP). The 25-year-old motorcyclist was traveling southbound on I-75 in Sarasota, approaching mile-marker 180, at about 2:47 a.m. According to an FHP report, the motorcyclist then hit the back of a sedan being driven by a 26-year-old Estero man. After the collision, the motorcyclist was thrown from the bike and onto the southbound lanes of I-75, where he was hit by a semi-truck driven by a 45-year-old Orlando man. A sedan being driven by a 38-year-old ..read more

A Sarasota woman who drove drunk and crashed head-on into a Florida state trooper during the Sunshine Skyway 10K race in March 2022 was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Tuesday. Kristen Watts, 53, will also have her license suspended for five years and must enter into and successfully complete a substance abuse evaluation and a mental health evaluation and attend at least three AA meetings per week. Watts pleaded guilty to charges of driving under the influence and fleeing and eluding law enforcement the same day she was sentenced due to the judge deciding to handle the plea and sentencing a ..read more

Hundreds of children and their families lined palmettos historic tenth avenue west this morning for the annual DeSoto Childrens Parade. The Easter Bunny served as grand marshal, followed by some local officials. The childrens parade is put on by the Hernando Historical Society and marks the start of the month-long DeSoto Heritage Festival. The theme for this years childrens parade was Manatee, Manatee, What Do You See, inspired by the childrens book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? The crewe of conquistadors, local schools, and organizations waved and tossed out beads and goodies to ki ..read more

One person died after a fiery crash between a Land Rover and a semi-truck early Friday morning. According to Florida Highway Patrol, the Land Rover was driving south on U.S. 41, approaching Piney Point Road. The Land Rover went out of its lane and onto the paved shoulder. The SUV then hit the rear of a semi-truck that was parked on the site of the road with its trailer lights on. The Land Rover ended up just off to the side of the semi-truck on the shoulder. After the collision, both the Land Rover and semi truck caught fire. FHP said the drier of the Land Rover was pronounced dead on the scen ..read more