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LONGBOAT KEY, Fla. — Tully the Irish Setter is a champion. “He won most patriotic dog two years ago,” said Eilleen Kamerick. Tully is returning to Longboat Key’s Freedom Fest and the Hot Diggity Dog July 4th Parade, along with parents Eileen and her husband Victor Heckler.

The Longboat Key Garden Club is busting out its safari hats. The club is planning its first group trip to Africa in October. Garden Club President Melanie Dale said there have been about 100 inquiries but the trip is set to accommodate about 20 travelers. The trip was suggested by...

Greener grass is now at Bayfront Park’s dog parks. Well, not real grass, but artificial turf. The turf was recently installed on the remaining 25% of the large dog park and the entirety of the small dog park. The dog park at Bayfront Park offers dog owners an area...

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

On Saturday, July 13, Millennials of SRQ is hosting a fundraising mixer to benefit Mothers Helping Mothers, an an all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization that provides basic necessities such as family clothing and baby items (including bassinets, car seats, strollers, formula, breast pumps, and more), free of charge to families in Sarasota, Manatee and surrounding counties. The event is free and open to all, from 3-7 pm at the Art Ovation Hotel Ballroom.

Embracing Our Differences (EOD) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $6,500 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to launch a Parent Advisory Council (PAC). This initiative is designed to enhance communication with parents and gain valuable insights for EOD's educational programming. Sarah Wertheimer, EOD’s executive director, explains that the organization has enjoyed a longstanding partnership with Sarasota County Schools, engaging students and educators through various educational initiatives, including reading days, field trips, school clubs, and workshops. Wertheimer explains that the PAC will convene quarterly, providing a platform for parents to receive updates on current programs and share their perspectives. Led by Ben Jewell-Plocher, EOD's learning and engagement director, each meeting will include parental discussions on ongoing and past initiatives. Their input will help EOD address current challenges and explore opportunities for future programming. Jewell-Plocher explains that the Community Foundation grant will support the operational costs of the PAC, including meeting logistics, outreach materials for parents, and resources to facilitate fruitful discussions. He adds that the group will meet quarterly. At each PAC meeting, he will provide an overview of EOD’s current and previous programs. For 21 years, Embracing Our Differences has delighted viewers with its annual outdoor display of 50 billboard-sized works of art and accompanying quotes. This high-profile art exhibition draws on the passion and perception of artists, students, and writers, to create powerful statements of inclusion, kindness and respect. The scale and impact of this open-air art show has continued to grow, attracting more than 4.8 million visitors since its inception. EOD’s annual exhibit is the heart of a year-round program of activities using art as a catalyst to create awareness and promote diversity. Embracing Our Differences’ next outdoor exhibition runs Jan. 19-April 13, 2025, in Bayfront Park, Sarasota; and March 1-March 31, 2025, in Flora Wylie Park, St. Petersburg. For more information about Embracing Our Differences, call 941-404-5710, or visit embracingourdifferences.org.

State assessment scores released Tuesday show improvement in key areas for students in Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto counties.

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office is currently investigating a death that came to pass while in custody at Sarasota Memorial Hospital early Monday yesterday morning. The individual, identified as Stephen Edward Hudek, originally of North Port and born June 23, 1962, had earlier been transferred from the Sarasota County Jail for medical treatment at SMH.

The Sarasota Chamber of Commerce recently concluded its prestigious 34th Annual Small Business Awards ceremony, sponsored by the Herald-Tribune Media Group. Held at The Ora Ballroom in The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, the event brought together over 600 guests to honor outstanding local businesses across ten distinct categories. Following the awards presentation, a special reception, generously supported by Gulfside Bank, provided an opportunity for sponsors, winners, and finalists to network and celebrate their achievements.

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - SunCoast Blood Centers are in desperate need of blood donations. Summer is typically slow for the organization, but there are significant needs presenting themselves. Some of those issues include:. Holiday Impact on Blood Supply:. The Fourth of July holiday is a time of celebration, but it...

SARASOTA — Sarasota County residents are invited to a July 23 public meeting to learn the findings of a study focused on the threat flooding and sea level rise could pose to county assets.

Our digital database of restaurant health inspections is updated regularly with the latest information on which Sarasota, Bradenton and Venice area restaurants passed or failed. You can use the database to search by Sarasota or Manatee County or by restaurant name. You can see which restaurants were fined and which were forced into temporary closure.  Disclaimer: The Florida...

Join your buddies, our wonderful East County guests, the Gecko's teams & the 4-H families for a 10th Anniversary Party & BBQ to benefit 4-H Children’s Animal Project! We'll have Chef James house-smoking Gecko’s BBQ with all the fixins, lots of exciting raffles, giveaways, our Farmer's Daughter specialty cocktail ($1 from every Farmer’s Daughter will be donated to 4-H), fabulous Music Compound performances on the patio & FUN! All to benefit the 4-H Children and to say thank you to YOU, our guests who have been with us for the past 10 years of good fun & good cheer! The Gecko’s Hospitality Group has been proud Business Partners with 4-H for over a decade. In past efforts, Gecko’s has raised over $20,000 towards scholarships for 4-H children who wished to continue their education in the field of Agriculture or other areas where the many life lessons in citizenship they have gained through 4-H have inspired their passions. The Fruitville Gecko’s Anniversary party is a celebration of that partnership and the children and families of 4-H and is a benefit for the 4-H Children’s Animal projects. In participating in the long tradition of 4-H programming in continuing Agriculture & business training, the 4-H kids raise all manner of animals to show and sell at the Fair. The commitment is significant. They manage the feed, care, rent, vet bills, grooming and incidentals that are all part of learning how to care for and market their animal projects. With farming and ranching families under increased pressure to be able to continue in Agriculture, the 4-H program is essential for continuing to share the Agricultural legacy of the great state of Florida with the next generation…and we are committed to continue our support for that effort through 4-H.

The Suncoast Science Center/Faulhaber Fab Lab is thrilled to announce it was recently awarded a $20,000 grant from The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation to help enhance its fabrication lab and student-led programming, propelling efforts to ignite curiosity and innovation in the community. The grant funds will help upgrade the Fab Lab with cutting-edge technology, strengthening its status as a leading hub of science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) education. New equipment will amplify the impact of various high school student-led programs such as Summer Camps, LEGO Robotics, RC Car competition, Rocketry Club and more. By empowering the next generation with state-of-the-art resources and technical and life skill building opportunities, students will be equipped for success in college, careers, and beyond. The grant will also allow the Fab Lab to expand its outreach efforts with Title I schools and community organizations. Through strategic partnerships, efforts are underway to introduce a larger number of underprivileged children to the world of STEAM, fostering curiosity and exploration.

ALEXANDER CITY — Auburn football coach Hugh Freeze gave the latest update Tuesday regarding running back Brian Battie, who was critically injured with a gunshot wound to the head in May. "I text with them almost daily," Freeze said of Battie's family. "I get videos from them daily. Our...

ANNA MARIA – The gymnasium at The Center of Anna Maria Island was filled with excitement as the summer sports season started on the Island last Tuesday night. Getting out of the heat, youth indoor soccer kicked off the season on the inside pitch while the adults heated up the field with flag football action.

Al Fuller, well known amongst Sarasota’s music lovers and in the community of musicians has been an accomplished musician since his youth. Al has brought his playing skills to the foreground, and developed those special relationships it takes to create a band that works well, and works together. Rich MacDonald has been Al's drummer for a number of years, and more recent addition, Barry Sikes, joined the newly formed Al Fuller and the Moonlight Movers in 2019 as bassist. Their music includes great rock and roll cover tunes, and an assortment of blues, R&B, soul and country.

The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating after a crash left six Sarasota teens seriously hurt. The 16-year-old driver who caused the crash is in critical condition, troopers said.