Venice, FL

An animal daycare center was severely damaged when a drunk driver crashed through the front lobby early Sunday morning, according to the Sarasota Police Department.

Brian Laundrie's father was spotted out and about for the first time since the shocking contents of his son's final journal entries were released to the public, detailing his former fiancée Gabby Petito's brutal final hours, culminating in his confessions to killing her. His parents, Chris and Roberta, have been keeping a low profile as they continue to deal with the fallout of their late son's horrific crime, including lawsuits hedged against them by the late social media influencer's family members. Chris was briefly photographed standing just outside of his North Port, Flor. home on Saturday, June 25. He was...

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - The confession letter written in a notebook found near the remains of Brian Laundrie in a Florida reserve has been made public. The attorney for Gabby Petito’s family is very concerned over the release. Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie, her 23-year-old fiancé, were on a...

Remember that fun little Jeep-lookin’ Mini Moke from a post WWII British military vehicle development program? It’s been rehashed in several incarnations since, but the most recent (and most stateside) is Moke America, which wants to get Americans to switch from big gas guzzlers to fun little open-top electric cars.

Chris Laundrie, father of Brian Laundrie, has stayed extremely quiet about his son’s high-profile case and subsequent death. Holed up in his North Port, Florida, home for months, Laundrie finally emerged for the first time since the FBI recovered his son’s chilling notebook in October 2021. At a...

He was like everybody’s big brother. Or favorite uncle. A counselor who gave you advice along with a cold draft beer. That was Matt Lavallee, gone too soon at 63, whose Boiler Room Bar & Grill on Manatee Avenue in West Bradenton was a hub of our community for many years and not just on fall Friday nights.

A Florida driver who avoided rush hour traffic on a regular basis by mounting and driving along the pavement has finally been caught and ticketed by police.Officers started watching the road this week after footage showing a Sedan driving down a sidewalk in Sarasota was passed to them.Sure enough, one day later, they were on hand to catch the driver red-handed.“We really shouldn’t have to say this, but you are not supposed to drive a motor vehicle on the sidewalk,” the sheriff’s office said.“It’s illegal and extremely dangerous.”Click here to sign up for our newsletters. Read More Florida teens break in and throw a party in $8 million mansionElephant cools off with firefighter's hoseFlorida teens break in and throw a party into a $8 million mansion

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Sunday afternoon, especially late in the day, will bring another round of scattered thunderstorms. Saturday’s storms were minimal with no rain for Sarasota or Bradenton. But North Port received over 2 inches, Port Charlotte 0.71″ and Arcadia 0.21″. Sunday could bring more widespread storms. Everyday for the coming week afternoon storms are possible. Storm chances go down again for the work week, only to pick up again for the coming weekend. Yes, that’s the 4th of July weekend and the chance for afternoon/evening storms is higher again.

Brian Laundrie claimed he wanted to “take away” Gabby Petito’s pain in a confession note found beside his remains.Fox News obtained the notebook in which Laundrie, 23, admitted killing Ms Petito, 22, and perversely claimed he thought her death was “merciful”.“I ended her life," Laundrie wrote in a notebook recovered by the FBI from the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park alongside Laundrie’s body on 20 October 2021. “I thought it was merciful, that it is what she wanted, but I see now all the mistakes I made. “I panicked. I was in shock. But from the moment I decided...

Before his own death by suicide, the 23-year-old wrote that he couldn't "go on" without his fiancée.

As the Sarasota County area sees a significant increase in luxury real estate sales exceeding pre-pandemic levels and a sustained shift of buyers moving away from urban, northerly locales to affluent vacation-destination areas, another major auction is set. Elite Auctions, who specializes in luxury real estate auctions and marketing, announced the latest addition to its lineup of luxury residential, commercial, and undeveloped real estate listings selling at auction without reserve this summer.

In response to “Selby construction disturbs neighbors,” a letter June 21, I as a neighbor would like to respond. I am an owner/resident at Embassy House, across the street from the Selby Gardens construction site. First, I was very impressed with new sidewalks put in by Selby, allowing...

BRADENTON, Fla. (WWSB) - The sixth annual Big Art Memorial Fishing Tournament is back this weekend with fishermen and women from all over the area casting their reels all to help families on the Suncoast. Peter Smith, one of the contestants, showed ABC7 a video of one his team’s catches,...

Florida has some of the most beautiful parks and nature of any state. With the population of the area, it is important to take the time to experience nature. Allow yourself some time away from noise, busy days, and your electronics. Give yourself a digital detox and come relax and enjoy Tom Bennett Park in Bradenton.

After a three-year wait, Christian Laureano and Sean Laureano will get their chance to shine on a world stage. It was 2019 when the East County brothers first heard that Puerto Rico was attempting to put together teams to play in the 2020 World Lacrosse Championship in Limerick, Ireland. Christian Laureano was a sophomore at Cardinal Mooney High and Sean Laureano was still in eighth grade.

A death investigation is underway after the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office found a 54-year-old Bradenton man floating in a canal.

The Sarasota Orchid Society recently awarded two $1,000 Monroe Kokin academic scholarships during their monthly meeting in June at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Winning awards were Maya Lander, who will attend the University of Florida seeking a major in landscape architecture. She hopes to design state and national parks and study sustainability as a minor. Lander has been active in the Girl Scouts of America for 12 years and achieved the rank of Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards, equivalent to Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts. She has a weighted grade-point average of 4.38.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast will be hosting a “Happy Hour With a Cause” from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 26 at Wellen Park.