Sarasota County

The reports of red tide are coming from an algae bloom that is more than 100 miles long, stretching along much of the Gulf Coast.

Republicans swept the races in Sarasota County, winning all the state representative, hospital board and county commission seats.

Visitors can return starting Oct. 26 as cleanup from hurricanes Helene and Milton continues.

The hurricane brought levels of storm surge that communities haven't seen in years. Crews are continuing to assess damage in neighborhoods that got hit with flooding.

Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Sarasota and Manatee counties are in an area with 37 other Florida counties now considered for a state of emergency due to Potential Tropical Cyclone 9.

Three sentinel chickens recently tested positive for West Nile virus in the county. While mosquitoes tend to be a year-round problem in Florida, heavy rains with flooding tend to increase their presence.

Due to a National Weather Service forecast for heavy rain, self-service sandbags are available for residents in Sarasota County and in the city of North Port.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, GOP political consultant Anthony Pedicini, and a trio of prominent local developers were not candidates themselves, yet voters delivered them a clear rebuke, with six out of seven candidates they supported facing defeat.

Sarasota County has issued an air advisory for elevated ozone levels and/or the potential for elevated ozone levels that fall within the "unhealthy for sensitive groups" category, per Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) national ambient air quality standards for public health.

The benefits, announced by FloridaCommerce, are for eligible Floridians whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of Hurricane Debby are encouraged to submit a claim at FloridaJobs.org.

It happened as the mother was dropping off the 12-year-old near Booker Middle School on Monday. The youngster was taken to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital with critical injuries.

Breakfast and lunch again will be served at no cost to students in all schools in Lee, Hendry, Glades, and DeSoto county schools as well as in 43 of Sarasota County's 53 schools.