The housing struggle continues. After publishing our report on unaffordable housing in Sarasota, we were flooded with stories from area residents both young and old about the struggle of finding an affordable, safe and comfortable place to live. On our public slack channel (click here for an invite to join), readers shared their experiences and … MORE>>

It’s an annoying cliche, the Millennial who lives with his parents. But for young adults in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, it’s real life. The newest census figures show that 42 percent of Sarasota County residents age 18-34 lived with their parents in 2015, a larger percentage than lived with a spouse, an unmarried partner or … MORE>>

Early in July, Blake Medical Center welcomed its first class of 15 resident physicians. These young doctors, who have graduated medical school but not passed their board certification exams, will be training nearly every day in the Bradenton hospital for the next three years, working 80 hours per week and soaking in everything they need … MORE>>

Got questions about Zika? So did a handful of people at the Herald-Tribune’s recent Zika forum. (I’ve got them too: I’m eight months pregnant and trying to stay calm about Zika, and I wrote about it here: http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20160812/NEWS/160819853) Here are some of the most interesting questions from the forum. The experts answering questions were: Dr. Vilma Vega, … MORE>>

The SunCoast Blood Bank is now testing all donors for the Zika virus, officials announced Monday. Although no locally transmitted cases have been reported in Southwest Florida, the blood bank is proactively testing all donors to protect the local blood supply, which supports hospitals in Sarasota, Manatee, DeSoto and Charlotte counties. As of Friday afternoon, … MORE>>

How do you stop freaking out about Zika? Learn more about the disease.   What is Zika? Zika is a virus, with symptoms including fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes. It’s a tricky one—about 80 percent of infected people never have any symptoms. The symptoms for the other 20 percent—adults and children alike—tend to … MORE>>

Sheena Maini is 27, but she’s already worked in the restaurant business for more than half her life. Maini, who grew up in Sarasota, co-owns and operates Tandoor Indian Cuisine with her mom, Poonam, and is launching a side business taking groups of travelers to experience India. Through their family-run restaurant, the Maini’s have become … MORE>>

On roasting day at Black Gold Coffee Roasters in Venice, the parking lot outside the local coffee shop smells of a combination of coffee, toast and roasting popcorn. But step inside and you’ll see owner and master roaster Gary Lauters II hard at work roasting the 800 pounds of coffee beans he prepares each week … MORE>>

Last weekend, I went to my first craft beer festival- the Venice Brew Bash. It went pretty well: no sickness, not much sloppiness, just fun. Here are my tips for having a good time at a beer (or other alcohol-themed) event and being in pretty good shape the next day.     1. Go with … MORE>>

Have you ever seen baskets like these and wondered what they are?   Not to worry, I didn’t know either. But after spending an afternoon playing disc golf with Venice resident Andy Clark, I learned they’re a key element to a game growing in popularity in the Sarasota region. As Clark often says, it’s the … MORE>>