The Detail with Cathy Antunes

Guardian of our Greenspaces, Glenn Compton, joins Cathy Antunes to discuss what Manasota 88 is focusing on to protect the environment. From phosphate mining waste, to Manatee and Sarasota County water supplies, to how Schools of Hope can impact our hurricane shelters, listen to hear from local expert, leader and community good guy Glenn Compton.

This week: Overdevelopment. The proposed downtown Pencil Tower is BACK! Downtown advocate Ron Shapiro joins Cathy Antunes to discuss another Obsidian proposal. This 327 ft pencil tower plan was denied by the City Commission in May 2025, amid constant outcry from residents that the building proposal was out of scale and wrong for downtown. Despite many problems with the proposal, the developer is back with a new version of his former plan.

Longtime local activist Jim Lampl joins me for a discussion on how the City Commission steps on Free Speech at City Hall. Citizens giving public input that irks some City Commissioners have been accused of engaging in "personal attacks." Other elected bodies have engaged in the same tactics. Is citizen input welcome only if it strokes Commissioners egos, and what is the impact of such curbs on Free Speech?

This week: School Board member Tom Edwards joins me to discuss the resolution introduced by Bridget Ziegler which passed 3-2. Ziegler took issue with Edwards' participation in the Sarasota protest against Renee Good's death at the hands of ICE. Edwards joins me to discuss his take on the Board's action.

Professor Bruce Baker joins me with his assessment of Florida's public education system amid universal vouchers and schools of hope, and where we go from here.

This week: Liz Barker joins me to discuss the recent state audit of Florida's universal voucher program—tax dollars given to Florida parents to use to fund their child's education. The state audit found a widespread lack of accountability in the state voucher programs, with untracked dollars, duplicate payments and a structure which does not allow for accountability. The current school voucher system fosters chaos and is in need of reform. Join us!

Karen Hall joins me to run through the winners and losers—issues, officials and citizens—in local government in 2025.

Jono Miller joins me to discuss the New College Master Plan. The New College Board will hold a public hearing on December 17 about the campus Master Plan. Citizens are concerned that New College's waterfront land has been the real target of the DeSantis/Corcoran takeover. Richard Corcoran has demolished a historic architectural feature as well as a nature preserve on New College land. Miller will share his knowledge of New College's land use planning over the years and what he sees from the Corcoran administration.

This week: Ben Brown with an update on New College. New College has soared in spending and plummeted in college rankings. Richard Corcoran ripped out a nature preserve and demolished a decorative wall installed by Edith Ringling). The NCF Board is meeting on December 17 to discuss the New College Master Plan. What else does the NCF board have in store for the school's waterfront land holdings?

This week: Ron Kashden and his effort to transform a pollution generating recycling plant site into affordable housing. Can one person make a difference? Absolutely. Listen to hear how Kashden spearheading this effort is transforming the Central-Cocoanut neighborhood.