The Detail with Cathy Antunes

This week: Sarasota's Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner joins me to share what Sarasota voters need to know for the 2026 elections. Voting locations, Voter ID, Early Voting, Mail In Voting, and what's on the ballot in 2026—we'll give you the run down.

Julie London Ferguson joins me to discuss the Ziegler lawsuit against the City of Sarasota police, as well as Christian Ziegler recruiting students for chapters of Turning Point USA clubs in select Sarasota County high schools.  These events inevitably have Sarasota considering—once again—the police investigation and its aftermath. That aftermath included calls for Bridget Ziegler to resign from the school board, Christian Ziegler's ouster as Chairman of the Florida GOP, and Bridget Ziegler's resignation as a Heritage Foundation Leadership Institute local chapter leader (and the shuttering of the Leadership Institute's downtown Sarasota office).

Journalist Jason Garcia joins me to discuss the "Hope Florida" Foundation scandal. How was $10 million from a Medicaid fraud settlement diverted from Florida's Medicaid budget to dark money non-profits which then gave the money to a PAC? The PAC in turn used the $10 million in public funds to defeat Florida citizen-initiated Constitutional amendments for legalizing recreational marijuana and abortion rights. What role did DeSantis and his Chief of Staff James Uthneier play?

This week: Jody Osceola co-founded SRQ Parents United when she realized that her children's public elementary school could be closed due to the financial fallout from universal vouchers and the Florida Schools of Hope program. Jody joins me to discuss the threats to Sarasota's public schools and how parents are working to preserve Sarasota's neighborhood public schools.

This week on The Detail, hydrologist and storm water expert Steve Suau joins me to share what we all need to know about Sarasota County's progress in flood management. Last year we experienced four "hundred year" storms in Sarasota, and devastating flooding. Are the City and County prepared for the more intense storm seasons on the horizon?

This week: John Schussler on New College's incessant quest to purchase the land they lease from the airport. The FAA has said no—twice. New College is trying again. Join us to learn why the airport's interest and New College's are at odds, why airports do not sell their (publicly held) land, and why New College may think this time the FAA will approve the land purchase.

This week, City resident a City government watchdog Kelly Franklin joins me to discuss trees, public art and the public good. Our local botanical garden plans to level over 100 trees (7 grand oaks among them) for the Selby Gardens Phase II Master Plan renovation. What is at stake? And the City of Sarasota put Burns Court sidewalk art at the mercy of the State of Florida, which directed the City to scrub all the art. The City is changing. We'll talk about these changes and what they mean for residents.

This week: Kelly Brown, President of the Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations. Learn about the history of CCNA, what they do, current City issues and how CCNA makes the City of Sarasota a better place.

Streets of Paradise (SOP), a respected non-profit focused on assisted Sarasota's homeless, recently experienced widespread community backlash over their decision to fire Greg Cruz. Many Sarasotans were stunned and outraged when Cruz was removed from his role as Executive Director of SOP. So was Cruz. As one supporter wrote, Cruz founded SOP and the new board "stripped his grassroots organization right from under him." What happened? What's next for Cruz? Greg Cruz joins me to discuss his story, his non-profit work, and what's next for him.

At the end of the August 19th School Board meeting, Tom Edwards briefly shared concerns about the resignation of Tim Enos.  Tom joins me to explain further.  Was Eno's resignation and appointment to Chief of Security in the works for awhile? What will the impact on the school system be?