WSLR News

Farmers and treehuggers are not natural allies. But urban sprawl is putting both under tremendous pressure. Our news team was at an event in rural Manatee County this weekend to watch what could be the start of a new political alliance. 

NEXT: 16 months after Hurricane Ian, people in rural DeSoto County are still in need, and one non-profit is still at it, as the Community News Collaborative reports.

THEN: USF researchers produced a report about affordability in the Tampa Bay area, and partner station WMNF has the details.

THEN: On Tuesday, flight attendants protested at airports across the country for better pay. That included Tampa International Airport, and Chris Young with partner station WMNF was there.

NEXT: The City of Sarasota wants a new logo. The exercise could end up being a complete rebranding, with the curvy "S" and naked David on their way out.

FINALLY: Our reporter was at an art exhibition at Sarasota City Hall that has a strong connection to Florida highways. Enough hints.  

One just-announced Republican candidate for the Sarasota County Commission is positioning herself by denouncing "cultural genocide". What's behind that? WSLR News reporter Florence Fahringer has a close look at how breakneck-speed suburban sprawl is influencing upcoming local elections. 

NEXT: It's been a stunning defeat for MAGA in District 35. Democrat Tom Keen pulled off a victory in suburban Orlando, an area that is not too different from Sarasota or Manatee County. Shelley Reback, host of the MidPoint show on partner station WMNF, interviewed the brand new state representative.

THEN: 150 million dollars. That's - at least - how much Sarasota taxpayers would be on the hook for to build a new county prison. But wait - is this actually a prison? WSLR News' Ramon Lopez has more.

THEN: A place that has been the site of legends for generations of New College students will be razed. A professor and his students are now working to preserve the Palmer dorms - at least digitally. WSLR News' Bernadette Estrada-Brown reports.

Ambitious plans that could result in hundreds of new public housing apartments were before the City of Sarasota Planning Board last week. But it turned out that the one commission member who is from the neighborhood where the new construction could happen is opposed. Ramon Lopez reports.

THEN: The City of Sarasota Commission voted to expand a short-term rental ordinance from the barrier islands to take it city-wide. Community members and commissioners actually hope the new regulation will slow the takeover of neighborhoods by vacation rentals. 

NEXT: After Governor DeSantis suspended his presidential campaign, some lawmakers expected a change in priorities during the legislative session. However, two Democrats in the House say nothing is new. Chris Young with partner station WMNF talked to them.

THEN: Today, the Florida Supreme Court heard arguments on whether or not an abortion amendment will be on the November ballot. Chris Young with partner station WMNF has more on that.

FINALLY: It was another four-hour Sarasota School board meeting, including three hours of public comment, mostly asking Bridget Ziegler to resign. We followed the drama.

Commissioner Moran continues his crusade to end what he calls Sarasota socialism. WSLR reporter Ramon Lopez was at a Sarasota County Commission meeting that discussed defunding arts organizations.

THEN: The City of Sarasota is expanding rules for vacation rentals, something neighborhood organizers are clamoring for. But now the Florida legislature is set to block that kind of local regulation. 

NEXT: The president of New College presented it with great fanfare three weeks ago; his faculty, which was not involved in its creation, pushed back — we're talking about an online program scheduled to launch this week. But, as Florence Fahringer found out, that plunge looks more like a toe-dip.

THEN: The rise of artificial intelligence is causing concern in classrooms, considering a student can generate an entire term paper with just a few keystrokes. Jim DeLa of the Community News Collaborative found one school in Bradenton that's meeting this brave new world head-on.

NEXT: A bill that would lower the minimum age from 21 to 18 to purchase rifles and shotguns in Florida was approved this week by a state House panel. Sean Kinane with partner station WMNF has this report.

FINALLY: A cartoon character called "The Real KVO" is skewering Manatee County politics. The authors behind the fictitious character, whose name sounds very much like that of a real county commissioner, remain unknown.

The mayor of Venice wants to move city council elections to coincide with general elections.  This comes after upset victories for two Democrats in this Republican town. Ramon Lopez has the story.

Then: As urban sprawl is, well, sprawling over pastureland here, agriculture seems to be on everybody's mind. A local organization is hosting an event at a dairy farm that puts the future of agriculture in Manatee County in the spotlight.

Next: In part thanks to the absence of culture wars, the Manatee County School Board has been able to focus on nuts-and-bolts issues. But that seems to be over now. 

Then: As Florida sits at the center of the nation’s book ban debate, one local group is fighting back by hosting a book festival. Sarah Owens of the Community News Collaborative has more on the event. 

Then: In Sarasota County's official language, climate change has not been part of the vocabulary. But the county is now taking a hard look at what can be done to deal with rising sea-levels. Jim DeLa, of the Community News Collaborative, says citizens will be asked what they think later this year.

Finally: The Sarasota County Department of Health identified diabetes as a top health priority. Sarah Owens of the Community News Collaborative has more on that.

Coming up: The Clean Water initiative is dead. Long live the Clean Water initiative! The drive to amend the Florida constitution and enshrine a right to clean water is back, and we have the details.

Then: New College students who want to learn Chinese in China and professors who want to do research in China now have to do so at their own expense and risk, including that of violating a new state directive. Florence Fahringer reports.

Next: A week after their first joint gathering, anti development activists in Sarasota were the subject of a League of Women Voters panel. This time, the focus was on electoral politics, as Ramon Lopez reports.

FInally: Thousands of Sarasotans gathered last weekend to embrace a message of kindness. We have that report.

On Nov. 2, Breonte Johnson Davis died after a beating at the hands of Palmetto police. After soon three months of silence, the family and activists kept up the pressure at an eventful Palmetto City Commission meeting.

Then: The Sarasota Housing Authority presented the biggest public housing construction project in years. Ramon Lopez brings us the details.

Next: Agriculture is under tremendous pressure by development and climate change - in Florida, and particularly in our neck of the woods. We listened in during a seminar today about the future of agriculture that featured a Manatee County cattle rancher and two researchers. 

Finally: The developers of Lakewood Ranch took the first step towards construction of thousands of homes on pasture land in east Sarasota County. But that first step looked more like a slip and fall.

It's unprecedented - in a mini-summit, the grassroots activists who have mobilized against at least four big development projects in Sarasota converged, to talk about joint action. Ramon Lopez watched from the front row.

Then: Professors at New College are in open rebellion against their administration, rejecting an online program that is supposed to start in mere weeks. We have more on that.

Next: The "Hell on Wheels" truck made it to Sarasota, annoying the downtown lunch crowd. Hint: It's about chickens. Our news team followed the noise.

Bridget Ziegler's tenure was not on the agenda of the school board yesterday evening, but the conservative activist certainly was on the mind of the public. At last night's meeting, she had to endure four hours of public comment, mostly asking her to resign. Florence Fahringer followed the proceedings — and put her finger on something that was NOT on the agenda.

Then: The Florida Legislature is into the second week of its 60-day session. The biggest teachers' union in Florida is backing a bill that would fund all-day pre-K daycare in low-income areas. The FEA also opposes a bill that would weaken child labor protections. We play excerpts from an interview by partner station WMNF with FEA President Andrew Spar.

Next: Volunteers will head out across Sarasota and Manatee counties in late January to count the area’s homeless. Catherine Hicks with the Community News Collaborative reports.

Then: Martin Luther King Day celebrations staged a big post-pandemic comeback in Sarasota on Monday. This, despite climate challenges - both political and weather-wise.

Finally: The "Through Women's Eyes" film festival is shaping up for its 25th return this March in Sarasota, and we get a preview, thanks to the Peace & Justice Report's interview with festival organizer E. Scott Osborne. 

Led by Commissioner Mike Moran, the Sarasota County commission last year drastically overhauled the way the county funds social services. During the first session of this year, Moran continued to put his laser focus on social services. But he now also yields the gavel for the county commission. WSLR News reporter Florence Fahringer was there to soak up the atmosphere of the Moran commission.

Next: On Thursday, New College president presented to the faculty on his campus a new distance learning program — and the billionaire activist who is a driving force behind it. 

Then: Bradenton is selling city hall to a developer. Literally. Ryan Stanley is giving us an update on that story.

Next: Volunteers will head out across Sarasota and Manatee counties in late January to count the area’s homeless. This will generate data that will be used to determine funding levels both on a state and federal level.  Catherine Hicks with the Community News Collaborative reports.

Then A developer wants to build the tallest luxury condo tower yet, on a tiny lot in downtown Sarasota. After a rejection by city planners, the Obsidian was back before the planning board, and Ramon Lopez tells us how that went.