WSLR News

In packed meetings, Manatee County residents, environmental activists, and scientists urged local officials not to go through on a plan to gut wetland protections. Manatee County commissioners did it anyway. Sophia Brown reports. Then: A local entrepreneur is growing mushrooms offshore, and restaurateurs love his stuff. But Sarasota County is giving him a hard time. WSLR's Ramon Lopez was on Sarasota Bay to see for himself. Next: The backlash against the state's attempts to remake higher education in Florida continues. On Monday, three New College professors and three students filed suit against a law they say restricts academic freedom. Stan Zimmerman edited, and Sophia Brown reports. Finally: 200 Million dollars - that's what Sarasota County will soon get in federal funding to fix the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. Before submitting its spending proposal to the Feds, the county wants to hear from residents. The hosts of the Our Changing Environment show on WSLR interviewed two key players. We have a summary of what they said.

In packed meetings, Manatee County residents, environmental activists, and scientists urged local officials not to go through on a plan to gut wetland protections. Manatee County commissioners did it anyway. Sophia Brown reports. Then: A veterans' housing project in West Bradenton has been in limbo since County Commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge asked for town hall meetings, ostensibly for neighbors to oppose their opposition to the project. At a town hall in the district where the project is expected to go up, the exact opposite happened. Our news team was there. Next: A local entrepreneur is growing mushrooms offshore, and local restaurateurs love his stuff. But Sarasota County is giving him a hard time. WSLR's Ramon Lopez was on Sarasota Bay to see for himself. Finally: 200 Million dollars - that's what Sarasota County will soon get in federal funding to fix the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. Before submitting its spending proposal to the Feds, the county wants to hear from residents. The hosts of the Our Changing Environment show on WSLR interviewed two key players. We have a summary of what they said. 

The backlash against the state's attempts to remake higher education in Florida continues. On Monday, three New College professors and three students filed suit over a law they say restricts academic freedom. Sophia Brown reports. Then: The elections are more than a year away, but the race for one school board seat in Sarasota is already heating up. Ramon Lopez was at the school board meeting yesterday. Next: A small town yields to a big developer - and now it is being sued by residents. Ramon Lopez continues to keep a close eye on that story in Venice. Also: Two theater groups in Sarasota teamed up to bring stage experience to people who might not otherwise have gotten the chance. Sarah Owens of the Community News Collaborative reports. Finally: The City of Tampa is trying to make room in its budget for affordable housing. Josh Holton of partner station WMNF has that story.

The DeSantis-appointed trustees running New College took the first step towards cutting an academic program on the small liberal arts campus. Sophia Brown was at the trustees' meeting Thursday. Then: Bridget Ziegler is both chair of the Sarasota School Board and a salary-earning vice president of a conservative organizing institute. That institute opened an office on Main Street in Sarasota today, and some protesters were there to point out a potential conflict of interest for Ziegler. Ramon Lopez has the details. Next: A builders' association asked Manatee County to abolish its wetland buffer rules, and the county is trying to oblige. But the plan is meeting organized resistance, and a first meeting to discuss this plan was not a home run for builders and bureaucrats. Our news team has the details. 

It's back to school, and there's confusion among teachers, students and parents. Last week, the publisher of an advanced-placement psychology course said its teaching materials may violate a Florida ban on addressing LGBTQ issues in classrooms. A clarification by the Florida Secretary of Education was not helpful, and each school district is now reacting differently. Sophia Brown has her eyes on the Sarasota School district. Then: Manatee County's approach has produced better results for affordable housing construction than in neighboring Sarasota. But even in that no-nonsense county, a big housing proposal for veterans has hit a snag. The WSLR News team is following that story. Also: The New College administration ended a long-standing music program last week. Bonnie Silvestri interviewed New College New Music creator Stephen Miles on WSLR's Peace & Justice Report today. We have the highlights from that interview.

On Tuesday, New College announced the three finalists in its presidential search, which includes the sitting interim president - no surprise there. However, less visible, but baked into the search process is the fact that the small college will have to pay this and the next presidents levels of compensation that make it an outlier within the outlier state of Florida. Our news team sheds some light on this. Then, in other New College news: Yesterday, the faculty union of the small campus joined a lawsuit against the State of Florida over Senate Bill 266. At issue is the law's abolition of the right to access a neutral arbitrator in case of conflict between faculty and management. Sophia Brown reports. Also: Benderson Development is proposing not one, but two big projects within Sarasota city limits. Ramon Lopez was at a packed and contentious public meeting about the developer's plans for the soon-to-be-defunct County Administration building in downtown Sarasota. Finally: Sophia Brown reports on how one local organization is turning the tables, by giving the Sarasota School Board a report card on how it handles meetings. Spoiler: It doesn't look good. 

Benderson Development is proposing not one, but two big projects within Sarasota city limits. Ramon Lopez was at a packed and contentious public meeting about Benderson plans for the soon-to-be-defunct County Administration building in downtown Sarasota. Then: On Friday, the faculty union of the small campus joined a lawsuit against the State of Florida over Senate Bill 266. At issue is the law's abolition of the right to access a neutral mediator in case of conflict between faculty and management. Sophia Brown reports. Sophia also has a report on how one local organization is turning the tables, by giving the Sarasota School Board a report card on how it handles meetings. Spoiler: It doesn't look good. Finally: Extremely warm Gulf of Mexico water not only bleaches corals in the Keys, it also affects seagrass in Sarasota Bay. The Community News Collaborative reports on what's happening to seagrass.

Yesterday, New College announced the three finalists in its presidential search. Less announced is the fact that the small college will have to pay this and the next presidents compensation that make it an outlier within the outlier state of Florida. Johannes Werner asked a compensation expert. Then: Bradenton is rapidly gentrifying, and local governments want to move homeless services away. That, in turn has led to substantial discussions not only about homelessness but affordable housing. WSLR reporter Sophia Brown has more on that. Then: As Florida law is making it easier for landlords, a U.S. Representative from Orlando is promoting a law that would make it more difficult to charge tenant fees. Chris Young with partner station WMNF reports. Finally: Last week the Teamsters union celebrated a major nationwide victory for UPS drivers. However, some UPS drivers don't like the agreement. Ramon Lopez with WSLR News reports.

Your grassroots news from Southwest Florida: 
A Florida supreme court ruling in favor of the Sarasota County Property Appraiser is having unexpected side effects on affordable housing. WSLR reporter Sophia Brown is following up on that story. Then: As a big developer is eyeing the 34 acres of ailing retail known as Southgate Mall, the property is becoming a test case for height, density and affordable housing practices in the city of Sarasota. WSLR reporter Ramon Lopez has the details. Next: It's been a week without new cases, and the malaria alert for Sarasota County could be lifted by Sept. 7. Officials are hopeful the county is on the right track, and optimistic enough to announce this during a joint media briefing yesterday by Sarasota County and the CDC. Our news team has the details. Finally, the governor's and legislature's War on Woke prompted yet another demonstration, this one in Tampa. Josh Holton with partner station WMNF reports.

The August package delivery strike in Sarasota is called off: The Teamsters union scored a big victory with and for UPS drivers when the company agreed to a nationwide collective bargaining agreement yesterday. WSLR reporter Ramon Lopez has more details on this. Then: Josh Holton with partner station WMNF talked to two Teamsters organizers in Tampa. Next: There's a teacher shortage, and the Sarasota school district is holding a job fair; WSLR's Sophia Brown was there; she also talked to teachers to find out what makes them stay away. Then: a former Republican state senator questions Gov. Ron DeSantis' veto of a bipartisan program; WMNF's Chris Young has that report. And: Florida's anti-immigrant law has apparently prompted labor shortages, and now it's triggering a lawsuit.; WMNF's Chris Young tells us about the court action taking shape.