WSLR News

Manatee County’s state legislators opened yet another front in what many in the Republican county believe is a war against home rule: This time, it’s about taking away local control over one of the area’s biggest economic generators.

Next: The Schools of Hope law forces districts to hand over buildings of underused schools to private operators. That, in turn, has prompted the Sarasota school district into a flurry of reorganization plans to fill school buildings with low enrollment. But now, the superintendent retracted a consolidation plan - the second turnaround within a week. 

Then: Jon Thaxton was an unusual recent addition to the Sarasota County Planning Commission. The former county commissioner and long-time environmental activist was expected to change the public perception that this appointed advisory board is a rubber stamp for developers. But his first vote took many by surprise.

Finally: At a film screening and panel discussion about the war in Ukraine, we asked the panelists about their reactions to Trump’s peacemaking efforts. 

For 24 hours, the City of Sarasota took down the hoops at a neighborhood park, after a neighbor made serious threats against teenagers playing basketball. We have the details. 

Next: The Sarasota Sheriff’s Office seems eager to cooperate with ICE in the crackdown against immigrants. This comes from Suncoast Searchlight.

Then: A New College professor was denied emeritus status by the administration - a case of political retribution?

Next: The future of the historic VanWezel Performing Arts Center looks brighter now. We explain why.

Finally: Our reporter was there when Sarasota first responders practiced how to handle active shooter situations. 

Coming up: ICE is catching bad guys. That’s the simple message Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem brought during a quick stop during her whirlwind tour of the United States. Ramon Lopez got to ask her a couple questions. 

Next: Noem’s visit came 48 hours after No Kings protests brought thousands to the streets in this area. Klaus Obermeit has that report. 

Then: The Sarasota School district is under pressure to prevent Schools of Hope takeovers of public schools here.  But students and parents are pushing back against consolidation plans.

Next: The Sarasota County Commission rejected a scaled-down project by a national homebuilder. We have the details.

Finally: The City of Sarasota wants to bury power lines on barrier islands that were flooded during last year’s storms. 

Coming up: He’s home. A father of two and husband of a seriously ill mother is reunited with his family after he was released from ICE detention. This comes after the surprising ruling of an immigration judge. Ramon Lopez brings us this exclusive. 

Next: The Bay - the big park project near downtown Sarasota - is expanding north, into the next two phases. We have the details. 

Then: Gotta go? Hopefully not during a city commission meeting. Suncoast Searchlight brings you breaking news about plumbing at Sarasota City Hall.

Finally: Manatee County is opening up public use of a big chunk of county-owned agricultural land near Lakewood Ranch.

It’s going to be not one, but six. “No King” protests in Sarasota and Manatee County are taking shape this Saturday, and Klaus Obermeit has a preview.

Next: Phillippi Creek flooded many homes during last year’s storm season. One year later, Sarasota County will soon get dredging underway. 

Then: Groundwater contamination keeps spreading at the historically African American community of Tallevast. They have been in a two decades-long David-vs-Goliath fight with Lockheed Martin, and going. Ramon Lopez brings you Part 2 of our three-part series.

Finally: A local theater brings actual voices of immigrants on stage. We have this report from Suncoast Searchlight.

Coming up: The former Israeli defense minister who was in charge of the first year of the war in Gaza is coming to Sarasota. And that’s prompting pushback.

Next: It’s raining private takeover notifications. The same for-profit school operator that wants to occupy three public school buildings in Sarasota has notified the Manatee County School District it wants access to two schools there.

Then: We get an update from one of the lead plaintiffs in a case that could shut down the immigrant detention camp in the Everglades.

Then: Sarasota County decided not to sell the land on which the Hermitage Artist Retreat stands. But how will it finally be fixed? Noah Vinsky brings us the details.

Finally: The historic African American neighborhood of Tallevast is still dealing with the fallout of decades of soil and groundwater contamination. Ramon Lopez brings us Part 1 of a three-part series.

Wilkinson Elementary parents can breathe a sigh of relief. It looks like the neighborhood school will not end up being the first public school in Sarasota’s history to close, after all. Dania Hefley has this report.

Then: The race for Bridget Ziegler’s school board seat is heating up. Brice Claypoole reports.

Next: The non-profit in charge of developing The Bay park near downtown Sarasota picked a politically connected family business to run a yet-to-be-built waterview restaurant. Gretchen Cochran has the scoop.

Next: At a packed community meeting this weekend about flooding and stormwater management, one county commissioner admitted to “sins of the past”. Ramon Lopez has that story.

Finally: The architect of U.S. holocaust indemnification agreements is in Sarasota for a talk tomorrow. We talked to Stuart Eizenstat, to get his views on how to avoid a repeat of fascism and the Holocaust, on Trump and diplomacy, and on the Carter administration’s achievements.

Florida could make the difference in next year’s congressional elections, which is why many here are concerned about early redistricting and gerrymandering. Brice Claypoole has this report.

Then: Distress is spreading amid the immigrant crackdown. Many are unable to go to work, stuck at home, or sick. A group of Sarasota churches is stepping in with help. Ramon Lopez reports.

Next: Wilkinson Elementary could be the first public school ever in Sarasota to close. But many more could end up on the chopping block, as Suncoast Searchlight reports.

Next: Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo wants to end all vaccination mandates and ban one type of vaccines. His predecessor speaks out against this. We bring you excerpts of a WSLR interview with Scott Rivkees.

Finally: It’s Hispanic Heritage Month, and the Ringling Museum of Art is providing a big platform to local Hispanic artists. We have the details about Nuestro Vaivén, an exhibition that’s much more than just paintings on walls. 

Coming up: It used to be that you paid bail, and you’re out of jail. Not anymore. Suncoast Searchlight brings us a report about ICE retainers, and how local jails are the first stop of a deportation pipeline for people held for minor infractions. 

Then: It’s Hispanic Heritage Month, and the Ringling Museum of Art is providing a big platform to local Hispanic artists. We have the details about Nuestro Vaivén, an exhibition that’s much more than just paintings on walls. 

Next: It used to be that eating local and growing organic food was the realm of old hippies and tree huggers. Our reporter found that the chair of the all-Republican Sarasota County Commission is now a spokesperson for Eat Local Week.

Then: It’s been two years since a young man in Palmetto lost his life while in police custody. His mother is putting together an event this Friday to remember Breonte, and to prevent more deaths like his.

Finally: Suncoast demographics and parks make the crossover possible: A teenager from Bradenton is conquering the pickleball pro rankings. Partner station WMNF has that profile.

The “Schools of Hope” law literally makes every public elementary and middle school in Sarasota and Manatee a takeover target for private, for-profit operators. WSLR News reporter Dania Hefley has the details.

Next: Open Carry is upon us, and WSLR News reporter Brice Claypoole is looking at the implications. One thing is certain: There’s uncertainty. Even sheriffs seem to disagree over what you can and cannot do.

Next: A construction debris recycler is stirring up dust in the Cocoanut-Central neighborhood near downtown Sarasota. Partner station WMNF has a report.

Then: A Bradenton family is going public about how deportation is tearing them apart and threatening a mother's life. Ramon Lopez reports about at a press conference. 

Finally: The Sarasota County-owned Hermitage Artist Retreat on Casey Key was seriously damaged by hurricanes last year, and it’s still being fixed. This week, county commissioners talked about its future, and WSLR News’ Noah Vinsky reports.