Politics

BRADENTON — It will be a slow week in local government, the Manatee County Commission's previously scheduled land use meeting was canceled due to Hurricane Helene. It will be re-advertised and rescheduled to a new date. THURSDAY. CANCELED - Manatee County Commission Land Use Meeting. (agenda) 9:00 a.m. BOCC...

City manager talks of ongoing problem of higher bids coming in than anticipated for city projects. With unanimous votes during a special meeting conducted on Sept. 16, the Sarasota City Commission approved the city’s budget for the 2025 fiscal year, which will begin on Oct. 1, and formally set the operating millage rate at 3 mills. That figure is unchanged from this year and the 2023 fiscal year.

Mayor Ken Welch: Don't get in the way of the folks who are trying to restore services. So stay stay in home, shelter in place for a day or so.

If the Florida Democratic Party can achieve its incremental goal of escaping its superminority status in both chambers of the Legislature this election year, they can’t lose any of the seats they now hold in the Capitol. One seat that has been targeted by the Republican Party of Florida for a possible flip is House […]

Local mandatory evacuation orders encompass the St. Petersburg Municipal Marina, several areas frequented by homeless residents and downtown high-rises. City officials have prepared accordingly ahead of Hurricane Helene’s impending impacts. Helene, now with 80 mph sustained winds, will continue rapidly strengthening as it passes offshore of the Pinellas County...

The School Board of Manatee County is accepting name nominations for a new East County K-8 school through Friday, September 27, 2024. The school is currently under construction east of Uihlein Road, approximately a quarter of a mile south of S.R. 64. It's scheduled to open in August 2025. School name nominations must include the person’s name who is submitting the name nomination, and their email address, phone number or both. You can look for information about the school naming process on the home page of the school district’s website at www.manateeschools.net, under “District Top Stories.” School name nominations can be submitted in the following ways: Email nominations to: communications@manateeschools.net. Mail nominations to: The School District of Manatee County, PO Box 9069, Bradenton, FL 34206-9069. Personally deliver nominations to: Miller School Support Center, 215 Manatee Ave. W., in Bradenton. Name nominations for the East County K-8 school will be accepted through Friday, September 27, 2024. Nominations have been accepted since August 28, 2024. The School Board will publish the list of the name nominations submitted on its district website on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. The School Board will then discuss the list of names at a regularly scheduled School Board meeting on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, where a list of finalists will be selected. The School Board is scheduled to select the name of the new K-8 school at its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, October 22, 2024. Public comment on the name nominations is welcomed at all School Board meetings and workshops in September and October, 2024.

Sarasota County Evacuation Orders Tuesday, September 24. Starting at 7 a.m. tomorrow morning (Wednesday, Sept. 25), an evacuation order will be in place for Level A, manufactured communities, and those in the following neighborhoods:. Fort Creek in Englewood. Curry Creek in Venice. Hatchett Creek in Venice. KNOW YOUR EVACUATION LEVEL...

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Below is a list of shelters in your county:. A special needs shelter is also available for those who have pre-registered. Harold Avenue Regional Park, 23400 Harold Ave. in Port Charlotte. Kingsway Elementary School, 23300 Quasar Blvd. in Port Charlotte. Charlotte county provides a list of...

The City of Sarasota has rescheduled the planned dedication ceremony for Overtown Square to Oct. 2, at 10 a.m. Located on 0.24 acres in the Rosemary District, Overtown Square has tables, benches, umbrellas, custom pavers, and landscaping featuring 16 new trees of various species, including Silver Buttonwood, West Indian Mahogany, and Crape Myrtle.

St. Petersburg, FL: September 10, 2024, FK Architecture, a Fugleberg Koch Company, is pleased to announce its design for Whitney Village, a new development of a portion of the Jim & Heather Gills YMCA property in St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District. In collaboration with Wannemacher Jensen Architects (WJA), hired to design the YMCA redevelopment, and Place Architecture, which will oversee retail and mixed-use development, the new St. Petersburg development will feature a mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly retail village alongside residential units. It will also include some elevated live/work units that will face the retail village.

The Treasure Island & Madeira Beach Chamber of Commerce has changed its name, rebranding itself as the Pinellas Beaches Chamber of Commerce. "This re-brand marks a natural evolution for our Chamber,” president and chief executive Barry Rubin said in a statement. “We've been approached by elected officials and business leaders from across the county, encouraging us to expand our reach into their communities. This widespread support is a testament to the trust and confidence the community places in our ability to foster a vibrant economic environment and lead initiatives that bring tangible benefits to our diverse and thriving beach communities.

Palladium Theater executive director Paul Wilborn stopped by the Arts Alive! podcast studio to talk about the myriad irons he has in the fire, including the Palladium’s ongoing capital campaign. The St. Petersburg College venue – which originated 99 years ago as a church building – needs some upgrades,...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – As of 8:17 a.m. on September 26, 2024, several areas in St. Petersburg are experiencing flooding. Residents should expect these conditions to persist until 11:00 p.m. tonight. Specific areas affected by street flooding include:. Venetian Isles / Bayou Grande. Connecticut Avenue / Huntington Avenue. Delaware...

After learning the Broadway Roundabout project would be about $3.2 million more than originally expected, town leaders pressed pause on the design. But a recent update in a funding source came as a welcome surprise for Director of Public Works Isaac Brownman. “Basically, it was like money falling out of...

Gen Z comprises 44% of the electorate and has the potential to make a monumental impact. To be eligible to vote in the Nov. 5 election, they must register before Oct. 7. However, there is a general sense of pessimism for the future, which is justifiable. “They've lived through their...