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SARASOTA PRESERVATION BOARD APPROVES DEMOLITION OF HISTORIC HUDSON BAYOU HOME
FROM WSLR
Half a year ago, a buyer spent more than $1 million on a historically designated home in the Hudson Bayou neighborhood near downtown Sarasota. The family that intended to save it now says it is unsavable. Now they’re asking the city to allow a teardown.
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HOME INSURANCE AND THE UNRAVELING OF FLORIDA COMMUNITIES
FROM THE CONVERSATION
Soaring property insurance rates are repricing life in the Sunshine State, and this is likely to worsen as hurricanes intensify in the coming years. But the current way we manage these risks and costs isn’t the only option.
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JOHN OLIVER TAKES AIM AT NEW COLLEGE OF FLORIDA
FROM SARASOTA MAGAZINE
In a blistering 28-minute segment on Last Week Tonight, host John Oliver turned his satirical lens toward the local liberal arts college that became ground zero for the conservative movement’s efforts to reshape higher education. Backed by months of research and interviews with current and former students, faculty and alumni — including the independent alumni organization Novo Collegian Alliance — the segment traced the political takeover and institutional upheaval that have transformed the campus since 2023.
READ THE STORY HERE
WATCH THE 'LAST WEEK TONIGHT' EPISODE HERE
PETLAND LOBBIED TO WEAKEN NEW RULES FOR FLORIDA PET STORES, RECORDS SHOW
FROM SEEKING RENTS
The new law was weakened by lobbying on behalf of the national pet retailer that sells more than 8,000 puppies a year in Florida — and that made $50,000 in campaign contributions to top Florida politicians just before the start of the 2026 legislative session. Emails obtained through public records requests show that lobbyists for Petland Inc. tried repeatedly to rewrite the pet-store legislation and remove key consumer protections.
READ THE STORY HERE
'WICKED PROBLEM.' MANATEE COUNTY OWED OVER $23M IN PINEY POINT CLEANUP
FROM BRADENTON HERALD
Manatee County leaders are debating whether to continue the county’s role in the cleanup of Piney Point, a toxic industrial site near Tampa Bay that’s in the midst of lengthy closure process. When a catastrophic breach at Piney Point fueled an environmental disaster five years ago, state leaders promised to clean up the mess with up to $200 million. Manatee County agreed to help too, establishing a well to dispose of polluted water from the site. But county officials say they expected the state to refund most of its costs. Instead, Manatee County has so far absorbed about $23 million in unrepaid expenses.
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FLORIDA TAXWATCH FLAGS $830 MILLION IN BUDGET 'TURKEYS'
FROM WUSF
Florida’s biggest “budget turkey” this year is associated with a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays. Florida TaxWatch, an influential fiscal watchdog group, has released its annual report on “budget turkeys.” The term refers to appropriations that the group says weren’t properly vetted or didn't go through the normal legislative process. The report also flags several items in Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties.
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READ THE 2026 TAXWATCH REPORT HERE
IN RURAL FLORIDA, THE ANTI-DATA CENTER MOVEMENT GATHERS STRENGTH
FROM TAMPA BAY TIMES
Momentum is building in opposition of data centers throughout Florida’s sleepier pockets. Floridians of all political stripes are getting organized, many of whom have never led any kind of grassroots campaign before. Data center proposals have brought heightened scrutiny on local governments, as several Floridians said that these clashes revealed how important their county commissions can be. One decision on zoning can determine whether these projects have a future. Some officials have said they’ve received threats over their votes approving data centers.
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NEW REPORT SHOWS FAMILIES IN MANATEE, SARASOTA NEED OVER $100K TO AFFORD BASIC NEEDS
FROM ABC7
Families in Manatee and Sarasota counties must earn more than $100,000 a year to afford basic necessities, according to United Way Suncoast’s 2026 ALICE Report released Wednesday. In Sarasota County, 42% of households are below the ALICE Threshold. The median household income is $83,003, compared with a family survival budget of $108,900. In Manatee County, 43% of households are below the threshold. The median household income is $81,395, while the family survival budget is $100,416. ALICE stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. It refers to households that earn above the federal poverty level but less than the basic cost of living.
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LAW ENFORCEMENT RELIED TOO HEAVILY ON AI, FALSELY ARRESTED A SUSPECT, ACLU ARGUES
FROM FLORIDA PHOENIX
A Fort Myers man and the ACLU of Florida are suing Jacksonville Beach for relying too heavily on an artificial intelligence program that fingered him as a suspect in a now-dropped 2023 child luring investigation. “The night I spent in jail after they arrested me for a crime I did not commit still haunts me to this day. I will never get over how terrified and worried I was, wondering if I’d ever go home to my wife and daughter again."
READ THE STORY HERE
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