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MANATEE COUNTY DEPUTIES UNCOVER $3.5 MILLION ELDER CARE FRAUD SCHEME, SHERIFF SAYS
FROM BRADENTON HERALD
A scam targeting a Manatee County resident helped detectives uncover a fraud ring that they say stole more than $3.5 million from at least 40 victims across Florida. The sheriff’s office said its investigation began after a Manatee County resident reported being targeted by someone posing as a representative of the Federal Trade Commission.
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CELEBRATE FOURTH OF JULY WITH A FREE FLORIDA STATE PARK VISIT
FROM WGCU
As the nation celebrates America’s 250th anniversary, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is waiving admission fees for Florida State Parks from Friday, July 3, through Sunday, July 5.
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ORLANDO POLICE THE LATEST AGENCY TO USE DRONES AS FIRST RESPONDERS
FROM ORLANDO SENTINEL
Along with being able to lock onto GPS coordinates and automatically follow a target vehicle, the drones are also equipped with thermal imaging and can zoom in to license plates and inside vehicles from dozens of feet above the ground. The pilots can control the drone from OPD’s real-time crime center using a mouse and keyboard or an Xbox controller.
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'I SPENT A DAY IN A SUIT THAT SIMULATED AN OLDER BODY. THIS IS WHAT IT FELT LIKE.'
FROM SARASOTA MAGAZINE
At 26, I’m still largely untouched by the wear and tear that life inevitably delivers. And yet, I’m inundated with reminders that my body is, supposedly, already on the decline. On my last birthday, the first text I received was from my dermatologist offering a discount on wrinkle-prevention treatments. Still, when I imagine trying to maintain my characteristic enthusiasm in the face of creaky joints or blurry vision, I can’t say I’m eager to step up to the plate. That’s why, when I heard about a suit that simulated being in the body of a much older adult, I wanted to take it for a spin.
READ THE STORY HERE
DESANTIS SIGNS BILLS TO TAMP DOWN LOCAL TAXES. HERE'S WHAT TO KNOW
FROM WUSF
Under the first bill, local governments and special taxing districts won’t be able to use the rise in per capita personal income when calculating the maximum millage they can approve for property taxes. The other bill imposes new requirements on city and county governments, such as publishing a quarterly report on employee compensation and conducting a budget cutting exercise each year.
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SARASOTA COUNTY CLOSE TO WINNING APPROVAL FOR HIGHER FLOOD INSURANCE DISCOUNT
FROM SARASOTA NEWS LEADER
Since 2007, Sarasota County has held the Class 5 rating in what is called the Community Rating System (CRS), which enables county residents to get a 25% discount on flood insurance purchased through the National Flood Insurance Program. However, Stormwater Department Director Ben Quartermaine has told the County Commission, “We’re very close to increasing [that].”
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A BLOOMING FRIENDSHIP CAPTURED ON FILM
FROM ARTSBEAT
Neither Patti Smith, Selby Gardens’ inaugural artist in residence, nor Lynn Goldsmith, whose exhibition, “Shared Light,” opened at the gardens June 18, can exactly remember the first time they met. It was sometime in the mid-’70s; Smith was an influential member of New York City’s punk rock movement and Goldsmith was a photographer gaining a reputation for her celebrity portraits, mostly of musicians.
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PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP READY TO BRING ICE RINK TO PREMIER IN LAKEWOOD RANCH
FROM EAST COUNTY OBSERVER
An approximately $80 million indoor sports multiplex project that features several ice rinks is moving forward in east Manatee County, after commissioners unanimously approved a motion June 16 in support of the public-private partnership.
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FOUR OF FIVE SARASOTA PUBLIC HOSPITAL BOARD MEMBERS RUN UNOPPOSED
FROM WSLR
Back in 2022 and 2024, the usually quiet and overlooked Sarasota County Hospital Board elections garnered broad public interest and national attention as the race became a lightning rod for hashing out contentious political and cultural divisions over COVID-19 government policies and the broader healthcare system’s response to the pandemic. This year, with pandemic-era cultural politics beginning to wane as other issues take center stage in the public consciousness, the local Hospital Board election seems to have slowed to its usual pace.
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UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS COULD BE BANNED FROM STATE UNIVERSITY ENROLLMENT UNDER LOOMING RULE CHANGE
FROM FLORIDA PHOENIX
Undocumented students will be barred from enrolling in Florida’s state universities if a new admissions change continues to gain traction and is approved ahead of the 2027-2028 school year. The Florida Board of Governors, the state’s top higher education commission, unanimously moved forward with the rule change on Thursday. They’ll vote on it in September.
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