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TEACHER PAY IN FLORIDA WORST IN THE COUNTRY AGAIN. FEA BLAMES DESANTIS, GOP-MAJORITY LEGISLATURE
FROM WLRN VIA WUSF
Florida's largest teachers' union leader says the latest report on low teacher pay represents more evidence that Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-majority Legislature are "failing" the state's public schools by "favoring unaccountable voucher and charter schools."
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'LADIES OF LONDON' STAR MYKA MEIER GOT HER START RIGHT HERE IN SARASOTA
FROM SARASOTA MAGAZINE
Before she was “America’s Queen of Good Manners” (a title bestowed by The Times magazine) studying etiquette under the same staff as Princess Diana, Meier was Sarasota High School’s prom queen, bringing Siesta Key sand-covered homework to class and hanging out in orange groves with friends using secret codes on pagers.
READ THE STORY HERE
2026 HURRICANE SEASON FORECAST: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
FROM CLIMATE ADAPTATION CENTER
As hurricane season approaches, the Climate Adaptation Center (CAC) has released its much-anticipated 2026 Hurricane Season Forecast. Building on years of accurate forecasting, the CAC’s predictions and expert advice can make the difference between vulnerability and preparedness. The prediction: Twelve named storms, five hurricanes and two major hurricanes.
READ THE FORECAST HERE
WHY IS IT TAKING MANATEE COUNTY SO LONG TO DISTRIBUTE HURRICANE RELIEF FUNDS?
FROM BRADENTON HERALD
More than a year after Manatee County Government received $252 million in federal disaster relief, none of that money has been distributed to residents. Manatee is among several Florida counties that were awarded a piece of $12 billion in federal disaster relief following 2024’s devastating hurricane season. But other Florida counties have managed to distribute their federal relief funds much faster than Manatee County.
READ THE STORY HERE
SARASOTA COUNTY TAKES CAUTIOUS APPROACH TO THE BAY PARK FUNDING
FROM SARASOTA OBSERVER
Thanks to uncertainty regarding the future of residential property taxes statewide, what was once nearly a perfunctory exercise to secure funding for each phase of development of The Bay is now more of a challenge. On April 21, Bay Park Conservancy Founding CEO AG Lafley addressed the Sarasota County Commission on what has become a routine practice — securing a release of tax increment financing (TIF) district funds for the next round of work at The Bay park.
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HE DIED IN A FLORIDA JAIL. THE COMPANY IN CHARGE SHOULD HAVE SENT HIM TO THE HOSPITAL, EXPERTS SAY
FROM FLORIDA TRIB AND PROPUBLICA
On December 15, 2023, Brian Tracey’s girlfriend posted his bond and waited outside the St. Johns County Detention Center to bring him home after nine days in jail. Instead, she was greeted by a deputy and a chaplain, who told her Tracey was dead. In the hours before his death, Tracey’s blood-oxygen levels plummeted and he passed out in his cell. As Tracey lay unclothed and unable to breathe on the floor of the medical ward, deputies recorded in the jail log that "all appears secure." By the time anyone attempted CPR, he had already lost his pulse; an autopsy determined the cause of death was pneumonia with COVID-19. His care had been provided by Armor Health Services of St. Johns County LLC, an affiliate of Miami-based Armor Health. Florida Trib and ProPublica reveals how Armor Health, and its predecessor Armor Correctional Health Services, has operated for years despite a history of fatal neglect and a criminal conviction, and how state authorities consistently failed to act against the company.
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$18.1M SARASOTA WATERFRONT RESTAURANT SITE DEAL PAUSED
FROM SARASOTA HERALD-TRIBUNE
Sarasota County’s plan to purchase waterfront property near Siesta Key for $18.1 million — previously home to a once-popular restaurant and with plans to turn it into a public park and potentially a dining destination — has been put on hold. The county commission agreed at its April 21 meeting to pause the purchase of the 2.04-acre parcel on Stickney Point Road to see if there is a way to save Siesta Key Watersports. Commissioners had been set to discuss financing the purchase of the parcel at their May 5 meeting.
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SIX PETITIONERS CHALLENGE NEW COLLEGE'S CAMPUS MASTER PLAN
FROM WSLR
Petitioners contend New College of Florida failed to correctly follow state statute and regulations governing how campus master plans must be developed and adopted when it approved a new Campus Master Plan in December 2025. The document governs land use, infrastructure and development over the next decade. When Floridians believe a state entity has broken existing rules, they can challenge it through the Division of Administrative Hearings — a court-like system for disputes between citizens and government. If the petitioners prevail, the New College master plan could be invalidated or sent back to be redone.
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FLORIDA IMMIGRANT DID EVERYTHING 'THE RIGHT WAY.' ICE STILL DETAINED HIM FOR MONTHS WITHOUT BOND
FROM WLRN VIA WUSF
Freddy Antonio Tellez Lopez fled his home country of Nicaragua in 2019, fearing persecution from the country's authoritarian regime as an openly gay man and as a supporter of government dissidents. Two years later, he crossed the U.S.-Mexico border, applied for asylum in the United States and settled in Florida, while waiting for his case to play out. Lopez worked as a waiter for years and eventually saved enough cash to purchase a home. He created a life for himself in the U.S. and set down roots. Yet, in October 2025, the 42-year-old with a clean criminal record went to a scheduled asylum appointment in Miami and found himself in handcuffs — detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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SARASOTA ORCHESTRA CONDUCTOR CONNECTING WITH THE COMMUNITY
FROM ARTSBEAT
As he nears the end of his first season as music director of the Sarasota Orchestra, Giancarlo Guerrero is quickly feeling part of a large community of music lovers. Even as he spends most of his time flying around the world for other engagements, he has been a frequent visitor to Sarasota, conducting numerous concerts, working on plans to build a new music center and getting to know the musicians, donors and staff.
READ THE STORY HERE
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