Log in Subscribe
Top Stories
Map and photos presented by ELMAC staff during the Oct. 20, 2026, Manatee Board of County Commissioners meeting.

County to purchase nearly 711 acres for conservation

Manatee County commissioners unanimously approved two conservation land acquisitions totaling approximately 711 acres Tuesday, advancing the Environmental Lands Program's …
by Dawn Kitterman
Yesterday at 7:37 PM
Books in a Florida high school library. Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix
National

School board members can be deposed for removing library books, federal court rules

A years-long legal battle over book removals in Escambia County has a new chapter. A federal appeals court ruled school members may be deposed about why they removed library books and classroom …
by Jay Waagmeester
Yesterday at 3:48 PM
Local

Campaign finance reports display fundraising gaps, PAC networks in BOCC races

With early voting underway ahead of the Nov. 3 general election, the latest campaign finance reports show substantial fundraising disparities among Manatee County Commission …
by Dawn Kitterman
2 days ago
Election 2026

I endorse Kelly Kirschner, Reggie Bellamy, and Charles Smith

I want to be very clear with the people of Manatee County about where I stand. I have always stayed true to my core conservative principles and my commitment to doing what is right for Manatee …
Dr. Bob McCann
3 days ago
More local news
Local government
Manatee County accepting applications for Planning Commission
Manatee County is accepting applications for an additional vacant seat on the Planning Commission, a citizen’s advisory committee that makes recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners on …
Manatee County Government
Yesterday at 4:42 PM
Election 2026
Early voting now open in Manatee County
Early voting starts today and runs through Sunday, November 1, 8:30 am - 6:00 pm daily at the following locations throughout Manatee County. After early voting, in person voting can only be done on …
Staff Report
3 days ago
State
Rain doesn't dampen enthusiasm at Bernie Sanders/Angie Nixon rally
Senator Bernie Sanders brought his fighting oligarchy tour to Tampa on Saturday, and despite heavy rain, well over a thousand people packed into the courtyard of Ybor City's Cuban Club to hear the …
by Mitch Maley
5 days ago
Local
Audit finds transparency, accounting problems with environmental lands tax fund
A Manatee County Inspector General audit estimates that about $6.26 million in operating expenses charged to the Environmental Lands Fund exceeded …
Dawn Kitterman
5 days ago
TBT Exclusive
Document superimposed for illustrative purposes.
Records confirm county Code Enforcement Chief was terminated
Manatee County Code Enforcement Chief Tom Wooten was formally terminated on Sept. 16, according to public records obtained by TBT. Six days later, the county …
Dawn Kitterman
5 days ago
Local
This Week in Local Government: 10/18/26
There are a few meetings of note on local government calendars this week. The Palmetto City Commission will hold a workshop and regular meeting on Monday. The Manatee County Commission …
Dawn Kitterman
5 days ago
Opinions
Election 2026
Guest Opinion: Protect Lands and Protect the Public Trust
In a fast-growing county like Manatee, some decisions can be revisited years later. Others cannot. When a wetland is filled, when a wildlife corridor is fragmented, or when a working ranch …
LWV Manatee County
Yesterday at 3:45 PM
opinion
Elections: A Time for Hope
Elections can bring out the worst in people. Tensions rise, friendships become strained and political campaigns bombard us with messages designed to divide rather than inform. Just read some of the …
Joe McClash, Publisher of The Bradenton Times
5 days ago
EarthTalk: Outrunning Global Warming? Coral Reefs Move Toward Poles
Greenhouse gas emissions around the globe are driving tropical ocean temperatures to historic highs. As a result, coral reefs are attempting to migrate toward cooler, …
5 days ago
COMMENTARY
commentary
Council Corner, City of Bradenton: Ward 4
As we welcome the fall season, we look forward to cooler temperatures, community gatherings, and holidays that bring families, friends, and neighbors together. Hurricane season is not yet behind us, …
Councilwoman Pam Coachman
Yesterday at 4:49 PM
Sunday Favorites
The Things That Stayed
A house whose owner loved it so much she wrote it a love letter. An antique doll that reportedly wouldn’t stay where it was placed. A phantom bus said to haunt the Sunshine Skyway. This week’s …
Merab Favorite
4 days ago
commentary
A typical stormwater retention pond in a Florida community is both a visual amenity and a poorly functioning pollution control device. New standards were supposed to make the stormwater system more effective, but the Florida DEP removed their teeth. (Photo via Southwest Florida Water Management Districts)
New Florida stormwater rules don’t fix our pollution problem
Do you have a favorite movie? Mine is “Singin’ in the Rain.” Maybe because I grew up in the rainiest city in Florida, Pensacola. I could identify with Gene Kelly splashing around in all those …
by Craig Pittman
Friday, October 16
Obituaries
William Sidney (Sid) Reames
William Sidney (Sid) Reames of Bradenton, Florida was born October 13, 1936 in West Plains, Missouri. He entered eternal rest at age 89 on October 11, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida Sid was the …
Friday, October 16
obituary
Kelly Moore
Kelly Moore passed away on October 6, 2026, in Bradenton, Florida, after a long battle with cancer. Kelly was 62. Born on July 1, 1964, Kelly’s life was marked by strength and perseverance. …
Thursday, October 15
obituary
Jean Rebecca Denoyelles
Jean Rebecca Denoyelles passed away on October 9, 2026, at the age of 75. Born on November 21, 1950, Jean will be remembered with love and gratitude by those who knew her. Her life spanned …
Thursday, October 15
Join us on social media
TBT Podcasts
podcast
George Kruse, a Republican Manatee County Commissioner, recently endorsed Democrat Dave Jolly for governor and Democrat Kelly Kirschner for Congress. He joins Mitch and Dawn to discuss why he thinks …
Thursday, October 15
podcast
Reggie Bellamy is running for the Manatee County Commission's District 6 at-large (countywide) seat in November's election. He joins Mitch and Dawn to discuss what motivated him to run after being …
Wednesday, October 14
COMMENTS FROM OUR READERS
TBT ENDORSEMENTS
Local Events and More...
Calendar of events
Sports & recreation
sports

Bradenton’s Finest and Bravest Coming to LECOM Park For Charity Softball Game

Balls will be flying around LECOM Park on Thursday, November 5. Every bit of balls being batted and bases being rounded at the Pittsburgh Pirates’ spring training home is a reminder that …
Don Laible
Friday, October 16
Sports

Rafael Flores Jr. Ready to Take Next Step in Pirates Depth Chart

Beginning next spring in Bradenton, I’m looking forward to Rafael Flores Jr.’s 2027 season. When the Pirates recalled Flores Jr. from Triple-A Indianapolis in early July, the rookie catcher …
by Don Laible
Friday, October 9
Sports

Random Ramblings from the 2026 MLB Season

The New York Mets, at $357,626,125, have the highest MLB team payroll in 2026. The Mets are not in the postseason. The team with the lowest payroll, the Cleveland Guardians, at $69,984,029, not only …
by Don Laible
Friday, October 2
Sports

Pirates Presenting Case for 2027 Postseason Participation

I don’t bet. But if I did, odds are the Pittsburgh Pirates are a postseason club in 2027. Forget the fear-mongering circulating that there might not be an MLB season in 2027. A new collective …
by Don Laible
Thursday, September 24
Arts & Entertainment
Theater

Carrie: The Musical now playing at MPAC

Just in time for Halloween season, Manatee Players presents a powerful, haunting theatrical experience: Carrie: The Musical! The electrifying stage adaptation of Carrie by Stephen King, blends …

Staff Report
Yesterday at 4:23 PM
Theater

Urbanite returns with Modern Works Festival Audience Favorite Ahoy-Hoy

Urbanite Theatre returns for its 2026-27 season on Oct 30 with Jenny Stafford's Ahoy-Hoy, a 150-year-old rivalry over the invention of the telephone, based on the true story of its creation.
Staff Report
Yesterday at 2:31 PM
music

Interview: Jake Owen

"This is still a young man's game." That’s something Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder has said. Pearl Jam's singer-songwriter is correct. The peak for many singer-songwriter's is during their salad …
by Ed Condran
Thursday, October 8
Arts & Entertainment

Tickets On Sale Now for 2026 European Holiday Market at the Bradenton Area Convention Center

Tickets are on sale now for the third annual European Holiday Market hosted at the Bradenton Area Convention Center , December 2-6, now with an added day for optimal cultural immersion …
Manatee County Government
Thursday, October 1
ICYM - In Case You Missed It
Election 2026
The Florida House District 72 race features incumbent Bill Conerly and challenger Harvey Shifrin. Incumbent Republican William “Bill” Conerly has been one of the most reliable votes for …
5 days ago
Election 2026
The Florida Senate District 20 race features longtime incumbent Jim Boyd and political newcomer Gerald Baldi. Baldi, 70, is a former advertising executive who moved from real estate to financial …
5 days ago
Election 2026
The Manatee County Commission District 6 (at-large) race will fill the seat being vacated by Commissioner Jason Bearden. It features former District 2 Commissioner Reggie Bellamy and Congressman …
5 days ago
The Florida Attorney General race features appointed Republican incumbent James Uthmeier against Democrat José Javier Rodríguez. The winner will serve a four-year term as Florida’s chief legal …
Tuesday, October 13
Guest Opinion
If you've sat in traffic on a road built for half the people using it, or watched your street flood after an ordinary storm, you know the problem. Growth has outrun the roads, pipes and drainage …
by Kelly Kirschner
Tuesday, October 13
Interesting News

NFL RedZone hits 300: Watching fewer commercials doesn't mean seeing fewer ads

Floodlight reports NFL RedZone celebrated its 300th episode, highlighting shifts in ad viewership, as fewer commercials don't equal fewer ads due to innovative formats.

Anthony Gaita for Floodlight
6 hours ago

How to save money on sports without giving up the games

Current reports on saving money while enjoying sports despite rising costs. 
Chris Taylor for Current
6 hours ago

8 wild NBA contract stories that changed the league forever

Ironclad reports on eight pivotal NBA contracts that reshaped the league, illustrating how salary dynamics, player rights, and revenue have evolved since its inception.
Steph Knapp for Ironclad
6 hours ago
Florida report

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

Bob Delaney - Undercover Film "Hiding in Plain Sight" Working Undercover in New Jersey as a State Trooper

Emmy Award winning director, Nick Nanton, interviews Bob Delaney. Former undercover New Jersey state trooper and NBA referee. Bob Delaney talks with Nick Nanton about his incredible careers in two vastly different fields, from infiltrating the Mafia in the 1970s to becoming one of the NBA's most respected referees. In this episode, Bob opens up about his experience with post-traumatic stress and his passion for helping others overcome it.

State News
AUSTIN, Texas — It was a good day for the defense. Standing in front of a judge in Austin’s Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center, attorney Matthew Shrum secured a ruling that spared his …
David Montgomery (via Florida Phoenix)
Yesterday at 12:05 AM
A years-long legal battle over book removals in Escambia County has a new chapter. A federal appeals court ruled school members may be deposed about why they removed library books and classroom …
Jay Waagmeester (via Florida Phoenix)
2 days ago
A Florida Democrat hasn’t held a seat in the U.S. Senate since 2019, but 42-year-old Democrat Angie Nixon is working to reverse that trend in her push to defeat incumbent Sen. Ashley Moody in the …
Mitch Perry, Christine Sexton (via Florida Phoenix)
2 days ago
Organizers launched more than 2,500 No Kings events across all 50 states and the District of Columbia Saturday, this time focusing their efforts on the midterm elections. From roadside rallies to …
Shalina Chatlani (via Florida Phoenix)
3 days ago