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state

In the dark? 2026 ‘Government in the Sunshine’ manual seemingly shelved

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has not published the Government in the Sunshine Manual this year, seemingly breaking an annual effort by attorneys general in the state for decades.
Jay Waagmeester
7 hours ago
Some Suncoast Republican activists and officials have broken ranks to endorse Democrats running for office. | Illustration by Suncoast Searchlight
local

Fed up with sprawl, developer influence, some Suncoast Republicans back Dems

The sole Democrat running for a seat on the Sarasota County Commission garnered an unlikely champion when the chair of a local MAGA group endorsed her campaign earlier this fall.
by Alice Herman | Suncoast Searchlight
7 hours ago
Manatee County Planning Commission member Matt Bower announced his resignation on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026.
Local

Manatee Planning Commissioner announces resignation, cites politics and frustration with leadership

On Thursday, Manatee County Planning Commissioner Matt Bower announced he is voluntarily resigning from the county’s Planning Commission. Bower will leave the seven-member advisory …
by Dawn Kitterman
Yesterday at 7:05 PM
Warner Bros.
film

Movie Review: Digger

I didn’t realize how truly divisive a filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu was before prepping to write this article. He’s one of the most decorated Mexican filmmakers in history, with four …
by Jared Rasic
Yesterday at 10:38 AM
More local news
local
Portrait credit: Malia Byrtus
National Geographic Explorer Carlton Ward Jr. to keynote Suncoast Waterkeeper’s annual Brunch for the Bay Nov. 1
As Sarasota and Manatee counties continue to grow, decisions being made today about what gets developed and what gets protected will shape the future of the region’s water. On November 1, …
Suncoast Waterkeeper
6 hours ago
Local
Manatee County Utilities Crews Working to Repair Sewer Line Damaged by Third-Party Contractor
Manatee County Utilities crews continue working to repair a sewer force main damaged Tuesday afternoon by a third-party contractor performing work unrelated to County operations.
Manatee County Government
Yesterday at 12:29 PM
State
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier
Court erases Hope Florida grand jury report as taxpayers fund the lawyers who won
The grand jury report that put Attorney General James Uthmeier at the center of a “sophisticated scheme” to move $10 million from a Medicaid settlement into his political …
by Michael Barfield
Yesterday at 10:16 AM
Local
Ground breaks on project to convert Lena Road landfill methane to Natural Gas
On Friday, Manatee County, Nopetro Energy, Johnson Controls, and Mead & Hunt broke ground on a $50 million renewable natural gas production facility at the Lena Road Landfill. The facility will …
Staff Report
4 days ago
Election 2026
Indivisible Manatee to host final No Kings event ahead of midterm voting
Indivisible Manatee will host one of thousands of events nationwide to energize voters to turn out and make their voices heard ahead of the upcoming midterms.  The final push will take …
Staff Report
4 days ago
national
The main gate at Fort Hood. Photo credit: U.S. Army
Trump may backtrack on livestreamed execution of Fort Hood shooter
President Donald Trump on Friday appeared to leave open the possibility that the federal government won’t livestream a military execution planned for December that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth …
by Jonathan Shorman
4 days ago
Opinions
For Florida Attorney General, we recommend José Javier Rodríguez
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 …
4 days ago
Guest Opinion
They Build It. You Pay for It
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
4 days ago
EarthTalk: Wood Burning Stoves and Fireplaces
During the cold gaps of the winter day, a warm, cozy fire may seem like the perfect solution. But burning wood releases far more than just heat …
Sunday, October 11
COMMENTARY
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
6 hours ago
commentary
Mayor's Corner: City of Bradenton
Earlier this month, I joined local, state, and federal leaders at City Hall to recognize Christine Olson and 20 years of To Inform Families First, known as TIFF. After losing her daughter, …
by Mayor Gene Brown
Yesterday at 10:36 AM
Sunday Favorites
The Guests Who Never Checked Out
A balcony door moves on its own. Music drifts through a hotel hallway. Someone spots a light in a building that has stood empty for years. Around Tampa Bay and Sarasota, old hotels have accumulated stories that don’t appear in their guest registers. Their histories are documented; whether anyone stayed beyond their allotted lifetime remains a matter of belief.
by Merab Favorite
Sunday, October 11
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 …
6 hours ago
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. …
Yesterday at 7:15 PM
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 …
Yesterday at 7:14 PM
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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 …
Yesterday at 12:00 PM
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 …
3 days ago
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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
7 hours ago
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
music
photo by Spidey Smith

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
Music

Interview: Alice Cooper

Alice Cooper has more than earned his reputation as the “Godfather of Shock Rock.”  From his half-century of onstage decapitations to last year’s unexpected reunion album with his original …
by Bill Forman
Thursday, October 1
Arts & Entertainment

Art Walk returns to VOTA this weekend

Art Walk returns to Bradenton's Village of the Arts this weekend. This month's theme is Fall in Love with Art! The monthly event will take place Friday and Saturday for t wo days of art, …
Tuesday, September 29
ICYM - In Case You Missed It
The governor’s initiative, modified by the Legislature and known as Amendment 3, will appear on all statewide ballots this November and will require 60% statewide approval to pass. The ballot …
by Terry Schaefer
Saturday, October 10
Election 2026
Florida’s 2026 gubernatorial race features Republican Congressman Byron Donalds and former Republican Congressman David Jolly, now a Democrat. Jolly represented Florida's 13th Congressional …
Saturday, October 10
Guest Opinion
Vaccines are among the most important advances in modern medicine. A walk through an old cemetery makes this painfully clear: before the 1950s and 1960s, infant and child graves were heartbreakingly …
by Linda LongMSN, MBA, APRN, Adult NP-BC, Gerontological NP-C Lakewood Ranch, Florida
Friday, October 9
Election 2026
The Manatee County Commission District 2 race features incumbent Amanda Ballard and former D2 Commissioner Charles Smith.
Tuesday, October 6
Guest Opinion
Elections are often described as moments of choice. But sometimes, they are moments of complacency. In Manatee County, voters recently had an opportunity to reshape the direction of local government, …
by Bob McCann
Tuesday, October 6
Interesting News

Self-Employed and Can’t Get a Mortgage? The Loan Type May Be the Problem

Many self-employed borrowers who are told they do not qualify for a mortgage are not actually unqualified. They are applying through a loan type that measures income in a way that works against them. …

Alejandra Rodriguez (via KeyCrew)
Today

Massachusetts Appraisal Rules Change in November. Buyers Who Wait to Prepare Will Lose Deals.

Most Massachusetts homebuyers will not think about new appraisal rules until those rules delay their closing. By then, according to Colleen Barry of Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty, the …
Alejandra Rodriguez (via KeyCrew)
Today

A Seller’s Strongest Negotiating Position in Fairfield County, CT Starts Before the First Showing

The Fairfield County, Connecticut housing market heading into fall 2026 doesn’t fit neatly into a single headline. Some homes are drawing multiple offers above asking. Others, in the same county …
Heather Hook (via KeyCrew)
Today
Florida report

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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
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has a flurry of travel on deck in the final frantic weeks leading up to the end of the midterm elections, in which the GOP is vying to maintain its control of …
Shauneen Miranda (via Florida Phoenix)
2 hours ago
WASHINGTON — More than 100,000 Ukrainians and roughly 2,000 Sudanese immigrants are bracing for the possibility they’ll lose their humanitarian protections by Monday. Homeland Security Secretary …
Ariana Figueroa (via Florida Phoenix)
2 hours ago
Florida has asked for a major disaster declaration from the White House a week after Hurricane Isaias tore through a swath of the Panhandle and was blamed for six deaths. Gov. Ron DeSantis announced …
Christine Sexton (via Florida Phoenix)
2 hours ago
Legal challenges first filed against President Donald Trump’s cuts to Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments almost a decade ago can move forward after he downsized them once …
Annie Knox (via Florida Phoenix)
3 hours ago