Thank you LWV for including public comments! It is concerning that we have mold in a relatively new school building and that staff and students are having health issues because they have to sit in a moldy building. Why would anyone think that it would be a good idea to turn off the air conditioning? This is not a cost saving measure- since taxpayers will now be on the hook to fix this mess. We also appreciate that Ms. Felton is informing the public about the Schools of Hope.
I would add to this list of mostly underreported news stories the October 17 report in the Washington Post that confirms that ICE and our government has reversed years of federal policy and is now using the most advanced tools of privacy invasion on US citizens. These tools include mobile (phone app) facial recognition software and Pegasus-type phone surveillance. Pegasus is an intrusion that can be installed on a person's phone without any acceptance by the phone owner. A phone owner has no idea that pegasus is installed. Pegasus can then control the microphone to listen to conversations. Pegasus can see everything on the phone. Pegasus has been used by authoritarian regimes on journalists. The Washington Post journalist that was dismembered by the Saudi government had pegasus installed on his phone and his girlfriend's phone. Look up Pegasus and you will see horror stories of invasions of privacy. Also, recent video of ICE show that the agents are pointing their phones at individuals faces to capture face recognition. Tied together with Elon Musk's DOGE teams that were given access to every American's private data and it is not hard to imagine that ICE and Homeland Security have identification data on all of us. Each of us that might protest could be labelled Antifa and have our "files" flagged. Mostly, I am afraid for people that Trump might declare as an enemy and allow Pegasus to be installed on their phone. These include politicians and especially journalists. I urge MAGA to take a few minutes and google the poem titled "First they came," written by German pastor Martin Niemöller:
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
- additional notable detail regarding the political path that includes the White House and the lobbying firm connection to Sydney Gruters is that her husband, Joe Gruters, also is the accountant who is profiting from the management of all of the dark money being sent to Trump so that Gruters can hide it from tracking and public knowledge. Both Sydney and Joe Gruters appear in 2024 video of the Trump nomination rally — waving supportive campaign signs under the nose of Trump from the very front row. Joe Gruters began supporting Trump early in his quest to become what we have today. Gruters was instrumental in declaring Trump "statesman of the year" —twice— in local ceremonies and is one of Trump's most loyal followers.
Our so-called representatives ALL voted for this travesty. Conerly spoke at the Manatee Patriots meeting 10/21/25. He hemmed and hawed stammering that because Manatee chose to participate in the lawsuits, DeSantis might not signed any amendment. Sen. Don Gaetz from up in the panhandle submitted SB 218. It defines impacted government replacing county or municipality. as someone listed in disaster declarations for Debby, Helene and Milton. It does not remove "propose or adopt more restrictive or burdensome amendments to its comprehensive plan or land development regulations; or propose or adopt more restrictive or burdensome procedures concerning review, approval, or issuance of a site plan, development permit or development order". This bill fixes nothing. Just provides a definition. SB 218 IS A BAD BILL. Still leaves in the exemptions for NEW development from "restrictive and burdensome."
Didn’t think there were that many evil people around to fit their qualifications which seem to be non-existent. $50,000.00 bonus? Who else offers that? Gonna be a lot of bonus money paid to “no shows”. This is disgusting. Jim Tierney
Agree 100%. And you only scratch the surface of the political cronyism. There is the University System board of Governors who approved Corcoran at New College and Ben Sasse at UF, the Fish and Wildlife Commission that is stacked with pro-developers, and many more. Why in hell would the BoCC surrender local control - in effect giving away our votes and ability to have a voice? Did Satcher’s appointment not teach us anything? Besides SWFMD, Beruff is on the Citizens Insurance Board of Directors, he’s on the SRQ airport authority. He’s been on our local State College board of Trustees, Does anyone doubt the kind of person that would be appointed to this “independent” board that would turn our port into a developer friendly contract awarding mechanism to reward the governor's donors? Are commissioners really so naive to seriously think a governor-appointed board would be independent?
Our so-called representatives ALL voted for this travesty. Conerly spoke at the Manatee Patriots meeting 10/21/25. He hemmed and hawed stammering that because Manatee chose to participate in the lawsuits, DeSantis might not signed any amendment. Sen. Don Gaetz from up in the panhandle submitted SB 218. It defines impacted government replacing county or municipality. as someone listed in disaster declarations for Debby, Helene and Milton. It does not remove "propose or adopt more restrictive or burdensome amendments to its comprehensive plan or land development regulations; or propose or adopt more restrictive or burdensome procedures concerning review, approval, or issuance of a site plan, development permit or development order". This bill fixes nothing. Just provides a definition.
Did you advise this is a part of an October series of Ghost Stories? I probably missed it, I did not see the Hampton Inn and I believe it has the reputation of our most haunted building. I understood that while it was under construction, they had serious problems keeping Security on site. Guards kept quitting because of unexplainable movements and sightings. The newer wandering senior citizens from the nursing home days, lost and confused. A few ghosts from the glory days when mobsters stayed for their vacations. The standard lady in white dancing where the ballroom used to be.
Oddly, the area around Braden castle seems empty of past energy.
Where did (and does) the confiscated cash go after these types of "raids"? Where does it go when confiscated from illegal drug arrests / convictions? Please TBT, follow the money and tell us who is benefitting from these windfalls.
Another grab by the legislature and governor to eliminate local government authority.
Another full-employment opportunity for DeSantis lackeys. He is fond of appointing people with limited or no-experience to important positions based on prior or current servitude.
OMG, paying attention to daily news is like drinking from a firehose. I just viewed the John Oliver segment you attached...I have been a long time viewer of CBS news and recently have become upset with their right leaning and unbalanced reporting. Thank goodnes I also read and view numerous other sources, like Bradenton Times, to get a more balanced insight into what is going on, and who is biased propaganda. Thank you for these insights.
Thank you Mr Conerly for your astute observation that "burdensome" is a vague term. Duh. Ya think? Then his response to SB180 was that there shouldn't be a bill to fix it because the Governor might veto it, although he's "heard someone might be drafting a bill." My gosh, there is no way the voters of east Manatee should re-elect this airbag in the August 2026 primary. I'd vote for a ham sandwich rather than be represented by such a mealy mouthed weenie. We'd better get used to this kind of language from our so-called state representatives, they are going to try and play us for idiots and do nothing but give us this kind of 20-minute lip service in response to actually fixing SB180. I can't wait to hear Boyd weasel out of doing anything. VOTE THEM OUT! (And hat's off to Mr. Wright and the lady standing up in the back)
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