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Florida Highway Patrol is using a mass surveillance tool to catch undocumented immigrants, according to a Suncoast Searchlight investigation.Then: A Sarasota activist spent some days helping protesters in Los Angeles. In an interview with WSLR's Surreal News, Sarah Parker wants to set the record straight on what's going on.Next: Have you heard of the Bradenton Nine Devils? You will learn about the history of this Negro League team if you go to LECOM Park, the baseball stadium near downtown Bradenton on Saturday.Finally: Juneteenth is coming early to Sarasota. To be precise: This Saturday. We have the details.

I spent an hour yesterday talking with Tom Walker, who was interviewing me for the Peace & Justice Report on WSLR community radio in Sarasota, Florida.

Lulu Martinez is a recent college graduate. She was arrested after a wrong U-turn in North Port and is now at an ICE detention center in Texas. Ramon Lopez has her story.Then: The events in Los Angeles after ICE raids, protests and rioting, are making ripples here, too. A local immigrant rights advocate has scheduled a march across the bridge in Bradenton this Monday in response. This is the second immigrants' rights protest in this region within a week, and Mason Chambless has more on that.Next: A military parade will be rolling through Washington this Saturday, and “No Kings” is the theme of nationwide counter-protests. In the Sarasota protest, veterans will play a key role.Then: The Manatee County School Board last month fired the superintendent, in a tight and controversial vote. Our reporter was at the first school board meeting since that day, to understand what's next.Finally: Rise Above, the youth theater group in Sarasota, is taking a risk in the search of love. Tamara Solum went to see their latest musical, The Prom.

Two former officers at the New College Foundation are alleging administrators may have tried to cover up misuse of donation. Suncoast Searchlight has that report.Then: Sarasota County seems headed towards creating an entire new department in charge of stormwater management. It comes after public despair over lack of clarity and urgency in the wake of massive flooding last year.Next: Get ready for the storm season, local officials urge. Ramon Lopez has more. Then: Manatee County Commissioners seem to be headed towards a clash with both developers and the state. Noah Vinsky has more.Finally: Soaring egg prices influenced the outcome of the last presidential elections. A family farm in DeSoto County seems to have found the right answer to the main cause of those soaring egg prices. 

The Florida legislature is in overtime this week, negotiating a budget for next year. Driving the delay is a fight over what taxes to cut, and the governor's proposal to cut property taxes worries a lot of people. Noah Vinsky has a closer look.Next: Meanwhile in Manatee County, the all-Republican county commission was discussing how to shrink an already lean local government. Spoiler alert: It ain't easy, and some commissioners are expressing frustration. Then: FPL is asking state regulators to give it the biggest base rate hike in Florida history, if not U.S. history. We are looking at some of the grassroots pushback.Finally: As the next storm season looms, our reporter Ramon Lopez caught up with hurricane hunters.

Sarasota residents who were flooded last year are putting pressure on the county commissioners. But is Sarasota ready for the next storm season?Next: When it comes to sewage spills, Bradenton has been the worst offender in the region. Now that the city has outsourced its wastewater management, it is trying to get a sense of what all of this will cost. Then: In a meeting last week, the new chair ended the Mike Moran era in the Sarasota County Commission - at least when it comes to the former chair's makeover of social service funding. We have more on that.

The 3,000 signatures didn't make a dent. If it's up to the panel that makes recommendations to the City of Sarasota about the future of the Van Wezel, the historic performing arts center will be history soon.Then: A special board meeting at New College of Florida gave a glimpse of the retention and recruitment problems the movers and shakers behind the conservative makeover are facing. Next: Many legislators keep saying there won't be any cuts to public school programs as a result of the state's voucher program. Two local school board members beg to differ, as Tamara Solum found.Finally: Amid the devastation that will come with big new development, Sarasota County's oldest rural community celebrated a small victory.

More felony charges are piling up against the former communications director of New College. Suncoast Searchlight and The Florida Trident report.Then: The Sarasota County Commission wants developers to go back to holding in-person community workshops for neighbors. At least in part, as Ramon Lopez reports. Next: Cuts to the NOAA could impact the fishing industry and Red Tide research in the region. Suncoast Searchlight brings us this report.Finally: It was Alt Graduation Thursday night, an event where New College students are in charge. WSLR News intern Farah Vallecillo - herself a New College student - was there.

The Manatee County School Board is not boring anymore. Yesterday, in a tight 3-2 vote, the elected panel suddenly fired the district superintendent. Sunshine Law violations may have happened in the run-up to that vote, one critic says.Then: In its ongoing session, the state legislature could ban counties' use of tourism taxes for tourism promotion. Sarasota's boosters are worried. Sera Deniz has more on that.Next: 104,000 bucks. That's the annual income it takes for a family of four to make it here in Sarasota, and that amount keeps rising fast. We have a Suncoast Searchlight report on the United Way's annual ALICE survey.Finally: A state law that bans camping on public property has put Florida counties in a bind. Half a year after this anti-homeless law went into effect, Alex Lieberman is looking at its effects.

The panel that will make recommendations on what to do with the Van Wezel seems to have reached consensus: The performing arts center function has to move out of the historic building. But grassroots activists are pushing back.Next: Buyer beware! We have a follow-up to the Suncoast Searchlight report on developer-run mini governments.Then: Operation Tidal Wave, the dragnet that caught more than a 1,000 immigrants in Florida is expanding. WSLR News' Ramon Lopez reports.Finally: A young researcher and fish farmer from Manatee County is sailing through the Caribbean to document aquaculture practices in the region. Farah Vallecillo caught up with her.

Grassroots organizers celebrated a rare victory against a high-profile development project in Sarasota Tuesday. Johannes Werner reports.Next: A Suncoast Searchlight investigation describes the high cost of challenging development in the courts. Derek Gilliam brings us that story.Then: An empty seat on the Venice city council was filled Tuesday. WSLR News' Ramon Lopez reports.Next: A Democratic senator from Connecticut and the nation's youngest U.S. representative came to Sarasota. More than 1,000 flocked to their town hall, and WSLR News reporter Tamara Solum tried to find out why, and whether this experience may turn into movement.

Dozens of new governments have popped up in Sarasota and Manatee, and they are run by private corporations. Suncoast Searchlight has that report.Next: More than 1,000 migrants in Florida got caught up in the ICE dragnet a week ago, and Ramon Lopez looked at the few facts known about Operation Tidal Wave.Next: If and when MCR Health - the local non-profit that provides healthcare for 100,000 low-income patients - re-emerges from bankruptcy, it may face the next tough challenge: Medicaid cuts currently discussed by Republicans in the US Congress.

City of Sarasota commissioners voted to pay the attorney fees of a former colleague, after he defended himself against a conflict of interest complaint.Next: Employers in this area are scrambling to help employees with childcare. New College of Florida seems to be going in the opposite direction.Then: On Saturday, the youngest Congressman ever will be returning to Sarasota, where he worked for a year. WSLR interviewed Max Frost before his visit.Then: Lakewood Ranch Southeast is a done deal now. But the bulldozers could start moving on the mega-development just when the worst real estate slump in years is beginning to impact this area.Finally: Sarasota County commissioners are sending mixed messages on transit. 

What should happen to Sarasota's Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall? The climate change expert on the panel that will make recommendations to the city commission issued what looks like a death penalty.Then: How did Fred Piccolo Jr. avoid arrest and get hired for a high-profile job at a public university? Suncoast Searchlight reporter Alice Herman offers more details.Finally: Synia Carroll passed away in March. Ramon Lopez watched and listened at the jazz musician's recent memorial service. 

The first affordable housing opportunity strictly for veterans ever in Sarasota opened this morning. But not everyone likes it. Next: A forum on school privatization warned participants about defunding and state deficits, and called for teachers' support. Then: The Suncoast Searchlight calls attention to funding challenges for mental health in public education. Finally: May 1st is tomorrow, and protesters will hold local Congressmen's feet to the fire over their support for the Trump agenda. At least nine protests are set to occur tomorrow and Saturday in Sarasota and the region. 

And then, it was back to normal. On Wednesday, developer Pat Neal told the Sarasota County Commission why a road should be built in the south county that happens to benefit mostly residents of one of his developments. The commissioners obliged, unanimously.Next: The United States and Canada are in a tiff like not seen since the 18th century. WSLR's Peace & Justice Report interviewed a Canadian diplomat who also happens to be a snowbird with a condo on Longboat Key.Then: A veterans' group on the Suncoast is planting microforests. What gives? The Our Changing Environment hosts on WSLR bring us the details.Next: Four hundred people crowded into a town hall organized by opponents of a takeover of the Ringling Museum of Art by New College. Farah Vallecillo was there.

This ain't the Moran commission anymore: The Sarasota County commissioners yesterday voted to strip builders of funding for an education program.Next: Homeowners in a posh subdivision near North Port are learning the hard way that developers wield a lot of power - even after they sold you the home they built. Suncoast Searchlight brings us this story.Then: How did New College hire a politically connected figure after he appeared in three local police reports? Suncoast Searchlight is trying to find out.Next: Four hundred people crowded into a town hall organized by opponents of a takeover of the Ringling Museum of Art by New College. Farah Vallecillo was there.Next: It took Venice city councilmembers barely five minutes to decide how to fill the seat abandoned by Joan Farrell two weeks ago. Ramon Lopez reports.Finally: A decision on a controversial skyscraper project has been delayed - because of a missing green-yellow sign. Gretchen Cochran explains.

The shooting inside the student union of the Florida State University campus in Tallahassee Thursday impacted hundreds of students, teachers and staffers. We interviewed a witness. Next: New College let go its marketing director, after he was arrested by Manatee County deputies Tuesday for exposure of sexual organs. The Suncoast Searchlight and Florida Trident investigated, and we have their report.Then: New College fired a Chinese professor, citing a new Florida law, and that is making ripples. The Suncoast Searchlight has that report.Finally: It's unprecedented - bankers in Florida are joining unions. Five bank tellers in Bradenton are now bargaining with Wells Fargo, and Sera Deniz talked to a union organizer.

A Venice City Council member made ripples last week when she resigned in protest against peers seemingly favoring developer Pat Neal. WSLR's Ramon Lopez interviewed Joan Farrell and Ron Smith, who was elected by landslide after he said Neal had asked him to drop out. Next: The culture wars flared up again on Monday when Dr. Anthony Fauci spoke to more than 3,000 people in Sarasota.Then: Real estate prices in Southwest Florida are tumbling. We have a report from the Suncoast Searchlight.Next: Trump's executive measures will translate to hard times for our local economy and the finances of cities and counties on the Suncoast. That's according to one of the leading bond experts in the country who happens to live in Sarasota.Finally: Canadian snowbirds are upset - to the point where they stay away and sell their Florida homes. WSLR's Jennifer Johnston talked to two of them.

Developer Pat Neal got his way in Venice, overcoming well-organized opposition - and prompting the resignation of a frustrated city council member. Ramon Lopez reports.Next: The words “climate change” very rarely pop up in the official vocabulary of Sarasota County. But it just launched its first voluntary buyout program for repeatedly flooded homeowners. Farah Vallecillo has more on that.Then: The biggest suburban development ever in the history of Sarasota overcame a hurdle this week - but barely. Finally: The affordable housing gap keeps growing in Sarasota. This week, one advocate urged Sarasota County commissioners to adopt a set of measures.

A recent news report revealed that New College President Richard Corcoran produced an outline for the takeover of the neighboring USF Sarasota-Manatee campus. USF administrators are now telling their faculty that nothing is imminent, but WSLR News reporter Alex Lieberman talked to one USF professor who continues to worry.Next: New College is welcoming yet another controversial figure to its “Socratic Stage” series, triggering a protest and apparent distancing by the Sarasota Film Festival.Then: Developer Pat Neal hopes he will be getting his way at a Venice Council meeting going on right now. We have the latest.Then: Thousands of people in the region were on the streets Saturday for not just one, but six Hands-Off protests.Next: Sarasota Schools are set to end a mental health program for elementary school kids. We have this report from the Suncoast Searchlight.Finally: Did you know there's a cattle drive in Florida? Ramon Lopez recently put on his boots and hat, and he has more on that. 

Pacifica compiled reports from community radio reporters across the country, including WMNF and WSLR, of Hands Off demonstrations

The race for height is on when it comes to construction in downtown Sarasota, and some architects and urban planners don't like it. Gretchen Cochran listened to the critics.Then: Manatee County Commissioners are re-writing the master plan for new development. This week they discussed transportation, particularly alternatives to the automobile. But in the same meeting, one of the region's biggest developers pleaded for more roads he says are needed for more cars. WSLR News intern Sera Deniz watched and listened.Next: The Sarasota Film Festival is launching today, and WSLR News intern Farah Vallecillo has a preview.

A new Florida law makes interaction with China difficult. Citing that law, New College fired a teacher who is actually seeking political asylum here. We'll have this report brought to you by the Suncoast Searchlight.Then: Staying with New College: After 16 months of planning, the student-made Catalyst newspaper is back, but it's now off-campus.Next: Sarasota County wants to return stormwater management within city limits back to the city of Sarasota. Ramon Lopez explains what's behind this move.Finally: Elon Musk's cut-and-shut operations in Washington caused another ripple in Sarasota. Alex Lieberman reports. 

What to do with the Van Wezel? The committee that will make recommendations on the historic performing arts hall got a good look at the elephant in the room: Rising sea levels and intensifying storms.Then: The race for height continues in downtown Sarasota. Ramon Lopez gives us updates on two twin-tower proposals: the Hyatt Hotel makeover and the Mira Mar luxury condo project.Next: The current political atmosphere is tough for immigrant farmworkers. Even so - or maybe because of it - the Coalition of Immokalee Workers just started a tour of Florida to find new allies.Finally: “Women of Resistance” started as a series of paintings. Now it is morphing into a series of dances you will be able to see in Bradenton next week.

After massive flooding last year, Sarasota County is asking the City of Sarasota to take over stormwater management. That would end an agreement that began in the last century.Then: You'd think a forest that brings back turtles and birds would be a welcome addition to the neighborhood. It's not for one homeowners' association in suburban Manatee County that actually ripped out a microforest.Next: The Coalition of Immokalee Workers created a successful model that's not only good for immigrant tomato pickers, but also for farmers and grocery store and restaurant chains. As deportation talk is reaching fever pitch, the Coalition is reaching out to new allies across Florida.Finally: Red Tide produces a neurotoxin, and that may affect your brain health. WSLR News reporter Joanne Mills reports about groundbreaking research happening in Sarasota.

Three powerful deportation proponents shared the stage at New College Thursday. Farah Vallecillo tells you about some of the points they tried to get across.Then: Outside the same New College venue, hundreds of protesters told their side of the immigration story, and we talked to a New College student who was both in- and outside.Finally: A beloved jazz musician and former teacher passed away, and we'll play a tribute put together by Ramon Lopez.

Sarasota city commissioners decided to postpone a $400 million vote, and Gretchen Cochran has the details.Then: Downtown Sarasota is seeing a race for height and density for new skyscraper projects. Ramon Lopez explains.Next: Homeland Security Secretary Tom Homan openly defied a judge's order to stop the deportation of nearly 300 Venezuelans. He will be in Sarasota tomorrow to talk about immigration, sharing the stage with two other hardliners. New College students are wondering about their role in this "Socratic Stage" event, if any.Then: The second Tesla Takedown protest in Sarasota was bigger than the first. And it had a new element: A handful counter protesters. The WSLR News team was there. Finally: Red Tide produces a neurotoxin, and that may affect your brain. WSLR News reporter Joanne Mills reports about groundbreaking research happening in Sarasota.

The Sarasota Democrats elected a new leader this week, but few people have heard his name. WSLR News reporter Gretchen Cochran sat down with David Dean the morning after the election. Then: Sarasota County will dredge. Ramon Lopez reports about a county commission workshop discussing responses to the catastrophic flooding of the last storm season.Next: What's the endgame for the new New College? A Suncoast Searchlight report puts the spotlight on the campus administrators' ambitious real estate expansion plans.Then: The legislative session is on in Tallahassee, and working families are knocking at legislators' doors. Farah Vallecillo has the details.

Hundreds of homeowners along Phillippi Creek were flooded during Hurricane Debby last August. That has raised questions about deficits in stormwater management and how it could be improved. The Suncoast Searchlight brings us this report. Then: A coalition of non-profit, business and government organizations says they have outperformed the Sarasota County government in recovery efforts after Hurricane Ian. Now they are asking the county to give them the lead in the recovery spending from last year's storms, as Ramon Lopez reports. Next: FEMA has already paid out a billion dollars in the areas affected by last year's trio of storms. But many disaster relief applications are still in limbo, and FEMA agents are asking for your help.Then: The Tesla Takedown came to Sarasota last weekend, and it's coming back next Saturday. We have a report.Finally: What's in your drinking water? A lot of chemicals. Sera Deniz reports from a local forum about the bad and the good.

A developer is proposing a massive condo project in downtown Sarasota. The 'Adagio' will be taller and denser than local zoning allows, and a new Florida law entitles them, the developer says.  Then: Sarasota's downtown master plan is getting an update after 25 years. A first meeting at city hall kicked off the process.Finally: A Bradenton banker and former chamber of commerce chief has become a major organizer for undocumented immigrants in this region. What gives? WSLR News talked to him.

Hundreds of protesters in opposition to Trump's executive measures gathered in downtown Sarasota again yesterday.  Then: Ever heard about rent-a-cow? Developers have used this tax loophole for years, depriving counties of much-needed funding. The Suncoast Searchlight brings us that story. Next: A non-profit in Sarasota is helping thousands of prisoners return to society, and you may be able to see their work soon on the big screen.Then: Just after Debby, we talked to one flood victim. We revisited her more than half a year later, to see how she is doing.Finally: If you're pregnant it's become increasingly hard to find medical help. A coalition has formed in Sarasota that wants to change things.

That check in the mail could take a bit longer. Truckers in Tampa and Miami hauling much of the Postal Service's mail are on strike. Then: George Kruse is a political survivor. The chair of the Manatee County Commission sat through a frank interview on WSLR's The Detail, and we bring you excerpts. Next: The Suncoast Searchlight is bowing, and we are delighted to bring you a double feature today. First, Josh Salman tells us about sewage spills during last year's epic storm season.Then: These same storms wrecked small businesses in this area, and that still makes economic ripples. Josh Salman of the Suncoast Searchlight brings us that story.

Yesterday, Sarasota County commissioners surprised their critics and campaign donors again. In a narrow vote, they postponed a decision on a key part of a major development, prompting the developer to huddle with neighbors who are trying to stop the project. Ramon Lopez reports. Then: The governor is setting in motion a takeover of yet another iconic institution in Sarasota. But the resistance is taking shape. Next: Next month, City of Sarasota commissioners are expected to take key decisions regarding the future of the Purple Cow. One of them is whether to seek a historic designation for the Van Wezel Performing Arts Center. Gretchen Cochran reports.Finally: Activists are planning a nationwide economic blackout this Friday. We explain what's behind the idea.

Some 5,000 Ukrainian immigrants live in South Sarasota County. And they're not happy campers when it comes to the Trump administration's and Rep. Greg Steube's pressure campaign on Ukraine. Then: The Manatee County commission is trying to come to terms with the epic flooding during the last storm season, and what it may take to prevent an encore. Next: Amid Elon Musk's cost-cutting and firing, the Small Business Administration is chugging on here in Sarasota, trying to help with disaster recovery.

The firing of federal employees is happening not only in Washington. It's making ripples here on the Suncoast, as Gretchen Cochran found. Speaking of DOGE: There is also pushback, in the shape of protests, against what many decry as executive overreach. There were 17 protests on President's Day in Florida, including one in Bradenton and two in Sarasota. We have reports on those.Finally: New College hosted an academic with rock star status in the LGBTQ community. Judith Butler called on the newly conservative college to reinstate its gender studies program, to big applause from the audience. 

The project to build a super tall and super exclusive condo tower in downtown Sarasota for the super rich survived one challenge. But it has to clear one more hurdle. We have that story. Then: There was a small earthquake in Sarasota County politics this week. Ramon Lopez puts the spotlight on two “no” votes that make a dent in the seemingly unstoppable suburban sprawl machine. Speaking of sprawl: In the middle of a decades-old suburb in Sarasota, a three-acre showcase for urban agriculture and composting is thriving. Sera Deniz put on her boots for this report.

You could call it a political earthquake. Sarasota County Commissioners voted yesterday AND today against two major suburban development projects, both with 5-0 votes. Ramon Lopez has that report. Then: Tuesday was also a big day for the Sarasota Performing Arts Center project - the costliest undertaking yet in the history of the city. Gretchen Cochran is following it closely. Next: A St. Petersburg Republican filed a bill that could defund the public arts programs of Florida cities - including that of the City of Sarasota. Finally: A pro-immigrant protest brought hundreds of people to downtown Sarasota this weekend. And more is to come, including tracking of deportation action in the region, according to one of the organizers. 

Donald Trump decreed that immigration enforcers can now enter churches, hospitals and schools. Sarasota School Board members and the superintendent discussed their response this week. Then: It's Black History Month, and a photo exhibit at the Fogartyville celebrates the struggles of civil rights activists. Finally: Florida used to be the nation's leading cattle state. Not anymore, as Florida's head count of cows keeps shrinking. A new book puts the spotlight on the Great Florida Cattle Drive, and we have a report about that.

New College is land-hungry. But the administrators' efforts to expand the small campus have yielded mixed results. This week they seem to have scored one win and one loss. Then: Cell-phone use at school is a thorny subject. The Sarasota school district waded into the controversy by polling students and parents. Ramon Lopez reports about the survey's results. Next: The federal spending freeze this week affected at least one local program. We tell you how.Finally: The developer of Lakewood Ranch scored a major victory last week in a Tampa appeals court for their massive expansion plans in Sarasota County. We had an in-depth interview with the plaintiff about what's next, and what this all means. 

It was not what many in the community - and two men on the dais - wanted: This week, the Sarasota County Commission voted for what looks pretty much like the beginning of the end for the last volunteer fire district in the county. Ramon Lopez reports. Then: The news desert keeps growing, but new wells are springing up. We report about the second version of a million-dollar news project on the Suncoast a non-profit is about to launch. Next: Progress dies in isolation. Preventing that is what an event about coalition building this week in Sarasota was about, and we have a report with hands-on advice.Finally: You have a chance this weekend to see John Lennon up close. WMNF tells you how.

Sarasota County was ground zero for flooding in Florida this storm season. Yesterday, the Sarasota County Commission held a workshop on stormwater management, and Ramon Lopez was there. Then: Yesterday, three appellate judges heard arguments in a lawsuit that tries to stop the Lakewood Ranch Southeast mega-development. We listened closely to the judges' questions. Next: Light pollution is getting worse at Myakka River State Park. The Our Changing Environment show on WSLR put the spotlight on that problem.Finally: Between the second Trump inauguration, Jimmy Carter's passing, and marches, it was a weekend of contrasts. We bring you a few impressions from the streets of Sarasota.

Were you under water during this epic storm season? This Tuesday, the Sarasota County Commissioners will discuss stormwater management lessons learned from the recent flooding.  Then: The state legislature is providing heat protections unequally. Surreal News interviewed a Florida farmworker advocate about a heat bill that may be back in the upcoming session in Tallahassee, after it died repeatedly in committee.Next: Coalition building is needed to achieve positive change, but the culture wars have divided us. How can we overcome that? We interviewed an expert who will be in Sarasota next week to moderate a panel of coalition builders representing very diverse grassroots movements. Finally: MLK Day is coming, and Ishmael Katz has a roundup of the celebrations in Sarasota.

How much will it cost to keep the recently flooded Van Wezel Performing Arts Center? A fraction of what building a new one would cost. That's according to the latest engineering report, and Gretchen Cochran has the details. Then: The Sarasota County Fire Department wants to expand its coverage area. But its proposal to cut back the county's last volunteer fire department increasingly feels like it's too hot to handle. Ramon Lopez reports.  Next: This Saturday - two days ahead of Donald Trump's second inauguration, women will march again. Finally: With mass deportations looming, the League of Women Voters Manatee hosted a panel on immigration. The panelists painted a dark picture.

Sarasota County announced another $200 million-plus federal grant to help with storm recovery. The HUD funds will bail out many distressed homeowners here, and most of the money is supposed to help low- and moderate income households. Then: The first fully bilingual school in the region is expanding, and Dayana Melendez has the details. Next: The Manatee County Commission has a new chairman who wants to be transparent. He took his aspirations for a test-run in the first meeting under his gavel. Next: Immigration and immigrants have become a political and emotional punching bag. A forum in Sarasota wants to bring back the human angle.

Manatee County politics never cease to entertain. The same day the new chair of the county commission let his priorities be known, news broke about a lawsuit. Then: Developer Pat Neal's plans for a controversial commercial development in Venice changed election outcomes in the still-quaint but fast-growing city. Yesterday, Neal's project got a step closer to groundbreaking. But he still expects pushback. Next: The City of Sarasota spent quite some time and money to have a new logo designed. On Monday, they picked their choice. It's probably not what you think. Then: Roundabouts have turned many Sarasotans from foes into friends after they have been able to experience them first-hand. So what's taking new ones so long to be built? Finally: Reporter Ishmael Katz talked to one of the main organizers of the Martin Luther King Day celebrations in Sarasota, which will be upon us on and around Jan. 20.

A private workforce housing project near downtown that has been years in planning took another step towards groundbreaking. That's a rarity in posh Sarasota. Then: Ditto for a suburban mega-project. A big chunk of the Lakewood Ranch Southeast expansion is moving close to a vote by the Sarasota County Commission - with little scrutiny for potential flooding and traffic, and disregard for a pending lawsuit. Next: Sarasota County is ready to dredge, should nature try to close Midnight Pass again. But that may not be necessary, as WMNF reports. Then: The SEE Alliance keeps making waves in Sarasota. The youth-led organization recently let local state legislators know about its priorities. Finally: When and how should the United States engage in warfare? A military analyst scheduled to speak in Sarasota next week is trying to slow the bandwagon.

How does a warming climate change the balance of water? Noah Vinsky talked to the retiring director of the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, who has been quite vocal on this topic recently.  Next: Humans aside, dolphins are the top predator in around Sarasota Bay. And when Flipper is doing OK, all is well. So how well IS Flipper? We asked an expert to find out. Then: The hurricanes this season have produced big challenges and shown deficiencies of local stormwater management systems. Ramon Lopez interviewed an engineer with a big-picture view. Finally: John Lambie grew up spearfishing in crystal clear Sarasota Bay. He is concerned about where things are going, and he's proposing changing the ways we approach problems.

The Colson Hotel - a landmark in what was once the heart of African American life in Sarasota - has been saved from the wrecking ball. Ramon Lopez has some specifics about the deal.  Then: You may have biked on the Legacy Trail. But do you know about the big-picture trail plans for this region? Cathy Antunes, on her The Detail show on WSLR, interviewed the man who spearheads those plans, and we have a summary. Next: A new anti-terror law winding its way through U.S. Congress has non-profit news organizations in this area worried. Noah Vinsky tells us why. 

Two developers presented their plans to build luxury condo towers in downtown Sarasota. Each of them wants to build taller than local zoning allows - with different arguments.  Then: College degrees aren't worth the investment anymore - right? Wrong, says a new study. Dayana Melendez reports. Next: Young voters have been elusive at the polls, and the League of Women Voters want to change that. We'll tell you how. Finally: The Teamsters have taken on the world's biggest retailer. Days before Christmas, picketers have targeted Amazon distribution centers in the Tampa Bay area. We went to Ruskin to see how that's going.