Website last updated
Friday May 01, 2009 08:51:31 AM
Photos by OurTown50.com
Join our
Local Issues 2008 |
||||||
|
www.thecanadianpharmacy.com |
* Sarasota County allocates $600,000 to help local homeowners in foreclosure save their home. The homes have to be under $300K. A homeowner would receive up to $5,000 each.
Bradenton now connects with Sarasota via their bus service.
* Sarasota County to get over 7 million dollars while Manatee County gets over 5 million dollars in Federal funds to purchase foreclosed and abandoned homes and make them available to low and moderate income families.
Sarasota County passes red light camera law to the tune of $125 per ticket. New cameras will be installed early next year.
* SHT newspaper lays of 33 staff as it cuts down on number of editions due to reduced revenue.
Robert Kennedy, 18 year old Sarasota senior dies needlessly from fight and drinking at friends party.
Florida announced a $1.75 billion tentative deal to buy nearly 300 square miles of land from U.S. Sugar Corp. for Everglades restoration. U.S. Sugar would then shut down its business and the Everglades would be on a path of restoration.
The SHT newspaper reported that a Sheriff's Deputy daughter was not listed online for DUI as all other people are posted who have been arrested. The law only states that you can't publish law enforcement personnel photos or addresses. The SCSO said they have talked about pulling the list down off the internet completely.....now that's public disclosure:)
. It's a good thing, Sarasota County banning fertilizing lawns over the summer rainy season. The ban hopefully will make for less runoff pollution into creeks and the Gulf of Mexico.
A new Publix at the old SHT newspaper site, in Sarasota at Wood Street and U.S. 41.....what? What a traffic jam that would be. A developer has the plans before the City of Sarasota.
I-75 temporary fix completed Sunday evening, eliminating need to detour off I-75 at Ellenton. Southbound traffic will be a slow go as speed limits will be lowered to 45 MPH in this area.
* Sarasota tax base down 17% ($10 billion) in past year according to property appraiser. Some of the loss is from state mandated tax reduction. Don't expect your real estate taxes to go down that much.
Pamela Lerose was ledfrom Peaches restaurant where she worked Saturday and shot by boyfriend outside. Owner of restaurant says she wasn't dragged out or customers and staff would have stopped the man.
* Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE: M) announced plans today to open a Macy’s store at the new University Town Center development in Sarasota
* The Sarasota Bayside project (Quay) will be on hold until at least 2012.
* Yes, bring on the Boston Red Sox to Sarasota, they would be a much bigger draw for the area. Talks are in the process.
* OMG Jennings and Buchanan are going to go head to head again in 2008?
Gov. Charlie Crist tells reporters Allstate Insurance agents should work for a more ethical company. The state claims Allstate won't release 100's of documents to prove their requested rate increases. 4-11-08
* As upwards of 40% of our nations bee colonies have disappeared, Florida beekeepers head to California to help pollinate the state.
"made great strides in addressing the needs of the new generation of digital learners by focusing on rigor, relevance and relationships in the classroom."
* Sarasota Charter Board to review putting appointed Sheriff position on ballot. The Sarasota County Sheriff budget is around $90 million a year.
* Manatee County Schools to invest over $16 million in TV studio and building. Are they in the education field or a TV broadcaster? Why don't they contract out TV services to a local TV station? We hate to know how much Sarasota County and their schools spends on TV production.
* Airport director initiates study to replace air-traffic control tower at the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.
* 80% of homeowner's insurance
rates have not been lowered as promised by Florida
regulators.
* UF may cut summer school to help make up for recent budget cut of $16 million.
* Sarasota man, Daniel Prewett, and his staff may be in deep trouble. The IRS says they defrauded the government out of $130 million in income taxes by claiming false write offs for their local tax clients. The company Hewitt Jackson/ JS Accounting had over 7,500 local clients. One dentist wrote off his $800K yacht. Mr. Prewett escaped to Italy and is in custody there. Mr. Prewett was not an Investment Advisor as defined in Florida and erroneously reported in other publications.
|
This empty lot at the corner of U.S. 41 and Stickney Point Road remains vacant. It was to be turned into a hotel, condos and retail. What a traffic nightmare at that location it would appear.
* FPL says they may lower electric rates by 2% next year to reflect lower oil prices, huh, oil has come down 50%. Then in 2010 they want to raise rates by 9%.
* 12th Circuit Chief Judge Lee Haworth will require local lenders and borrowers in foreclosure cases to meet with each other to try and work out a solution before a foreclosure is filed. Bravo
Homeless figures jump by 8.4% in Sarasota and Manatee County's.
* Crime lowers slightly in Manatee County, a tad higher statewide. Violent crimes are down, burglary and theft are up. Sarasota County holds about even in overall number of crimes compared to 2007 and has about a 24% criminal capture rate.
* Sarasota County to get over 7 million dollars while Manatee County gets over 5 million dollars in Federal funds to purchase foreclosed and abandoned homes and make them available to low and moderate income families.
* Sarasota teachers to get at least a 1% raise and an additional 1% if the state does not reduce funds to the district by year end. The average teacher salary is around $54,000.
Ringling Bridge to retain its name but have a plague honoring local Gil Waters. Problem solved:)
* Effective July 1, 2008, no chiropractor may be employed by a health care clinic unless the clinic has a medical director that is an MD or DO.
* Economic impact of Boston Red Sox to Sarasota is estimated at between $25 to $47 million if they were located here. Lee County officials beg off from hosting them again.
Sam Seltzer's files for bankruptcy. They have 10 Florida locations including Sarasota and Bradenton. The places are packed why would they have to file? Photo of staff from their Sarasota restaurant from an OT50 dining review.
Beginning Sept. 3, Continental Airlines will end service for the Sarasota-Bradenton Airport.
Local officials look at taking the Sarasota Fair Grounds and turning it into a 1st class baseball facility for the Boston Red Sox. The Fair Grounds would then move out to Twin Lakes on Clark Road.
Sarasota Heliport complains about Sarasota County Sheriff's Office helicopter, saying they blinded another pilot with a bright spotlight and on another occasion almost caused another accident.
Gwen MacKenzie turns Sarasota Memorial Hospital from $30 million loss to almost $20 million profit. Bravo!
Residents rejoice that Commissioners rescind plan to charge to park at local beaches.
* Wow, former Sarasota Ford finance manager sues Buchanan for making false statements to customers.....wow, that doesn't sound good. The dealer said they fired him for poor performance but he worked for them for almost 3 year.
* Sarasota County Administrator, Jim Ley, says he won't take a pay raise this year and he asks other managers who earn $60K or more to do the same.
Sarasota County says 80% of beach goers in season are tourists and 60% in the summer. Thus they want to put in paid parking meters to generate revenue.
* Sarasota Reading Festival canceled. The non-profit group refused to give the SHT newspaper exclusive naming rights. The SHT then pulled out of the event and the Friends of the Library were forced to cancel the event. Now that's a shame. Thousands enjoyed the celebration of books.
Longboat Key Club to get $500 million dress up. With a Ritz-Carlton in the area and a Waldorf planned the club needs to play catch up.
* SHT newspaper nominated for the 1st time for a Pultizer prize. Kudos!
* Charlotte County stuck with $100 million loan after developer backs out of deal to buy land.
* Sarasota Bradenton Airport traffic up over 12% in February from the previous year.
* Sarasota County cuts almost $6 million from current budget. 3-08
At least two Manatee elected officials, the elections supervisor and clerk of the courts collect retirement benefits while also getting to get paid full time salaries. The State needs to correct a loophole that allows for this double dipping costing the State over $300 million last year alone.
Here comes the new Waldorf-Astoria to downtown Sarasota. It is expected to be finished in about 2 years.
* The Florida Building Commission today recommended to the Legislature that new buildings along Florida’s coast that will be insured by the state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corporation be built to stronger standards than current building codes require.
* 52% of voters cast a ballot in Sarasota County in the primary, a record setting number.
* Sarasota Memorial breaks ground for a medical center in a lucrative Manatee development Heritage Harbor. Manatee Hospital isn't happy with them moving in their turf.
* From 2004 to 2005 Manatee County school budget increased 25% by over $200 million. Then in 2006 it went up $50 million. In 2007 it went down $130 million. Now they are screaming about more possible cuts. Gov. Crist though has proposed another $138 million statewide.
* Sarasota County Commissioners turn down mail in ballot system. And talk about debating making Sheriff's position an appointed one rather then elected. In other action they approved a payment for damages to the tune of $65K to a developer. Commissioner Mercier says Fruitville Rd. will have traffic problems.
* For the past umpteen years the Sarasota metro area only had one TV service provider. Now we have two, Comcast and Verizon. Verizon was just named the Consumers Report Best Bet for their Verizon FiOS service which gives you TV, phone and Internet. Thank you Verizon and the Sarasota County Commissioners for opening up the market and giving us a choice.
* Sarasota Realtor Bill Furst said
he became so frustrated with the increasing assessments
throughout Sarasota County that he announced this week
he has decided to run against Property Appraiser Jim
Todora in the upcoming Republican primary in August.
* Tampa developer offering new
homes for $120,000.
* New report shows Florida 38th in education. Now
that's a record to not be proud of.
* Sarasota County says it
will keep at least some camping at $6 million dollar
beach property it bought two years ago.
* Over 20,000 Manatee and
Sarasota residents request absentee ballots for
January 29th primary elections and voter amendment to
lower taxes.
* Local prominent builder plans to
give up to $100K rebate on homes bought over a 10
year period. Benderson is offering the deals on homes in a
1000 unit sub-division in Port Charlotte.
* New study shows cell
phone drivers slow traffic down and help create
gridlock. We knew that you can see it up and down
U.S. 41.
* Sarasota County pursues
opening Midnight Pass at meeting with state next month.
* Sarasota County looks at $14 million loss of revenue if voters approve statewide tax measure this month. |
||||