Sarasota & Manatee Counties news thread

[wondermint2]

Remains of Manatee County police sergeant turned into reef ball (Video)

For full article & video:

https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/lo...b-66f5771dd572

— Bradenton Police Sergeant Lee Cosens died on April 16 after battling metastatic kidney cancer. Now, his remains will be used to help protect our environment.

His widow Amy and their 7- and 8-year-old daughters mixed his cremated remains to form a reef ball that will be dropped in the middle of the ocean on Friday.

The non-profit Eternal Reefs offers a green burial option where someone’s final resting place is on the sea floor as part of an artificial reef system reviving marine life in the Gulf. It can help improve the ecosystem in a matter of months. According to the organization, engineered reef balls have been rebuilding the dwindling natural coral reef systems off the country's coastlines since 1998.

Cosens' family mixed his remains with concrete and decorated the ball. On Sunday, they will see the completed memorial for the first time, and there will be special military honors for the United States Army Veteran.

Cosens died one day before his 40th birthday. A month before, he was still working on Bradenton’s marine unit, out on the Florida waters he loved. On Monday, his family will go out on a boat, alongside a police escort, to place his eternal reef ball at Silvertooth Reef.

[wondermint2]

Real estate professionals share projects they’re watching in 2024

Hillsborough | Manatee | Sarasota

For full article:

https://tbbwmag.com/2024/03/14/real-...ching-in-2024/

"Real estate is a fascinating industry to follow, especially with the robust activity in the Tampa Bay region. There are a lot of moving parts to projects; timelines get pushed back, construction can completely come to a halt, financing can fall through, etc.

While I find real estate incredibly interesting, try as I might, I can’t keep up with it all. But, I do know who to turn to and ask for help. When in doubt, call your friends.

I asked some friends of Tampa Bay Business and Wealth’s ecosystem “What should our readers know and what projects should they be paying attention to?”

In their own words, here are the projects they say you should be watching."

[wondermint2]

How you can become part of the art in Sarasota

Adaure Achumba gets a closer look at this unique exhibit.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5tIFKOw7sQ

[wondermint2]

The state is "offloading" the responsibility to local FL governments. So what will Sarasota County do for the homeless once this bill is signed into law? Yes the same Sarasota County that is eliminiating the 211 helpline because they "don't want to waste taxpayer money".

Tampa Bay homeless shelters react to bill that would make public sleeping, camping illegal


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSP4CVrXcX4

Leaders of one of Tampa Bay's largest organizations serving the homeless have gathered to discuss the growing demand for resources and House Bill 1365. The bill, which is expected to be signed into law by Governor DeSantis soon, makes it illegal for people to sleep and camp in public places.

On Thursday and Friday, Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg hosted a meeting with local leaders to discuss how to tackle the issues at hand, with the goal of impacting federal policy and educating local leaders on how to engage with their elected officials.

[wondermint2]

Deputies responded to a shooting in Sarasota and no one was there. Now a person has been found dead


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6R-_tbaCLg

Sarasota deputies have opened an investigation after a person was found dead in the same area where a shooting was reported the night before.

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office responded to a call around 10:47 p.m. on Thursday reporting multiple shots fired in a North Sarasota neighborhood near Emma E. Booker Elementary School. Deputies and a K-9 unit arrived on the scene and did not find anyone hurt but discovered that a bullet hit someone's TV while they were inside the home, according to a news release.

The agency said the units searched the neighborhood and surrounding areas and could not locate any victims or suspects, even after reaching out to local hospitals to check for gunshot victims.

Investigators said witnesses saw several people running from the area and a red four-door sedan quickly leaving the neighborhood "around the time" the shots were heard.

About 10 hours later, on Friday, the sheriff's office was "alerted" that someone was found dead in the same area as the previous night's shooting

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

Realtor group agrees to slash commissions in major $418M settlement

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/real...0c44ba54&ei=28

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) will eliminate its standard 5- to 6-percent sales commission as part of a $418 million settlement with home sellers.

The powerful realtors organization agreed to pay $418 million in damages to settle several lawsuits from home sellers, it announced in a press release. The lawsuit alleged that the NAR’s commission rules forced home sellers to pay excessive fees, according to The New York Times.

“NAR has worked hard for years to resolve this litigation in a manner that benefits our members and American consumers,” Nykia Wright, the interim CEO of NAR, said in a statement. “It has always been our goal to preserve consumer choice and protect our members to the greatest extent possible. This settlement achieves both of those goals.”

The settlement will likely lead to a significant drop in commissions for home sales, with the NAR agreeing to drop a compensation-sharing system at the core of the lawsuit.

NAR said it “continues to deny any wrongdoing” in connection with the compensation-sharing system. It also said that offers of broker compensation “continue to be an option consumers can pursue” outside the system.

“Offers of compensation help make professional representation more accessible, decrease costs for home buyers to secure these services, increase fair housing opportunities, and increase the potential buyer pool for sellers,” NAR argued.

Home sale commission changes are likely coming

Here's how the changes could impact sales in Florida.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTMD4rXnvas

----------------------------

Another video from a different TV station here:

Realtor group agrees to slash commissions in major $418M settlement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vpyvXOswfw

[wondermint2]

Letters to the Editor - Gov. Ron DeSantis: Florida's Book Banner-in-Chief

For the today's full 'Letters to the Editor' column in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune:

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/...f/72980563007/

DeSantis threatens our right to read

Kudos to David McGrath. who wrote a guest column March 13 titled, “We can’t allow Florida’s zealots to take away our right to read.”

McGrath cautioned that Gov. Ron DeSantis presents a threat to the right to read for Florida students. By banning books, DeSantis and other like-minded politicians limit the literary education of students.

As a former educator, I learned of the profound power and value of the written word for students of all ages. Reading a wide variety of books with a wide variety of opinions allows children to broaden their views, accept many perspectives and become tolerant of ideas from other voices.

As McGrath wrote, “Regular book readers become lifetime learners.”

We have the right to read and no misguided officials should have the ability to narrow our educational freedoms. We are dangerously moving backward from the preservation of our democracy.

Alice Blueglass, Sarasota

[wondermint2]

Virtual workshop is March 20 for Old Stickney hotel proposal

For full article & artist rendering:

https://siestasand.us/virtual-worksh...otel-proposal/

The developer of a proposed seven-story, 120-room hotel on Old Stickney Point Road has resubmitted an application. The process requires that a neighborhood workshop be held.

It will be take place in virtual form at 6 p.m. March 20. Here’s the link that allows you to participate:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8385185207...R3MytsSmVXQT09

[wondermint2]

March 28 meeting planned for FDOT representatives to discuss resurfacing project planned on Clark Road from U.S. 41 to Honore Avenue

https://fdotwp1.dot.state.fl.us/publ...ings_district1

SR 72 FROM US 41 (SR 45) TO HONORE AVENUE PUBLIC MEETING
District: One
Meeting Type: Meeting
Date: Thursday, March 28, 2024
Time: 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Location Name: Sarasota Christian Church
Street Address: 2923 Ashton Road, Sarasota
City: Sarasota

Directions: Directions are for the virtual meeting here:

https://register.gotowebinar.com/reg...35758708048731

Purpose: The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), District One, is proposing improvements on State Road (SR) 72 in Sarasota County.

The purpose of the project is to extend the service life of the existing roadway and improve safety along the corridor. The project consists of repaving the roadway from US 41 (SR 45) to Derek Avenue and reconstructing the existing pavement from Derek Avenue to Honore Avenue.

FDOT is also proposing access management improvements from Swift Road to Sawyer Road under FPID 447887-1. This work will be constructed concurrently with the work under FPID 449122-1. The intent of the improvements is to enhance traffic flow and reduce crashes by replacing the existing center two-way left turn lane with a raised median and reducing lane widths.

Additional improvements include construction of one or more mid-block pedestrian crossings with Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons (PHB) between Lockwood Ridge Road and Beneva Road and striping, signal, and lighting upgrades.

Project Web Site: https://www.swflroads.com/project/449122-1
Primary Contact: Michael Rud, P.E.
Primary Phone: 863-519-2769
Primary E-Mail: michael.rud@dot.state.fl.us
Expires: 3/29/2024

[wondermint2]

Bahia Vista Parallel Forcemain Project Update

Shelly Walters and the Construction Project Manager provide important information regarding changes in traffic patterns and the completion related to the Bahia Vista Parallel Forcemain project.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ABwcCOoL3M