Sarasota & Manatee Counties news thread

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

Journey to Paris: Sarasota rower manifests childhood dream of becoming Olympian into reality

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/oth...fed5d194&ei=53

Twelve years ago, Clark Dean was at rowing camp when he had an epiphany. If he set his mind to it, one day he could become an Olympian. The moment stood out for him, so much so that he choose the word epiphany for a vocabulary project.

We caught up with Clark and his mother, Paige Dean, at Nathan Benderson Park, home of U.S. Rowing, and talked to them about a YouTube video from 12 years ago that they still laugh about to this day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBM7w4YKx10

[wondermint2]

Originally Posted by wondermint2

Man shot pregnant woman after Palmetto car crash in road rage, Manatee deputies say

For full article:

https://news.yahoo.com/man-arrested-...145436406.html

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man after deputies say he shot a pregnant woman in a road rage incident in Palmetto on Sunday.

Vincent Steele, 50, of Riverview, has been charged with five counts of attempted murder after the sheriff’s office said he shot multiple rounds into a vehicle following an accident, striking a 36-year-old woman who is pregnant with twins.

Detectives said a pickup truck was traveling north on Business U.S. 41 North in Palmetto around 5:30 p.m. Sunday when Steele, driving a BMW, attempted to pass the truck in the merge lane.

Steele’s rear bumper made contact with the truck’s front bumper, causing Steele to lose control and spin off into the grassy shoulder in the 6900 block of U.S. 41, according to a news release.

Deputies said they learned through the investigation and statements from witnesses that someone in the truck got out to check on Steele after the accident, but Steele got out of his car, ran to the truck’s passenger door and fired seven rounds at the truck.

The gunshots struck a 36-year-old pregnant woman “multiple times” in the lower torso, according to the news release.

Neither of the unborn children were hit, according to detectives.

After realizing his fiancee was injured, the 57-year-old driver of the pick-up truck drove her to Manatee Memorial Hospital. She was later taken to Tampa General Hospital for surgery, where she and both of the babies are in stable condition, according to the news release.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGf6cOBKSzk

A pregnant woman and her unborn twins are hospitalized after a road rage shooting in Manatee County. The suspect, Vincent Steele, faces charges.

[wondermint2]

Increasing amount of homeless seniors in SWFL


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45O5TnnosR4

The Sunshine State seems like the perfect place to spend your golden years, until it isn't. Locally, we're seeing an increased amount of seniors battling homelessness.

[wondermint2]

Your insurance score can cause higher insurance premiums (Video)

For video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjAq4n4DSuw

TAMPA, Fla. — As homeowners across Florida face increasingly tough decisions about higher insurance premiums, a little-known score could be playing a large role in your pricing.

Cristean Stallworth is one of those homeowners asking themselves some tough questions on what to pay.

“Do I pay my homeowner’s insurance, or do I get my medication? Do I pay my homeowner’s insurance, or do I buy something to eat?” she said. “You’re doing a juggling act with your life right now.”

She and her husband purchased their house on Lemon Street in Haines City in 1979. She said they paid about $29,000 for it. Their homeowner's insurance then was less than $600 a year. Now, her insurance will cost more than $5,900, which is $2,700 more than last year. An 84% increase in one year.

“All insurance right now is getting totally out of hand,” Stallworth said.

One factor behind the increase is the change in her homeowner’s insurance score. Although this score is not typically given to homeowners, it sometimes appears in a letter from the insurance company informing you of a change.

It begs the question, what exactly is an insurance score?

Mark Friedlander, with the Insurance Information Institute, said while it may look similar, it is not your credit score. However, the insurance score ratings are "partially" based on a consumer’s credit information.

“In addition to insurance score, insurers look at other sets of data, including location of home, risk factors for the property, the construction of the property, the age of the property, the history of the homeowner, and have they had claims in the past," Friedlander said.

According to Friedlander, every company has its own score they create to rate their policyholders.

"Those with the higher score have less risk in terms of filing claims,” Friedlander said. “Those with lower scores, based on this actuarial analysis, will have a tendency to have more claims."

Insurance companies say it’s a way to make sure people in low-risk areas aren’t footing the bill for people at a higher risk of filing a claim. But, for homeowners, like Stallworth, it’s all just “too much.”

For full article:

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/l...rance-premiums

[wondermint2]

Sarasota School Board rejects Title IX protections against gender identity discrimination

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/sa...2baf6ebf&ei=24

Following a five-hour meeting Tuesday evening, the Sarasota County School Board approved a resolution to reject new federal protections against gender identity discrimination in a divisive 4-1 vote.

The vote came as board member Bridget Ziegler brought forward the resolution to reject the new Title IX regulations days ahead of the meeting. Not following federal regulations could put the district's federal funding at risk — about $50 million annually that goes toward schools with a high number of students from lower income families who benefit from free and reduced lunch programs, among others. Board member Tom Edwards cast the dissenting vote.

The resolution states that sex is "defined as biological male or biological female (only two sexes); is an immutable characteristic that cannot be changed, fluid, or altered" and that the district supports Gov. Ron DeSantis' legal challenge to the U.S. Secretary of Education and Department of Education rule changes to Title IX. It recommends that the district make no changes to its compliance amid changes from the federal Education Department's changes to Title IX.

[wondermint2]

Sea Tow Venice plans to build permanent office and storage facility on U.S. 41 Bypass S.

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/se...2baf6ebf&ei=27

For the last eight years, Craig Marcum has run Sea Tow Venice out of a spare bedroom at home.

In 2021 Venice Sea Tow was named the top franchise in the U.S. and in 2022, he purchased 601 U.S. 41 Bypass S. with a plan to build an actual office and a small storage facility.

Residents can get a first look at that proposal during a neighborhood workshop, set for 5 p.m., May 23, in the Venice Police Community Room 1575 East Venice Ave. Venice.

[wondermint2]

One of Sarasota and Bradenton's top restaurant openings of 2024 is this week

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddri...2baf6ebf&ei=39

One of the restaurant openings in Sarasota and Bradenton that I'm most excited about for 2024 is happening this week. Technically, it's a reboot. After nearly a four-year absence, it stands out as one of the most significant restaurant comebacks in recent memory, easily rivaling any highly anticipated brand-new eatery opening.

Gifted chef and owner Rich Knowles' enRich Bistro delighted a loyal following of discerning diners with its "elevated American entrees and small plates" for about six years before closing in July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and strained lease negotiations. Now, the restaurant will once again welcome guests at a new, larger, and more alluring location in West Bradenton, surpassing its previous spot nearby.

The new enRich Bistro is at 5239 Manatee Ave. W., in the same Fairway Center shopping plaza as the impressive pizzeria Agrigento. The restaurant previously operated just down the road on Manatee Avenue West.

[wondermint2]

Letters to the Editor - Sarasota County's politicians act like puppets for real estate developers

For the full column:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/sa...2baf6ebf&ei=65

Residents, staff no match for developer

On April 26, the Herald-Tribune told us about the ways area developers cultivate influence with Sarasota County elected officials and staff (“Documents show close contacts between major developers and Sarasota County officials”). On the front page May 2, we learned why this matters.

Local residents opposed plans to add dozens of “modular” schoolrooms (aka trailers) to a private school campus on Bee Ridge Road. The county’s own zoning administrator and a special magistrate agreed with the neighbors and found that the proposal violated the school developer’s submitted site plans.

So having heard clearly from residents and their own staff, what do the Sarasota County commissioners do? Ignore them all and approve the plans on a 4-1 vote (“Area private school wins debate on growth”),

As they once again reject their own constituents and qualified planning professionals, it’s fair to ask: Whom are they working for?

Ben Abramson, Venice

[wondermint2]

Sarasota OKs demolition of 112-year-old historic house to make way for new development

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/real...2baf6ebf&ei=68

A year-long back-and-forth on the fate of a notable downtown building boiled down to one question in Monday’s Sarasota City Commission meeting: How historic is historic enough?

The legacy of concrete tycoon George McAlpin stood at the center of the debate. At 112 years old and with original architecture from the time it was built, his house at 1530 Cross St. commissioners agreed, is a significant stamp on the local timeline.

But how significant? How historic? Enough to locally designate the house in 1985, but enough to pull out all the stops to preserve it when a developer seeks to put a new project in its place?

Generally accepted criteria of a historic place include proof that the structure designates a notable person or event, contributes to the surrounding ambiance, is rare in its makeup or design and is difficult to replicate. At Monday’s meeting, Commissioner Erik Arroyo argued that McAlpin — the person and the place — didn’t fit the bill.

“McAlpin is just not someone that you study,” Arroyo said. “We need to be a little bit more discerning on what constitutes a historic building”

Vice Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch, however, insisted the opposite.

“Just because we haven’t heard of it doesn’t mean he’s not well-known in our city,” Ahearn-Koch said.

The question at large still lingers, but next steps for the McAlpin House are finally clear after a lengthy period of uncertainty.

The commission voted 3-2 to approve developer Orange Pineapple LLC’s request to demolish the McAlpin House, a historic home located at 1530 Cross St, with stipulations. The discussion was continued from an April 1 meeting that left the commission at a standstill.

The Virginia-based developer first made the demolition request to clear the way for a mixed-use development across more than 3 acres along Cross Street last May. The Sarasota Historic Preservation Board unanimously denied the request the following July, and Orange Pineapple subsequently appealed the decision to the city commission.

The commission paused on a decision at an October 2023 meeting, where it instead instructed the developer to shop around for potential relocation sites and reconvene six months later. At the subsequent April 1 meeting, Orange Pineapple reported they couldn’t procure a guaranteed relocation site or someone willing to take on the house. Commissioners ran out of time before they could make a motion and tabled the discussion until Monday’s meeting.

[wondermint2]

Trouble in Cortez, captains concerned over derelict and abandoned vessels

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/tr...2baf6ebf&ei=74

Captains in Cortez have reported an increase in the amount of abandoned and derelict vessels in the area. Captain Kathe Fannon said most of the boats are coming from Bradenton Beach.

Fannon said the boats are being told to leave Bradenton Beach because they are abandoned and at-risk and make their way to an area out of enforcement.

Cortez is an unincorporated area of Manatee County that does not have its own municipal or local government. Fannon said that means nothing is being done about the vessels that also pose danger.

“Probably hazardous if you don’t know they are there. They are just randomly wherever they sink. You know, we don’t have a lot of depth here in Sarasota Bay so they can only go so far down and then they sit there,” said Fannon.

Fannon said it can become especially dangerous after the vessels have submerged under the water and people do hit them.