This money truck goes up for sale. It belonged to the defunct Freedom Bank of Bradenton.

* Sarasota to have fireworks over Sarasota Bay and on Siesta Key. Bradenton will have their annual 4th of July Block Party and then fireworks over the Manatee River.

* 25 year old Bradenton man charged with rape of a 13 year old.

* Manatee County Sheriff’s Office busts 5 men on soliciting prostitutes. They run some great sting operations.

*  Manatee’s population grew by one-half of one percent to reach an estimated 315,766 people last year.

* Around two and a quarter inches of rain fell Wednesday. We still are over 11" short of our normal rain fall this year. Lightning started a fire at a Lakewood Ranch home and roads on Ana Maria were flooded.

* Sarasota City Police Officers protest that city manager got a raise but their department will have budget cuts.

* Three tornadoes touch down Tuesday just north of Tampa. No one is hurt but there was structural damage.

* Dunkin' Donuts  pulls drinks over salmonella concern, the Sarasota Bradenton area has over a half dozen Dunkin Donuts. They recently filed for bankruptcy.

* MCC is now being called State College of Florida. No more community college status:) 

New Sarasota County Sheriff, Tom Knight says he is going to crack down on drivers, red light runners, speeders and DUI's. He says accidents and DUI's have gotten out of hand with large increases in both of them. (Photo above from SCSO, yes we do like their horse patrols.)

* It would be sweet if Sarasota were able to have the Baltimore Orioles play spring ball here, it's still up in the air where they will go. Meanwhile they romped Boston 11-10.

Bucs cheerleaders tour Japan.

Strong winds, and rough seas Friday, brought in by scattered storms all day sporadically hit our west coast of Florida.

Ready set hike, or is it a fumble, the boys of Sarasota play some flag football.*

Thea is available at the Sarasota Humane Society of Sarasota. http://www.hssc.org/index.htm

At a recent stay at the Don Cesar we noticed that both the Saint Petersburg Times and the New York Times were giving away their newspapers for free in the lobby. The Sunday New Times above is normally $6, whoof.

* New law allows Florida law enforcement to pull you over and ticket you for no seat belt use. At last:)

* The first-ever Vinyl Music Festival will be kicking off on July 16 in Sarasota, Florida. The electronic music event will feature a roster of over 25 international celebrity DJs that will perform in venues throughout the downtown area.

* Gulf Coast Foundation awards $400,000 in grants with  $150,000 given to the Sarasota County Department of Health and Human Services to expand services for uninsured and underinsured residents at county health clinics.

* Punta Gorda man arrested for trying to solicit a 14 year old Bradenton girl.

* Sarasota County commissioners will consider an amendment to the Zoning Code changing the sunset date of the Doggie Dining Ordinance to June 30, 2014. The ordinance establishes a procedure for restaurants to obtain an annual permit so patrons can bring their dogs to designated outdoor portions of a restaurant. If the commissioners do not extend the sunset date, all existing permits are due to expire June 30. The Sarasota County Health Department is the regulatory agency responsible for compliance, enforcement and permitting under this ordinance.

* Sarasota County Government offices, including libraries and recreation centers, will be closed Friday, July 3, and Saturday, July 4 for Independence Day.
 

Florida Attorney General is running at break neck speed racking up achievements in his office to help him run for Governor. He sends out at least one or more press releases a day to let us know what he is doing.

* Lakewood Ranch says 1700 people came looking for new homes in the first quarter of 2009. Half of the buyers bought them as second homes.

* U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key votes against Climate Bill last Friday.

* Man arrested in Venice for shooting his ex-wife and her boyfriend Saturday.

*  1,000 people protest government spending and taxes at Lakewood Ranch Polo Club  on Sunday.

* New home invasion in Sarasota has everyone concerned again.

At approximately 1:15 p.m.,Friday, Sarasota County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to 7868 Holiday Drive in Sarasota for a reported Home Invasion Robbery.

The victim, a white female in her 30’s, said two suspects armed with handguns and wearing black clothes and masks entered the home through an unsecured front door. The suspects bound her arms and feet, took electronic equipment and fled the home.

Syesha Mercado to perform in national tour of 'Dream Girls'.

We had a great weekend visit at the Don Cesar in Saint Petersburg. Known as Florida's "Pink Palace," the Don Cesar, facing the white sands of the Gulf of Mexico, was built in 1928 to resemble a Mediterranean-style castle

* There are reports that sales contracts for homes are being canceled in our area because the appraisals aren't meeting what the purchase price is. Others are saying that homes in Bradenton are priced higher then in Sarasota. Strange stuff, who knows.

* Manatee Commissioner Joe McClash starts his own online newspaper for Bradenton. Some say it is a conflict of interest. What do you think?

Bradenton woman busted on 7th DUI charge. How many does it take before you lose your license?

77 year old Bradenton woman missing.

* Pig farmer invests with local couple that is accused of promising false returns on investments. How piggy is that?

Martina Navratilova who owns homes in the Sarasota area is being sued in a divorce case by her wife.

* We are going to the Don Cesar and you can come. Watch for our coverage.

Citizen Advisory: Suspicious Male Soliciting Money
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents to be cautious of a suspicious male who has approached several people in the Mira Lago neighborhood to ask for money. In an incident that occurred Wednesday at approximately 8:00 p.m., on Rue de Palisades in Sarasota, a man claimed to be the grandson of a neighbor and pretended to be familiar with the people he approached. He was seen checking mailboxes so he could call residents by name. He asked for money to pay a tow bill so he could visit his wife in the hospital.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call Criminal Investigations at 941-861-4900 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 941-366-TIPS (8477), or online at www.sarasotacrimestoppers.com or via text message by texting TIP109 plus a
message to CRIMES (274637).

Today is Bill Ratliff day. The Channel 8 news anchor is retiring from that station today. We have always admired Bill, a gentlemen, highly skilled broadcaster and a man of substance. We hope to see Bill serve in other functions in this area, he is a tremendous asset.

This flag flown now in Sarasota was flown by U.S. Troops in Iraq. We salute our troops and thank them for their service and sacrifices.

Gov. Crist vetos bill that would have allowed large property insurance companies to raise their rates and be unregulated.

* Manatee Community College board raises tuition and fees 12%.

* City of Venice adopts the same no fertilizer ordinance as Sarasota County. One fertilizer is allowed and is made in Sarasota, Florikam.

* Sarasota County libraries now Twitter.

New Happy Hour bike club starts in Sarasota. The club meets from 4pm to 7pm and they will come pick you up:) JKidding.

With heavy rains this month local roofers are keeping busy fixing leaks that show up especially after heavy downpours.

A regular $13 car wash is cut to $7. A sign of the times. Now if only grocery food prices did the same:)

* Boy awarded $285K from Manatee schools after beating by other students.

* Mote Marine to offer birthday parties. Basic Birthday Package for 15 children and adults is $300.

* Manatee schools to send 120 students to Denver for the National TSA Conference. Manatee County finished first in the statewide technology competition.

* Sarasota DUI cases thrown out due to breathalyzer machine used by law enforcement. Around 500 cases will be thrown out of court. Which means we still have at least another 500 drunks on the road.

* Sarasota Memorial Hospital to install new system that will allow the hospital and physicians practices to share patient information.

* Charlie Crist holds in his hands the ability to let home insurance companies raise their rates and thus maybe help keep insurance companies in the state.

* A small section of Prestencia Blvd is closed for emergency road repairs. 

It's the end of an era with the closing of the University Club on Main Street in Sarasota. The Club was the official 'good ole boys' meeting place for 40 years.

* This wasn't just any Sarasota Father's Day, the Dad in the middle got to have his triplet daughters all baptized.

Bill Ratliff, one of our favorite newscasters, Channel 8 WFLA is going to retire. We will miss him. Enjoy your golf Bill.

Molly Demeulenaere is the new director of Gulfcoast Wonder & Imagination Zone – The Science Museum in Sarasota.

A new art gallery plans to open in Venice the beginning of July. Linda Melton, the owner, shown above.

* Shoppers raved about the two for one specials at Macy's with their recent weekend sale.  

* Stabbing victim taken to SMH hospital early Monday morning, more details to follow.

* A $650,000 mooring field for Sarasota Bay, you have to be kidding us:)

* State to hold hearing on homeless at Salvation Army in Sarasota on Tuesday.

This lady isn't on sarfari taking videos, she is taking videos of a Sarasota County sidewalk project before work begins.

88 year old promises $500,000 for WWII statue if the City of Sarasota promises to keep it there and the owner will accept the payment terms. Yeah baby, it's such a kwel statue.

* Sarasota County Clerk's Office workers must take 12 furlough days off next year to help balance budget. 24 other works will be laid off.

* State utility regulators got an earful Friday from over 100 people who protested FPL's proposed rate increase of 31%.

* We added a Heat Index to our Weather Station today due to unusually high heat index expectations.

New Sarasota teen center to offer activities for local youth. Located on the south trail it was a former sports bar and been vacant for over 3 years. Sarasota has long needed more places for our youth to congregate

Casey Key Bridge opens Thursday afternoon. The bridge had been closed for three weeks and was being repaired.

* Bradenton liquor store employee tazers man who robbed store of booze. 

* Palma Sola beaches closed due to sewerage spill.

* FPL shoots for 31% rate increase. There will be a public hearing in Sarasota Friday at 11 AM. Be there or be quiet. at the Sarasota City Commission chambers 1600 Ringling Boulevard.

Two inches of rain, 40 mph winds and heavy thunderstorms bombard the area Wednesday evening

Team members of the American League Champion Tampa Bay Rays donate a portion of their salary to the Rays Baseball Foundation to support youth and education programs
Photo caption (from left to right): Matt Silverman, Rays President; pitcher Dan Wheeler, outfielder Carl Crawford, second-baseman Akinori Iwamura, pitcher Scott Kazmir, pitcher Troy Percival, infielder Willy Aybar, Rays Director of Community Relations Suzanne Murchland and Mary Glass, Director of the Manatee Education Foundation.

Sarasota County hires Kenneth Ellerbe, a fire administrator from Washington, D.C., as its new fire chief.

The Radio Killers kick of Van Wezel's free summer concert series this Friday night.

* Sarasota County to use some of it's $100 million dollar surplus funds to make it through lean times.

* New Sarasota County Sheriff, Tom Knight, reins in budget and offers Commissioners their first drama free budget session with a sheriff in almost a decade.

The City of Sarasota is designing a nightmare and daymare on U.S. 41 with at least six major roundabouts. With over 37,000 cars traversing this roadway daily the City wants to slow traffic to a standstill. The City Commission should go visit Bradenton Beach with their roundabout. Traffic grinds to a stop there.

* Rectory at Our Lady of Lourdes Parrish burglarized early Wednesday morning. The burglar set off an alarm and was arrested by Sarasota County Deputies.

*  Woman falls from cruise ship in Gulf Tuesday. Search boats and planes have not found her yet.

* NASA scrubs launch this morning due to hydrogen leak. This is the 3rd time there has been a leak.

* Manatee County has 17 homicides this year and it is only half over.

* Gov. Crist signs bill which bars local governments from charging for law enforcement, firefighter or EMS responses. He also signed a bill requiring persons arrested on felony charges to have a DNA sample taken. Bravo!  

Temps cooled a bit this morning with morning lows at least getting to 70 by sunrise instead of 76 for a low yesterday.

Hugh Culverhouse Jr.

Sarasota YMCA and other charities benefit from long Culverhouse feud. Hugh Sr., the father created a foundation to donate money to local charities, his wife changed who got the donations along with her new husband. The son and the YMCA fought them in court. Hugh owned the Bucs and the 10,000 acre Palmer Ranch in Sarasota that he bought from the old Coast Federal. The Palmer Ranch extends from Sarasota down to Venice. Hugh Jr. donated $1 million to Doug Williams college to help make up for his father paying him a frugal salary while he played for the Bucs.

The Ringling Museum of Art and Circus Sarasota bring affordable
family entertainment to the Historic Asolo Theater. There's fun for the entire family when this eclectic clown, juggler, balancing artist and acrobat presents a one-man tour-de-force that has won the admiration of critics and the adoration of circus lovers from around the world. Wednesday & Thursday 11:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.
Friday & Saturday 2:00 & 7:00 p.m.
Sunday 1:00 and 4:00 p.m.
 

* Nik Wallenda, a Sarasota native and circus performer will take a 375' high wire walk Sunday.

* 14 year old Bradenton boy arrested for driving car.

* The North Sarasota Library will host the 3rd Annual Bike Rodeo, from 10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, June 20 in the parking lot of North Sarasota Library

* Manatee County looks to drop free ride Ana Maria Trolley in new budget.

* Thieves rob local Marathon gas station of $30,000.

Tropical Financial Credit Union held a business card exchange.  L-R Tim Burk TFCU Business Banking Officer, Christie Gravley, Branch Manager Hillview office. The event was catered by New York, New York restaurant the hot new chic place on Hillview.

Sarasota Chrysler Plymouth readies for selling out it's new cars and transitioning into  strictly used car sales as Chrysler puts thousands of dealers to the curb.

* Sarasota Reds beat Lakeland 11-7.

* When the biggest thing to hit Sarasota is a 20' colon you know it's summer time and the living is slow.

* Locals get creative with "Home Trolley Tour" of homes for sale that are foreclosed on.

* New roundabouts on U.S. 41 by the City of Sarasota will slow already snail like traffic in season.

* University of Florida raises tuition and fees 15% for next year.

*Would be bank robber arrested and shot, the guy is 66 years old. What's he not thinking:)

* Two teens arrested for having sex in a car while driving. Dangerous stuff:)

* City of Bradenton seeks half million dollars in Federal energy grants.

* City of Venice issues prescription discount cards.
 

Florida Studio Theatre to bring 'Audience of 2' July 22nd to Sarasota.

* Bradenton Police bust 4 hookers who advertise on Craigs List.

* New Farmers Market opens up off of I-75 in Ellenton at the Sports Complex. Over 40 vendors are expected on Saturdays.

* Girls may get short end of stick in Florida if high school sports are cut back.

* June 19th FPL public hearing on rate increases in Sarasota. Florida Attorney General's office to testify that rate increase is too high.

* Poachers have taken four clutches of sea turtle eggs since June 6 from Sarasota County beaches in Venice and Casey Key, leaving empty nest cavities that were discovered by Mote Marine Laboratory’s Sea Turtle Patrol volunteers. All four clutches were laid by loggerhead sea turtles, a threatened species protected by county ordinances, federal and state laws. Officials suspect the eggs were stolen for food or to sell on the black market. To report someone who appears to be illegally harassing a sea turtle, digging a sea turtle nest or handling sea turtle eggs, contact the Sarasota County Call Center at 941-861-5000 and ask for the Sea Turtle Protection Program. Anonymous calls are accepted.
 

The first house wealthy Mrs. Potter Palmer stayed at in Sarasota was a sanitarium on Sarasota Bay, unbeknownst to her.

* Manatee County debates increasing Sheriff's Department budget for next year from $92 million to ?

* A Sarasota couple and two out-of-state men are accused of bilking investors in a Ponzi-like scheme, according to a lawsuit brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission. In a case filed Thursday, the SEC accuses John and Marian Morgan of Sarasota, Stephen Bowman of Omaha, Neb., and Thomas Woodcock Jr. of Rockwall, Texas, of running a fraudulent investment scheme in which they told investors they were investing in a secret but legitimate banking practice.

* Sarasota County throws wrench in Lakewood Ranch's proposed 5,500 home plan.

* Former NBA referee and former Lakewood Ranch resident Tim Donaghy to be released to half way house after 11 months of prison. His gambling conviction appears to be related to him being beaten while in prison by an inmate with mafia connections.

* Tampa airport traffic down 10% in May from May of last year.

* Bradenton Holiday Inn Express owners seek bankruptcy protection.

* Missing Bradenton man found in Orlando.

* This man is suspected in 11 attacks on women in Bradenton and Sarasota. One woman has been killed. The man wears a mask, so how they got this composite is like how?

* 81 year old Bradenton woman charged with stabbing husband with a pen.

* Sarasota gets $45,000 gift from FPL to change 4 vehicles to all electric.

* Venice debates taller buildings.

* Injured bald eagle released in Sarasota.

* FBI to form new taskforce in SW Florida for bank robberies and crime.

* 3 locals file for judgeship.

* Area foreclosures dip but there are still over 5,000 homes in the pipeline ready to foreclose.

Cattle sprinkled on undeveloped land in Sarasota help land owners keep their taxes low.

A favorite Sarasota sub shop closes after 10 years, a victim of the economy?

Local Dunkin Donuts group file for bankruptcy. The local 18 stores  were bought 2 years ago from Kaplan a Sarasota resident by a Boston group. They have listed $10 million in debt. Do you think he sold them because they were making money?

* Sarasota woman gets water bill for $777 for 68,000 gallons of water, yet her water was shut off for repairs for  much of the time. A new water meter installed at her home by the County seems defective showing 20,000 gallons of water usage per month. The average is 6,000. The house next door had their water meter stuck and was only billed $30 a month for two years.

* Bradenton man denied access to bank because they thought he looked suspicious.

* City of Sarasota residents want chickens in their backyard. New group called CLUCK formed to get an ordinance passed.

* Dad's get a free dinner for Father's Day at Sam Snead's, hey we deserve it, lol:)

* Naked Osprey man found in Bradenton woman's car. The man appeared out of it. Time for help.

* WCI in Chapter 11 says they will finish homes started but not build any new ones for now.

* Elderly Bradenton man missing Tuesday. When you get older you deserve to be able to get lost:)

* Sarasota County to discuss $8 million dollar park on Longboat Key Tuesday.

* Professional burglars  hit 5 cars at Ellenton Mall and Applebee's Monday.

* Bradenton group, FloridaOil.org Inc, pushes for oil drilling off of coastline. Forget about it. 

* Gov. Crist to meet with 10 members of the Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota (the county's economic dept). It's a closed door meeting. What?

* Sarasota is one of the top areas in the state attracting foreign buyers of real estate.

It's not a meteor over Sarasota, it's the full moon Sunday evening, shot through some tree coverage. The streaking lines above the moon we think are caused by camera shake or our trick photography:)

More people are using their bikes to get around. Too bad the van driver is taking up half of the pedestrian crossing area at the intersection.

Moms and Dads take time out Saturday to teach their children how to build things at Home Depot's class for children in Sarasota. As Crosby Stills, Nash and Young's song said, "Teach your children well".

From $698,00 to $399,000. A sign of the times as inflated home, condo prices come closer to earth. This condo is on Stickney Pt. Road near the bridge.

* 69 year old Venice man killed on his bicycle over the weekend when he went through a red light.

* In between the sunshine we picked up over an inch rain over the weekend. The Good Earth says thank you:)

* Once source says that local home for sale inventory has dropped from 36 months to 18 months. We don't think so. The latest figures we saw showed up to 10,000 homes in the pipeline ready to be foreclosed. Add to that the existing pool of homes on the market and those who want to list their home and haven't due to the market and you have a long term supply.

Glorious showers returned to our area over the past few days. Oh how we love it after a 3 year drought.

* Tarpon fishing has been hot and heavy this season according to local fishermen.

* Bradenton woman shot in the face at her home in what appears to be an attempted robbery. This case doesn't appear to be related to the one above.

All Faith's Food Bank purchased a 22,840-square-foot industrial building in Sarasota for $2.35 million. It will be a vast improvement from their humble warehouse on Cattlemen Road.

* Man in Nokomis shoots himself during a routine traffic stop by a Sarasota County Deputy Friday morning.

* Lightning storm tears up area Friday morning setting off car alarms and waking everyone up early. It dropped around an inch of rain in some parts of southern Sarasota County. Oh baby, do we need the rain.

* MoneyShow.com, based in Sarasota,  announced the results of the Traders’ Sentiment Indicator today on its Web site. The results revealed that 47% of active traders are bullish, 40% are bearish, and 13% have a neutral outlook about the S&P 500 between now and the end of the year.

* Sarasota County started controlled burns near Myakka State Park this week. More controlled burns are on the way.

* Vagrant from Louisiana sets clothes racks on fire at Bradenton WalMart after the store refused to take fraudulent items in return. Maybe we could send the man back to Louisiana.

* Sarasota woman scammed into thinking she won $470,000 sends $3,700 to scammer. "If it's to good to be true......"

* Sarasota man arrested for robbing 4 area restaurants by throwing a rock threw the front window. High tech:) Maybe they can make the man wash dishes in prison.

Sarasota Music Festival opens today through Saturday for the public. www.sarasotaochestra.org

Alligator over 9' caught in Nokomis. It's mating season you know, and they are out looking for some.

* You may see your water bill go up if you are one of those people that uses an excessive amount of water according to the SW Florida Water District.

* We will be taking off on our annual Emerald Isle, N.C. tour shortly. View our previous trips. http://ourtownsarasota.com/emeraldisle.html

Bradenton man arrested for picking his daughter up by her hair and shaking her.

* Florida unemployment benefits extended another 20 weeks.

* New food kitchen to feed the homeless or hungry opens at Knights of Columbus in Sarasota and is run by the couple that ran the one at St. Vincents for 10 years.

* Local Sarasota man donates hurricane clips to Habit to Humanity to sell at a discount.

* 28 year Bradenton mother arrested for letting her child wander on the streets around midnight while she attended a party.

* Man killed on I-75 when his motorcycle hit a tractor trailer around 1 AM. At least that is what the tractor trailer driver said.

* The Taste of Myakka will be held from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Myakka Family Worship Center on 33420 Singletary Road. The event is open to the public and will benefit cancer patient Randy Ballard and wife Diana Ballard.

* Area golfers clear off the courses by late afternoon as temperatures increase and snowbirds decrease.

Marlie, a 10 week old pup finds something to chew on a Sarasota lawn.

* Sarasota County will hold Town Hall meetings on their budget and take email questions and comments during the meeting. The Town Hall will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 8. in the Sarasota County Access TV television studio.

* Bradenton's South East High School students win national Odyssey of the Mind competition. Bravo!

* Sarasota woman gets $773 water bill while her house has plumbing leak. The County is supposed to adjust water bills due to leaks or filling a swimming pool.

* Florida Power and Light spokesperson says, “FPL rates are the lowest of the state’s 54 utility companies,”. “A typical FPL customer pays about $25 less per month, or $300 per year less, than other Florida utility customers.”

* Bradenton has had around 2700 foreclosures this year alone, with over 500 in May.

* Pine View graduate electrocuted while working on a movie taping in Georgia. John Lamensdorf, 22, had graduated from NYU.

* Florida to raise vehicle registration renewal by 35%. In this economy that just isn't right.

* Meg Lowman says at least 10 python snakes have been found in Sarasota and at least 100 could be lurking here.

Sarasota Technical makeover to the tune of $45 million might include adding landscape designer and television production. What? With TV cutting back why would we need more television production people? Landscape designers, what, new area building won't be taking off for awhile. 

* Number of students reading at sixth grade level increases in Sarasota County while 8th and 10th grade numbers decline.

* Remember, in Sarasota County you can't fertilize with nitrogen or phosphates June thru September. We fertilized our Sarasota Green House home about 2 weeks ago before the heavy rains, and look at it now. It was all browned out and very thin before we used a non-nitrogen and non-phosphate fertilizer.

 

* Bradenton Dr. Rao now accused by 15 women that he fondled them. We feel sorry for the women and wish they had come forward earlier so others wouldn't be victims.

13 women come forward after Dr. Rao from Bradenton is accused of fondling a woman in his office during an exam.

* Gov. Charlie Crist has rejected Bradenton's state senator Bennett's demand to fire Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty if he refuses to resign.