-
Subscribed but not receiving your weekly mailing? Spam filters may be to blame. Add:
Sub@SarasotaNewsLeader.com
to your email address book. That should solve the problem. -
Have a hot news tip? Rachel Brown Hackney,
Email it to us at:
SNL TIP LINE
STAFF- Editor & Publisher
Stan Zimmerman, City Editor
Robert Ross, Opinion Editor
Scott Proffitt, Staff Writer
David Staats, Columnist
Tyler Whitson, Staff Writer
Fran Palmeri, Contributing- Writer
- Writer
Vicki Chatley,- Copy Editor
- General Manager
- Production Manager
-
Advertise with the SNL!
Contact us about special introductory rates being offered for a limited time.
Click for SalesWin a new iPad!
When we reach 1,000 "Likes" on our Facebook page, one lucky reader who has subscribed to the SNL here on our website will be chosen at random to receive a new Apple iPad absolutely free.
See us on Facebook -
Recent Artcles
- Harvey Milk Festival wants to connect you with your ‘inner activist’
- New PAC launches campaign for nonpartisan county elections
- Waechter charged with felony in case involving Ramirez
- Top stories – Nov. 2 Edition
- Voters’ guide for Election Day 2012
- ‘No swim’ advisory posted for Bird Key Park
- Romney rally a violation of Ringling Museum no-politics policy
- Search for new police chief down to final five
- Blessed be they, large and small
- Siesta stormwater project set to go out for bid in November
News Categories
Search articles by date:
Archives
Search by keyword(s)
-
About this site
The Sarasota News Leader is a news publication founded and edited by Rachel Brown Hackney, a veteran journalist with more than three decades experience. For the past several years, she was the editor of The Pelican Press on Siesta Key.
The Sarasota News Leader became a full-featured electronic weekly - or eWeekly - on September 21, 2012, with the publication of the first edition readable on iPad, Android, Kindle, Nook and other personal readers, as well as laptop or desktop computers.
When you subscribe now, you will receive email notification each Friday of the latest issue of The Sarasota News Leader. To subscribe, please enter your email address in the box at the top of this column.
Copyright © 2012-The Sarasota News Leader. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. We specifically exclude from "fair use doctrine" any reproduction of our logos or banners in any other medium or publication without written permission. Meta
Author Archives: Stan Zimmerman
Search for new police chief down to final five
Five active police executives made the final cut for Sarasota’s new police chief. City Manager Tom Barwin made the selections from the list of 13 left by Interim City Manager Terry Lewis. The final five include two police chiefs – … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Crime & Law Enforcement
Comments Off
CONA speakers sound the foreclosure alarm
A pair of foreclosure-defense lawyers scared the willies out of the largest audience the Sarasota County Council of Neighborhood Associations has seen in years. The Monday Sept. 10, forum was billed as “The Foreclosure Mess 101.” By the time the … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Neighborhoods
3 Comments
The policy roundabout: What’s the future of traffic?
In A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, an alien tour book author prepared to write a chapter on Earth. As he looked down from orbit, he mistakenly decided the automobile was the planet’s primary form of life. He renamed himself Ford … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Downtown Sarasota, Transportation
Comments Off
City’s neighborhood plan to go ‘under the knife’
The Sarasota City Planning Board in the coming months will take a look at parts of the city’s comprehensive plan. Coming up Wednesday, Sept. 19, the Neighborhood Chapter will be under review. The meeting will start at 6 p.m. in … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Neighborhoods
Comments Off
The Jewel fills a gap in downtown Sarasota
“Out with the old and in with the new” would be an odd motto for a historic preservation board. But two buildings in Sarasota’s downtown historic district will be coming down by early next year to make way for another … Continue reading
Posted in Business, City of Sarasota, Downtown Sarasota
Comments Off
Battle brewing over personal bonds
Sarasota city voters will face seven charter amendments on their Nov. 6 ballot. Five have a single purpose, one would divide the City Auditor and Clerk’s Office’s duties and one is a so-called “housekeeping amendment.” Within the “housekeeping amendment” are … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Political News
Comments Off
Public Art Committee’s future in jeopardy
The City of Sarasota’s Public Art Committee is going under a political microscope to determine whether it lives or dies. The last item on the Sept. 4 City Commission agenda was a settlement of a lawsuit brought by the current … Continue reading
Pros explain city’s pension woes
Sarasota has three pension funds. One is for general employees, another for police and a third for city firefighters from 1996 and earlier, before the city and county fire departments merged. All three pension funds are in trouble. On Wednesday, … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota
Comments Off
Ringling Walmart project raises committee questions
During its Sept. 5 meeting, the city’s Development Review Committee put the proposed Walmart “supercenter” slated for Ringling Boulevard in its crosshairs. Engineer Joshua Bryant noted that neighboring residents, during a voluntary community meeting Walmart held in August, had asked … Continue reading
Posted in Business, City of Sarasota, Neighborhoods
Comments Off
City Commission deals with speed bumps, vagrants and charter amendment
The Sarasota City Commission tackled a number of issues on Tuesday, Sept. 4, the first meeting for new Manager Tom Barwin: The bad bumps of Webber This wasn’t an example of the wheels of government. It was an example of … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Downtown Sarasota, Neighborhoods, Transportation
Comments Off
SCOPE faces decision time on data collaborative
SCOPE’s “Community Data Collaborative” approaches a decision point next month. The organization – Sarasota County Openly Plans for Excellence – must decide to move forward, switch partners on the initiative, wait or kill the project. After a year of work … Continue reading
Posted in Neighborhoods, Nonprofit News, Sarasota County
Comments Off
A week of neighborhood meetings planned
In the next two weeks, Sarasota neighbors will be meeting, and perhaps you might join them. Whether your taste runs to understanding the foreclosure mess, violation of the Sarasota City Charter or a neighborhood potpourri at the Historical Society, September … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Neighborhoods, Sarasota County
1 Comment
Terry Lewis, our Hercules, aims again at retirement
One of the 12 labors of Hercules in Greek mythology was the cleaning of the Augean stables. There resided a herd of more than 1,000 immortal cattle. The stable hadn’t been cleaned in more than 30 years. Using wit instead … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Commentary, Sarasota County, Sarasota People
Comments Off
Locals fail final cut for new Sarasota police chief
The original list of 98 applicants to become Sarasota’s next police chief was whittled to 13 this week. None of the five local candidates made it. A source close to the selection process, who asked not to be named, said … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Crime & Law Enforcement
Comments Off
Light duty for Barwin’s first city meeting
Most residents of the city will get their first glimpse of the new Sarasota city manager when they tune in for the City Commission meeting on Tuesday afternoon, Sept 4. Tom Barwin will take his seat for the first time … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota
Comments Off
New food truck site proposed for downtown
Jonesing for some of that fast truck food, now that the lot at Ringling and Links is shut down for the summer? A second location is in the works, this time at Ringling and Pineapple. Chip Fendt filed his paperwork … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Downtown Sarasota, Tourism
Comments Off
‘Transient coordinator’ post revived to deal with downtown vagrancy
Perhaps the best spot in town to watch the audacity of the vagrant population is outside the Sarasota city manager’s office. A large glass wall with a door overlooks a fountain and picnic table. The fountain can serve as a … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Downtown Sarasota
Comments Off
Whither the Police Complaint Committee?
After a tumultuous first year, Sarasota’s Police Complaint Committee is struggling to find a future. The resignation of its two most vocal members earlier this year and the inability to recruit two replacements casts a cloud over the committee’s functions. … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Crime & Law Enforcement, Neighborhoods
Comments Off
Sarasota police chief candidates list pared to 19
Sarasota Interim City Manager Terry Lewis is fighting the clock to pare down the list of 98 applicants to be the next city police chief. He wants to narrow the list to 10 to 15 for incoming City Manager Tom … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Crime & Law Enforcement
Comments Off
Chainsaw of logic rips apart strong-mayor zombie
The proposal that will not die is dead. Again. For a while. But probably it will be back sooner than anybody expects. As the clock approached midnight on Monday, Aug. 20, the proposal for a popularly elected mayor with administrative … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Commentary
Comments Off
Domestic partnership initiative moving forward in the city
The City of Sarasota is edging towards the cutting edge of modern law to recognize “domestic partnerships,” the relationships of couples beyond the structure of legal matrimony. The city commissioners on Monday, Aug. 20, received a briefing on a proposed … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota
Comments Off
Benderson wins effort to secure Beneva parcel
Over the past several months, big hunks of property along traffic arteries have been quietly optioned for large-scale development. The “supercenter” Goodwill on North Tamiami Trail, a 100+ unit, mixed-use development on 47th Street — just south of the Goodwill … Continue reading
Posted in Business, City of Sarasota, Neighborhoods
Comments Off
Utility rates going up 2% in the city
It’s final. Your water and sewer rates are going up 4% at the start of September if you live in the city. The Sarasota city commissioners approved the hike 4-1 during their regular meeting on Aug. 20, with Commissioner Willie … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Utilities
Comments Off
Laurel Park gets a reprieve on downtown development
There were white-knuckle moments for Laurel Park residents Monday afternoon during the regular City Commission meeting. The historically designated neighborhood is surrounded by downtown zoning that allows very tall buildings next to bungalows. The neighborhood association opted out of the … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Neighborhoods
Comments Off
Firefighters’ pension funds secured
On Monday, Aug. 20, the Sarasota City commissioners plugged a hole that had threatened to cut half-a-million dollars from retired city firefighters’ pensions. The problem was discovered in verbiage contained in a city charter amendment proposal on the ballot in … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Comments Off
Osprey Avenue’s ‘boathouse’ to become B&B
A local icon is about to answer many dreams. The boat structure at 425 N. Osprey Ave. may soon be open for visitors to spend a night or two. Elwin Lissone came before the city’s Historic Preservation Board Tuesday, Aug. … Continue reading
Posted in Business, City of Sarasota, Neighborhoods, Tourism
Comments Off
Post-vacation agenda a whopper for the City Commission
Welcome back, city commissioners. There’s a big, meaty agenda waiting for you Monday, Aug. 20. Bring your No-Doz and your Dramamine. The meeting is set to start at 2:30 p.m. with the approval of five sets of minutes from a … Continue reading
Posted in Arts & Entertainment, Business, City of Sarasota, Political News
1 Comment
Walmart puts its best faces forward for public meeting
Roughly 50 people came to the Payne Park Auditorium Wednesday evening, Aug. 15, to talk with Walmart representatives about a proposed new “supercenter” at the old Ringling Shopping Center. The “maestro” for the event was Michelle Belaire, a battle-hardened corporate … Continue reading
Posted in Business, City of Sarasota, Neighborhoods
Comments Off
Wiser Gulf Coast heads roll in election
AUDIO: James Bond theme BOND: “I tell you, M, once is happenstance, and twice can be coincidence. But the third time, it’s enemy action.” While it’s not clear who the enemy is, it was not coincidence that swept a half-century … Continue reading
Posted in Commentary, Political News
1 Comment
SCOPE provides a peek at a new, powerful research tool
The organization called SCOPE – Sarasota County Openly Plans for Excellence – has collected statistics for more than a decade. The numbers have been compiled into annual Community Report Cards. But the organization wants to do more with its massive … Continue reading
Posted in Neighborhoods, Nonprofit News
Comments Off
Nearly 100 vie to be next Sarasota police chief
A long blue line of 96 men and two women have tossed their peaked caps into the race to be the next city police chief. Current Chief Mikel Hollaway will retire in October. The hiring decision will be one of … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Crime & Law Enforcement
Comments Off
Neighbors briefed on North Trail project
Developer Frank Chinnici has his eye on the largest plot of undeveloped land along U.S. 41 between downtown Sarasota and the airport. On Aug. 2 he held a neighborhood workshop to brief residents on both sides of the Tamiami Trail … Continue reading
Posted in Business, City of Sarasota, Neighborhoods
Comments Off
Turner details city financial woes; CCNA reflects rare division
A rare whiff of sourness roiled the Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations meeting on Saturday, Aug. 4. Two representatives of African-American neighborhoods were withdrawn and bitter, while a representative from a third less-prosperous neighborhood urged the coalition to censure City … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Neighborhoods
2 Comments
Clerk’s ‘housekeeping amendment’ language jeopardized firefighter pension funds first
City Commissioner Terry Turner is accused of putting a half-million-dollar pension payment at risk with his language in the Strong City Manager Charter Amendment. The Sarasota News Leader has found that language jeopardizing the pension money first was proposed by City … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota
1 Comment
Day Two: the ‘dump-the-clerk’ amendment
How ugly will this get? A white journalist weeps for a black bureaucrat. His black publisher says, “The whole thing boils down to a high-tech lynching.” It’s Day Two, the final day of public hearings on a proposed charter amendment … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Commentary
1 Comment
City Commission OKs new manager’s contract
After some last-minute give-and-take Aug. 2, the Sarasota City commissioners offered a contract to Tom Barwin, their pick to be the next city manager. All of the terms were as previously reported: $175,000 annual salary, $600 per-month car allowance and … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota
Comments Off
Orange Avenue drainage work to get under way
The City of Sarasota is scheduled to start work on Saturday, Aug. 4, to improve drainage along North Orange Avenue, from 10th Street to 19th Street. Parts of the avenue will be closed to traffic between October and January. The $1.8 million … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Neighborhoods, Transportation
Comments Off
Downtown mooring work to start in September
A second attempt to install mooring anchors at the bayfront is set to begin on Sept. 1. In anticipation of that, the city has warned boaters in the area to move their vessels from the northern and eastern sections of … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Tourism, Transportation
Comments Off
Analysis: City manager amendment hits snag on way to ballot
Can 3,300 registered city voters be wrong? Or is this race-baiting in the making? In a replay of last month’s city-manager hiring question, the city commissioners concluded this latest debate in a decision-less silence. An unlikely coalition trooped to City … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Political News
Comments Off
City offers Barwin $175,000 for annual salary
The man selected as Sarasota’s new city manager has agreed to a $175,000 salary. Tom Barwin’s contract will be reviewed on Wednesday, Aug. 1, by the Sarasota City Commission. Barwin has indicated he would like to start work on Sept. … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota
Comments Off
City tax rate to drop a microscopic amount
Florida governments for the past several years have kept a race running, in a manner of speaking, between declining income and reducing expenses. Revenues declined because politicians refused to raise tax rates to compensate for the declining property tax rolls. … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota
Comments Off
‘Strong manager’ initiative makes the November ballot
As a result of a professional citizen petition drive, Sarasota city voters in November will consider changing their charter to strengthen the city manager at the expense of the auditor and clerk. “It took five weeks to gather 3,297 signatures,” … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Political News
Comments Off
Bayfront mooring regulations in place
The Sarasota City commissioners on July 16 put the final ordinance in place to establish a legal bayfront mooring field downtown. This required only a decade of government activity. Commission approval followed approval by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Tourism
Comments Off
An open letter to the City of Sarasota
Let’s give a warm and big welcome to Tom Barwin, our new city manager. He still has to negotiate a contact and get settled in. If we don’t scare him away, he may be exactly what we’re looking for. To … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Commentary
1 Comment
Barwin named new city manager
Sarasota appears to have a new city manager as of today, July 16. His name is Thomas Barwin. Contractual details have yet to be hammered out, but the commission voted unanimously to ask him to serve. A special commission meeting … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota
Comments Off
Strong-mayor city charter change tabled
When Sarasota City Commissioner Paul Carragiulo said he wanted to introduce a strong-mayor proposal at the July 16 commission meeting, nobody quite expected how strong the proposal would be. Basically, it calls for a rewrite of the entire city charter … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Political News
1 Comment
Two city manager finalists drop out
The “frolicsome” race to be Sarasota’s next city manager took yet another Alice-in-Wonderland turn on – appropriately – Friday the 13th. Two of the four finalists have dropped out as of this morning. Both Rick Chaffin of Texas and James … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota
1 Comment
A host of heavy issues faces city on Monday
Call it ‘the leadership soap opera’ Several significant issues face the Sarasota City Commission on Monday, July 16. The top item is the selection (maybe) of a new city manager, but that is not the only thorny problem on the … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Crime & Law Enforcement
Comments Off
DID offers Moran big raise; Marina Jack interested in parking deck
Sarasota’s Downtown Improvement District this week voted to give Operations Manager John Moran a whopping $10,000 raise, citing his excellent performance over the past 12 months. Moran opened the July 10 meeting with a surprise: “We’ve received an increase in … Continue reading
Posted in City of Sarasota, Downtown Sarasota
Comments Off
No good deed goes unpunished at City Hall
Nothing makes people madder than being punished for doing what they know is right — and the law is on their side. When George Haborak, chairman of the city’s Public Art Committee, blew the whistle over what he perceived was … Continue reading →
Share this: