Aug 22, 2025 TOP STORIES: County budget process for FY 2027 to begin in February 2026, with constitutional officers invited to meet with commissioners to discuss limiting spending increases City Commission accepts final report of Purple Ribbon Committee and calls for interim city manager to craft action plan to keep Van Wezel in operation Commissioner Knight finds no support from colleagues in suggesting reduction of Sheriff’s Office budget for 2026 fiscal year Aug. 26 special meeting planned for Sarasota City Commission to consider proposals from three firms vying to handle city manager search County Commission chair says constituents troubled by high salaries and raises for county department directors Interim Sarasota city manager and deputy manager given OK to discuss potential county use of city surface parking lot for new Criminal Justice Center Avenida del Mare house on Siesta wins historic designation 29-year-old Sarasota man charged with 13 counts of possession of child pornography About 10,000 gallons of raw sewage spills in middle of East Venice Avenue near Warfield Avenue OTHER NEWS (free): Sarasota Memorial named one of America’s Best Physical Rehabilitation Centers by ‘Newsweek’ Community Foundation of Sarasota County awards $1.4 million in grants Registration open for 20th Annual Sustainable Communities Workshop SMH ranked among America’s ‘Best Employers for Women’ for 2025 Florida Center for Early Childhood receives Wilson-Wood Foundation grant to support critical therapies for young children Wingert the new chair of Library Foundation board
