Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
A multi-car crash is blocking all lanes of I-75 north in Sarasota County.
The crash happened at 10:37 a.m. at mile marker 187 near North Port, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. The incident involved seven vehicles.
Traffic camera footage indicates no lanes are open to northbound traffic as of this report. There is no word yet on what caused the crash or if anyone was injured.
----------------------------------------
This article says 1 lane of Northbound traffic is open.
Currently, there is only one lane open to northbound traffic. This is between Sumter Blvd and River Road and The Florida Highway Patrol is responding to the scene.
Florida Highway Patrol says that one person was airlifted from the scene and another was transported by ambulance.
On Thursday, James Satcher and Scott Farrington participated in a debate organized by the Lakewood Ranch Republican Club. The difference between the Republican candidates for Supervisor of Elections could not have been more stark. A closer look behind the curtain suggests even more space between the two, who will meet in the August primary.
If serious voters take even a cursory look at the two candidates on paper, this matchup is not even close.
Farrington has over two decades of experience running elections in Sarasota and Manatee counties. He is the only Certified Elections Administrator in Manatee County and has also achieved the rank of Master Florida Certified Election Professional. The record clearly demonstrates that recently retired SOE Mike Bennett ran fair, secure, and efficient elections for the past 11 years and did so on the sort of impressively lean budget one would expect from a true fiscal conservative. During this time, Farrington was Bennett’s Chief of Staff and Deputy Supervisor of Elections. Bennett gave a full-throated endorsement of Farrington to be appointed in his stead when he announced his retirement.
Satcher is a political hack whose career has been propped up by developers after he failed miserably as a grassroots candidate. In 2016, after relocating from Georgia, Satcher actually attempted to run for Congress, challenging incumbent Republican Vern Buchanan in the primary, where he lost in a historic landslide. In 2018, he lowered his expectations and challenged incumbent Republican Carol Whitmore for a countywide seat on the BOCC and lost another landslide, as Whitmore had not yet fallen out of favor with the development cabal.
Satcher was finally elected to the Manatee County Commission in 2020 after developers funded dark money PAC attacks against incumbent Republican Priscilla Trace. Trace, a fifth-generation Manatee County native who refused to bow to the demands of the cabal, was branded a RINO in deceitful attack ads paving the way for Satcher’s victory. Ironically, it would be the same refusal that would see Whitmore successfully primaried two years later when developers backed one of Satcher’s similarly inept buddies, Jason Bearden.
From there, Satcher busied himself carrying water for mega-developer Carlos Beruff and, in his words, being a local voice on national political issues. To put it another way, he did as he was told when it mattered to his paymaster and then bloviated about Biden, liberals, socialists, illegals, abortion, and every other right-wing talking point he could think of, none of which had anything to do with the county commission. Satcher came into the office clearly knowing nothing at all about the job and left without any suggestion that he had learned much along the way.
A Florida man gifted two cell phone chargers with hidden cameras to a 12-year-old girl who FBI Special Agents reported he “isolated and groomed.”
A detective described the girl as “vulnerable” and a “recent immigrant from Eastern Europe.” This came to light after Yahoo detected an e-mail sent to Google e-mail “vladlover50@gmail.com” on Sept. 8, 2020. The evidence Yahoo gathered included child sex abuse images of girls ranging from 8 to 15 years old.
After an investigation, an indictment, and prosecution, a jury found Gregory A. Williamson guilty on March 13, of federal charges. FBI Tampa Acting Special Agent in Charge Rodney Crawford reacted on Friday after U.S. District Judge William F. Jung sentenced him.
“Life in prison will keep this depraved individual from hurting another child,” Crawford said in a statement.
Williamson, 59, was convicted of enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, three counts of production of child sexual abuse material, three counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material, and possession of child sexual abuse material.
The case out took years. It started when a Yahoo employee alerted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about Williamson, known online as “Vlad Vlad,” of North Port, on Sept. 10, 2020, in compliance with federal law.
An NCMEC analyst sent the evidence to a law enforcement task force. Records show North Port Police Department Detective James Keller, a member of the task force, took on the case.
Keller applied for a search warrant for access to his e-mail account on Dec. 1, 2020, and later for another on Jan. 27, 2021, to search his house. Williamson was indicted on Nov. 3, 2021.
Aside from the North Port Police Department, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office also assisted FBI Tampa with the investigation.
Thomas Carter knows it isn't completely official, but he and his wife Diane went out to celebrate nonetheless.
The Carters have been in a battle with Manatee County for the past two years about a proposed roundabout on Creekwood Boulevard and 73rd Street East that basically would cut off much of their backyard if constructed.
The roundabout was part of a $6,890,115 Creekwood Boulevard improvement plan to ease traffic concerns at the 52nd Place East intersection with Creekwood that serves the shopping center there. Those using the Creekwood Crossing shopping center have encountered long delays trying to exit the shopping center to turn left onto to Creekwood Boulevard to head to State Road 70. It has created unsafe conditions as motorists dart in front of each other trying to get into traffic.
The idea was to force all traffic out of the shopping center, at that point, to turn right, then proceed to the proposed roundabout at Creekwood and 73rd Street East.
Last week, Carter received a call from Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse who said a county staff report indicated an expanding proposed budget and limited resources forced it to recommend that certain projects be placed on a deferred list, and the Creekwood improvements project was one of them.
With Sarasota County Commissioner Neil Rainford having advocated for such action on two prior occasions this year, he and his board colleagues formally voted unanimously on June 20 to direct County Administrator Jonathan Lewis to prepare the 2025 fiscal year budget based on a millage rate of 3.30 mills.
That would be the lowest millage rate in 37 years, Rainford pointed out during the commission’s June 20 budget workshop in downtown Sarasota.
One mill represents $1,000 of the value of a piece of property.”’
Lewis will trim money from the budgets of the departments over which the commission has control, instead of seeking any reductions in the proposed budgets of the county’s constitutional officers, such as the sheriff and the clerk of the Circuit Court and county comptroller.
The amount would be approximately $4.4 million, county administrative staff noted on June 20.
Rainford pointed to the likelihood that the county’s property value will rise again in the reports due from the Sarasota County Property Appraiser’s Office by July 1, to meet a state requirement. Any increase in the value, he indicated, would help lower the $4.4-million figure.
The preliminary increase in the county’s property value, released in late May, was 9.78%.
County Administrator Jonathan Lewis said that the July 1 property value in the past has proven to be the same as the June 1 figure,” or it goes up slightly — not a lot …”
Nonetheless, Commissioner Ron Cutsinger did say, “It wouldn’t disappoint me if any of the constitutionals decided to help a little bit in this process.”
With the direction this week, Lewis said that he and his staff would prepare an item for the commission’s regular meeting agenda for July 9, calling for a not-to-exceed millage rate of 3.30 mills for advertisement in the state-mandated Truth in Millage (TRIM) notices that will be mailed out to all property owners in August.
Lewis did emphasize that if they set the rate at 3.30 mills in July, the commissioners would not be able to raise it at a later time before approving the final budget for the 2025 fiscal year. The last budget hearing will be held on Sept. 26 in downtown Sarasota.
Some more details:
Sarasota County Commission proposes 37-year low millage rate
With assessed value still rising, Sarasota County staff is directed to craft a budget based on a rate of 3.30 mils on residential and commercial property.
USF Sarasota-Manatee’s pioneering Bloomberg Lab, which has given finance students an invaluable edge as they enter the workforce, is getting a makeover this summer, complete with 12 new Bloomberg Terminals, a new scrolling stock ticker and other enhancements.
The upgrades and expansion will allow faculty members to incorporate the myriad financial and other data available via the Blooming Terminals into courses on finance and investing.
Students will also be able to use the new machines to prepare for investment competitions against classmates and counterparts at other universities that measure their ability to analyze financial conditions and provide investment advice − skills that prepare them for careers on Wall Street and elsewhere in the financial services industry.
Many students have been able to use the lab at USF Sarasota-Manatee to earn a Bloomberg certification that helps them stand out against other job candidates.
The overhaul at Sarasota-Manatee, which is expected to be completed by the fall, is being funded by the original gift from David Kotok and Cumberland Advisors that was used to create the lab.
------------------------------------------------
Sunseeker calls out for entertainers
Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor is seeking musicians, DJs and specialty performers to become part of its summer entertainment lineup and future special events.
Selected performers will entertain guests and locals in seven restaurants and 11 bars and lounges, at two pools and at other locations throughout the resort.
Sunseeker’s “Seeking Stars” talent search is looking for professional musicians, including full bands, solo singers and duos, and open format DJs across all genres. Performers such as acrobats, stilt walkers, jugglers, magicians and fire performers are also encouraged to submit entries.
The deadline for submissions is July 15.
Video submissions should be no longer than five minutes and DJ submissions should include EPKs with a 30-minute open-format family-friendly mix.
Selected musicians and DJs will audition in person Aug. 26-29.
For more information and to upload an audition video, visit:
A multi-car crash is blocking all lanes of I-75 north in Sarasota County.
The crash happened at 10:37 a.m. at mile marker 187 near North Port, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. The incident involved seven vehicles.
Traffic camera footage indicates no lanes are open to northbound traffic as of this report. There is no word yet on what caused the crash or if anyone was injured.
----------------------------------------
This article says 1 lane of Northbound traffic is open.
Currently, there is only one lane open to northbound traffic. This is between Sumter Blvd and River Road and The Florida Highway Patrol is responding to the scene.
Florida Highway Patrol says that one person was airlifted from the scene and another was transported by ambulance.
Some more information & photos from the Sarasota Herald Tribune. This crash was nasty.
Seven vehicle crash on I-75 south of River Road reduces northbound traffic to one lane
I-75 northbound completely closed so helicopter could land
A seven-vehicle crash shortly after 10:30 a.m. Monday on Interstate 75 has blocked two of the three northbound lanes near Mile Marker 187, according to a report from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.
Only the right lane was initially open.
FHP has since shut down I-75 northbound at Mile Marker 184 so a passenger could be extricated and flown away by helicopter.
North Port Fire Rescue, Sarasota Sheriff's and Florida Highway Patrol responded to the scene.
According to a social media post from North Port Fire Rescue, three people were injured.
Trauma alert crews had an extended extrication from one of the vehicles.
The location is in unincorporated Sarasota County, south of River Road and north of Sumter Boulevard, in the vicinity of Deer Prairie Creek Preserve.
H&E Rentals, which specializes in heavy machinery like forklifts, recently opened an office in Bradenton.
The location features a fully fenced yard area, repair shop and offices. It carries aerial lifts, telescopic forklifts, compaction equipment, light towers, generators, compressors, earthmoving equipment and other items.
Founded in 1961, H&E Rentals has offices across the United States and says it is one of the largest equipment rental companies in the nation. It opened the Bradenton location at 4004 15th St. E. on June 19. It marks the 14th rental location for H&E in Florida and the sixth new branch in the Sunshine State to open in the last two years.
The Luxury Real Estate Market Is on Fire, but the Condo and Townhome Sector Is Soggy
Following record-breaking cash sales, the median single-family home sale price rose by 3.9 percent, to $530,000, in Sarasota County, but the condo market in both counties experienced declines.
Buyers were waiting for a market correction following pandemic-era home grabs and soaring prices—but as of May 2024, it hasn’t yet arrived.
The market for single-family homes in Sarasota County showed an uptick in May, with 850 closed sales, marking a 3.4 percent increase compared to May 2023. The median sale price rose by 3.9 percent, to $530,000, and the total dollar volume surged to $631.8 million, reflecting almost 10 percent of year-over-year growth. That’s all according to the latest monthly data published by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee:
“It’s not the buyer’s market [buyers] would have hoped for right now, even though there’s a tremendous number of price decreases across all housing categories and price points,” says David Jennings of Coldwell Banker, who specializes in single-family home sales in Sarasota’s Indian Beach-Sapphire Shores neighborhood. “However, those are reduced from what started out as aspirational prices seen in prior years.”
Thanks to some recent big-ticket sales—like this $11.35 million condo, and this $19.75 million compound, which both closed in May—the combined average sales price for single-family homes in Sarasota and Manatee counties increased by almost 5 percent, indicating strong performance in the luxury market.
In Sarasota County, inventory is staying on an ascending course, with 3,239 active listings, a 77.6 percent increase, leading to a 5-month supply of inventory. The median time to contract also extended to 43 days, up 72 percent.
And during that increased time, negotiations are fierce.
“Buyers aren’t seeing the correction they expected, and if they move in for a buy we’re seeing low offers and lots of negotiating,” Jennings says. “Sellers are trying to stay resilient, and are motivated to sell because data is showing that even just year over year, they’re still getting 2 percent to 6 percent more than what they may have spent on their home a year ago. Values are resilient, and business is getting done.”
He also says that in order to sell, homes must “be ready and beautiful.”
“If buyers can’t negotiate a competitive price, you’ll feel the wrath of their expectations, because buyers know they’re a shrinking pool,” Jennings explains. “They won’t tolerate the broken irrigation system. They want to be credited at closing for deferred maintenance that may have come up during inspections. A seller has to be prepared for that.”
Many listings these days are due to downsizing, as homeowners are aging out and simplifying their lives, he adds. Moving out of flood zones due to surging homeowners’ insurance rates is another market driver.
In Manatee County, single-family homes market remains stable, with 801 closed sales, showing a slight decrease of 0.2 percent compared to May 2023. Meanwhile, the median sale price increased by 1.9 percent, to $525,000, and overall dollar volume reached $568.2 million, reflecting a 3.2 percent increase.
Active listings in Manatee County rose by 68.6 percent, to 2,570, resulting in a 4.1 month supply of inventory. The median time to contract grew by 40.6 percent to 45 days.
Meanwhile, the townhouse and condo market in Sarasota County experienced a slight decline, with closed sales dropping by 4.1 percent to 423. The median sale price decreased by 9.1 percent, to $368,000.
Inventory for townhouses and condos increased by 87.3 percent, to 2,010 active listings, resulting in 6.3 months of inventory, creating a buyer’s market. The median time to contract increased by almost 126 percent, to 61 days.
The townhouse and condos market in Manatee County experienced a notable decline, however, with closed sales dropping by 25.8 percent, to 264, and the median sale price decreasing by 5.5 percent to $361,495. It’s also a buyer’s market in Manatee, with inventory levels increasing by 88.4 percent, to 1,458 active listings, leading to a 6.3-month supply inventory. The median time to contract rose by 51.4 percent to 56 days.
And, Jennings notes, “Most of the fees for condo owners have gone up considerably based on new state regulations.”
The Englewood Chamber is selling tickets for the VIP Tent at the Lemon Bay Sunrise Rotary’s 4th of July fireworks display.
The fireworks display will take place at approximately 9 p.m. on July 4 on the bayside of Middle Beach on Manasota Key. You will be able to see the display for miles around.
The chamber is selling VIP tickets for $250 to help fund the fireworks display. The VIP tickets include preferred parking, premier viewing of the firework display, all you can eat and drink, live band, and an enclosed, bug free, air-conditioned tent. You can purchase your tickets at the Englewood Chamber.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
