Sarasota & Manatee Counties news thread

[wondermint2]

Sarasota prioritizes 10 transportation projects for decades ahead

The city projects, which include a redesign of Main Street, pedestrian and cyclist upgrades for Ringling Bridge and a new roundabout, have the potential to transform how residents get around Sarasota.

For full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...decades-ahead/

What would the future of the city of Sarasota's transportation be if you had your wish?

At the Jan. 2 City Commission meeting, the city's transportation staff presented a wide range of projects in the form of the 2024 Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization draft transportation project priorities list, which included a transportation wish list of sorts for the city.

The MPO is the regional transportation planning entity for Sarasota and Manatee counties. Through interlocal agreements, it helps local governments coordinate with the Florida Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration.

Among the hundreds of funded, unfunded, and perhaps pie-in-the-sky projects on the city's and MPO's wish list were 10 priorities for the city’s Sarasota In Motion master plan, a package of local projects — although not scheduled — that have been identified by staff and endorsed by commissioners.

That plan was adopted by the City Commission in June 2020. Here are the top 10 priorities identified. The project horizon for the list is 2045.

[wondermint2]

Sarasota solid waste worker inspires others after losing both legs (Video)

For full article & video:

https://www.fox13news.com/news/saras...-both-legs.amp

Howard Young is part of "The Dream Team" at the City of Sarasota's Solid Waste Division. You have to be strong to do what he does every day, and if you take a close look, you can see Young's strength stand out.

"As long as you got the fight to do anything that you are willing to do, keep fighting," he told FOX 13.

Howard knows a thing or two about fighting.

He’s a Type 2 Diabetic, and he almost died after catching pneumonia and COVID-19 in 2020. During that battle, he developed blood clots and woke up to a life-altering change.

"They woke me up to tell me I had to have my legs amputated," Young said.

He refused to let that keep him down, and he began the painful process of learning how to walk again.

"I told him, ‘I hate this wheelchair, help me get out of this wheelchair,’" said Young.

[wondermint2]

Shelling in Florida: Here’s what to know before picking up a seashell

For full article:

https://www.fox13news.com/news/shell...a-seashell.amp

BRADENTON, Fla. - The Bay Area boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in Florida that are lined with tens of thousands of shells, but before you take one home, there are a few things to keep in mind, so you don’t receive a fine.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC), beachgoers are allowed to collect seashells for recreation, but they must take into consideration whether the seashell contains a living organism, the type of organism it contains and where it is being harvested.

Seashells with live organisms cannot be sold unless the seller has a valid commercial license.

Live oysters and live hard clams can only be harvested when in compliance with FWC rules.

All species of clam, oyster and mussel can only be taken from designated approved or conditionally approved shellfish harvesting areas that are in currently open by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

In Manatee County, people may not harvest or have more than two shells (includes echinoderms such as sand dollars and starfish) containing live organisms of any single species except for oysters, hard clams, sunray venus clams and coquinas per day, according to FWC.

[wondermint2]

Troopers investigate 3 fatal Manatee County crashes within 12 hours. Here's what to know.

For full article:

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/33093...s-what-to-know

In just under 12 hours, there were three fatal car accidents in Manatee County on Tuesday and Wednesday.

As of Wednesday, there have been 200 crashes since the beginning of the year in Manatee County, and there have been 274 crashes in Sarasota County, according to data from the Florida Highway Patrol.

[wondermint2]

Bridget Ziegler contradicts husband’s story of planned threesome

For full article:

https://www.wusf.org/courts-law/2024...nned-threesome

New details have emerged in the now-closed sexual battery investigation of recently ousted Florida GOP chairman Christian Ziegler that contradict his claim a threesome involving his wife was planned on the day the woman alleged he raped her.

Bridget Ziegler, a Sarasota County school board member, told detectives she had no knowledge of the threesome Christian claimed to have planned on October 2, the day the sexual assault was alleged to have occurred, according to a newly released police report obtained by the Florida Trident.

“Bridget confirmed that she had participated in a threesome with [the woman] and her husband once two years ago which would have been arranged by Christian,” Sarasota police Det. Maria Llovio wrote in the report. ”Bridget said there has not been any talk about another threesome.”

Llovio reported that Bridget, who is also cofounder of Moms for Liberty, told her during the Nov. 1 interview she didn’t think her husband would make up such a claim in order to “set up a date.”

“I explained that [the woman] was under the impression the three of them were getting together,” the detective wrote, “and when she learned that Bridget was not coming, she changed her mind.”

The report also sheds light on the nature of the Zieglers’ marriage, as Bridget told Llovio, the “sexual assault allegation surprises her, but not the extramarital activity.”

If Bridget’s account to police was truthful, then Christian Ziegler fabricated an elaborate story while trying to convince the woman to sexually engage with him. He told her he and his wife were “driving around” that day and asked for her address so the couple could come and have sex with her, according to text messages included in a previously reported police search warrant affidavit.

When the woman asked who was coming, Christian replied, “Prob just me this time now,” while claiming Bridget had been ready for a threesome a half hour before but was no longer available.

The woman then canceled the tryst, responding, “Sorry I was mostly in for her.”

Despite that, Christian Ziegler showed up at her apartment, where the woman claimed he raped her. He admitted having sex with the woman but claimed it was consensual and showed police a video recording he’d made of the act. The woman told police he made the video without her knowledge.

Police closed the rape investigation last week with no rape charges filed but have forwarded a potential video voyeurism charge against Christian Ziegler to the State Attorney’s Office for review.

[wondermint2]

Sustainable farming coming to Mote Marine

For full article:

https://www.mysuncoast.com/2024/01/2...outputType=amp

Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium is beginning Farmer Education Program in partnership with UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County.

The goal is creating the future Florida workforce in food, agriculture, and natural resources. The 8-week program provides the next generation of farmers with hands-on work experience and practical education under the mentorship of Mote scientists, extension educators, successful entrepreneurs, and local producers.

Many Florida communities have a need for access to sustainably grown, healthy, nutritious food, including seafood, as year after year, wild fisheries continue to fall short of feeding Earth’s growing population—with nearly 60% fished to capacity and 34% overfished.

“Mote continues to successfully demonstrate how to raise seafood away from the coast while recycling 100% of the salt water—and we’ve built upon that core technology to do much, much more,” said Manager of Mote’s Marine & Freshwater Aquaculture Research Program, Dr. Nicole Rhody. “Mote’s progress reveals how precisely our research targets urgent, pressing questions in our national conversation on food security and sustainable seafood food. We hope this program combines what we know about taking environmentally-friendly aquaculture to a commercial scale and how we can apply those methods by enhancing the success of new farm start-ups, to help increase access to more locally grown foods.”

The Beginning Farmer Education Program participants gain practical skills from agricultural extension agents in areas such as crop cultivation, soil health, irrigation, pest and disease control, equipment operation, and harvesting techniques. Participants can learn more from Mote scientists about aquaponics—the marriage of aquaculture and hydroponic growing techniques—to raise fish and grow edible plants in a symbiotic, closed-loop system. Participants will also gain an understanding of different business models, along with opportunities to connect with local supply chains and network with schools, local farmers, restaurants, etc.

[wondermint2]

Study: Retention ponds emit carbon dioxide and methane into the environment

For full article:

https://www.wusf.org/environment/202...ne-environment

New research out of Manatee County has discovered most stormwater retention ponds emit more of the gases into the atmosphere than they store, or sequester, down in the mud or sediment at the bottom.

[wondermint2]

Manatee Supervisor of Elections announces retirement. He has a replacement in mind

For full article:

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/33092...cement-in-mind

After over a decade as supervisor of elections, Michael Bennett announced he would resign from the office in March.

“All good things must come to an end,” Bennett said in an official resignation letter sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday. Bennett, 79, is set to step down on March 1, almost three weeks before Florida’s March 19 presidential primary election.

“These years have been some of the highlights of my life, but it is now time for me to spend more time with family, friends and in other community volunteer services,” Bennett, a Republican, wrote in his resignation letter.

[wondermint2]

Some visitors at Venice Beach are worried about safety(Video)

For video:

https://www.snntv.com/story/50380566...d-about-safety

It’s because of this shelf of sand, right up against the water, to the north of the lifeguard stands.

The drop-off is about 15 feet high.

Karen Smith is a beach goer, who said she’s never seen the beach look like this before.

“When I came out here tonight, and I walked down, I said to my friend, ‘oh my gosh, I’ve never seen this much frontage.’ Depth of the sand. Cause it’s usually almost up to that lifeguard stand,” said Smith.

Sand shelves are usually created by storm-strengthened waves.

[wondermint2]

Adoption fees waived as pups remain dogpiled in Manatee County shelters (Video)

For video:

https://www.snntv.com/story/50378911...ounty-shelters

Dogs are piling into Manatee County Animal Services, and the county says it needs help.

Hans Wohlgefahrt of Manatee County Animal Welfare said the number of dogs they're getting is hard to keep up with.

"Sometimes 10 – 12 pets per day," Wohlgefahrt said.

And in mid-December, despite fees being waived for a holiday promotion, the number of dogs reached critical levels.

"We had about 170 dogs at our facilities. And at our Bishop Animal Shelter, where all our pets start out, we didn’t have a single empty kennel," said Wohlgefahrt.

So the fees remained waived through January 31.

"I’m really overjoyed to report that we are now down to 120 dogs," he said.

But that means they went from a critical level of dogs down to a high level, still much more than is healthiest to manage.

There are two things residents can do: Adopt or foster.