Has a new Trader Joe’s been proposed for the Sarasota area?
Yes.
Benderson Development Co. has applied for permits in Sarasota County that propose the construction of a new Trader Joe’s.
The prep permit –– part of the initial process for getting a building permit –– documents list the space as a “future grocery store,” and the site plan notes the “proposed Trader Joe’s” on it. The permits are for 8199 S. Tamiami Trail, in the place of a former Staples store near the intersection at Beneva Road.
Nothing has been approved or finalized by the county, and Trader Joe’s company representatives would not confirm a new location in Sarasota. It’s still early in the process, and Trader Joe’s has yet to apply for a build-out permit or sign permits, which would signal a path toward construction.
This would become the third Trader Joe’s store in the Suncoast region.
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Can speeding now be a criminal offense under new Florida law?
Yes.
A new Florida law elevates severe speeding from a civil infraction to a criminal offense if the driver exceeds the speed limit by 50 mph or more, or is clocked going over 100 mph at any time.
The penalty for a first offense is a $500 fine, a 30-day jail sentence or both. A second offense raises the fine to $1,000, and the jail time could triple to 90 days. Repeat violators over five years could have their license suspended.
As of July 22, the Florida Highway Patrol made three “super speeder” arrests for driving faster than 100 mph in Orange County.
Other states have also implemented “super speeder” laws recently. In Georgia, a driver can be criminally convicted for going faster than 75 mph on a two-lane road or 85 mph on any road in the state.
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This story was originally published by Suncoast Searchlight, a nonprofit newsroom delivering investigative journalism to Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties. Learn more at suncoastsearchlight.org.
