Phillippi Creek

In an update Jan. 27, the county said the dredging of high spots began in December and is going well, but the next stage could be delayed until the end of this year as it seeks more environmental permits.

The work won't begin right away, but residents hope the process of pulling out built-up sediment will start within a couple of months.

The county has not yet begun dredging Phillippi Creek, and many in Sarasota are concerned about a repeat of last year's floods this hurricane season.

Phillippi Creek is a seven-mile-long waterway that stretches across Sarasota County. Residents say it desperately needs to be dredged to prevent the type of floods that ravaged the area in 2024.

Mark Cunningham becomes the highest-ranking official to step down in the wake of revelations about widespread failures in the county's stormwater system. County officials did not disclose the reason for his leaving.

Residents discovered a memo from the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers that appears to show Sarasota County could get around the red tape. County and Corps officials disagree.

Said one resident: “It’s just another example of county leadership not having a sense of urgency.”

A cleanup of one of the most urban - and polluted - streams running through Sarasota began Saturday. We visit one condominium, whose residents not only…