Sarasota County

The financial relationship between Tallahassee lobbyist and Sarasota county commissioner raises concerns about potential conflicts of interest under Florida ethics law.

The project expands five miles of River Road from two lanes to six lanes between U.S. 41 and I-75, tripling roadway capacity and providing significant congestion relief for Southwest Florida residents, businesses, and visitors.

The letter casts new doubt on the county’s long-running fight over the controversial law, giving ammunition to developers suing the county in six ongoing cases and potentially clearing a path for more than 7,500 housing units that have been put on pause.

A proposal wouldn’t directly cut funding to Head Start, but it would eliminate many of its federal regulations. Sarasota County providers worry the change could ultimately reduce funding and make it more difficult to maintain support for families.

El Pueblo Unido Tampa Bay, the organization behind the initiative, sells the bracelets in local businesses and at rallies. Proceeds go to immigrant families dealing with deportation and detention.

An administrative law judge has narrowed the roughly 25 allegations raised in their petitions, leaving claims involving issues such as proposed athletic fields near Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, development of land planned for the Education Freedom Institute, tree removal in the Uplands Preserve and vehicle access from Uplands Boulevard.

Sarasota County wants to turn the closed Gulf Gate golf course into a regional stormwater facility and wildlife habitat, but the county and developer remain far apart over the land’s value.

A review shows Moran has paid for consultants, lobbyists and a PR firm, including contracts tied to Google reviews, strategic planning and a “forensic accounting” of his predecessor.

The results flipped control of the school board, which has for years been at the center of explosive fights over LGBTQ+ inclusion and national political topics, from a narrow conservative majority to four out of five seats held by liberals.

The Sarasota County Commission approved $32 million in stormwater projects Tuesday to help prevent future floods at Bahia Vista, St. Armands and Celery Fields following the severe storms in 2024.

Commissioners approved $2.1 million in county support to 33 organizations. Urbanite Theatre, which declined to sign a DEI acknowledgement circulated by the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County, was the lone exception.

More than 5,000 residents now considered on the brink of losing their housing — up more than 50% in just three years.