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5 days ago | 
thebradentontimes.com | Mitch Maley |Dawn Kitterman |Mitch Perry |Stacie Hurst
In 15 years of covering the Manatee County Commission, I don't know that I have ever witnessed anything as bizarre as District 1 Commissioner Carol Felts' performance Tuesday when the board was to vote on an application to rezone nearly 220 acres of Parrish farmland from agricultural to planned residential development. Hope Ranch is in Felts’ district and surrounded by neighborhoods that endured some of the worst flooding in the county during last year’s hurricane season.
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6 days ago | 
thebradentontimes.com | Mitch Perry |Mitch Maley |Meredith Kolodner
Front of the Florida Capitol Building, taken on April 25, 2025. (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix)Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis continued his full-fledged campaign on Friday to get the Florida Legislature to back his idea of providing immediate targeted property tax relief this year to Floridians, and for lawmakers to jettison their proposed sales tax cut.
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6 days ago | 
thebradentontimes.com | Don Laible |Mitch Perry |Mitch Maley |Ruth Harenchar
One day, Renny Duarte could be elevated to the position of pitching coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Spending a few minutes with Duarte prior to a Marauders’ home game is a treat. Confidence oozes from every sentence the Venezuelan speaks about the nuances of pitching. The experience he’s picked up around the globe on baseball makes him uniquely qualified to teach.
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6 days ago | 
thebradentontimes.com | Mitch Perry |Mitch Maley |Meredith Kolodner
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has concluded its initial investigation into what is confirmed to be the first fatal Florida black bear attack in state history this week in Jerome, Florida. On Monday morning, May 5, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office notified FWC staff of a possible fatal wildlife encounter. Family members reported a relative missing from his residence and signs of recent disturbances that could have been caused by a bear or bears around the property.
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6 days ago | 
thebradentontimes.com | Mitch Perry |Mitch Maley |Meredith Kolodner
Florida Capitol and Old Capitol. (Photo by Michael Moline/Florida Phoenix)A $2.8 billion tax cut deal reached between Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Daniel Perez last week to help bring the 2025 regular session to a close is now off the table. The breakdown means legislators are nowhere near coming up with a new budget, which needs to be in place by July 1 or the state risks a government shutdown. The Friday morning announcement from legislative leadership came as Gov.
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6 days ago | 
thebradentontimes.com | Mitch Perry |Mitch Maley |Meredith Kolodner
Calendar Jah Movement at Tarpon Bay Grill & Tiki Bar Posted Friday, May 9, 2025 9:14 pm Tarpon Bay Grill & Tiki Bar 7150 N. Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 34243 View larger map Event time 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Cost / donation No cover The winner of Manasota Honors 2021 Musical Artist of the Year, reggae band Jah Movement features a glorifying sound where individual talents of each member come together. Highlighting the talented ensemble is hometown hero and vocalist extraordinaire Shantel Norman....
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6 days ago | 
thebradentontimes.com | Mitch Perry |Mitch Maley |Meredith Kolodner
Calendar The Shakes Society at Motorworks Brewing Posted Friday, May 9, 2025 8:18 pm Motorworks Brewing 1014 9th Street West BRADENTON, FL 34205 View larger map The Shakes Society is a multi-talented, multi-instrumental band. Their unique blending of Soul, Funk, Ska and Rock is like no other band, creating their own unique genre, not easily fitting into traditionally defined categories. The Shakes Society is a very interactive experience so don’t be surprised if you find yourself dancing with...
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6 days ago | 
thebradentontimes.com | Mitch Perry |Mitch Maley |Ruth Harenchar |Coleen Friedman
The Florida Capitol building on Aug. 12, 2024. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix)Some of Florida’s most vulnerable people who rely on Medicaid may wind up having their care flow through managed care organizations under a bill the Legislature passed this session.
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6 days ago | 
thebradentontimes.com | Mitch Perry |Mitch Maley |Meredith Kolodner
Calendar Saint Tone at Freckled Fin Irish Pub Posted Friday, May 9, 2025 8:39 pm © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map Freckled Fin Irish Pub 5337 Gulf Drive Holmes Beach, FL 34217 View larger map Event time 7:30 PM - 11:30 PM Cost / donation No cover With over 6000 shows under his belt, Tony Saint Tone is a seasoned performer and entertainer, ready to captivate the crowd with his unique blend of Rock, Pop, and Country. From intimate acoustic solo shows to a high-energy party dance band,...
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6 days ago | 
thebradentontimes.com | Craig Pittman |Mitch Perry |Mitch Maley |Meredith Kolodner
Restoration work is focused on everything from a tiny salamander in the Panhandle to the massive Everglades Before last week, I’d never heard of the frosted flatwoods salamander. Now that I have, I think it’s kind of cool. It’s a wiggly little amphibian with black-and-white stripes, sort of like if you crossed a zebra with one of those lizards that race across your porch. These salamanders used to live all over the South. Now they’ve vanished from most of the places where they once existed....
