1+ mon, 1+ day ago   (798+ words) If Manatee County’s fiscal year 2027 budget is approved in September as proposed, the county’s reserve will reach $1.1 billion. Last year, when the reserves neared $1 billion, Commissioner Jason Bearden pushed to have some of the funds released, but didn’t receive the…...

1+ mon, 1+ week ago   (759+ words) While the reimbursement of $2.6 million in tax-collection fees to the School District of Manatee County is a cause for celebration within the school community, there are limitations on the money's uses. The money will go towards teacher retention, safety and…...

1+ mon, 1+ week ago   (934+ words) I am not sure why thinking "outside the box" is a phrase associated with ingenuity when often it refers to an idea that reflects common sense. The phrase also is used to define a thought that strays from established rules…...

1+ mon, 3+ week ago   (563+ words) When Manatee County spent $140,000 in 2024 on Peregrine software, the intent was to consolidate critical storm-related information into a “single, common, operating picture for Emergency Management.” The software quickly proved its worth during three back-to-back hurricanes that year. With data that…...

1+ mon, 3+ week ago   (794+ words) Just beyond the playground at Mixon Farms, there’s a wind turbine towering over what’s now an event lawn. Manatee County purchased the farm for $13.5 million in July 2025. While staff members are making upgrades to the property, they’re also preserving the…...

1+ mon, 3+ week ago   (779+ words) The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort introduced a sizable aquatic feature intended to highlight marine life unique to Southwest Florida nearly two years ago. The open-air tank is home to new life this week after the lagoon care team introduced…...

1+ mon, 3+ week ago   (1399+ words) Sharon Itts, a science teacher at Braden River High School, began her career not as an educator but as a scientist. She teaches marine biology and does as many hands-on activities with her students as she can in her classroom....

2+ mon, 4+ day ago   (163+ words) A Manatee County teen faces a murder charge in connection with the discovery early July 7 of an 18-year-old man found wounded near 15th Street and Central Avenue, police said. William Rosencrantz, 17, was arrested in Manatee County on Wednesday, July 8, police said....

2+ mon, 1+ week ago   (980+ words) Some Manatee County expenditures cited as overspending by the state Department of Government Efficiency were called money “well spent” by the Manatee County Government Efficiency Liaison Committee. The committee met June 23 to discuss its final recommendations with County Administrator Charlie…...

2+ mon, 2+ week ago   (207+ words) Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) will continue building a stronger, smarter and more storm-resilient electric grid in Sarasota County, Manatee County and Longboat Key in 2026, advancing its ongoing commitment to reduce outages and restore power faster following major storms[1]. What…...