Sarasota County

Without the planned economic revitalization of Newtown, Jetson Grimes, owner of Jetson’s Creative Trends hair salon since 1982, isn’t sure neighborhood businesses like his will survive.

More than a hundred people are now left without a place to shower, wash clothes and get out of the heat and a church has had to reduce services and hours as it works to address a code violation and neighborhood complaints.

State lawmakers have tried to address the affordability crisis by encouraging more attainable housing development. But experts say one of their biggest efforts yet — the Live Local Act — will instead flood the market with units that fail to address the core need. Many will remain out of reach for middle-class renters like teachers, secretaries and firefighters.

Nearly seven hours passed from the beginning of public comments to the North Port City Commission’s vote Monday to advance an 18-month data center moratorium. By then, evening had turned August into September, and the crowd of hundreds thinned into a dozen or so die-hard opponents.

Appeals court reverses order sealing and destroying records in Ziegler investigation, affirming Florida’s public records law.

Roughly 80 people had come to City Hall on Monday evening for an open house on the city’s parking situation, which has rankled residents and business owners for months.

Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota has extended “Songbirds of the Seventies” a second time, now through September 20. The cabaret is a musical celebration of the female singer-songwriters who defined the ‘60s and ‘70s.

The number of people on the precipice of homelessness across Sarasota and Manatee counties has risen by more than half during the past three years, driven by higher costs of living, according to data gathered by local homelessness organizations.

Sarasota County could see major cuts to critical services if Amendment 3 passes at the ballot box in November, with the Sheriff’s Office alone standing to lose more than $50 million of the property tax revenue it currently receives, new projections show.

The next Sarasota County School board will see a liberal-leaning majority take control after voters rejected the conservative policies and culture wars that for years dominated the board.\