Sarasota County Commission

The county commission voted 4-1 to approve rezoning for 3H Ranch but stalled a smaller proposal to build 46 homes near Fruitville Road.

Public records show Mike Moran, who's running for Sarasota County Tax Collector, used taxpayer money to spend thousands of dollars on dinners and other expenses.

The donation comes in the wake of the Sarasota County Commission's recent decision to eliminate funding for the exhibit for the first time in 15 years.

The cuts amount to several thousand dollars in savings for Sarasota County, where libraries are well-regarded and funded with a $17 million annual budget.

Neil Rainford will be sworn into office Tuesday to fill the seat of Sarasota County Commissioner Nancy Detert, who died recently.

Detert has represented District 3, which includes Venice and parts of North Port, since 2016. She also served one year as commission chair.

Residents say the estimated 5,000 new homes would extend into what is now ranches and farms between Fruitville Road and University Parkway.

The 2021 fiscal year saw more than $31 million collected from hotels and short-term vacation rentals.

The Sarasota County Commission voted to stop awarding economic development incentive grants to businesses.

The online video platform favored by some conservatives, has drawn scrutiny after being awarded a taxpayer-funded grant to set up shop in Longboat Key.

Commissioners say the company's name hadn’t been made public at the time of the vote, so they were unaware that Rumble would receive the funding.

Rumble is a Canadian owned video platform especially popular among political conservatives and used by such public figures as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump.