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WSLR News: Stories

Individual pieces from the reporters and volunteers at WSLR News on WSLR 96.5 FM - Sarasota"s own community radio

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All Episodes

8:19

Episode 270: Alt Graduation celebrates New College...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/05/24

Thursday night—the night before official graduation—saw the Alternative Graduation ceremony for New College students. It was the third since the governor’s takeover of the campus in Sarasota. This off-campus event was probably the last one with a graduating class whose majority still remembers the pre-takeover college. WSLR News intern Farah Vallecillo—herself a New College student—was there to soak up the atmosphere.

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3:18

Episode 269: Suncoast Searchlight: Former New College...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/05/24

Fred Piccolo Jr. now faces three additional felony charges of indecent exposure, Suncoast Searchlight and The Florida Trident report. Derek Gilliam with Suncoast Searchlight brings us the latest on the former communications director at New College of Florida and longtime political operative. To read the full report, visit suncoastsearchlight.org/piccolo-attorney-upgrades-charges-new-college-felonies.

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7:37

Episode 268: How Florida's public sleeping ban...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/05/22

Florida House Bill 1365 went into effect on October 1 of last year, and its enforcement began in January. The law sleeping or camping on public property that is not certified as a designated public camping or sleeping site by the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF). Counties and municipalities can be sued for not complying. Alex Lieberman has a close look at the effects of the anti-homeless law.

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3:41

Episode 267: Suncoast Searchlight: Half of all...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/05/22

Across the Suncoast, almost half of all households struggle to make ends meet, according to a new report. That report is from the United Way Suncoast and its research partner United for ALICE. It looks at what researchers called a "survival budget” in local counties. Kara Newhouse with Suncoast Searchlight reports. To read the full article, go to suncoastsearchlight.org/united-way-alice-report-suncoast-budget-sarasota.

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6:09

Episode 266: Florida legislators push bed tax overhaul

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/05/22

State legislators are still in session, trying to come up with a budget while the Republican governor and the Republican-controlled house of representatives are fighting over what taxes to cut. Now, under the radar of the general public, tourism taxes apparently have been dragged into that fight as well. Sera Deniz sheds light on how there might be collateral damage in Sarasota.

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8:30

Episode 265: Manatee County School Board abruptly...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/05/22

Yesterday, in a tight 3-2 vote, the Manatee County School Board fired Dr. Jason Wysong. The sudden and surprising way the superintendent’s termination came about, in just one special meeting without clear advance notice, has prompted calls to investigate possible Sunshine Law violations. In Wysong’s termination, school board member Charlie Kennedy played a key role. Supporters had expected him to be a force of moderation on the panel, but now some say Kennedy just threw a Manatee School

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5:04

Episode 264: Suncoast researchers set sail for sea farms

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/05/17

Florida juts right into the middle of the Caribbean, and our peninsula shares a lot with that region. A young researcher and fish farmer from Manatee County is recognizing that, sailing on her Morgan 24 from Sarasota to Bahamas, Puerto Rico and all the rest of the Antilles to document aquaculture in the region. WSLR News reporter Farah Vallecillo caught up with her this week.

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4:04

Episode 263: Florida's 'Tidal Wave' to be the model...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/05/17

Operation Tidal Wave, the dragnet that caught more than 1,000 immigrants in Florida is expanding. Governor Ron DeSantis touted the state’s partnership with the federal government to crack down on undocumented immigrants at a press conference at a Florida Highway Patrol station in Tampa this week. WSLR News’ Ramon Lopez reports.

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6:00

Episode 262: Suncoast Searchlight: Leaders and...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/05/17

As more new special development districts break ground across the Suncoast, area officials warn they could mean higher tax bills and traffic congestion for those buying into these communities. Josh Salman brings us a follow-up to the Suncoast Searchlight investigation. To read the full article, go to suncoastsearchlight.org/development-districts-officials-buyer-beware-overhaul.

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5:45

Episode 261: Purple Ribbon Committee leans toward...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/05/17

Will climate change doom the historic Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall? A panel put in charge to figure out the future of the city-owned building seems increasingly inclined to think along these lines. But an activist who wants to save the “purple cow” is pushing back. Johannes Werner has the details about a meeting on Friday.

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9:26

Episode 260: 'On the Road' town hall draws a crowd of...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/05/15

Last weekend, a big crowd filed into a church in Sarasota to see a Democratic senator and congressman who have been touring the country in response to the Trump administration’s makeover of the federal government. The short notice and big demand apparently forced the local party into a scramble. The location was unknown until the Friday before the event. WSLR News reporter Tamara Solum was there to figure out what the Democrat rank-and-file are up to.

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6:16

Episode 259: Venice City Council appoints Joan...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/05/15

On Tuesday, the Venice City Council filled an empty seat. WSLR News’ Ramon Lopez reports how.

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4:26

Episode 258: Suncoast Searchlight: Challenging...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/05/15

The cost to fight the Obsidian came in at more than $100,000, representing one of multiple examples in the region. Derek Gilliam with Suncoast Searchlight reports on how the legal cost of fighting development has moved in the zone of the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars. You can read the full story at suncoastsearchlight.org/obsidian-challenge-new-development-sarasota-cost-small-fortune.

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6:37

Episode 257: City commission says 'no' to Obsidian 2.0

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/05/15

Round 2 in the battle of the Obsidian went to the opponents. Will there be a Round 3 of what would have been the tallest building in downtown Sarasota? We have the details about the city commission’s surprisingly clear vote to uphold an appeal by well-organized neighbors against the luxury tower. Johannes Werner reports.

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7:25

Episode 256: Proposed Medicaid cuts jeopardize...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/05/10

The U.S. Congress is currently discussing shrinking enrollment for Medicaid, the program that covers healthcare for at least 72 million low-income people. If cuts happen, this will have ripple effects not just for patients all the way to Sarasota. It will affect local economies, particularly in rural areas. We talked to an analyst with a think tank that advocates for better healthcare for the most vulnerable Americans. Johannes Werner reports.

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4:06

Episode 255: ICE apprehends more than 1,000...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/05/10

Operation Tidal Wave swept up more than 1,000 migrants in Florida lacking permanent legal status. The stated intent was to capture criminals, but even the authorities say only 63% of those arrested for possible deportation had a criminal record. Ramon Lopez has the details.

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5:01

Episode 254: Suncoast Searchlight: How corporate-run...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/05/10

If you buy a home in the suburbs, beware: Dozens of new local governments have popped up in Sarasota and Manatee Counties recently. They are not led by elected officials, but by corporations that make a profit from residents. Josh Salman with Suncoast Searchlight reports. To read this investigation in full, visit suncoastsearchlight.org/developers-cdd-special-district-bonds-sarasota-manatee.

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30:25

Episode 253: Q&A Maxwell Frost

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/05/08

Ahead of his town hall appearance in Sarasota, WSLR's Tamara Solum interviewed the youngest sitting U.S. Congressperson.

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2:10

Episode 252: County commission raises OnDemand fares,...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/05/08

The Sarasota County Commission is sending mixed messages about transit. Many transit authorities in the United States, including in neighboring Manatee County, are offering free rides to boost passenger numbers. At a meeting Tuesday, the Sarasota commissioners decided to hike fares for an on-demand service but to go free on the county’s most traveled fixed bus route. Johannes Werner reports.

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3:03

Episode 251: Lakewood Ranch Southeast gets county...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/05/08

In a second round, the company behind the Lakewood Ranch Southeast mega-development got their way. On Tuesday, the county commission allowed the developer to turn agricultural land into yet another suburb. That means bulldozers could soon begin clearing 4,000 acres of pasture in rural Sarasota County to build up to 5,000 homes—in the middle of what looks like the worst real estate slump in this region since at least 2008. Johannes Werner reports.

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