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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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6:56

Episode 170: New non-profit opposes New College...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/27

Early this month, news broke that Gov. Ron DeSantis wants the state legislature to fund a shift of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art under the umbrella of New College. For the past 25 years, the century-old art institution has been under the umbrella of Tallahassee-based Florida State University, the state’s second-biggest college. Last week, a group of insiders emerged that actively opposes the plan. WSLR News talked to one of them, a former chair of the museum’s foundation. She

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7:30

Episode 169: Sarasota County Commission rejects...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/27

Yesterday, Sarasota County commissioners surprised their critics and campaign donors again. In a narrow vote, they postponed a decision on a key part of Lakewood Ranch Southeast, the 4,000-acre, 5,000-home project threatening to overwhelm the county’s rural northeast. That, in turn, prompted yet another groundbreaking event: The developer said they will huddle with activists trying to stop the project. Ramon Lopez reports.

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55:06

Episode 168: Trans-Cis-Her Radio Episode 2-22-25

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/23

India X. Miller is an advocate, storyteller, and public speaker. As a transgender woman, she shares her experiences to educate and connect with others. For years, India has worked to foster understanding through workshops, events, and creative projects.Her work focuses on encouraging open conversations. India’s “Transplaining” sessions help others explore gender identity, societal issues, and recovery topics in a judgment-free space. She also brings a love for art and creativity into her

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5:11

Episode 167: Deadline approaches for SBA disaster...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/22

When your insurance company is dragging its feet, or when you have no insurance at all, FEMA is usually the cavalry riding to the rescue. But if you own a small business or run a non-profit, there’s also the Small Business Administration and its low-interest disaster loans. SBA field representatives have been in Sarasota since November, and they want you to be aware of a fast-approaching deadline. Johannes Werner reports.

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7:26

Episode 166: Manatee County Commission prepares to...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/22

How does local government respond to climate change if that notion does not even exist in the official vocabulary here? During last year’s historic storm season, hundreds, possibly thousands of homes were flooded inland in Manatee County, including in relatively recent planned developments. On Wednesday, the all-Republican Manatee County Commission huddled in a workshop to learn about the weak spots of stormwater management systems and what it would take to bring them up to snuff. The

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6:42

Episode 165: North Port residents will protest...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/22

President Donald Trump and his administration are pressing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to the negotiation table with Russia. That nation invaded its neighbor two years ago, occupies a good chunk of its territory, and probably expects Ukraine to accept that as a fact in any peace talks.North Port is not only Sarasota County’s biggest city, it is home to an estimated 5,000 Ukrainian immigrants. Most of them are not pleased, says one local community organizer. Johannes Werner

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7:07

Episode 164: Dr. Judith Butler talks gender studies...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/20

The “new” New College’s Socratic Stage series last year featured scientific racist Steve Sailer and alt-right crusader Mike Benz, and this spring, it will offer border czar Tom Homan and Trump legal team member Alan Dershowitz. So Judith Butler’s appearance Tuesday in a packed Sainer Auditorium on the college’s Sarasota campus came as a bit of a surprise. The Berkeley-based gender theorist and philosopher came up with the term “gender bending,” redefined the science around sex and gender as

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8:20

Episode 163: Protestors rally outside school district...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/20

Elon Musk’s cutting of federal agencies and jobs has prompted at least 17 protests in Florida, including one in Bradenton, and two in Sarasota. We begin with Ramon Lopez, who was at a protest Tuesday, ahead of the school board meeting. Next, we hear from Johannes Werner about the "Not My President's Day" protest which drew thousands of participants downtown.

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5:14

Episode 162: DOGE's "workforce optimization" causes...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/20

We tend to think of the new federal Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, taking its bulldozer to offices and jobs in Washington. Actually, that blade is scraping across the country, including Florida and the Suncoast. Gretchen Cochran talked with a couple of local people whose jobs have been axed.

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7:14

Episode 161: Moore Bliss Farm commits to...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/15

Suburban development swallowed the area in Sarasota around Bliss Road, just South of Proctor near McIntosh, a generation ago. But in the middle of this aging sprawl you can now find a three-acre showcase of agricultural rebirth. Elizabeth Moore is a wealthy preservationist who popped up on the Sarasota radar five years ago when she bought a cattle ranch in the rural east of the county to put it off-limits for developers. Then, in 2022, she bought three acres on Bliss Road. In the three

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6:52

Episode 160: County commissioners block Hi Hat's and...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/15

We haven’t seen anything like it in decades: Sarasota County Commissioners voted unanimously to end, or put the brakes, on high-profile developments. Twice. In one week. One of these developments is the biggest ever in the county, with 13,000 homes on 10,000 acres. Ramon Lopez has the story.

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7:57

Episode 159: City planning board hears tall tower appeal

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/15

The Obsidian was going to be the most exclusive and tallest condo tower yet in downtown Sarasota. City of Sarasota planners rejected the developer’s proposal. But last year, Matt Kihnke and his MK Equity Corporation changed the name to “1260 North Palm Residences,” shaved off a few feet in height and brought back a revised proposal. In October, staffers gave their seal of approval. But a neighboring condo association filed an appeal to the city’s site plan approval, and that appeal came

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4:50

Episode 158: Protesters make their support for...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/13

As Florida legislators, the governor, and the Trump administration are fighting over who will be the toughest purveyor of deportations, some people disagree with the premise that immigrants are a problem. This Sunday some 300 protesters converged in downtown Sarasota to express their support for immigrants. We talked to Junior Salazar, the main organizer of the event. Johannes Werner reports.

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5:13

Episode 157: Senator DeCeglie's bill could end...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/13

A bill filed in the Florida Senate could be spelling the end of development-funded city and county public arts programs, including the City of Sarasota’s. Johannes Werner reports.

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6:43

Episode 156: Team re-evaluates construction and cost...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/13

After a delay caused by last year’s busy storm season, Tuesday was Sarasota Performing Arts Center Day. In two events, the proponents of what is the most expensive project in the city’s history presented a changed design and new cost calculations that are much higher. Gretchen Cochran brings us the details and the skeptical reactions of at least one commissioner.

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4:24

Episode 155: County commissioners deny developers'...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/13

This is nothing short of a political earthquake. Sarasota County Commissioners voted yesterday and today against two major suburban development projects, both with 5-0 votes. Ramon Lopez, who was at today’s county commission meeting, has this report.

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8:12

Episode 154: Journalist Isaac Eger on Florida's...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/08

Florida ranks ninth in the nation when it comes to the number of beef cows, and it’s number 18 in total cattle. But that number is declining quickly as suburban sprawl is gobbling up pasture land at speeds rarely seen before. We talked to Isaac Eger, a Sarasota journalist who participated in the 2022 Florida Cattle Drive and is about to publish a book about that annual event. Johannes Werner reports.

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5:10

Episode 153: Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/08

It’s Black History Month, and some institutions are still celebrating it. Tuesday night, the Fogartyville Community Center in Sarasota hosted an exhibition opening featuring the work of photographer Lily Evans. Johannes Werner reports.

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7:06

Episode 152: Sarasota School Board Discusses...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/08

Churches, hospitals and schools used to be off-limits for the federal immigration police. Not any longer. President Donald Trump decreed that ICE officers can now enter touchy public premises. Sarasota School Board members and the superintendent discussed their response this week, and Ramon Lopez has this report.

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7:43

Episode 151: Appeals court rules Lakewood Ranch can...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/06

Last week, three appeals court judges in Tampa ruled in favor of a developer and Sarasota County in a lawsuit brought by a couple whose lives in the rural east county is about to be turned upside down by the 5,000 homes LWR Communities wants to build on 4,000 acres. We talked to Mike Hutchinson, one of the plaintiffs, about the implications of the ruling, both for himself and for rural lifestyles and agriculture in coastal Florida. Johannes Werner reports.

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