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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

7:52

Episode 150: Federal Funding Freeze Halts Estuary...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/06

A seemingly sweeping executive order by incoming President Donald Trump to freeze federal spending has thrown into chaos thousands of ongoing programs throughout the nation, including here in Florida. On Monday, a judge extended a restraining order that forces the Trump administration to resume payments. Tuesday early afternoon, we talked to the head of the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program about how the federal freeze affected the small institution. Just hours after the interview, as of Tuesday

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5:49

Episode 149: School Board Evaluates Efficacy of...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/06

Cellphone use at school is a thorny subject. The Sarasota school district waded into the controversial effort to adjust cellphone use in the classroom by polling students and parents. Ramon Lopez has the poll’s results.

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4:02

Episode 148: New College Seeks to Expand its Campus

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/02/06

New College continues its efforts to expand its campus—with mixed results. In the last months of the Biden administration, the Federal Aviation Administration blocked its bid to buy the airport land most of its eastern campus sits on. On Monday, the land-hungry public college seemed on track to get a major addition when it announced the governor’s intent for New College to take over the art museum that splits the southern part of the bayshore campus. 24 hours later, on Tuesday, a Manatee

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6:46

Episode 147: Building Bridges: Conquering Comfort...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/01/25

The three grassroots leaders and the topic packed the house. On Thursday night, the Sarasota Unitarian Universalists’ sanctuary was home to a discussion about coalition building. Sponsored by the Boxser Diversity Initiative, the organizers’ aim was to find ways of moving beyond our comfort zones, commonly known as silos. The WSLR News team was there to train the microphone on Kehsi Iman Wilson, executive director of Atlanta-based Disabled South; UnidosNow founder C.J. Czaia; and SEE

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6:09

Episode 146: Herald-Tribune Alum Prepares to Head...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/01/25

After the Community News Collaborative's one-year run in 2023-24, the funders shut down version 1.0 of the non-profit newsroom. Now they are relaunching it as Suncoast Searchlight, a more investigative version that—like its predecessor—will offer its stories to local news media, including WSLR News. Funded with a million dollars from the Barancik Foundation, the newsroom opening soon on North Lime Avenue near downtown Sarasota is a response to the growing news desert. We talked to Emily Le

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6:34

Episode 145: Commissioners' Vote Spells the End for...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/01/25

It was not what many in the community—and two men on the dais—wanted: This week, the Sarasota County Commission voted for what looks like the beginning of the end for the last volunteer fire district in the county. Ramon Lopez reports.

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4:25

Episode 144: Undaunted by Trump's Second...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/01/23

What a weekend of contrasts. The second inauguration of Donald Trump coincided with both Martin Luther King Day and the week of mourning for Jimmy Carter. While the Florida and federal governments ordered flags up for the day of the inauguration, many in Sarasota kept flying at half-mast on Monday, honoring the memory of the former president. Also happening that weekend: An energized and bigger-than-expected Sarasota Women’s March. Johannes Werner reports.

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3:46

Episode 143: Mitigating Light Pollution is...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/01/23

The increase in light pollution at Myakka State Park from 2014 to 2023 is enormous. That has all kinds of consequences, for wildlife—particularly birds—and humans. Julie Morris and Jono Miller, the hosts of “Our Changing Environment” on WSLR, interviewed environmental advocate Miri Hardy, to talk about how there can be too much light and what to do about it. Johannes Werner delivers a summary.

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9:04

Episode 142: If Successful, Homeowners' Appeal will...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/01/23

A lot hinged on that court hearing yesterday in Hutchinson and Fitzgerald vs LWR Communities and Sarasota County: On one side, the end of agriculture and rural lifestyles in east Sarasota County. On the other hand, up to 5,000 homes the developer of Lakewood Ranch wants to build, and the way Sarasota County amends its comprehensive plan. WSLR News listened to the oral arguments before the Second District Court of Appeals in Tampa. Johannes Werner reports.

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7:15

Episode 141: County Commissioners Take First Steps...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/01/23

Sarasota County was ground zero for flooding in Florida this storm season. Yesterday, the Sarasota County Commission held a workshop on stormwater management. Ramon Lopez was there.

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5:44

Episode 140: Power & the People: Overcoming the...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/01/18

The achievements of the U.S. civil rights movement are undeniable. But what did it take to get there? Joint action, which in turn took a lot of organizing, and—most importantly—coalition building that involved moving outside comfort zones. We talked to Tim McCarthy, a Harvard historian who will be moderating an event in Sarasota next week that brings together leaders of three regional grassroots movements. Johannes Werner reports.

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4:25

Episode 139: Rejected Bill Protecting Workers from...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/01/18

A bill that would protect farmworkers and construction workers from heat died in committee last year. But it may be coming back in this legislative session that begins March 4. Lew Lorrini, host of the Surreal News show on WSLR, interviewed Ernesto Ruiz, executive director of the Farmworker Association of Florida, a non-profit headquartered in Apopka, with offices in Homestead and Immokalee. Johannes Werner reports.

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7:32

Episode 138: What to Expect Following County...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/01/18

Were you underwater during this epic storm season? Even if you weren’t, you might be interested in a workshop coming up Jan. 21. This Tuesday, for the first time since the storms, the Sarasota County Commissioners will discuss stormwater management and lessons learned from the recent flooding. WSLR reporter Ramon Lopez talked to one of the county commissioners about what he expects from the event.

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5:08

Episode 137: This Saturday, Women March Together in...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/01/16

The Women's March has a history going back to 2017. To be precise, to Donald Trump’s inauguration for his first term. That year in Sarasota, thousands walked across the Ringling Bridge and back, coinciding with a big protest in Washington. Now it’s the start of the second Trump administration, and the march will be back this Saturday morning, two days ahead of the inauguration. Johannes Verner talks to one of the organizers.

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5:57

Episode 136: Trump's Impending Inauguration Stokes...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/01/16

Immigration attorney James Martin and personal injury lawyer Jim Delgado, panelists at a forum on immigration by the Manatee League of Women Voters on Monday, answer questions about the looming threat of mass deportation and the logistics of federal agencies' ambitions to deport millions in the coming years. Johannes Werner reports.

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6:19

Episode 135: Sarasota County Fire Department and...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/01/16

The Sarasota County Fire Department wants to expand its coverage area. But its proposal to cut back the county’s last volunteer fire department increasingly looks too hot to handle. Ramon Lopez reports.

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8:07

Episode 134: Engineers Report Van Wezel Repairs Will...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/01/16

How much will it cost to keep the recently flooded Van Wezel Performing Arts Center? A fraction of what building a new one would cost. That's according to the latest engineering report presented on Monday to the City of Sarasota’s Purple Ribbon Committee. Gretchen Cochran has the details.

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7:40

Episode 133: Forum Puts Spotlight on the Lived...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/01/11

Immigration and immigrants have become a political and emotional punching bags. A forum at Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota put the spotlight on the human angle. Ramon Lopez reports.

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5:00

Episode 132: Kruse Critical of Tax-Fed Land Fund...

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/01/11

The last elections brought about major turnover on the Manatee County Commission, and a strong signal from voters they want more transparency. Earlier this week, the new chair of the Manatee County Commission laid out how he wants to change the process in that regard. During the first regular meeting he ran on Wednesday, George Kruse provided a first example.

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6:32

Episode 131: Dreamers Academy Seeks to Expand

WSLR News: Stories ·

2025/01/11

Dreamers Academy is the region’s first fully bilingual school. The Sarasota charter school is now seeking to expand their campus near Newtown - the minority-majority neighborhood - into middle school grades. During Tuesday’s school board work session, the school’s administrators presented their request. Dayana Melendez spoke with school founder Geri Chaffee, a teacher and a parent.

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