Daily Bradenton News

Despite the concerted efforts of Senate leadership to push a bill that would privatize state prison facilities from Orlando south, a group of Republican Senators have called the plan into question, casting doubt on many of the supposed merits of turning the facilities over to the private sector.

In serious situations, minutes can be the difference between life and death for patients with severe injuries. But before November 13, no trauma center was located within Manatee, Sarasota or Desoto counties. Patients involved in serious motor vehicle accidents, falls and assaults were airlifted to St. Petersburg or Tampa. Hardships were not only placed on the victim, but also their family, who had to travel great distances to visit an injured, loved one.

On Wednesday, the Florida Senate passed a bill that will allow students in Florida schools to give public prayer at school events. SB 98 passed on a 31-8 vote. The bill will now go to the House, where it is also expected to pass. Critics warn that it could lead to expensive lawsuits for the state.

A bill that would have expanded casino gambling to include Vegas-style resorts stalled in committee yesterday, in a delay that will likely prevent the bill from passing during the 2012 session. Though a Senate panel already approved a similar bill, it did not go to a vote as Senators waited to see if there was enough support in the House.

Manatee County officials are asking local drivers to use extra caution on major thoroughfares in coming months as traffic signals at large intersections are adjusted and retimed as the first major implementation of the Advanced Traffic Management System.

Mosaic hit a wall in a marathon session at the BOCC land use meeting Thursday. It was a team of very well qualified professionals and an extremely knowledgable public that set the pace, preventing the usual song and dance from getting the job done.

Six was the magic number. Residents of Parrish went before the BOCC for the sixth time to prevent the permitting of the Shunn-Shion Chung Springfield Subdivision. What started out as 29 homes, down to 23 homes, then to 19, 12 and finally there will only be 6 homes being built in the 25th Street, 12-acre development, if Mr Chung decides to still build.

On Wednesday, high school athletes from all over the country signed letters of intent to accept scholarships to play college football in an event known as National Signing Day. In football-rich Manatee County, it's becoming a regular tradition as multiple schools hold media events to announce their athletes' decisions.

More than 500 middle and high school students representing five counties will converge on the Bradenton campus of State College of Florida this Saturday, February 4, 2012, when SCF and the Manatee County School District host the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) District 18 Leadership Conference. The Conference begins with an Introduction Ceremony at 8:30 a.m. and is scheduled to end with an Awards Ceremony from 1 p.m. to approximately 2:15 p.m.

There were two monumental issues before the BOCC Thursday; a rezoning land use change and a phosphate mining permit requested by Mosaic Fertilizer, seeking approval to strip mine 661 acres, sacrificing 50 acres of wetlands, in eastern Manatee County; and a vote on the long awaited decision determining whether a 12-acre development, and as many houses, can be built across from old riverfront property in Parrish. Residents said "no way, no more than six homes," and they got their wish.