Bradenton Times News Articles

Manatee County voters soundly rejected a proposal to implement a half-cent sales tax in order to maintain current healthcare spending past 2015. The measure failed 61-39 percent. Meanwhile, a referendum on allowing the county to offer property tax abatements to new or expanding businesses passed 52.5 to 47.5 percent.

Four new red-light cameras will added to three Manatee County intersections after a presentation by code enforcement to the board of county commissioners. Code Enforcement Chief Joe Fenton briefed the board on the devices' performance to date at Tuesday's meeting. Melissa Wandall, widow of Mark Wandall, whom the state law allowing the devices is named after, was also on hand to discuss the program's success. Wandall's husband was killed by a light-runner in 2003.

The Taliban announced Tuesday that they were prepared to take the first step toward a peace agreement with the Afghanistan government, though Afghan officials quickly rejected the deal. The two have been at war for 12 years. The United States has suffered over 2,000 casualties in a conflict that has cost U.S. taxpayers nearly a trillion dollars in direct and associated expenses. 

Bradenton's own China “the Dragon” Smith returns to the ring July 26 in the 10-round main event at the Bradenton Area Convention Center. Smith, a former standout running back at Sarasota's Riverview High who twice held the National Boxing Association's Heavyweight Championship, returns to the ring professionally for the first time since 2006. The 33-4 southpaw hopes that a win could be the first step to getting back into the heavyweight mix. 

The Bradenton Marauders have announced that the 2014 Florida State League All-Star Game will be played at historic McKechnie Field next June. Bradenton, in its fourth season in the FSL, will be hosting its first All-Star Game. The 53rd annual game will pit the top players in the FSL South against the best of the FSL North. The Bradenton Marauders begin the second half of the Florida State League season by hosting the Charlotte Stone Crabs Thursday.

Manatee County Commissioners were introduced to the options that will soon be available for the troubled Cortez bridge. Commissioners also viewed the results of eight months with "red light" cameras around the county and the location of four more that were turned on Tuesday.

There might not be a worse time to round up voters in Manatee County than during the summer in an off-election year. School is out, snow birds have headed home and many younger families have embarked on summer vacations. Therefore the Manatee County voters who do participate in today's special election will likely have a greater proportional impact than usual.

Palmetto City Commissioners have been struggling to find the right recipe to keep mobile food vendors on the street and in balance with existing businesses. On Monday night, the board voted 3-2 to implement rules that they feel will allow these businesses to continue serving the community, while still keeping a level playing field for other local food services.

I took my absentee ballot to the Supervisor of Elections Office Monday. I entered, handed it to the staff member and asked whether it was signed as requested. She said “yes” and then promptly, casually tossed my ballot on top of a stack she had sitting about three feet from her. I poked through some material handouts at the counter, thinking this over. I had several people advise me that this was how their ballots had been handled when they took them to the Supervisor’s office.

A True Political Bureaucrat is ... one who gets up every morning an and asks himself, “Who or What can I tax today?" Never would it cross their minds to even think, How or Where can we save taxpayers money today?