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Wikimedia Public Domain photo. User: Mohamedgu123

U.S. House Republicans aim to ban state-level AI laws for 10 years

A footnote in a budget bill U.S. House Republicans are trying to pass before Memorial Day is the first major signal for how Congress may address artificial intelligence legislation, as they seek to …
by Paige Gross
9 hours ago
Democrats have lost their electoral advantage in Miami-Dade County. (Photo by Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau)

Miami-Dade becomes the latest Florida county to flip from blue to red in voter registration

The latest evidence of the Republican Party’s growth in Florida is news announced on Monday that registered Republicans now outrank Democrats in Miami-Dade County, the most populous in Florida.
by Mitch Perry
Yesterday at 2:49 PM
Crews begin construction on homes at the Gracewater Community Development District in Sarasota. More CDDs are popping up across the Suncoast, bringing thousands of homes to the area. | Photo by Josh Salman, Suncoast Searchlight

Florida officials warn: Buyer beware as developer districts spread across the Suncoast

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.
by Josh Salman and Derek Gilliam, Suncoast Searchlight
4 days ago
Image via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Florida bans municipalities from fluoridating water supplies

Florida has banned fluoride from its water supply. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed ( SB 700 ) into law Thursday making Florida the second state (after Utah) in the country to ban municipalities from …
by Christine Sexton
5 days ago
More local news
Airbnb rolls out anti-party defenses in Florida for Memorial Day and July 4 weekends
As summer approaches, Airbnb is rolling out anti-party technology across the US and Puerto Rico to help reduce the risk of unauthorized and disruptive parties over the Memorial Day …
Staff Report
8 hours ago
Red Tide Status Update: 3/21/25
Over the past week, the red tide organism  Karenia brevis  was detected at background concentrations in three samples. We continue to use chlorophyll satellite imagery (USF, NOAA …
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
8 hours ago
American Airlines to Add New Route to MIA from SRQ
American Airlines will launch daily nonstop service to Miami, FL (MIA) from Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) beginning November 3. 
Staff Report
Yesterday at 2:39 PM
Red Tide Status Update: 5/16/25
Over the past week, red tide   was detected at background concentrations in three samples collected from Southwest Florida. We continue to examine chlorophyll satellite imagery (USF, NOAA NCCOS) …
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
4 days ago
Manatee Bad Boys: MCSO to be Featured on COPS
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office will be featured on the next season of the reality TV show COPS. Production crews have been doing regular ride-alongs with Manatee County …
Staff Report
Thursday, May 15
Crime
Manatee County Charter School Teacher Arrested for Child Molestation
The Manatee County Sheriff's Office announced this week that a former Manatee County teacher has been charged with molesting and committing battery on multiple elementary-aged …
Staff Report
Thursday, May 15
Opinions
Action Alert
Manatee, Don't Let the State Legislature Block Protecting Our County's Wetlands
Please take action. Click on the link below to contact your state legislators and ask them to strip harmful sections from SB 180 before it's too late ...
LWV Manatee County
2 hours ago
OPINION
Republicans in Tallahassee Just Won't Stop Attacking Home Rule
Last week, we saw how developer stooges in Tallahassee have made it much more difficult for the new Manatee County Commission to overturn the horrible decisions made by the previous board, including …
by Mitch Maley
4 days ago
EarthTalk: U.S. Air Quality Better — But Still Room For Improvement
Air quality is defined as the degree to which the air of a set place is pollutant-free. In the United States, air quality is measured through the Air Quality Index (AQI) created by the U.S. …
Wednesday, May 14
COMMENTARY
Commentary
Chief's Corner: Bradenton Fire Department
As National Hurricane Preparedness Week ends and our community and surrounding counties continue to recover and rebound from three major hurricanes in 2024, the BFD wants to encourage you to be …
by Chief Tim Geer
8 hours ago
commentary
Council Corner: Ward 5
The month of May brings many reasons to celebrate—especially the people who serve, teach, and inspire our community. Recognizing Police Week and Peace Officers Memorial Day, we take this time …
by Pam Coachman
9 hours ago
Sunday Favorites
Main Street in Braidentown circa 1902.
Bradenton Was Built on Citrus, Steamships, and 59 Votes
In 1903, Braidentown, later Bradenton, was a modest riverside settlement poised for growth. With the arrival of the railroad in 1902, the community saw increased connectivity and economic opportunity. On May 19, 1903, a pivotal vote was held and 59 residents voted in favor of incorporation, while 34 opposed. This decision marked the town's official establishment, setting the stage for its transformation into the vibrant city we know today.
Merab Favorite
3 days ago
Obituaries
Sharon Sue Rickerd
Sharon Sue Rickerd, 82, of Bradenton, FL, died in her home of natural causes on May 11, 2025. She was born in Moline, IL in 1942 to Alma and Clarence Rogers. …
Yesterday at 4:32 PM
Chet Horne
Chet Prather Horne passed away peacefully on May 15, 2025, after a courageous battle with bladder cancer. He was born on August 16, 1958, in Madisonville, Kentucky, to the late Robert Jackson Horne …
2 days ago
Allan Johnson, Jr.
Allan William Johnson Jr, 87 of Bradenton, Florida passed away Saturday May 10th, 2025. Born in Jackson, Michigan Allan's family moved to the Phillipsburg area. Allan attended the Phillipsburg …
2 days ago
Join us on social media
TBT Podcasts
This week, Mitch and Dawn discuss Manatee County's struggles to enact sustainable growth policies in light of the state's increasing array of efforts to supersede home rule.
Wednesday, May 14
Podcast
This week, Mitch and Dawn discuss the Manatee County Commission's vote to purchase a large office complex in Lakewood Ranch, where the county will move much of its administrative operations.
Wednesday, May 7
COMMENTS FROM OUR READERS
Local Events and More...
Calendar of events
Sports & recreation
Sports

Lamont’s Expertise Just What Pirates Needed

Gene Lamont is only too happy to come out of retirement for the good of the Pittsburgh Pirates. How much does Lamont care about the Pirates’ organization and, even more importantly, the …
by Don Laible
Yesterday at 2:44 PM
Baseball

Brock Quietly Molding Pirates’ Playing Skills

Tarrik Brock is an unsung hero for the Pittsburgh Pirates. One advantage for new Pirates skipper Don Kelly is having a coaching staff that he is quite familiar with.  As he settles into his new …
by Don Laible
Thursday, May 15

Bradenton Resident Horvath Recalls 1983 Historic French Open Upset of Navratilova

Martina Navratilova did not lose a match all year in 1983, going into the first Grand Slam event of the year, the French Open. But she was in for a big surprise from current Bradenton resident Kathy …
by Scoop Malinowski
Tuesday, May 13
Arts & Entertainment
Music

Interview: Rick Springfield

Renowned psychotherapist Virginia Satir once said individuals should not allow other peoples’ limited perceptions define them. Rick Springfield has definitely embraced that mantra throughout a …

by Dave Gil de Rubio
9 hours ago
Film

Movie Review: Thunderbolts

It’s no secret that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has struggled lately. Post-“Endgame,” the MCU has fumbled extensively with telling stories in their intricately interconnected …
by Jared Rasic
Thursday, May 15

Grace and Glorie Now Playing at Island Players

The odd couple comedy, Grace and Glorie , is currently running at the Island Players Theater on Anna Maria Island.  Set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, it tells the story of two very different women who build an unlikely friendship.
Staff Report
Tuesday, May 13
Arts & Entertainment

Movie Review: Warfare

If we made a list of some of the most underrated writers/filmmakers currently working, somewhere near the top of that (fairly long) catalog would be Alex Garland. While he has had a few massive …
by Jared Rasic
Thursday, May 8
ICYM - In Case You Missed It
opinion
In 15 years of covering the Manatee County Commission, I don't know that I have ever witnessed anything as bizarre as District 1 Commissioner Carol Felts' performance Tuesday when the board was to …
by Mitch Maley
Saturday, May 10
Guest Opinion
Every summer brings the familiar joys of sunny weather, family barbecues, and beach vacations. But for Americans on the Gulf or Atlantic coasts, the daily weather forecast always comes with a …
by Sabrina B. Valenti
Saturday, May 10
Guest Opinion
Firefighting is inherently a hazardous profession. It exposes first responders to numerous dangers, such as extreme heat, toxic smoke, and intense physical and emotional strain. Yet beyond these …
by Jonathan Sharp
Saturday, May 10
America’s national parks welcome millions of visitors per year, some 331.9 million in 2024. And parks offer more than just scenery. The 63 American national parks are vital to conservation and …
Wednesday, May 7
opinion
On Tuesday, the Manatee County Commission will vote on an estimated $34 million proposal to purchase and renovate a Lakewood Ranch office complex where the county would move the bulk of its administrative operations, including nearly all those currently housed in the downtown Bradenton administrative building. If you’re surprised and even confused by the fact that you had not previously heard about any of this, join the club.
by Mitch Maley
Saturday, May 3
Interesting News
A girl, wearing her prosthetic hands, walks to school in Uruguay.

How 3D printing is personalizing health care

Precise and flexible 3D manufacturing techniques make it possible to individually tailor everything from prosthetics to drugs.

Anne Schmitz, University of Wisconsin-Stout and Daniel Freedman, University of Wisconsin-Stout, The Conversation
4 hours ago

Do photons wear out? An astrophysicist explains light’s ability to travel vast cosmic distances without losing energy

The speed of light is the fastest anything can travel. What happens to a photon from a galaxy 25 million light years away on its journey toward Earth?
Jarred Roberts, University of California, San Diego, The Conversation
4 hours ago

How much can renters save by switching from a car commute to using public transit?

Point2Homes calculates that with a monthly income of around $4,000, the average U.S. renter household would save the equivalent of nearly two months’ salary by choosing public transit over commuting by car.
Andra Hopulele for Point2Homes
9 hours ago
Florida report

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Bob Delaney - Undercover Film "Hiding in Plain Sight" Working Undercover in New Jersey as a State Trooper

Emmy Award winning director, Nick Nanton, interviews Bob Delaney. Former undercover New Jersey state trooper and NBA referee. Bob Delaney talks with Nick Nanton about his incredible careers in two vastly different fields, from infiltrating the Mafia in the 1970s to becoming one of the NBA's most respected referees. In this episode, Bob opens up about his experience with post-traumatic stress and his passion for helping others overcome it.

State News
Two Florida newspapers are reporting there is an open investigation into the Hope Florida Foundation, First Lady Casey DeSantis’ signature social-services program, which came under legislative …
Florida Phoenix staff (via Florida Phoenix)
3 hours ago
When Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended two Democratic state attorneys in recent years, he contended that both deserved to be removed because they were ignoring the law and not following their duties. But …
Mitch Perry (via Florida Phoenix)
4 hours ago
WASHINGTON — U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified before Congress on Tuesday that a major report due out later this week from his agency will not disparage …
Jennifer Shutt (via Florida Phoenix)
5 hours ago
Galvanized by the loss of  $2.5 billion in federal public health funding, the eight Democratic members of the Florida Congressional delegation sent a letter to the Trump administration Tuesday …
Christine Sexton (via Florida Phoenix)
5 hours ago