Log in Subscribe
Top Stories

Public Camping Law is More Theater than Solution

A new Florida law that Gov. Ron DeSantis touted as a way to prevent Florida from becoming San Francisco looks like another stunt geared more toward the press conference than the actual policy.
by Mitch Maley
Yesterday at 2:09 PM
The population of Florida’s bald eagles dropped dramatically because of DDT. Photo by FWC
commentary

Florida fueled the first Earth Day; now we need another one

Earth Day is coming up next Monday, which will probably elicit a fervent “meh” from a lot of people. These days, Earth Day seems more like a marketing gimmick than a holiday, not unlike …
by Craig Pittman
Yesterday at 11:06 AM
Former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania ahead of his New York Criminal trial.

Trump leads Biden by 8 points in Florida in new Florida Atlantic University survey

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump continues to hold a strong lead over President Joe Biden in a new survey of Florida registered voters. The poll of 865 adults …
by Mitch Perry
Yesterday at 11:00 AM
Dickey Betts at the Pistoia Blues Festival, Italy, July 2008.

A Rambling Man is Laid to Rest

Bradenton native and co-founder of the legendary Allman Brothers Band Dickey Betts passed away on Thursday following a battle with cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
by Mitch Maley
2 days ago
More local news
Red Tide Status Update: 4/19/23
Red tide was not observed in samples collected statewide over the past week. No reports of fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were received over the past week.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Yesterday at 4:56 PM
This Week in Local Government: 4/21/24
It will be a fairly active week for local governments. The Manatee County Commission will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday with a lengthy agenda...
by Dawn Kitterman
Yesterday at 3:17 PM
New Pavilion Unveiled at Lake Manatee State Park
Lake Manatee State Park now has a new, accessible picnic pavilion. A generous donation from the Garrett A. Turner Foundation made the amenity possible. The lakeside …
Staff Report
Yesterday at 1:23 PM
Bradenton Road Rage Shooter Convicted of Manslaughter
Nicholas Koontz was found guilty of Manslaughter with a Firearm this week following a jury trial for a 2021 road rage incident in Bradenton. In Oct. of 2021, Koontz and the …
Staff Report
Yesterday at 11:29 AM
Colony Cove Pipeline Replacement Project Public Information Meeting set for 4/25
Manatee County is hosting a Public Information Meeting for the upcoming improvements to the wastewater collection system in Colony Cove’s South neighborhood on US 301, …
by Manatee County Government
Yesterday at 11:23 AM
Fugitive Suspected of 2023 Shooting and Kidnapping at Tropicana Apprehended
The suspect in the June 2023 shooting of a coworker at Tropicana Bradenton and the armed kidnapping of a second coworker is in custody. Demetrius Tyrone Bell, 51, was arrested in …
Staff Report
2 days ago
Opinions
EarthTalk: Vulnerability To Climate Change Varies By U.S. Region
Climate change causes rising temperatures, fluctuating rain patterns and other extreme weather phenomena. However, the effects of climate change are not equally distributed across the country. …
Yesterday at 2:52 PM
Guest Opinion
Charter Schools are Contributing to Urban Sprawl
Florida is promoting charter schools as an alternative to traditional schools, allowing parents the “freedom of choice” in providing education for their children. What Florida …
by Glenn Compton
Yesterday at 10:39 AM
Guest Opinion
Is 4/20 Day Advertising Marijuana to Younger Generations?
Marijuana is legal in Florida, and the state follows federal law with regard to the drug. 4/20 Day remains a big event for many people. It has long moved past the counterculture protests of old to …
by Jody Boulay
2 days ago
COMMENTARY
Sunday Favorites: Where and What was Pine Level?
Back when Manatee County was first formed, it was much larger than it is today. Early settlers in eastern Manatee, many living in the Peace River region were not happy that Manatee Village was identified as the county seat. They wanted a more centralized location, but where could it be?
by Merab Favorite
Sunday, April 14
commentary
Kayakers on the Apalachicola River, via the Apalachicola Riverkeeper.
Again? For the third time, another company wants to drill in FL’s Apalachicola River floodplain
Every year in the spring, there’s an event called  Hands Across the Sand,  where people gather on Florida’s beaches to show their opposition to offshore oil drilling. This year, …
by Craig Pittman
Friday, April 12
commentary
Museum should display wetlands and other artifacts of a Florida that’s fast disappearing
Dear Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd, I am writing to you about some ideas I had for one of your museums. As you know, Tallahassee is home to more than just the Florida State Capitol …
by Craig Pittman
Friday, April 5
Obituaries
Jerry Cibulski
Jerry Cibulski, 83, left this world peacefully on April 14, 2024, due to complications from Alzheimer's, with his wife, Betty, by his side. Jerry was born in Boston, MA on November 24, 1940. He grew …
3 days ago
Nancy Grantham
Nancy H. Grantham, 94, passed away peacefully on April 11, 2024, in Bradenton, Florida. She was born on April 16, 1929, in Cleveland, Ohio, …
3 days ago
Misty Hammonds
Misty Dawn Hammonds, of Bradenton, passed away on March 31, 2024. She was born in Nashville, Tennessee to Janet and Jerry Hammonds Sr. Misty always had an eye for beauty and fashion. She used …
3 days ago
This week's reader poll
TBT Podcasts
This week, Mitch and Dawn discuss the Manatee County Commission's special meeting on "illegal aliens" and James Satcher's appointment as Manatee County Supervisor of Elections.
3 days ago
This week, TBT editor Mitch Maley & local government reporter Dawn Kitterman discuss a broad array of local, state, and national issues while keeping you up to date on some major area events …
Thursday, April 11
COMMENTS FROM OUR READERS
Local Events and More...
Calendar of events
Sports & recreation

McCutchen Leading Way for New Look Pirates

With several new faces representing the present and future of the Pittsburgh Pirates, make no mistake, Andrew McCutchen remains the club’s leader. Now, at the start of his sixteenth MLB …
by Don Laible
Tuesday, April 9

Bradentucky Bombers to Host First Tournament

The Bradentucky Bombers are hosting our first-ever WFTDA-sanctioned roller derby tournament, Invadentucky, from April 20-21, 2024, at Ellenton Ice & Sports Complex. The two-day …
Staff Report
Tuesday, April 9

The BioFile: J.J. Wolf

J.J. Wolf is the 94th-ranked player on the ATP World Tour. He will compete in this week's Elizabeth Moore Sarasota Open ATP Challenger at Payne Park in Sarasota. Wolf's highest ranking so far was 39 …
by Scoop Malinowski
Saturday, April 6
Arts & Entertainment
Dekyi Rongé, Alex Pelletier, and Gregg Weiner. Photo by Sorcha Augustine

Theater Review: Westminster

Urbanite Theatre in downtown Sarasota recently presented the world premiere of Brenda Withers' Westminster , a dark comedy that was the winner of Urbanite's 2023 Modern Works …

by Mitch Maley
2 days ago

Interview: Cheap Trick

Now that live music is back, with it comes a string of Cheap Trick concerts. It’s something the veteran act has done on a consistent annual basis ever since forming in Rockford, IL, in 1973. …
by Dave Gil de Rubio
2 days ago

Weekend Sounds: April 19-21

It's another weekend, and you know what that means. If you guessed another great lineup of local, talented musicians in Manatee, Sarasota, and surrounding counties ...
Staff Report
3 days ago

The Gormander: SRQ's Top Mixologists Raise the Bar

It was a picturesque Sunday afternoon in paradise, and while I prefer to observe the whole day of rest aspect of the Sabbath, I was happy to be on the job covering Sarasota-Manatee …
by Mitch Maley
4 days ago
ICYM - In Case You Missed It
opinion
On Friday, Governor Ron DeSantis again showed his true colors, appointing unqualified political hack James Satcher as our Supervisor of Elections instead of the infinitely more qualified alternative, …
by Mitch Maley
4 days ago
Opinion
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed SB 184 and HB 601 into law on Friday.  The latter prohibits civilian oversight boards (like the one established by the City of Bradenton) from investigating …
by Mitch Maley
Saturday, April 13
In the West Texas town of Sweetwater, about 40 miles west of Abilene on Interstate 20, there is a field filled to the brim with unwanted wind turbine blades.
Thursday, April 11
opinion
The Sarasota City Commission is considering an ordinance to regulate political lobbying in city hall known as the “Lobbying & Transparency Act”. When you say the words …
by Glenn Compton
Thursday, April 11
opinion
In this week's poll, we asked TBT readers whether they approved of President Biden's handling of the crisis on our southern border. A whopping 92% of respondents did not.
by Mitch Maley
Saturday, April 6
Interesting News

20 hit songs you may not know were written by music icons

Stacker compiled 20 hit songs between 1960 and today that were written by someone other than the singer, using various sources.

Zuri White-Gibson
Yesterday at 3:15 PM

An All-Star Strategy: How A-Rod Keeps His Gum Disease in Check

(BPT) - World Series Champion and 3-time American League MVP Alex Rodriguez (aka A-Rod) knows how important it is to prioritize your oral health. That’s why, upon receiving a gum disease …
Yesterday at 11:01 AM

Is it safe to shop on Temu? Here are 5 scams to avoid on the popular online shopping platform

Spokeo warns that while Temu offers a promising shopping experience, consumers should be aware of potential scams.
Osheen Jain
Yesterday at 11:00 AM
Florida report

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

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
Quality Journalism for Critical Times Haitian advocacy groups denounced the Biden administration on Friday, a day after the government deported dozens of Haitian nationals, despite the surge in …
Mitch Perry (via Florida Phoenix)
Yesterday at 5:09 PM
Quality Journalism for Critical Times WASHINGTON — The U.S. House on Friday moved one step closer to approving billions in military and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, …
Jennifer Shutt (via Florida Phoenix)
Yesterday at 3:10 PM
Quality Journalism for Critical Times Memorial arrangements are out for Bob Graham, and they include lying in state in the Historic Capitol on Friday, April 26, and a private family burial service …
Michael Moline (via Florida Phoenix)
Yesterday at 12:25 PM
Quality Journalism for Critical Times WASHINGTON — U.S. House leadership has packaged more than a dozen bipartisan bills into a so-called “sidecar” agreement meant to attract isolationist …
Ashley Murray (via Florida Phoenix)
Yesterday at 10:51 AM
Bonus web content
6 home improvement projects that offer the best return on your investment
Rocket Loans reports that there are large and small home improvements that provide a good return on investment.
Lauren Nowacki
Yesterday at 10:30 AM
Try adding these 10 healthiest snacks for weight loss into your daily food plan
Hers rounded up 10 healthy snacks that can help with weight loss goal, based on science.
Lauren Panoff
Yesterday at 10:00 AM
10 outdoor sites to learn more about Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander heritage
Stacker used data from the National Park Service and other sources to compile this list of 10 historical sites to learn more about AA & NHPI heritage.
Cu Fleshman
Yesterday at 9:30 AM
5 tech advancements sports venues have added since your last event
Uniqode compiled a list of technologies adopted by stadiums, arenas, and other major sporting venues in the past few years.
Jake Kring-Schreifels
Yesterday at 9:00 AM
Billions of cicadas are about to emerge from underground in a rare double-brood convergence
In the wake of North America’s recent solar eclipse, another historic natural event is on the horizon. From late April through June 2024, the largest brood of 13-year cicadas, known as Brood XIX, will co-emerge with a midwestern brood of 17-year cicadas, Brood XIII.
John Cooley, University of Connecticut and Chris Simon, University of Connecticut, The Conversation
2 days ago