Manatee County could soon be moving services offered at its administrative building in downtown Bradenton to Lakewood Ranch a project that could cost about $34.8 million Manatee County commissioners will consider the $23.5 million purchase of 11.28 acres in Lakewood Ranch during a public meeting Tuesday they would earmark nearly $35 million for the land purchase and any construction or remodeling costs Relevant: Contentious plans to sell Manatee County's Lena Road property advance More about the parking garage: This week in Manatee: New pools for Premier, Bradenton convention center upgrades, and parking garage woes property management and development services staff visited the site to evaluate it's potential as a suitable replacement for the existing county administration building in downtown Bradenton according to records included with the meeting agenda However the proposal has not been discussed publicly the property features a two-story building that offers 101,312 square feet of office space currently leased to two tenants − TriNet and the Federal Emergency Management Agency and has one three-month extension option upon 30 days written notice TriNet's lease will be terminated prior to closing on Sept Two local residents have already submitted written public comment on the proposal Mike Adams emailed commissioners to question whether the move truly benefits the general public "Is the plan to relocate all county government services (currently downtown) to a remote location in an extremely high traffic area and tell us it will better serve the people's needs?" Adams asked in his email "Can someone please explain how this benefits the public?" former Manatee County floodplain manager Sandy Tudor submitted comment questioning whether the proposal faces a similar fate as other efforts to relocate county services away from downtown Bradenton "The proposal to move some county services to the east came up several times," Tudor commented 301 didn't last and building is now only Emergency Services where when opened (Building & Development Services) was also there just question if they could have found one more centrally located such as along SR 70 I would hate having to travel to this building I don't like the diverging diamond at I-75 I realize building permits are online as are development permits but other services are not online," she said The views expressed here are the author's own Sarasota and Bradenton are offering guests special deals on Monday Enjoy Don Julio 1942 tequila for $19.42 all day Hooters is also featuring a festive deal of a Nacho combo with two Coronas for $18 Hooters will also be offering their daily all day everyday Sauza Rita’s for $5 Hooters of Beach Place (17 S Fort Lauderdale Beach Place Blvd Suite 304 Hooters of Pembroke Pines (7990 Pines Boulevard Hooters of Sunrise (3805 N University Drive Hooters of Cape Coral (3120 Del Prado Boulevard Hooters of Fort Myers (4411 Cleveland Avenue Hooters of Port Charlotte (1360 Tamiami Trail Hooters of Sarasota (6507 South Tamiami Trail Hooters of South Florida, owns and operates 15 locations. For more information about South Florida Hooters and their community involvement please visit www.HootersFlorida.com or follow us at Twitter @HootersFlorida, Instagram @SouthFLHooters and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hootersflorida/ Friday, 4:00 pmSarasota, FL — Surveillance video shows the General Manager of Oak and Stone restaurant in Bradenton allegedly burglarizing the restaurant The Bradenton Police Department (BPD) provided surveillance video that shows a man with his face covered in the restaurant unplugging security cameras around 5:45 a.m Police said that when a worker arrived at the restaurant later that morning and the cash register at the bar was forced open BPD detectives reviewed the surveillance video provided and additional angles outside the restaurant They were able to find that William “Billy” Johnson was seen parking a car registered to him a couple blocks from the restaurant he then walked back the restaurant and open the door with a key before burglarizing it and walking back out the door with the deposit bag and I feel like that's part of where the system failed" Henry Betsey Jr. is facing charges for marrying three Florida women in three different counties at the same time. Now saying the system that handles marriage licenses kept them in the dark More Sarasota and Manatee County News from ABC Action News Report a typo Bradenton Area Convention Center will hold a concert by a classic rock radio staple while Sarasota's Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall will host a 50th anniversary tour by a duo still featuring its original members 1 hit to its name along with numerous Top 5 tracks Other notable shows include a former member of famed metal bands Black Sabbath and Dio a Blues Music Award-winning artist who's up for another award at this year's ceremony two musicians who broke through with national television spotlights and performers who've been co-signed by names such as Meat Loaf Top 5 things to do in Sarasota area this Cinco de Mayo weekend (May 2-5) 75-plus things to do in May in Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, Punta Gorda Ticket Newsletter: Sign up to receive restaurant news and reviews plus info on things to do every Friday If you would like to be considered for this story, please submit your event to tinyurl.com/SubmitEventHeraldTribune at least 10 days before our Thursday publication date Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More — The general manager of a Bradenton restaurant was arrested after what city police called a “bungled burglary.” arrived at the business Tuesday morning and noticed the entrance was unlocked.  and the cash register at the bar appeared to have been forced open Johnson said he had locked the restaurant at 12:45 a.m.  “Bradenton Police detectives obtained video from Oak & Stone walking into the manager’s office at 5:44 a.m and unplugging the security cameras,” the news release said.  Detectives then reviewed video from multiple cameras near the restaurant was seen parking a Kia SUV several blocks from Oak & Stone Police said the vehicle was registered to him Johnson then walked to the restaurant and opened the door with a key wiped the door handles and left the door unlocked Johnson declined to talk to detectives but was arrested at his home and charged with burglary 2025 at 3:54 PM EDTEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInSARASOTA (WWSB) - One person was airlifted following a crash at Rye Road and 158th Street in Bradenton The crash involved three vehicles and occurred near Gene Witt Elementary One person was airlifted to Blake Medical in critical condition Rye Road has one lane open as crews work to clear the scene FORT MYERS, Fla. — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the arrests of three men chargedwith possessing and sharing images of children being sexually abused Jason Harrison was arrested in Jacksonville and Travis Montgomery was arrested in Bradenton this week on charges related to child sexual abuse material Watch Fort Myers Community Correspondent Miyoshi Price's report: "These are arrests and charges for three different individuals for possessing soliciting very gross child sex abuse material I'm not just talking about nude photos," Uthmeier said "Our office has officially charged three individuals one count of solicitation of an image from a parent or legal guardian and one count of consumer product tampering," said Agnieszka Thomas the assistant statewide prosecutor in the Fort Myers office for statewide prosecution Montgomery faces up to 75 years in prison if convicted Jason Harrison is awaiting extradition from Duval County to Hendry County and is charged with three counts of possession of child pornography and faces up to 15 years in prison Ryan Sheffield in Collier County is charged with 10 counts of possession of child pornography Investigators say the images showed children younger than 10 years old and some of the men tried to delete or hide evidence "I think these crimes are really permanent in nature The abuse doesn't just happen when a picture is taken or when it's purchased or when it's distributed and the abuse on these kids is happening every single time that those pictures are looked at or moved around or sold and shared I would like to see these people go away for a long time," Uthmeier said The arrests come as child abuse cases continue to rise in the region "Last year in Lee County alone, we provided 6500 services to children who have been affected by abuse, sexual abuse or medical neglect," said Alicia Shannon, CEO of the Children's Advocacy Center. who has worked in child protection for 15 years emphasized the lasting impacts of child abuse It also affects their brain development and their body growth and how they grow in the world It affects the relationships that they have and their ability to trust and even feel safe in the world as they grow," Shannon said Law enforcement officials noted they're finding more cases as technology improves "I think our investigators are using new technologies and skills and are able to identify things in a better way today than they have in the past But I also think that the emergence of technology is giving these dangerous individuals a feeling of comfort," Uthmeier said The Attorney General's office warned parents to monitor their children's online activities citing a recent case involving the gaming platform Roblox a gaming app where young people can get on in a social setting and play games with one another we arrested a guy in Marion County who was using this application to solicit sexual abuse material of young kids," Uthmeier said Officials indicated more arrests are possible as the investigation continues This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy Your local Walmart might look a little different by the end of the year Three Walmarts in the Sarasota-Bradenton area are getting a facelift as part of the company’s “store of the future” campaign. The initiative will remodel 650 stores across 47 states and Puerto Rico, including 34 in Florida These Walmarts in the region will undergo renovations: The remodel involves a new aesthetic look with big According to Walmart's director of local communications and the store won't close during renovations “The new stores will offer Walmart’s every day low prices and save customers time with convenient pickup and delivery options Each new Neighborhood Market will create approximately 100 new jobs and are currently scheduled to open later this year,” Walmart said in a release More: Economic uncertainty following tariffs could change Sarasota, Manatee real estate market Departments will be expanded with more product selections and new layouts to give shoppers (and employees) more room to move around a new private screening room and privacy checkout areas Each store's capacity for online pickups and deliveries will also be increased Walmart has already invested more than $1.6 billion during the past five years to upgrade stores in Florida, the company said. Earlier this year Walmart announced that one of the first locations nationwide to open under the new concept is a Walmart Neighborhood Market in Santa Rosa Beach All stores set for remodeling could start construction and be finished by the end of the year Walmart said it can't guarantee completion dates because the projects are subject to change based on construction schedules and other factors Bradenton and North Port have 11 total Walmarts Find the full list of Florida stores here Contact Herald-Tribune Reporter Heather Bushman at hbushman@gannett.com 2025 at 12:26 PM EDTEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInUPDATED at 6 p.m (WWSB) - The man who Bradenton police say may have illegally put a tracking device on a vehicle turned himself in Wednesday was wanted in connection with an investigation involving the illegal installation or use of an Apple AirTag operates accounting businesses in Bradenton and Sarasota Bradenton Police have stressed their investigation is focusing only on the tracking device and not with an unrelated investigation in Sarasota County dating back to 2022 in which Colon’s son told ABC7 in an email that his client has done nothing wrong Colon is absolutely Not Guilty of any criminal offense,” the email read “Based on his decades of service to the citizens of Sarasota and Manatee counties as an outstanding CPA we are confident that the community will Presume him Innocent.” Hunger said while the charges will be contested in court turned himself in and bonded out without incident.” last year following the shooting death of his son Colon’s killing was deemed justified by the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law according to Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office detectives’ records said there’s just no way his son would put himself in that situation “He was the first one to walk away from a fight,” he said Sarasota County sheriff’s deputies found that the son was causing physical harm to the shooter although records say the shooter crossed the street before firing at the victim A spokesperson for Bradenton Police reiterated that there is a lot of speculation on a Facebook post on its page “There has been a lot of speculation and misinformation posted in the comments section of our post,” said Bradenton Police spokesperson Meredith Censullo “Our investigation only encompasses the illegal use of an AirTag We haven’t named the victim or the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the AirTag because the case remains an active investigation.” Bradenton residents will soon be able to own up to four chickens following approval by the City Council but they will have to attain a permit and maintain compliance with some rules in an effort to keep concerns about chicken ownership in the city limits in check However the ordinance also comes with constraints and requires that residents get a city permit and comply with certain stipulations because of concerns that things could get out of hand without some oversight Did you know? Former Bradenton Mayor Bill Evers dies at 90, remembered for 'unwavering commitment' to Bradenton USA TODAY: Egg prices are up. Is raising backyard chickens a better deal? "If it's not causing an issue around neighborhoods then why not?" Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown told the Herald-Tribune "There's a lot of people that have chickens right now that we don't even know about a lot of people have pets that you don't know about "If there's a lot of issues then we can re-address this in a year and change it but we felt like it was the right time to move forward and give it a chance," he said The ordinance limits households to four hens per property It requires a 10-foot setback for any coop or run and annual permitting and inspection requirements to ensure compliance District 2 Council-member Marianne Barnebey was the lone no vote on the ordinance She expressed concern about the possible downsides to chicken ownership and permitting within the city "I will not be supporting this; I think this is opening up Pandora's box," Barnebey said during the meeting "I think what people are going to hear is that you can keep chickens in the city of Bradenton and they're not going to pay attention to the fact that we have some pretty stringent rules." Bradenton redevelopment: City plans to redevelop the century-long home of the Bradenton Shuffleboard Club More: Hotel, housing and retail development chosen for Bradenton City Hall site was apprehensive about the permit process ultimately approved "I really want to encourage us to go forward with allowing the chickens because I think this is kind of the next generation; this is something that they like having," Kocher said "If we want to be able to invite and be welcoming to that next generation But I think setting a whole bureaucratic thing around this is a little bit much I've looked at the surrounding communities and they do not do a permit." Brown told the Herald-Tribune that the city hopes to now make an issue for responsible chicken owners but maintain some ability to address noncompliance through the permit process "Our code enforcement is all about compliance and if people are complying then you shouldn't even know that anything is going on," Brown said Sarasota County and the city of Sarasota approved backyard chicken keeping several years ago. A 31-year-old man is facing DUI manslaughter charges after crashing into a pregnant woman’s car head on during a Palmetto accident Laurentino Serrano-Juarez, from Bradenton, was driving on the wrong side of the road while crossing the DeSoto Bridge ‘Alcohol destroys’: Florida leads South in deadly DUI crashes, tears Sarasota family apart Both drivers were taken to a local hospital Serrano-Juarez was treated and later released into police custody The pregnant driver sustained critical injuries and remains hospitalized Serrano-Juarez faces charges of DUI manslaughter DUI property damage and driving with no valid license Officers booked him into the Manatee County Jail As of April 8, there have been 1,578 crashes in Manatee County in 2025, according to the Florida Crash Dashboard there have been 13 deaths and 1,079 injuries there have been nine deaths and 1,135 injuries Melissa Pérez-Carrillo covers breaking news and public safety for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune — The man accused of a workplace shooting at the Tropicana Plant in Bradenton in 2023 was sentenced to life in prison by a Manatee County judge The woman was released two days later in Tampa WATCH: ABC Action News report after the shooting in 2023 Bell stayed on the run until April 15, 2024 when Bradenton Police were tipped off that he was back in the area He was later spotted by a helicopter unit clinging to the roof of a storage facility at the 2800 block of Manatee Avenue He was taken into custody by Bradenton Police On March 14,Bell was convicted on four felony charges and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon with a minimum mandatory term of life imprisonment Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBRADENTON (WWSB) - The City of Bradenton held its first reading of an ordinance related to the keeping of live poultry on private property within incorporated Bradenton Currently the City Ordinance prohibits the keeping of poultry on zoned property but there are resident requests to amend the rules The proposed ordinance would provide the following: Ordinance 4058 CC Staff Report by Melissa R. on Scribd The City will hold a second reading and public hearing on March 26 Ordinance 4058 CC Staff Report by Melissa R. on Scribd 2025 at 11:07 AM EDTEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBRADENTON (WWSB) - A Bradenton businessman has been arrested following a nearly year-long investigation into alleged misappropriation of funds is charged with misappropriating construction funds ($100,000 or more) and scheming to defraud ($50,000 or more) DeMers was the owner of Gulf View Windows and Doors DeMers assumed ownership of GVWD in 2023 from his brother detectives received complaints from Buky Construction and Easton Construction Both companies reported that after Jeremy DeMers took over the business leading to liens being placed on their properties The companies paid DeMers’ company $792,383 for products made by E.S he funneled the money into multiple business and personal accounts Subpoenas also revealed that DeMers deposited the funds into the GVWB accounts to his other accounts or a payroll company account from which he would then withdraw money He did the same with a $1 million life insurance policy payout The money was transferred between accounts are alleged to have been used for personal expenses Documents say DeMers spent $19,554 on airline tickets and at least $200,000 on gambling he made several ATM withdrawals at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and charged expensive meals On March 21, 2025, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune posted the article, "City of Bradenton Concealed Police Chief's Vehicle Accident for Years." Nineteen pages of copy spew lie after lie accusing me as the Bradenton chief of police two city attorneys and one city administrator of wrongdoing and engaging in a “coverup.” I agree that the alleged victim accepted a monetary settlement of her lawsuit against the city of Bradenton in 2022 glaringly absent from the article is the fact that the city settled the lawsuit for a nuisance value of $10,000 as a business decision because it would have cost much more to defend it Rita Bonnett accepted an amount that was hardly enough to cover attorney fees much less the exorbitant medical bills she supposedly incurred by being run over so viciously Why would a person settle for such a small amount of money after being hit by a prominent public official unless she did not have the evidence to support her accusations In the spirit of the upcoming Easter/Passover weekend and the anticipated 52nd airing of the Ten Commandments on U.S the famous quote above finalizes the Pharaoh's absolute and unquestionable authority on anything he has pronounced or written It seems the Sarasota Herald-Tribune now considers itself the people's Pharaoh and expects its readers to accept as true any words that are presented before them simply because they are written false and slanderous news outweigh truth and basic common sense Another rare fact the article got right was that the Ford Explorer in question was a brand new 2019 model but it failed to mention it is equipped with a 180-degree camera system that provides an audible warning when the car is placed in reverse and there is an obstruction near or behind the vehicle The truth is there never was an accident that evening and no one at the scene claimed as much – nor did the evidence support that an accident had occurred The Explorer's warning system – coupled with a verbal warning from Assistant Chief Josh Cramer who turned toward the vehicle when he heard it – did what it was intended to do and kept me from ever taking my foot off the brake and moving when I shifted the transmission from park to reverse there was a lieutenant and the investigating officer on scene who both stated in sworn testimony that neither Bonnett nor her husband made a claim that my cruiser struck her or that she had sustained any type of injury Bonnett indicated on record that she was not hit by the vehicle but had fallen also did not make a claim of his wife being struck by a vehicle he also denied seeing my vehicle strike his wife Bonnett was offered EMS assistance due to her fall but refused and walked away from the scene on her own accord shortly after the incident happened It was only when the city received notice 11 months later of Bonnett’s intent to sue did we become aware she was claiming my vehicle had struck her I would guess that if police consultant Walt Zalisko was told that no one at the scene of this incident observed claimed or had evidence or any indication that my vehicle struck someone – or had even moved for that matter – he would not have provided the quotes he did in the Herald-Tribune article He may have also recognized that a chief and three cops at a public event would not and could not successfully conspire together to hide an accident If a city-employed driver is found at fault he or she typically receives the first level of discipline and the city’s risk management division addresses and settles whatever claim is brought forth (if any) To think that in 2019 I would risk a 32-year career in policing by lying about something such as this is simply outlandish But I go back to the Pharaoh's decree: it must be true because it is written in the paper for all to believe Six years have passed since the night of this incident and the Sarasota Herald–Tribune clearly assumes its readers are not wise enough to see this story for what it is: a blatant attack by a handful of disgruntled former police officers a disgraced former city councilman and admitted liar – who has been accused of intimidating abusive and threatening behavior in the workplace – and an ousted former NAACP president who just last year was convicted in a jury trial and sentenced to 364 days in jail for obstruction of justice and for making threats (notably against me as a law enforcement officer) It is no coincidence the word "former" is placed before the positions of all parties involved Herald-Tribune reporter Chris Anderson is quick to publish quotes and opinions from these individuals but arrogantly glosses over the character traits that readers deserve to understand before formulating their own opinions The obvious disregard for facts and sloppiness in reporting is perpetuated by the reporter himself who spelled his own name wrong in the online version of the story for assuming you are the Pharaoh and we are your blind disciples Your article is a shining example of why so many Americans have lost faith in the media I encourage anyone who wants to review all formal documents depositions and the settlement agreement of this matter to make a public records request to the Bradenton Police Department so you can formulate your own opinions by reading the facts rather than the fiction presented by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune Melanie Bevan is the police chief of Bradenton (The Herald-Tribune responds: The Herald-Tribune stands by the reporting in the original article the bulk of which Chief Bevan does not address.) -- A Florida Missing Child Alert has been issued for two teenage girls from Bradenton who the FDLE says may be in Pensacola and traveling to Texas Surianneylis has a piercing in her tongue and abdomen and may have dyed bright red hair while Marlen may go by the name "Daniela." The children were last seen in the area of the 1800-block of Martin Luther King Avenue in Bradenton "The children may be in the Pensacola Florida area and may be travelling to Texas," FDLE says in a release "The children primarily speak Spanish." both children are considered to be endangered If you have any information on the whereabouts of these children contact the Bradenton Police Department at 941-932-9301 or 911 Bradenton Police (BPD) said they arrested two teens for a shooting that left one person dead and two others injured Sunday morning dispatchers received a call about shots fired at the park Officers found three victims with gunshot wounds and rendered aid The other two victims are receiving treatment Authorities later said one of the guns used by the suspects was stolen from an unlocked car in Bradenton in 2023 The BPD said the investigation is active and ongoing Two multifamily development projects are slated to bring housing restaurants and other amenities to downtown Bradenton's waterfront in the coming years following the recent sale of two government-owned properties to companies partnered with local builder Ron Allen Manatee County commissioners cast a split 4 to 2 vote on Nov 7 to sell a 3.7-acre surplus property located on the Wares Creek waterfront to Amres Investments the Bradenton-based NDC Construction Company is the construction partner on the project His company is also the construction partner on a luxury 20-story Manatee River waterfront development project by the L&L Development Group, called The Vias, on the current Bradenton City Hall property In case you missed it: Hotel, housing and retail development chosen for Bradenton City Hall site Also: Sale of Bradenton's waterfront city hall property could catalyze downtown redevelopment Allen told the Herald-Tribune that his projects are part of a longtime local effort to breathe life back into downtown Bradenton, which has historically served as a retail, cultural, and government center for the city to when cities used to be a hub where people went to spend their time there is nothing wrong with suburbia but it sucked the life out of not just Bradenton but every downtown across America I have spent the last 35 years with the understanding that Bradenton is such a wonderful community that we ought to be spending a lot of time trying to bring downtown back to life." "Now we are at a stage where there is a lot of opportunities that exist but having residents there makes that a much easier process to bring the restaurants and retail," he said Allen said the county's surplus property sits at one of the gateways into downtown Bradenton but is currently used for county staff parking and is closed off with a chain-linked fence He envisions replacing the site with a 6 to 8-foot multi-use development project that includes ground-floor retail and a public pocket park along Wares Creek I am guessing we are looking in the 6 to 8-floor range," he said the view corridors up Wares Creek and the river are phenomenal so I think things are going to be balconied It will be a great opportunity for people living downtown." More about the ArtCenter: New $11 million ArtCenter Manatee building to break ground in Bradenton this year The development could still take time to break ground and closing on the sale could be delayed for years until Manatee finishes reconstruction of its downtown parking garage or finds an alternate parking solution The two luxury projects are not the only developments NDC Construction is involved with The company is also responsible for development of the Nine20 Manatee workforce housing project which is a 12-story multifamily project includes 137 workforce housing units slated to open on Manatee Avenue in early 2025 The company is also the builder of a new ArtCenter Manatee building on 3rd Avenue W. and a new multifamily housing project proposed for a site next to it that could break ground next year retail and recreational space slated for downtown BradentonBradenton Mayor Gene Brown said longtime efforts to revitalize downtown Bradenton with more housing retail and entertainment options are a driving force behind recent decisions by elected officials to sell government-owned property for redevelopment The sale of the current city hall property to build The Vias is a culmination of major community outcry years ago over its purchase, Brown said — although groundbreaking on the project is delayed for several years until city hall and police department offices are relocated off the property "The economic development of our downtown is very important," Brown said there was a great groundswell of thousands of people showing up to meetings that did not think that city hall should be on the waterfront But we couldn't move out the next day because the building was brand new." More: Bradenton to negotiate a contract with NDC Construction Co. to build a new police HQ Brown said he envisions a walkable downtown area flush with entertainment and dining options for downtown residents and visitors elected officials hope that a growing amount of local residents can help lure a grocery store downtown as well He said recent policy changes have helped the city attract developers willing to build attainably priced housing to make that vision possible council wants a grocery store downtown," Brown said "If you look around all of downtown you see not only Ron Allen you see the Housing Trust Group which has an attainable senior housing project," he said "You see what the MET is doing with Marshall Gobuty they wanted to be downtown with attainable workforce housing What is the biggest thing this state has been complaining about It's affordable and attainable workforce housing so over the last several years we've been proud to say that we are getting that."