Focusing on local politics, events, and noteworthy people of Sarasota and Manatee counties.
The Valentine's Day Massacre at Stoneman Douglas High School - The Nilon Report
Valentine’s Day, 2018 The headlines read: “PARKLAND, Fla. — A former student went on a shooting rampage at a Florida high school Wednesday, leaving 17 [...]
Deceptive Practices Of Amendment 1 - The Nilon Report
Reprinted from the SRQ DAILY SATURDAY PERSPECTIVES EDITION | SATURDAY OCT 8, 2016 Over $21 million have been donated by the Florida utility companies to the PAC called Consumers for Smart Solar, which produced Amendment 1 on this year’s ballot. Take note that Amendment 1 is a well-disguised effo...
Originally published for SRQ Daily A photo was posted on social media this week that showed the bicycle racks out in front of the Selby Library. It was actually hard to see the racks themselves because they were being used to support trash bags filled with items instead of the bicycles that there were intended for. At first glance, it looked like the garbage collectors forgot to do their job. [ 468 more words. ]
http://thenilonreport.com/2016/07/sarasotas-shell-game/
Originally published for SRQ Daily A photo was posted on social media this week that showed the bicycle racks out in front of the Selby Library. It was actually hard to see the racks themselves because they were being used to support trash bags filled with items instead of the bicycles that there we...
Tomorrow night I will be appearing with an A-List of local politico's on the National Television and Radio program called Beyond the Beltway with Bruce DuMont talking about the Presidential Race.
Tomorrow night I will be appearing with an A-List of local politico's on the National Television and Radio program called Beyond the Beltway with Bruce DuMont talking about the Presidential Race. The guest list and schedule is as follows:
7-8pm
Tom Tryon Sarasota Herald Tribune
Frank Alcock New College of Florida
Susan Nilon The Nilon Report
8-9pm
Zac Anderson Sarasota Herald Tribune
Eric Hodges University of South Florida
Judy Sedgeman Political Commentator
On November 2, Doug Logan, who was just asked to resign as Director of Special Initiatives on chronic homeless, presented to the City Commission the idea that not a single agency in our community has stepped up to say that they will focus solely on the chronic homeless. Logan goes on to argue that the only answer to solving the city’s homeless problem is a new non-profit, named NEWCO. [ 589 more words. ]
http://thenilonreport.com/2016/02/the-sixth-commissioner/
Tom Barwin has been the city manager for over four years. And although our city charter requires an annual performance review, it appears that Mr. Barwin has had none. And under Mr. Barwin’s supervision is an employee who is working against the direction of the commission with what appears to be Mr.…
There is much upset this week over the county’s decision to allow Whole Foods Supermarket to purchase and pave over 4.5 acres of protected wetlands at University and Honore. What isn’t widely known is that in exchange for that acreage, Whole Foods purchased 34.5 acres in Manatee in order to mitigate the environmental impact. This acreage is a beautiful piece of land made up of hammocks and wetlands along the Manatee River. [ 498 more words. ]
http://thenilonreport.com/2016/01/paving-paradise/
There is much upset this week over the county’s decision to allow Whole Foods Supermarket to purchase and pave over 4.5 acres of protected wetlands at University and Honore. What isn’t widely known is that in exchange for that acreage, Whole Foods purchased 34.5 acres in Manatee in order to mitigat…
The Nilon Report's cover photo
The Nilon Report
In what appears to be an effort to substantially weaken Florida’s public records law and make it more difficult for citizens to gain access to public records, Representative Greg Steube has introduced HB 1021 and Senator Rene Garcia has introduced SB 1220. These bills will amend Florida Statute §119.12 to make the award of attorney’s fees discretionary even when a judge has made a finding that a public agency has wrongfully withheld public records from inspection. [ 447 more words. ]
http://thenilonreport.com/2016/01/1559/
In what appears to be an effort to substantially weaken Florida’s public records law and make it more difficult for citizens to gain access to public records, Representative Greg Steube has introduced HB 1021 and Senator Rene Garcia has introduced SB 1220. These bills will amend Florida Statute §119…
In August of 2011, the city of Sarasota removed the five park benches in Selby Five Points Park. It was the beginning of a long effort to rid the city of the homeless who call our city their home. The city also removed the two-foot perimeter wall around the park that allowed people to sit when the park benches were full. [ 555 more words. ]
http://thenilonreport.com/2015/12/when-a-bench-is-much-more-than-a-bench/
In August of 2011, the city of Sarasota removed the five park benches in Selby Five Points Park. It was the beginning of a long effort to rid the city of the homeless who call our city their home. The city also removed the two-foot perimeter wall around the park that allowed people to sit when the…
On December 21, during the Longest Night, the Salvation Army honored our homeless citizens that died this past year. That list numbered 57 people—the largest number of deaths on record in a 12-month period. Reverend Dr. David Sutton held back the tears as he called out the names. Just two days before, Major Ethan Frizzell announced in the press that our chronic homeless numbers had dropped significantly. [ 622 more words. ]
http://thenilonreport.com/2016/01/the-human-condition/
On December 21, during the Longest Night, the Salvation Army honored our homeless citizens that died this past year. That list numbered 57 people—the largest number of deaths on record in a 12-month period. Reverend Dr. David Sutton held back the tears as he called out the names. Just two days befor…
It was January 2013 when an Oregon LGBT couple filed a complaint against an Oregon baker for refusing to allow them to purchase a cake for their wedding. The case made national headlines fueled by the bakery’s own social media efforts. When the bakery was notified of the complaint, owners quickly took to social media and posted the couple’s personal information and grievances. [ 579 more words. ]
http://thenilonreport.com/2015/11/when-discrimination-is-your-religion-florida-house-bill-hb-401/
It was January 2013 when an Oregon LGBT couple filed a complaint against an Oregon baker for refusing to allow them to purchase a cake for their wedding. The case made national headlines fueled by the bakery’s own social media efforts. When the bakery was notified of the complaint, owners quickly…
Pro-Birth Vs. Pro-Life
http://thenilonreport.com/2015/10/pro-birth-vs-pro-life/
A young pregnant woman one week ago went into our local health department for care. Homeless and unemployed, her options were limited. One week later, she is now receiving regular prenatal care at the clinic and is enrolled in a housing program through Trinity Without Borders. Her baby now has a bet…
Like a page out of the Jerry Falwell’s Moral Majority play book, and just in time for the Republican debates, the candidates were handed a gift from…well, Live Action. The anti-abortion group Live Action has been targeting Planned Parenthood with elaborate media hoaxes for over nine years now. The recent video “expose” reeks of the previous one; released in February 2011, right before the last Presidential Primaries. [ 537 more words. ]
http://thenilonreport.com/2015/08/never-let-a-scandal-go-to-waste/
Like a page out of the Jerry Falwell’s Moral Majority play book, and just in time for the Republican debates, the candidates were handed a gift from…well, Live Action. The anti-abortion group Live Action has been targeting Planned Parenthood with elaborate media hoaxes for over nine years now. The…
My column for SRQ Magazine
Before my parents, Father Jim and Nikki Nilon, donated the Bidwell House and the Crocker Church to the City of Sarasota, they housed their homeless mission in the buildings on Florida Avenue - two blocks from the Salvation Army. For over two decades, they have devoted their lives to helping the hom…
Homelessness, the Law, and Fla Guardianship - The Nilon Report
It can’t be louder than this Sarasota Tiger Bay held a panel this past Thursday featuring the Constitutional Offices of our county. And what some might think would be a “yawner” when the purpose was for each of them to give us an update on their department (including myself,) what we witnessed ins…
Never Let A Scandal Go To Waste - SRQ Daily Aug 8, 2015
Like a page out of the Jerry Falwell’s Moral Majority play book, and just in time for the Republican debates, the candidates were handed a gift from…well, Live Action.
Susan Nilon
Tomorrow I will be conducting the first official Sarasota interview of US Representative David Jolly for U.S. Senate campaign. Tune in tomorrow to hear about his run for office and how he plans to earn your vote. The Nilon Report on WSRQ Radio specific time 4:15 - 4:45pm. Jacob Ogles from SRQ Magazine will be in the co-pilot's chair. David Jolly for U.S. Senate
Can Pilon Hold Onto District 72? - The Nilon Report
Can Pilon hold his House seat? Political analysis
What You Missed Last Week In Politics - The Nilon Report
Commissioner Susan Chapman Susan Chapman’s long awaited court trial has been postponed due to an over crowding of the court docket. It seems most likely to be scheduled for August, but October has also been mentioned. (Maybe that is why podcast listening numbers are going up on shows that we did w…
Amendment to Appeal For Clemency - Florida's voting rights
http://thenilonreport.com/2015/06/amendment-to-appeal-for-clemency-floridas-voting-rights/
Florida is one of only three states with a lifetime ban on voting if you are convicted of a felony. Any felony. Not just rapists and murders, but people with felonies because they purchased cannabis, trespassed on posted commercial horticulture property, manufactured or delivered drug paraphernali…
In case you were busy, here is what you might have missed in local politics last week: "The Grand Bargain" - Vice Mayor Suzanne Atwell Showing leadership, Vice Mayor Suzanne Atwell read a written statement that signaled to the new commission the issues that she feels are important. Asking the commission to re-examine the City elections, Vice Mayor Atwell addressed her concerns about the timing of the elections, noting the "disenfranchises our citizens" evidenced by a continual low voter turnout. [ 332 more words. ]
http://thenilonreport.com/2015/06/what-you-missed-last-week-in-local-politics/
what you missed last week in politics
The young faces of the Sarasota Democratic Party - The Nilon Report
In an effort that we haven’t seen before with the latest city commission races, we have to be wondering what the is the difference. Who are the young faces on the campaign trail? All but one are products of Sarasota County Schools and all have come to an understanding that it is not enough to sit…
Almost a year ago, a rumor started to take root that Florida Senator Nancy Detert would vacate her seat two years before she was termed out because of her interest in running for the Sarasota County Commission seat that will be vacated by County Commissioner Christine Robinson in 2016. While Senator Detert has neither denied nor confirmed the rumor, the rumor has started a firestorm of her fellow Republicans in their mad dash to be the first in line to fill her Senate seat. [ 1178 more words. ]
http://thenilonreport.com/2015/05/senator-nancy-detert-the-gatekeeper/
Almost a year ago, a rumor started to take root that Florida Senator Nancy Detert would vacate her seat two years before she was termed out because of her interest in running for the Sarasota County Commission seat that will be vacated by County Commissioner Christine Robinson in 2016. While Senato…
And The Winner is: The Sarasota Democratic Party http://wp.me/p5DipF-mf
Tuesday, May 12, for the city of Sarasota, history was made. The Sarasota City voters created a commission that is made up of a majority of women, two commissioners are African-American, and every commissioner - a Democrat. Taking a look at the election outcome in both District 2 and 3, the results are pretty tell-tale for the Democrats and Republicans in the race. [ 481 more words. ]
Former Mayor Kelly Kirschner Embraces Partisanship http://wp.me/p5DipF-m5
A robo call went out the other day with a voice identifying himself as Kelly Kirschner ...Democrat. His robo call goes on acknowledging his support of the candidates, Normile and Zimmerman, both Republicans in the race for Sarasota City Commission seats. In an ironic twist, Kirschner identifies himself with the same party that he has demanded to remain out of the city race. [ 612 more words. ]
The Year of the Woman http://wp.me/p5DipF-lN
One thing that the City of Sarasota can be proud of is the amazing amount of female candidates that it yields every election. There are now three women at the commission table. And if next month's election goes a certain way, there will be four women at the commission table. Women are also in the majority on the Sarasota County School Board and have two seats on the County Commission. [ 412 more words. ]
We are checking in with the Sarasota Classified/Teachers Association today on The Nilon Report. We'll hear from President Pat Gardner as well as Jeff Kahler ( Suncoast Polytechnical Highschool) But first, tune in at 4PM to hear Susan and Jacob Ogles (SRQ Magazine) discuss the latest in local news and headlines. Find us at 98.9FM, 106.9FM or 1220AM or check us out on the web at www.WSRQradio.com. WSRQ Radio.
New post (Normile's Robo Call Ask Outsiders To Stay Out.) has been published on The Nilon Report
Normile’s Robo Call
Monday night, city voters received a robo call from a North Port phone number. It was Candidate Eileen Normile telling voters that she did not condone the negative mailers that are being sent out to disparage her opponent, Liza Alpert.
The pressure must have been mounting from the phone calls and emails that she received after the first mailer went out. Irate voters were incensed with the intrusion of negative campaigning into a small town race. In her defense, Normile claimed that she alerted the press of her position on the negative mailers, but she said it fell on deaf ears. For the record, I was never contacted, nor was Channel 10 News or SRQ Media.
But Normile stopped shy of saying anything about the claims that the mailers made and focused on wanting to keep outsiders from participating in a non partisan race. That seems to be the theme that resonates t ...
Don't miss our look at this legislative session today at 4PM on The Nilon Report on WSRQ Radio. We're speaking with Franco Ripple, Kevin Cate Communications, about what's shaking in Tallahassee and we'll also take a look at the 2016 Presidential Election. Find us at 98.9FM, 106.9FM or 1220AM or check us out on the web at www.WSRQradio.com
New post (Dark Money hitting hard again in Sarasota) has been published on The Nilon Report
With all of the hullabaloo that we have heard from the members of Council of City Neighborhoods Association (CCNA) about the Democratic Party staying out the city races, one has to wonder why they are so quiet on the mailers that are being sent to trash candidate Liz Alpert. Well, that’s because the PAC that is sending out these mailers is supporting their candidate, Eileen Normile.
Mailers of half-truths and distortions are being sent out by the PAC, Working Together for Families, to say things that candidate Normile would not have the guts to say on the campaign trail herself for fear of having to own it. This Tampa PAC is funded by a web of other pacs that are used by people who don’t want to be known to help a candidate. All of these PACs are Republican PACS. And that is one way the local Republican party can be supporting Normile’s campaign without putting their name to it.
...
Dark Money hitting hard again in Sarasota http://wp.me/p5DipF-lz
With all of the hullabaloo that we have heard from the members of Council of City Neighborhoods Association (CCNA) about the Democratic Party staying out the city races, one has to wonder why they are so quiet on the mailers that are being sent to trash candidate Liz Alpert. Well, that's because the PAC that is sending out these mailers is supporting their candidate, Eileen Normile. [ 418 more words. ]
Democrats are calling out one of their own http://wp.me/p5DipF-ls
Emails and conversations have been meandering about the Sarasota City Elections that stemmed from an interview that I did with Sarasota Democrat Party Chair Christine Jennings and Treasurer and former Chair, Rita Ferrandino. It is in those emails that fellow Democrats took to task the fact that the local party is not supporting another fellow Democrat, Commissioner Susan Chapman. The indignation comes with the rationale that Commissioner Chapman has been a lifelong Democrat and she deserves the party's support. [ 566 more words. ]
New post (Democrats are calling out one of their own) has been published on The Nilon Report
Emails and conversations have been meandering about the Sarasota City Elections that stemmed from an interview that I did with Sarasota Democrat Party Chair Christine Jennings and Treasurer and former Chair, Rita Ferrandino. It is in those emails that fellow Democrats took to task the fact that the local party is not supporting another fellow Democrat, Commissioner Susan Chapman.
The indignation comes with the rationale that Commissioner Chapman has been a lifelong Democrat and she deserves the party’s support. But I disagree. Having a “D” on your voter registration card does not give you a pass. At least not in my book. You still have to be accountable.
And what is the big issue that the Dems have decided to pull their support of Commissioner Chapman since she is not actually running a campaign right now? The Democratic Party feels that Commissioner Chapman has been given a bla ...
We're rebroadcasting a great episode of The Nilon Report today at 4PM. If you missed out on our round table last month with Candice McElyea, Rod Thomson and Sheriff Tom Knight, don't fret, just tune into 98.9FM, 106.9FM, 1220AM at 2PM or check us out on www.WSRQradio.com to catch this compelling conversation. WSRQ Radio.
New post (Crash Test Dummies) has been published on The Nilon Report
We are in the peak of season in Sarasota, and I don’t mean tourist season. I mean the political season. And it’s very apparent at the City Commission with the two commissioners working hard to get things done during their respective election campaigns. As incumbents, they don’t have much to run on since they were only appointed last November. Their effort is in earnest. Because showing unity and a solid direction, pay off could be seen at the polls. But in that earnest, citizens are showing concern about the decisions made in haste and in lieu of due process, all to get it done before the election.
One Commissioner in particular, Eileen Normile, has made traffic a focus of her time on the board. Understandably so, since she lives at the heart of the traffic problem – Gulf Stream and 41. In February, she suggested a traffic summit to “explore ideas about how to get traffic mov ...
Crash Test Dummies http://wp.me/p5DipF-lf
We are in the peak of season in Sarasota, and I don’t mean tourist season. I mean the political season. And it’s very apparent at the City Commission with the two commissioners working hard to get things done during their respective election campaigns. As incumbents, they don’t have much to run on since they were only appointed last November. Their effort is in earnest. [ 546 more words. ]
Today on The Nilon Report we have Cathy Antunes & Andy Mele coming in to discuss Integrity 2016, an effort to keep County Commission transparent in lieu of Commissioner Christine Johnson being appointed as Executive Director of the Argus Foundation. Tune in today at 4PM on 98.9 FM, 106.9 FM, 1220 AM, or listen online at www.wsrqradio.com.
Today on The Nilon Report, Bridget O'Brien & Kirsten Sponsellor are taking over the show with The Ringling Underground at 5PM on WSRQ Radio.
We'll hear from Lady and Gentleman as well as Shannon Fortner & Chris Troksa.
Today on The Nilon Report, Susan will be joined by law professor and attorney Gwen Jordan (pictured) of Illinois Innocence Project and Pete Tannen, Chapter President of the Sarasota/Manatee/De Soto Chapter of ACLU Nationwide!
They will be discussing "In Prison Until Proven Innocent," a talk that Jordan will be giving at the chapter's meeting this Saturday.
And, as always, Thursday is the most delicious day of the week! The Sarasotafoodies will be joining bringing in some Philly cheese steak sandwiches!
Tune in at 4PM today to 98.9 FM, 106.9 FM, 1220 AM, or listen online at www.wsrqradio.com to make sure you don't miss out!
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