The Bradenton Times Podcast

This week, TBT editor Mitch Maley and local government reporter Dawn Kitterman discuss the Manatee County Government and Manatee School District's concurrent searches for new leadership, the active shooter hoax at USF-SM, the county's struggle to negotiate a new trash collection contract amid record inflation, and more.

TBT Editor Mitch Maley and government reporter Dawn Kitterman discuss the Manatee County Commission's efforts to install a development lobbyist as county administrator.

Mitch Maley and Dawn Kitterman run down a crazy week in Manatee County politics and are then joined by Aaron Hillegass, Director of Applied Data Science at his alma mater, New College of Florida. Aaron discusses his decision to leave the school after it came under political assault by Governor Ron DeSantis.

TBT Editor Mitch Maley and Investigative Reporter Dawn Kitterman discuss the latter's reporting on a mystery company receiving more than $5 million in discounts on tree removal from a massive development, the decision to allow county employees to conceal carry at work, gap funding the county is extending to a politically-connected developer, and the possibility of the county outsourcing its HR dep...

Engineer Mark Vanderee joins the podcast this week for an enlightening discussion on how overdevelopment and wetland destruction threaten Manatee County's unique water resources and the potential long-term ramifications of the short-sided, profit-first policies that are being pushed by local officials.

TBT investigative reporter Dawn Kitterman joins editor Mitch Maley to discuss this week in Manatee County politics, as well as her recent reporting on the "LDC White Paper" given to the county by development interests seeking considerable deregulation.

Stacy Jessee is a local activist with a background in political science. She home-schools her family's four children who she regularly exposes to the machinery of local government. Stacy joins TBT's Mitch Maley and Dawn Kitterman to discuss what the family has learned from the experience.

This week, TBT publisher and 22-year Manatee County Commissioner Joe McClash drops by the podcast to discuss the state of local government in Manatee County and the State of Florida.

This week, TBT Editor Mitch Maley and Local Government Reporter Dawn Kitterman discuss the investigation into allegations that former Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes "wiped" his county owned devices, potentially destroying public records, before being escorted out of the administration building, along with the county commission's responsibility to find and hire a replacement for the top j...

Local government reporter Dawn Kitterman joins TBT Editor Mitch Maley for a discussion on this week in local politics, including the Manatee County Commission's war on library books.

Newly-elected Bradenton City Councilman Josh Cramer joins the podcast this week to discuss issues facing the city, his priorities for his first term, and what he's learned since being sworn into office in November.

Former Manatee County Administrator Cheri Coryea joins the podcast this week to give her first-hand account of the events surrounding Vaccinegate, for which County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh was recently publicly reprimanded, censured, and fined by the Florida Commission on Ethics, much of which contradicts the commissioner's own claims.

TBT Editor Mitch Maley and government reporter Dawn Kitterman discuss the week in Manatee County Politics, including the repeal of the ban on the retail sale of cats and dogs, Governor DeSantis's continued meddling at New College, and the vandalism of a local art installation meant to celebrate diversity.

TBT Investigative reporter Dawn Kitterman joins editor Mitch Maley to discuss this week in local politics, including Manatee County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh's ethics settlement, which was approved Friday; the latest on Commissioner George Kruse's DUI trial, and the board's decision to delay a vote on restoring the Confederate monument to the historic courthouse, which had been scheduled for Tues...

TBT investigative reporter Dawn Kitterman joins editor Mitch Maley to discuss updates on the legal woes of three Manatee County Commissioners: Kevin Van Ostenbridge entering a pre-trial intervention after getting caught stealing; George Kruse's effort to have body cam footage from an accident for which he is charged with DUI thrown out; and Vanessa Baugh's efforts to settle ethics violations relat...

TBT investigative reporter Dawn Kitterman returns to the podcast this week to discuss the ongoing Mitchell Teitelbaum saga, as well as the recently revealed plan to have the state preempt Holmes Beach's ordinance disallowing a parking garage at the county beach.

TBT investigative reporter Dawn Kitterman joins editor/columnist Mitch Maley to discuss the Mitch Teitelbaum issue, as well as the county commission's desire to return the Confederate Monument to the county courthouse, along with other contentious issues that came up at Thursday's BOCC work session.

TBT Publisher and 22-year Manatee County Commissioner Joe McClash returns to the podcast this week to voice his disappointment in the leadership of Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes, urging commissioners to replace the controversial administrator.

Josh Schmidt is the founder of Banyan Coffee Company, a local roaster and coffee shop that was started in Bradenton and is now based in Palmetto. He joins TBT's Mitch Maley to discuss what makes a good cup of coffee and why he decided to turn his passion for java into a local business.

Janet Raines is a founder of the Sunshine State Theater Company, Bradenton's very first professional theater. She joins the podcast to discuss the new venture as well as the company's debut production, Almost Maine, which will be staged January 6-8 at Oscura in downtown Bradenton.

Arlene Sweeting and David Beaton are the founders of WSLR, a low-power FM radio station based in Sarasota and its adjacent, community event center Fogartyville. They join the podcast this week to discuss the importance of community interaction, as well as independent, community-based news media.

In this bonus episode of The Bradenton Times Podcast, TBT Editor Mitch Maley and staff reporter Dawn Kitterman discuss the results of Tuesday night's elections.

Longtime government public records activist Michael Barfield of the Florida Center for Government Accountability joins the podcast this week. We discuss a recent ruling in his favor in a suit the FCGA brought against the DeSantis administration, as well as his ongoing public records suit with Manatee County Government.

TBT reporter Dawn Kitterman drops by the podcast this week to bring us up to date on the ongoing scandals within Manatee County government and a preview of Manatee County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh's upcoming ethics hearing, set to begin on Tuesday.