Edition #2 3-min read Sunrise 7:21 AM in Sarasota
Overnight Roundup
While You Were Sleeping: Tuesday, Sept. 29
Tuesday's overnight catch-up: a Venice home invasion tied to a jailhouse tip, Manatee commissioners set to vote on their administrator, title trouble on Sarasota County's Stickney Point deal, a new Manatee campus for Sarasota Memorial, and a $600K housing grant.
Good morning, Suncoast. Here is what stood out overnight across Sarasota and Manatee County: a violent Venice home invasion with new court detail, a high-stakes county vote coming Oct. 6, a stuck land deal at Stickney Point, a big hospital expansion into Manatee, and a housing grant that will open another supportive home.
Public Safety
1. Venice home invasion tied to Dallas jail tip
Two Texas men face multiple felony charges after a Sept. 23 home invasion in the 3000 block of Laurel Road East in Venice, according to court records and Venice police. Affidavits say Brevaun Williams, 34, and Justin Mitchell, 34, forced their way into the home, bound the resident with zip ties, tased her when she could not open a large safe, and fired a shot toward a family member who came to help. Williams told detectives they traveled to Venice after learning from a Dallas County Jail inmate known as "Rico" that the home held cash and gold in safes. Both men were arrested nearby that night; police have said the incident was targeted and there was no known ongoing threat to the public.
Why it matters: The affidavits add new detail about how the suspects chose the house, and a possible third person involved as a getaway driver has not been publicly identified.
Source: FOX 13 Tampa Bay Copy link
Town Hall-ish Government
2. Manatee commissioners to vote on firing administrator
The Manatee County Commission agenda released Monday lists a single item for the Oct. 6 meeting: possible termination of County Administrator Charlie Bishop's contract, which runs through February. Commissioner Jason Bearden asked for the vote after public clashes with Bishop at recent meetings over records requests and responsiveness. Bearden leaves office in November. A data-center moratorium vote originally set for Oct. 6 has been moved to Oct. 8.
Why it matters: The board will have to vote yes or no on keeping the county's top administrator, after weeks of public tension.
Source: The Bradenton Journal Copy link
Town Hall-ish Government
3. Stickney Point $18M purchase hits title snag
Sarasota County is working with the sellers of the Stickney Point Boatyard property to fix title defects that could derail the approved $18.1 million purchase, according to a Business Observer report Monday. Staff found unresolved easement issues with a neighboring condominium association and along Little Sarasota Bay during due diligence. Commissioners approved buying the 2.04-acre site of 21 parcels on the mainland side of the Stickney Point Bridge in February. A county spokesperson said Monday that staff and the county attorney's office are working with the seller on the defects and that no additional action has been taken.
Why it matters: If the title problems are not resolved, county staff has recommended terminating the contract.
Source: Business Observer Copy link
Health
4. Sarasota Memorial plans first Manatee campus
Sarasota Memorial Healthcare System's board approved a $60 million deal to buy about 130 acres in Manatee County's S.R. 64 corridor just east of I-75 for a future hospital campus, the hospital announced. Pending rezoning and other approvals, the first phase would put a freestanding emergency department on a 10-acre parcel with direct S.R. 64 access, with later phases that could include physician practices, pediatric specialty care, imaging and other services. Manatee residents made up about 25 percent of SMH's patient volume in 2025, and about 30 percent of its workforce lives in Manatee County, according to the hospital.
Why it matters: It would be SMH's first facility in Manatee County and is aimed at growing demand around Parrish, Palmetto and Lakewood Ranch.
Source: Sarasota Magazine Copy link
Neighbor News Community
5. Second Heart Homes gets $600K for another home
Second Heart Homes said it received a $600,000 grant from the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation to expand permanent supportive housing in Sarasota or Manatee County. The nonprofit plans to use the money to acquire and prepare another home for six people who have experienced homelessness and live with mental illness, covering appliances, furnishings, capital improvements and maintenance. The grant also funds three years of individualized case management. Second Heart Homes said it currently operates 14 homes serving 86 people.
Why it matters: The award adds both a new home and multi-year support services, not just a one-time purchase.
Source: WWSB / MySuncoast Copy link
That's the news, friends. Be kind out there, and we'll see you tomorrow morning.