Edition #5 4-min read Sunrise 7:23 AM in Sarasota
Overnight Roundup
While You Were Sleeping: Friday, Oct. 2
Friday's overnight catch-up: a Bradenton double-homicide arrest, Englewood gambling raids, a $25 million Venice creek restoration groundbreaking, stepped-up dengue mosquito spraying, and Sarasota County's new fire chief.
Good morning, Suncoast. Here's what moved overnight across Sarasota and Manatee — the arrests, the creek rebuild, the mosquito spray schedule, and a permanent fire chief — so you don't have to dig for it.
Courts & Crime
1. Man charged in Bradenton double shooting
Bradenton police have charged Jakourtney Johnson, 34, with two counts of second-degree murder with a firearm in the Sept. 22 shooting deaths of Antonio Rosario, 30, and Willie Stubbs Jr., 43, in the 400 block of 12th Avenue East, WWSB / MySuncoast reported Thursday. Officers responding around 6:20 p.m. found both men near the end of a dead-end road; Rosario died at the scene and Stubbs died on the way to a hospital. According to police, the shooting followed a continuing dispute among the three men. Witnesses told investigators Rosario and Stubbs began fighting, then saw Johnson fire several shots toward Rosario; both victims were hit. Johnson had been in jail since Sept. 26 on drug-related warrants and denied taking part in the shooting, police said.
Why it matters: The charging decision is the first public identification of a suspect in the Sept. 22 double homicide.
Source: WWSB / MySuncoast Copy link
Courts & Crime
2. 164 slot machines seized in Englewood raids
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office and the Florida Gaming Control Commission seized 164 slot machines during a targeted operation Tuesday at three alleged illegal gambling establishments in Englewood, WWSB / MySuncoast reported Thursday. Search warrants were served simultaneously at three locations in the 0 and 100 blocks of North Indiana Avenue, with help from the sheriff's Intelligence Unit, TAC Unit and Special Investigations Section. "Illegal gambling operations have no place in our community," Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman said in a news release. "We will continue to pursue those who violate the law and hold them accountable."
Why it matters: The simultaneous warrants mark a large local illegal-gambling seizure along North Indiana Avenue.
Source: WWSB / MySuncoast Copy link
Town Hall-ish Government
3. $25 million Alligator Creek project breaks ground
Sarasota County is breaking ground Friday on a $25 million project to restore about 2.3 miles of Alligator Creek in Venice, WWSB / MySuncoast reported Thursday. Officials say crews will reshape a straightened canal into a more natural, winding stream to cut nutrient and sediment pollution and improve coastal resilience in the Lemon Bay watershed. A groundbreaking ceremony is set for 9 a.m. at Woodmere Park, 3951 Woodmere Park Blvd. The work is backed in part by a $14.5 million NOAA habitat-restoration grant, with the rest from local penny sales tax and stormwater assessments; construction is expected to finish by fall 2028.
Why it matters: The multi-year creek rebuild is one of the county's largest recent water-quality investments in southern Sarasota County.
Source: WWSB / MySuncoast Copy link
Health
4. Mosquito crews step up amid dengue surge
Manatee and Sarasota mosquito authorities are tightening protocols as dengue cases climb elsewhere in Florida, WWSB / MySuncoast reported Thursday evening. The CDC's latest tally shows 485 dengue cases statewide this year, up 93 from the prior week, with Hillsborough County at 230. Manatee County Mosquito Control Director Christopher Lesser said helicopters spray urban Bradenton and Palmetto every two weeks, covering about 30,000 acres per mission. Officials say there have been no confirmed local cases in Manatee County; Sarasota County said it has seen no local human cases this year but continues imported-case surveillance. Residents are urged to empty standing water and use EPA-approved repellent, especially at dawn and dusk.
Why it matters: Nearby Hillsborough's spike has local agencies treating the Suncoast as a prevention zone even without confirmed local cases.
Source: WWSB / MySuncoast Copy link
Town Hall-ish Government
5. William Sturgeon named Sarasota County fire chief
Sarasota County has named William Sturgeon as fire chief after he served as interim chief since July 17, succeeding retired Chief David Rathbun, WWSB / MySuncoast reported Thursday. County officials said Sturgeon brings more than 40 years of fire and emergency-services experience, including work as a firefighter-paramedic, fire chief and city manager. Before the interim appointment he was the department's assistant chief of training; earlier roles include bureau chief of fire standards and training for the Florida Division of State Fire Marshal, superintendent of the Florida State Fire College, fire chief of St. Cloud Fire Rescue and more than two decades with Orange County Fire Rescue.
Why it matters: The permanent appointment ends months of interim leadership at Sarasota County Fire Department.
Source: WWSB / MySuncoast Copy link
That's the overnight desk for Friday. Stay safe out there — we'll see you tomorrow morning.