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Articles by Kelly Kirschner
It takes a scalpel to save Rattlesnake Key
Rattlesnake Key, south of the Sunshine Skyway, reachable only by boat, is about 700 acres of mangroves and tidal flats beside the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve. Its shallows shelter the young snook, redfish, and tarpon that sustain our fisheries and made my childhood magical.
They Build It. You Pay for It
If you've sat in traffic on a road built for half the people using it, or watched your street flood after an ordinary storm, you know the problem. Growth has outrun the roads, pipes and drainage meant to carry it. The people profiting from that growth are working hard to make sure you cover the cost. When Manatee County commissioners voted to make developers pay more toward roads and services, developers sued.
Suncoast Searchlight: How Mark Vengroff became a force in Suncoast affordable housing
One Stop Housing, after pivoting from renovating motels to new construction, is gearing up for rapid growth. By Kelly Kirschner/Suncoast Searchlight Original Air Date: March 18, 2026 Host: Mark Vengroff has become a household name for workforce housing in this area. Kelly Kirschner with Suncoast Searchlight brings us this profile. Kelly Kirschner: A few years ago, Mark Vengroff, an affordable housing developer in Sarasota, tried to buy the Magic Castle Inn and Suites in Kissimmee, Florida.
Women who Meant Business
Florida’s economic history is often told through railroads, cattle barons and land booms. But across Sarasota, Manatee County and the Gulf Coast, women were shaping commerce in ways both visible and enduring. They invested in land, turned natural resources into marketable goods, preserved agricultural traditions and protected working waterfronts. This week, we spotlight four women whose business decisions helped shape the region’s economic landscape.
Florida U.S. representative’s munitions plant a ticking time bomb in Taylor County
One of my hobbies is keeping tabs on which of our distinguished officeholders could be called the most “Florida Man” of Florida politicians. U.S. Rep. Randy Fine, who was held in contempt of court in 2024, used to be in the lead. Then came Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who claimed she’s seen evidence of interdimensional beings (don’t worry, it’s probably just Mitch McConnell). But right now, I think the clear frontrunner is Rep. Cory Mills. How does he qualify? Let me count the ways.
Bans on sugary foods in SNAP programs in 5 states challenged by recipients
A sign explaining restrictions on buying soda and sweetened drinks using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits is displayed in a grocery store in Bountiful, Utah, on Feb. 11, 2026. (McKenzie Romero/Utah News Dispatch)WASHINGTON — A group of food stamp recipients sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture this week over its efforts to prohibit the benefits from being used to purchase certain non-nutritious items.
How Mark Vengroff became a major force in affordable housing on the Suncoast
A few years ago, Sarasota affordable housing developer Mark Vengroff tried to buy the Magic Castle Inn and Suites in Kissimmee. Made famous in the 2017 film “The Florida Project,” the faded purple motel a few miles from Disney World served on screen — and in real life — as a last refuge for struggling families living on the edge of homelessness. For decades, properties like that were the backbone of the Vengroff family’s approach to affordable housing.
A bold affordable housing plan sputtered. Now Sarasota is trying again
Nearly two years ago, Sarasota’s then-City Manager Marlon Brown had an ambitious idea to purchase downtown property near City Hall and turn it into large-scale affordable housing. In an effort that would become the first-of-its-kind across Florida, Brown secured millions of dollars in pledges from the area’s largest philanthropic foundations and millions more earmarked from the Florida Legislature. kAm%96 3=F6AC:?E AC@>:D65 E@ E24<=6 @?6 @7 5@H?E@H?
Suncoast Searchlight: A bold affordable housing plan sputtered. Now Sarasota is trying again
In the heart of downtown, the city seeks to rekindle a stalled development. By Kelly Kirschner and Derek Gilliam/Suncoast Searchlight Original Air Date: February 11, 2026 Host: Nearly two years ago, Sarasota leaders pitched a bold idea: take affordable housing into the city’s own hands—right in the heart of downtown, literally across the street from city hall.
A bold affordable housing plan sputtered -- Sarasota trying again
Nearly two years ago, Sarasota’s then-City Manager Marlon Brown had an ambitious idea to purchase downtown property near City Hall and turn it into large-scale affordable housing. In an effort that would become the first-of-its-kind across Florida, Brown secured millions of dollars in pledges from the area’s largest philanthropic foundations and millions more earmarked from the Florida Legislature.
A bold affordable housing plan sputtered. Now Sarasota is trying again
Nearly two years ago, Sarasota’s then-City Manager Marlon Brown had an ambitious idea to purchase downtown property near City Hall and turn it into large-scale affordable housing. In an effort that would become the first-of-its-kind across Florida, Brown secured millions of dollars in pledges from the area’s largest philanthropic foundations and millions more earmarked from the Florida Legislature.
Suncoast Searchlight: Sarasota mayor veers into First Amendment territory by cutting off speakers
Multiple times at the January 5 commission meeting, Debbie Trice interrupted speakers, citing ‘personal attacks.’ By Kelly Kirschner/Suncoast Searchlight Original Air Date: January 23, 2026 Host: The Sarasota City Commission meeting kicked off the new year with things getting heated quickly. Residents showed up to complain about late-night noise in the Newtown/MLK Business and downtown corridors. But the newish mayor, Debbie Trice, found reasons to cut them off.
Sarasota mayor accused of violating First Amendment by cutting off speakers
The Sarasota City Commission ushered in the New Year facing complaints from residents who said the mayor violated citizens’ First Amendment rights during its first meeting of 2026. Mayor Debbie Trice twice interrupted speakers during the public input portion of the Commission’s Jan. 5 meeting, warning them that they could not make “personal attacks” or refer to individual commissioners by name and insisting they were required to address the commission only as a body.
Unconditional Surrender: Should It Stay or Should It Go?
Unconditional Surrender on Sarasota's bayfront The City of Sarasota is getting ready to move Unconditional Surrender, the controversial “kissing statue” at Bayfront Park, to make room for the construction of the U.S. 41/Gulfstream Avenue roundabout. But whether the statue will be returned to the bayfront or relocated has been a matter of heated debate. We asked two readers with different opinions to make their cases. Let us know what you think.
GUEST EDITORIAL: It isn’t enough not to be a racist; be an anti-racist
Kelly Kirschner Monday Jun 8, 2020 at 6:00 AM This year marks the 10th anniversary since the local immigrant-integration, nonprofit UnidosNow was formed. I am proud to be one of the founding members, against the backdrop of local, state and national issues negatively impacting immigrant communities.
Kirschner: Two ballot proposals could change our local democracy
During this hyper-partisan period, fueled by gerrymandering, dark money and social media manipulation that increasingly tears our country apart, it is a good moment to reflect locally on how we build a better democracy and civic conversations from the ground up. I believe that the majority of American citizens, including those of Sarasota County, be they Republican, Democrat or independent, want and deserve better.
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