Tom Tryon
Sarasota
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Patterson Foundation, Selby Foundation, Second Heart Homes. Husband, grandfather, friend. Episcopalian. Palmetto High. UWSP. 39 years journalist. Orioles fan.
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Articles by Tom Tryon
Der Kardinal am 06. September 2026 um 20:15 Uhr auf ARTE
1917: Der Amerikaner Stephen (Tom Tryon) fühlt sich mit der katholischen Kirche eng verbunden und lässt sich zum Priester weihen. Als aber seine Schwester Mona stirbt, lässt er sein Amt ruhen. Im Wien der 30er-Jahre arbeitet er als Sprachlehrer und verliebt sich in die Studentin Annemarie (Romy Schneider).
Bob Graham belongs on Florida's version of Mount Rushmore
If Florida had mountains, Bob Graham would deserve the most colossal portrait carved into the state’s version of Mount Rushmore. He was that important – to the state and nation he served as a state legislator, two-term governor, three-term U.S. senator and citizen leader. No one in Florida’s modern history matched his combination of intellect, vision, humility, commitment to the truth and courage to engage in principled collaboration.
Toby Holland: A good man who left a colorful legacy
Two words told the story. The man known by a single word, his enduring childhood nickname, had died. J.J. “Toby” Holland Jr. was 92. Toby was known throughout Palmetto and Manatee County when I grew up there. His death June 22 marked the conclusion of an earthly life, the end of an era. His persona was shaped by his voice, a tad gravely but softened by a slight Southern twang.
In Sarasota, progress made on homelessness, but still work to be done
Today is Valentine’s Day. Yet another noteworthy occasion occurred on this date 15 years ago. On Feb. 14, 2006, New College of Florida hosted a lively public forum. The hot topic: homelessness. The event responded to the National Coalition for the Homeless’ designation of Sarasota as America’s “meanest city.” Sarasota was tagged after the City Commission passed an ordinance authorizing police to arrest homeless people for camping in outdoor public spaces.
Florida is no longer 'Flori-duh' when it comes to elections
When it came to elections, the Sunshine State earned its moniker "Flori-duh." The pejorative phrase described a state that conducted an extraordinarily close 2000 presidential election. In the process Florida placed “hanging chads” in the lexicon, introduced Sarasota’s own Katherine Harris – then the secretary of state – to America and generated controversies settled by the U.S. Supreme Court. Sarasota County attracted more negative attention to the state in 2006.
Tryon: Fill out your census form so Florida leaves no money on the table
Tom Tryon Opinion editor Monday Apr 27, 2020 at 6:01 AM We’re number 31! Those words are never chanted by sports fans in celebration of their favorite team’s ranking. That’s because sports are an all-or-nothing proposition; at the conclusion of a season, only one team is considered the best and worthy of holding championship trophy aloft. Rates of participation in the U.S. census don’t draw the attention of gamblers and bookies the way that sports games do.
Tryon: While you’ve got some time, fill out all-important census
Tom Tryon Opinion editor Monday Mar 23, 2020 at 6:01 AM Today there is a great divide between Americans. There is the huge gap between the elite rich and the working poor, and the partisan differences between Democrats and Republicans are rooted deeply in the nation’s bipolar psyche. But there is another source of division.
Riding to the rescue of New College
Tom Tryon Opinion editor Wednesday Mar 11, 2020 at 6:01 AM In the 1970s, the pop song “Billy Don’t be a Hero” topped the Billboard charts. Nearly five decades later, our own Billy — state Sen. President Bill Galvano — just became a hero of sorts to New College of Florida and its supporters. Galvano, a Republican from Bradenton, represents a district that includes Manatee County and part of Sarasota County.
Riding to the rescue of New College
Tom Tryon Opinion editor Wednesday Mar 11, 2020 at 6:01 AM In the 1970s, the pop song “Billy Don’t be a Hero” topped the Billboard charts. Nearly five decades later, our own Billy — state Sen. President Bill Galvano — just became a hero of sorts to New College of Florida and its supporters. Galvano, a Republican from Bradenton, represents a district that includes Manatee County and part of Sarasota County.
Tryon: The value of strong women in my life
Tom Tryon Opinion editor Sunday Nov 3, 2019 at 7:06 AM Once I wrote a column about men who positively shaped my life and the lives of other boys who grew up in Palmetto. A dear childhood friend, Chris Pratt, called me subsequently to say he appreciated the piece but added an unforgettable remark: The greatest fortune we had in our youth, he said, was the presence of strong women. Mrs. Pratt was among them and, in retrospect, there were many.
Tryon: It is time to turn the page
Tom Tryon Opinion editor @tomtryon Wednesday Oct 9, 2019 at 6:28 AM Lyrics from the musical RENT have been echoing in my mind. “Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes … how do you measure, measure a year?” Perhaps it’s because I have been measuring the years of my career at the Herald-Tribune. Twenty million four hundred ten thousand eight hundred minutes.
Tryon: Public access crucial to Bayfront project
Tom Tryon Opinion editor @tomtryon Sunday Sep 15, 2019 at 6:46 AM The community-driven plan to enhance public land on Sarasota's Bayfront goes before the City Commission, again, on Monday. Known as The Bay, the project-in-the-works has been the subject of an unprecedented amount of public input. As drawn and revised and revised, and improved, the plan reflects a strong consensus expressed by members of the public in forums, presentations and city meetings, as well as online and in surveys.
Tryon: On 9/11 in Britain, friends stood by us
Tom Tryon Opinion editor @tomtryon Wednesday Sep 11, 2019 at 7:05 AM Everyone has recollections of 9/11 and stories to tell about that day in 2001. Some are about tragic losses of life, others are remembrances of heroic acts, and still others are based on the experience of watching the shocking events in the United States, perhaps from afar. My wife and I, and two friends, experienced that day from very far away.
Tryon: DeSoto Square renewal: A promise never kept
Tom Tryon Opinion editor @tomtryon Friday Jul 12, 2019 at 6:13 AM Every time a headline appears in the Herald-Tribune about the demise, and promised resurrection, of DeSoto Square Mall, I’m reminded of the shopping center’s more distant past. DeSoto Square on the outskirts of Bradenton was once THE mall. The mall, which opened in 1973, was the center of the region’s retail universe — an economic engine and a vibrant, multi-generational social hub.
Tryon: Erosion of ritual can make our lives poorer
Tom Tryon Opinion editor @tomtryon Sunday Apr 21, 2019 at 6:09 AM Ritual. Say the word and note its emphasis on the sound "rich." How appropriate. For centuries, ritual — and tradition — has enriched lives. Since I've turned 60 and thus am entitled to worry about the future, it concerns me that our culture and individual lives are being changed — if not diminished — by the erosion of ritual.
Tryon: Bashaw's crucial role in Manatee history
Tom Tryon Opinion editor @tomtryon Sunday Feb 17, 2019 at 6:01 AM Once upon a time, no one would have thought that the death of William H. Bashaw would go largely unnoticed. His name was synonymous with public education in Manatee County, and he had a long, successful career. But his death was little noticed in the public realm, the result of the passage of time, the loss of his colleagues, and a steady influx of newcomers unaware of the community's past.
Tryon: Sanctuary city bill is all about the base
Tom Tryon Opinion editor @tomtryon Wednesday Feb 13, 2019 at 6:06 AM Feb 13, 2019 at 2:16 PM Every time I read about a specific proposal by Sarasota's state Sen. Joe Gruters, my mind drifts to the song that gave Meghan Trainor her 15 minutes of fame. The legislation would ban so-called sanctuary cities in Florida. Of which there are none. Yet Gruters filed a similar bill last year in the House of Representatives and recently submitted SB 168 in the Senate.
Tryon: Accept bayfront terms without undue delay
Tom Tryon Opinion editor @tomtryon Sunday Feb 10, 2019 at 6:17 AM The Sarasota City Commission is obliged to diligently protect the public interest while negotiating with the leaders of a citizen-driven initiative to preserve and enhance 53 acres on the bayfront. But the commission is also obligated to leverage, without undue delay, an unprecedented community-led effort to protect and improve public assets.
Tryon: Social media began at Grin & Beer It
Tom Tryon Opinion editor @tomtryon Thursday Feb 7, 2019 at 6:25 AM The advent of social media, or at least a demonstration of its potential impacts, occurred more than 40 years ago, before Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg was born. It started, according to my theory, not in some computer geek's garage, but in a college-town tavern in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.
Tryon: 'State of the Arts' is one Hot Topic
Tom Tryon Opinion editor @tomtryon Sunday Feb 3, 2019 at 6:17 AM What do Denise Davis-Cotton, Rebecca Hopkins, Joseph McKenna and Brendan Ragan have in common? Each of them plays a prominent role in our region's arts and culture scene. Also, each will participate in a Herald-Tribune Hot Topics Forum — "the State of the Arts" — on Feb. 11.
Tryon: Let prisons copy jails in diverting inmates
Tom Tryon Opinion editor @tomtryon Tuesday Jan 29, 2019 at 6:35 AM A county jail is a microcosm of a state prison. So, since those responsible for county jails are looking for safe, cost-effective ways to lower inmate populations, those in charge of state prisons should be doing the same exercise. On Sunday, I wrote about efforts in Sarasota County to reduce and control the jail population, in part to avoid the costs (and political headaches) of constructing an expensive new facility.
Tryon: Taking steps to prevent needless incarceration
Tom Tryon Opinion editor @tomtryon Sunday Jan 27, 2019 at 6:39 AM Two important groups will meet Monday at high noon in Sarasota to discuss, among other things, "strategies to prevent unnecessary incarcerations." The topic is timely: Sheriff Tom Knight has warned about periodic overcrowding in the county jail, and there is increasing evidence that too many people are incarcerated — at no small cost to themselves and taxpayers — when they could be otherwise treated more effectively.
Tryon: Offended by razor ad? Critics need to man up
Tom Tryon Opinion editor @tomtryon Sunday Jan 20, 2019 at 6:28 AM If there is any irony left in our culture, it's exemplified by this: A new ad from Gillette razors sends these messages — it's not right to gang up on defenseless people, men should treat women with respect, and men should hold each other accountable for unacceptable behavior. The reaction from some men, most notably a lot of the boys on Fox News? They were offended. They claimed men were being stereotyped.
Tryon: DeSantis backs voters on medical marijuana
Tom Tryon Opinion editor @tomtryon Friday Jan 18, 2019 at 6:59 AM For more than two years, after 71 percent of voters endorsed a constitutional amendment allowing medical marijuana, former Gov. Rick Scott and the Legislature denied Floridians with debilitating illnesses or similar conditions their constitutional right to smoke regulated marijuana for medical purposes. That's not just my view; it was the conclusion of an independent-minded circuit judge who ruled against the state's prohibition.
Tryon: Did communities get growth plans backward?
Tom Tryon Opinion editor @tomtryon Sunday Jan 6, 2019 at 6:44 AM It’s that time of the year, when the roads clog — thanks, in part, to an influx of tourists and snowbirds — and folks increasingly gripe about overdevelopment. On top of the seasonal change, several controversial, large-scale developments near the coastlines have been approved — in various venues — in Manatee and Sarasota counties.
Tryon: It's right to name places after living people
The time to honor them is while they are alive and able to embrace and enjoy the recognition. In my early days with the Herald-Tribune, influenced in part by the views of respected mentors, I came to dislike efforts to name public buildings, edifices or parks for living people — especially politicians. One of the stated reasons for the opposition, as I recall, was that honoring the living was exceedingly vulnerable to political manipulation.
Tryon: Humanities class opened world beyond Palmetto
Donal O’Shea’s recent column in the Herald-Tribune was headlined “In praise of the humanities.” The president of New College of Florida, O’Shea wrote about research demonstrating that the humanities advance the critical thinking of physicians, economists, corporate executives and internet-era entrepreneurs. One would expect the president of a liberal arts institution to advance those studies. But O’Shea’s words resonate; he is a Harvard-trained mathematician.
Tryon: Let governance reflect divided electorate
Even before vote-count totals narrowed in three major statewide races, it was clear that Florida is politically divided. Since some of the final outcomes are in doubt, now seems a good time to raise this point: Political governance has become a zero-sum game that disregards the principles of representative democracy. I fully understand that winning an election empowers politicians and gives them both duties and responsibilities.
Tryon: Not the time to argue with voters
One of the early lessons my predecessor, Waldo Proffitt, taught me was this: State your opinions before an election but, once the ballots are counted, don't argue with local voters over the outcomes. There is always room, he said, to offer commentary about the merits of measures and candidates once elections are over. But he warned against criticizing voters or questioning their motives after they made their decisions. It was a good lesson on many levels.
Editorial: Facts should guide transgender discussion
Following extensive public input and discussions by the Sarasota County School Board, the superintendent recently released "Gender Diverse Student Guidelines." The product of a task force that included students, school principals, assorted administrators and representatives of organizations that deal with equity laws or assist "gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and questioning youths," the guidelines appear sensible and sensitive.
Tryon: School district shows police work is hard
My first assignment as a reporter with the Herald-Tribune in 1981 was the police beat. That meant, among other chores, walking to the Manatee Sheriff's Office — crammed in the basement of the now-historic courthouse — to read carbon copies of hand-written reports, and attempting to quietly solicit sources. There were calls to make to various law enforcement agencies, including the Florida Highway Patrol's troop headquarters, where, I swear, a fellow named Corporal Klinger answered the phone.
Tryon: He-Coon walked into Florida political lore
During a meeting last week to plan segments that will air Wednesday night on SNN, before and after the second smackdown between Gov. Rick Scott and former Gov. Charlie Crist, the subject turned to memorable moments in Florida debates. "The old He-Coon," I blurted out, referring to that strange but true time in 1994, when then-Gov. Lawton Chiles stunned challenger Jeb Bush -- and most viewers -- with a line that fit more for a "Daniel Boone" episode than a gubernatorial debate.
Tryon: Change-the-date idea: Encourage city voters
When the Decide the Date campaign announced it had exceeded the requirements for having an initiative placed on city of Sarasota ballots, I told Larry Eger — co-chairman of the effort — the only thing that could doom the effort to change the dates of city elections would be the perception that pro-business groups were overly invested in the outcome.
Tryon: Knowledge of initiatives is power for voters
Remember the John Lennon song "Power to the People," released in 1971? Although many Floridians and Americans believe they don’t have enough political power in an era when big-money donors set the statewide and national agendas, the people will exercise a lot of influence during the upcoming general election — most directly in local and state referendums on ballot initiatives.
Tryon: As cultural norms shift, some advice for boys
Dear boys (whether you're related to me or not), If you have been paying attention, even the least little bit, to recent news and social media postings, you know that some famous men have been accused of bad — if not criminal — behavior. What you probably don't recognize is that the surfacing of these allegations and the reaction to them represent a dramatic shift in cultural norms. In the past, these accusations would not be reported or would be quietly rejected. So, what to do now?
Tryon: Writing assignments for union and Bowden
During a recent workshop following testy election campaigns, which followed nearly two years of contentiousness between the superintendent and teachers union, the Sarasota County School Board recognized the need to repair key relationships. The consensus that emerged from a Sept.
Editorial: Shapiro, Buchanan diverge on medical marijuana
Election campaigns, particularly those for federal offices, are increasingly unproductive and uninformative, based on tired ideology and poll-driven flash points. Yet sometimes stiff competition for an office results in productive thought and enlightenment — that is, when reporting at its best reveals differences between candidates on issues not included in the standard political playbooks followed by candidates and their handlers.
Tryon: Forum puts spotlight on 3 local initiatives
Direct democracy will compete with representative democracy on general election ballots in Florida. Yes, there will be key exercises in representative democracy between the dispatch of mail ballots starting Oct. 2 and voting at the polls Nov. 6: think high-profile elections for U.S. Senate and House, as well as governor. But Floridians will have numerous opportunities to engage in direct democracy through ballot initiatives.
Tryon: Consider changing how we retain circuit judges
Elections involving incumbent judges in Manatee and Sarasota counties have been rare. Think somewhere between a blue moon and sightings of Halley's Comet. So, when defense attorney Maria Ruhl recently challenged Judge Brian Iten for a seat in the 12th Circuit, which includes DeSoto County, it was a rarity. The last time an incumbent faced opposition here, Judge Lee Haworth held off a challenge from Susan Swartz in 2006.
Tryon: A dream and a wish on medical marijuana
After moderating the Herald-Tribune Hot Topics forum Thursday night, I walked away with one dream and one wish. The dream: The United States reclassifies and decriminalizes personal possession of marijuana and recognizes its value to Americans suffering with diseases and conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
Tryon: Political surprises replace conventional wisdom
The recent primary elections reinforced the notion that the conventional wisdom about politics has gone the way of the pay phone. The old conventions are expired, and have been replaced by unpredictability.
Tryon: Primaries' passion set tone for November
These midterm primaries generated more passion locally than any I can recall in a long time. Voter turnout was strong (comparatively), with hotly contested races to nominate gubernatorial candidates and select at least two School Board members in both Manatee and Sarasota counties. Social media posts, voter turnout and letters to the editor indicated that President Donald Trump energized Democrats and independents; for years they have been uninspired in midterm elections locally and statewide.
Tryon: This year's red tide is the same but different
In recent weeks, I've been asked if the current red tide is different from past outbreaks. Well, yes and no. No, the existing episode that has cleared local beaches, irritated human respiratory systems, killed countless numbers of fish and harmed waterfront businesses is not that different from previous red tides in terms of its effects.
Tryon: Clear case for curbing state's water pollution
If it takes outrage over red tide to propel efforts to dramatically reduce pollution of Florida's canals, creeks, lakes, rivers, estuaries and bays and the Gulf, fine. Having observed Florida politics as a journalist for 37 years, I understand that too often it takes a crisis to mobilize voters and effect substantial political change.
Tryon: Dave Rothfuss, public servant
He never sought the limelight, never sought to be the organization's Number One, yet at least twice he assumed the top job when called upon and never ducked tough questions from his bosses or the local press. He was a talented administrator who achieved significant professional success, yet he was a grinder on the job, working long hours without complaint and setting an example for associates.
Tryon: Shut classroom door to outside noise
A few years ago, I was on the periphery of a conversation about the politics of education — statewide and locally — and someone asked a veteran teacher how he coped with the controversies that make headlines and the debates that dominate elections. The exact words I don't recall, but he said something to the effect of: I just close my classroom door and keep politics and the rest of the world out, so I can teach my kids.
Tryon: Focus on new school snubs Palmetto High
The folks in the Parrish Civic Association have been trying to preserve some of the remaining charm of their community — once a rural area with working farms and groves that is being overrun by suburban sprawl in northeast Manatee County. The association and its members are also trying to have a new high school, which is under construction and will open in 2019, renamed Parrish High; the current name is North River High School.
Tryon: A chance for action on affordable housing
When the topic of affordable and work-force housing arises, my mind sometimes drifts to a boisterous country song recorded by Hank Williams Jr. in 1992: "A little less talk and a lot more action." In the lyrics, "action" refers to, well, how a lonely fella at a whiskey bar hopes to end his night. But the words can apply to the long, winding debate in this region over the need for more affordable housing, including homes for folks in what we'll call the working class.
Tryon: NATO members fail democracy test
There are two major costs of membership in NATO but only one of them — financial — received attention during the summit in Brussels last week. There's no need to rehash the divisive debate over how much the 29 member nations pay, or don't pay, to support NATO.
Tryon: Bayfront project has a long way to go
Whether the citizen-driven initiative to transform part of Sarasota's bayfront into a people-friendly destination is on the home stretch or coming around the clubhouse turn is a matter of perspective. If the presentation of a groundbreaking plan to the Sarasota City Commission on Sept. 6 is the guidepost, then it's the home stretch.
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