The Detail with Cathy Antunes
by Cathy Antunes
Learn what's happening in Florida's local politics from my home base in Sarasota, FL. The implications of local politics in Sarasota have been felt across the Country: Moms for Liberty, Stop the Steal, Privatization of Public Education and More! Learn how our Democracy is impacted by local dark money and other strategies to disempower citizens at the City, County and State level.
Episodes
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Episode 63: Jason Bearden on midterm election results - November 5 2026
Manatee County Commissioner Jason Bearden joins Cathy Antunes this week to discuss election results. Outraged by corruption in local government. Bearden, a conservative and Republican, endorsed Democrats running for Manatee County Commission. He talks about his experience in local government,...
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Episode 62: Heidi Brandt on her campaign - October 29 2026
Heidi Brandt is on the ballot for the Sarasota School Board, and she joins Cathy Antunes to discuss her candidacy. There's been lots of drama in recent years with our school board. What does Brandt bring to the table, and how does she want to change things?
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Episode 61: Ron Kashden on The Obsidian and local elections - October 22 2026
The pencil tower is back for the fourth time. The would-be Obsidian developer keeps turning up for another try at site plan approval. Ron Shapiro joins Cathy Antunes to discuss this latest effort, and they'll take a look at local elections. Who is on the ballot, and who stands up for citizens?
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Episode 60: Jimmy Glover on his campaign - October 15 2026
Jimmy Glover is on the ballot for the Sarasota School Board, and he joins Cathy Antunes to discuss his candidacy. There has been a lot of Sarasota school board drama in recent years. What does Glover bring to the table, and how does he want to change things?
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Episode 59: Lourdes Ramirez on Parkland and Sarasota County - October 1 2026
Cathy interviews Lourdes Ramirez about Sarasota County violating its neighborhood, Parkland conservation standards, and giving Parkland away. Is this legal? Tune in!
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Episode 58: Microforests with Charles Reith - September 17 2026
This week, a look at Suncoast Urban ReForesters (SURF), a group and program doing so much good. SURF founder and Executive Director Charles Reith joins Cathy ANtunes to discuss how planting high performance microforests benefit us all. Flood control, wind calming, wildlife habitat and carbon...
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Episode 57: New College's airport land bid with John Schussler - September 10 2026
Former Director of Properties for the SRQ Airport, John Schussler joins Cathy Antunes this week to discuss New College's quest to purchase or control SRQ Airport property. The FAA has already told the SRQ Airport Board that this is a bad idea. Will an airport board full of political operatives...
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Episode 56: Ron Kashden on historic preservation of US Garage - September 3 2026
Ever wonder why historic buildings are so rare in Florida? How do we as a community perform when it comes to historic preservation? Ron Kashden joins Cathy Antunes to discuss the US Garage building on Pineapple Avenue: its history, why it matters and what may become of it.
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Episode 55: Sarasota School Board with Deb Hayes - August 28 2026
Public education advocate Deb Hayes joins Cathy Antunes to discuss the recent Sarasota School Board election as well as the upcoming runoff in November for the District 1 seat being vacated by Bridget Ziegler. As a former public education administrator, Hayes bring an important perspective to her...
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Episode 54: Matthew Montavon, Florida congressional candidate - August 13 2026
Matthew Montavan joins Cathy Antunes this week to discuss his run for Congress FL-17. Montavan was born and raised in Indiana in a family of nine. He went to college in DC and work in the WV, VA and DC area in regional planning and agriculture. Montavan also spent 27 years working with the UN on...
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Episode 53: Allen Spence, Florida congressional candidate - August 6 2026
Allen Spence is running in the Democratic primary for Florida's 17th Congressional District. Spence is a native Floridian, father and financial expert focused on economic issues like strengthening social security, lowering drug costs, capping credit card interest rates and ending excessive…
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Episode 52: Dark money with Big Picture Manatee - July 30 2026
Cathy Antunes has a conversation with the hosts of the Big PIcture Manatee about local dark money. Listen to hear about political committee activity looking to influence voters right now before the August 18 election.
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Episode 51: Frank DiCicco, Sarasota County School Board candidate - July 16 2026
Frank DiCicco joins Cathy Antunes to discuss his run for the Sarasota County School Board. DiCicco has two sons in the Sarasota County School System and is a thirty-year resident of Sarasota County. Listen to hear his reasons for running and what he would like to accomplish on the School Board.
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Episode 50: Glen Gibellina, Manatee County Commission candidate - July 9 2026
Glen Gibellina discusses his run for the District 4 seat of the Manatee County Commission.
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Episode 49: John Simon on how ineligible county commission candidates qualify - July 2 2026
How does a candidate qualify to run for the Sarasota City Commission if that candidate doesn't meet the eligibility criteria? Mistakes happen, and citizen oversight plays a key role in ensuring good government. Attorney John Simon joins Cathy Antunes to discuss how an unqualified candidate was...
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Episode 48: Heidi Brandt, Sarasota County School Board candidate - June 11 2026
Heidi Brandt discusses her run for the Sarasota County School Board. Brandt is the proud parent of a child in the Sarasota County school system and serves as President of Southside Elementary’s PTO. Listen to hear her reasons for running and what she would like to accomplish on the School Board.
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Episode 47: Martin Hyde, Florida State Senate candidate - June 18 2026
Martin Hyde joins Cathy Antunes to discuss his run for the State Senate. Hyde jumped into the District 22 State Senate race as an NPA, challenging incumbent James Buchanan. Listen to hear his thoughts on issues facing Floridians, including affordably housing, property taxes, the state pre-empting...
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Episode 46: Beth Mayberry, Sarasota County School Board candidate - June 11 2026
This week: Beth Mayberry joins me to discuss her run for the Sarasota County School Board. Mayberry is a retired Sarasota County teacher who also brings years of experience as a certified financial planner to the table.Join us to hear her reasons for running, and what she would like to accomplish...
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Episode 45: Jen Ahearn-Koch, Sarasota city commissioner - June 4 2026
This week, Cathy Antunes speaks with Sarasota City Commission member Jen Ahearn-Koch about her re-election campaign.
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Episode 44: Julie London Ferguson, Sarasota County Commission candidate - May 28 2026
This week, Cathy Antunes is joined by Julie London Ferguson, who is running for the Sarasota County Commission's District 4 seat.
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Episode 43: Megan Tennimon on her campaign - May 21 2026
Megan Tennimon joins Cathy Antunes to discuss her run for the Sarasota County School Board. Tennimon is a lifelong resident of Sarasota, a mother and a former teacher. Listen to hear her reasons for running and what she would like to accomplish on the School Board.
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Episode 42: Tom Edwards on the School Board's lawsuit against Mike Moran - May 14 2026
Tom Edwards joins Cathy Antunes to discuss the Sarasota County School Board's lawsuit against Mike Moran, Sarasota County Tax Collector. For 23 years, all taxpayer funds gathered from the voter approved extra millage for public education have gone to Sarasota County Schools. When Moran took…
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Episode 41: Kelly Franklin on City Hall - May 7 2026
What does it take for a local government to rectify a blatantly false smear leveled against a citizen by the past administration? Kelly Franklin joins Cathy Antunes to discuss the state of her effort against the January 16, 2024 hit job she experienced at the hands of a City Commissioner and City...
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Episode 40: Jimmy Glover on his campaign - April 30 2026
Candidate for Sarasota County School Board Jimmy Glover joins Cathy Antunes on this episode of The Detail. They discuss his reasons for running, School Board issues and what he'd work to accomplish if elected.
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Episode 39: Parkland land swap with Lourdes Ramirez - April 23 2026
Lourdes Ramirez joins Cathy Antunes to discuss a shady beachfront land swap that Sarasota County is considering at their upcoming April 21 meeting. But key questions exist about the land swap which is being considered to settle a lawsuit. Can the County swap property purchased with parkland…
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Episode 38: Home rule with Lourdes Ramirez - April 9 2026
Home rule is under attack in Florida. Our state legislators—bought by developers—are working to gut our city and county home rule powers when it comes to being able to deny excessive or unwise development. Lourdes Ramirez joins Cathy Antunes to discuss our trouble in Tallahassee.
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Episode 37: The Van Wezel's future with David Rovine - March 19 2026
This week: David Rovine, member of the City's Purple Ribbon Committee, joins Cathy Antunes to discuss his take on the future of the Van Wezel performing arts hall. The City of Sarasota convened the Purple Ribbon Committee to determine the future of the "purple cow" when its was assumed it would…
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Episode 36: Flo Enlter, Sarasota City Commission candidate - March 12 2026
This week, Cathy Antunes speaks with Flo Enlter, community advocate, regarding her run for City Commission in the City of Sarasota. Learn about Flo's background, her community work, and why she decided to throw her hat into the ring for City Commission.
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Episode 35: Mark Vengroff on affordable housing - March 5 2026
Mark Vengroff is in the house to talk about affordable housing. Mark is the managing partner of One Stop Housing, a firm which provides affordable workforce housing here in Florida and in Memphis, Tennessee. Join Mark and Cathy to hear about One Stop Housing mission and how they make it work so...
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Episode 34: Lourdes Ramirez on a controversial Siesta Key land swap - February 26 2026
This week: Lourdes Ramirez. Ramirez leads a local non-profit, Save Siesta Key, which legally challenged a controversial land swap which had Sarasota County trading a beach side lot worth $2.8 million that was bought for conservation for four nearby beach lots valued at $100,000. The legal…
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Episode 33: John Harshman, Sarasota City Commission candidate - February 19 2026
John Harshman, candidate for Commissioner in the City of Sarasota, joins Cathy Antunes on this week's edition of The Detail. Harshman has built a successful real estate brokerage and has been a Sarasota resident for 51 years. Listen to hear why he decided to run and what he'd like to accomplish…
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Episode 32: The environment and the legislature with Glenn Compton - February 12 2026
Guardian of our Greenspaces, Glenn Compton, joins Cathy Antunes to discuss what Manasota 88 is focusing on to protect the environment. From phosphate mining waste, to Manatee and Sarasota County water supplies, to how Schools of Hope can impact our hurricane shelters, listen to hear from local...
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Episode 31: Ron Shapiro on the new Obsidian proposal - February 5 2026
This week: Overdevelopment. The proposed downtown Pencil Tower is BACK! Downtown advocate Ron Shapiro joins Cathy Antunes to discuss another Obsidian proposal. This 327 ft pencil tower plan was denied by the City Commission in May 2025, amid constant outcry from residents that the building…
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Episode 30: Free Speech at City Hall with Jim Lampl - January 29, 2026
Longtime local activist Jim Lampl joins me for a discussion on how the City Commission steps on Free Speech at City Hall. Citizens giving public input that irks some City Commissioners have been accused of engaging in "personal attacks." Other elected bodies have engaged in the same tactics. Is...
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Episode 29: Tom Edwards on Bridget Ziegler's pro-ICE resolution - January 24, 2026
This week: School Board member Tom Edwards joins me to discuss the resolution introduced by Bridget Ziegler which passed 3-2. Ziegler took issue with Edwards' participation in the Sarasota protest against Renee Good's death at the hands of ICE. Edwards joins me to discuss his take on the Board's...
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Episode 28: Public education in Florida with Bruce Baker - January 15, 2026
Professor Bruce Baker joins me with his assessment of Florida's public education system amid universal vouchers and schools of hope, and where we go from here.
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Episode 27: Liz Barker on Florida's voucher program audit - January 8, 2026
This week: Liz Barker joins me to discuss the recent state audit of Florida's universal voucher program—tax dollars given to Florida parents to use to fund their child's education. The state audit found a widespread lack of accountability in the state voucher programs, with untracked dollars,...
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Episode 26: Best and worst of 2025 with Karen Hall - January 1, 2025
Karen Hall joins me to run through the winners and losers—issues, officials and citizens—in local government in 2025.
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Episode 25: New College Master Plan with Jono Miller - December 11 2025
Jono Miller joins me to discuss the New College Master Plan. The New College Board will hold a public hearing on December 17 about the campus Master Plan. Citizens are concerned that New College's waterfront land has been the real target of the DeSantis/Corcoran takeover. Richard Corcoran has...
About this show
Learn what's happening in Florida's local politics from my home base in Sarasota, FL. The implications of local politics in Sarasota have been felt across the Country: Moms for Liberty, Stop the Steal, Privatization of Public Education and More! Learn how our Democracy is impacted by local dark money and other strategies to disempower citizens at the City, County and State level.
Hosted by
Cathy Antunes