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| | NEW FROM SUNCOAST SEARCHLIGHT: | | |
ENVIRONMENTALISTS WARNED CRUISE PORT FIX WOULD LEAVE TERRA CEIA VULNERABLE
While state lawmakers drafted a measure to stop a cruise port in Manatee County, environmental watchdogs warned the bill could leave the door open to large-scale development in the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve.
Conservation groups publicly praised state Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton), who took the lead on the legislation, for his efforts — and Boyd has repeatedly emphasized his opposition to the controversial cruise port idea.
But emails obtained by Suncoast Searchlight show that Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, a prominent environmental group that led efforts to quash the cruise port plan, urged Boyd to strike key provisions from the measure and replace them with language to specifically restrict dredging to accommodate commercial vessels.
Environmental and land use attorneys who compared the two versions of the bill at Suncoast Searchlight’s request said the one that ultimately passed was weaker.
| NEW FROM SUNCOAST SEARCHLIGHT & FLORIDA TRIDENT: | |
SARASOTA COUNTY BLOCKS 'LIVE LOCAL' LAW, RISKING CLASH WITH DEVELOPERS
In a unanimous vote that could set up a major legal showdown, Sarasota County commissioners this week moved to block developers from building large apartment complexes next to rural homes and farmland, rejecting applications amid legal uncertainty over a controversial state law.
At the center of the dispute is Florida’s Live Local Act, a 2023 state law that lets developers bypass local zoning rules and public hearings if they include some affordable housing in their plans. In recent months, developers have used the law to propose projects with hundreds, and even thousands, of units in rural and low-density residential districts.
Commissioners said they were reacting to a steady barrage of concerns from residents over the impact of the proposed developments. Among them are Lisa and Denver Miller, who told Suncoast Searchlight they’ve been writing letters to the county about a planned apartment complex near their 15-acre farm in rural east Sarasota County that they believe would upend the character of their neighborhood.
“They can’t see the ramifications of what they’re allowing to happen,” Lisa Miller told Suncoast Searchlight. “The local level knows the town. They know the area. They know what their town needs. And Tallahassee is not looking at that.”
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AS DEVELOPMENT BOOMS, SARASOTA VOTERS WILL DECIDE FATE OF FUTURE CONSERVATION
For more than two decades, Sarasota County has had a single program to counter the suburban sprawl that has come to define the area’s recent development boom.
In November, voters will decide whether to extend that program for another 23 years.
The Sarasota County Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to add a referendum to fund the Environmentally Sensitive Lands Protection Program through 2049. As Sarasota County has grown at a staggering pace, carving once-rural areas into asphalt and cul-de-sacs, local environmentalists see the government program as the most effective weapon to protect land from otherwise inevitable development.
The referendum needs a simple majority of votes to pass.
| NEW FROM SUNCOAST SEARCHLIGHT & BRADENTON HERALD: | |
MANATEE DROPS BID TO TIE NONPROFIT FUNDING TO IMMIGRATION CHECKS AMID PUSHBACK
A proposal that would have required nonprofits receiving Manatee County funding to verify they are not serving undocumented immigrants was withdrawn Tuesday after drawing widespread public opposition and little support from commissioners.
Commissioner Amanda Ballard, who proposed the measure, pulled the item from the agenda after a lengthy and, at times, tense discussion among commissioners, followed by public comment in which most speakers opposed the move. She said she wanted more time to work with nonprofit leaders and community stakeholders.
“I do think it’s an important issue, and I believe very strongly that there is absolutely a place for nonprofits to provide funds to anyone and everyone that needs help in the county,” Ballard said. “I don’t think that it’s an appropriate use of taxpayer funds to provide those services to people who are not in the country legally.”
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GIVING CHALLENGE RETURNS WITH 24-HOUR PUSH FOR SUNCOAST NONPROFITS
For 24 hours every two years, local nonprofits get a chance to supercharge their fundraising, tapping into millions of dollars in donations on a single day.
The surge comes from the Giving Challenge, a biennial event hosted by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County with support from The Patterson Foundation. Since launching in 2012, it has raised more than $92 million for about 750 nonprofits serving Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and DeSoto counties.
From noon April 15 to noon April 16, organizations will once again take part.
“The energy and enthusiasm around this year’s Giving Challenge is palpable, Jessica Muroff, CEO at the Community Foundation, said in a statement. “Whether someone has $25 to give or 10 times that amount, the Giving Challenge shows that everyone can be a philanthropist and make a lasting difference in their community.”
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FLORIDA AG COMMISSIONER HOPEFUL PUSHES GREENBELT REFORM, CITING 'RENT-A-COW' STORY
A Republican vying to become Florida’s next commissioner of agriculture is urging for sweeping reforms to the state’s Greenbelt law, citing abuses highlighted in a Suncoast Searchlight investigation.
Matt The Welder — whose birth name was Matt Taylor before he legally changed it in an attempt to get his persona on official ballots — posted an Instagram video Monday highlighting excerpts from a Suncoast Searchlight story published in February 2025 that revealed how area developers score big tax breaks through the “Rent-A-Cow” loophole.
He said closing the loophole has become a central theme in his campaign for the statewide seat, citing the need to protect Florida’s farmers and ranchers from threats of development, while slowing urban sprawl.
“As soon as they file to go before the zoning board, and plans become clear it’s no longer agriculture, that’s when it should be taxed for what it is,” The Welder told Suncoast Searchlight. “The law was designed to help farmers — not real estate developers.
The Suncoast Searchlight “Rent-A-Cow” investigation showed how real estate developers often tap the decades-old law meant to preserve agriculture to shrink the taxes on pastures they intend to pave over.
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SCIENTISTS TO DISCUSS SUNCOAST ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS AT FREE SARASOTA PANEL
One researches dolphin pods in Sarasota Bay.
Another studies the impacts of pollution in area waterways.
A third leads a consortium that strives to bring awareness to the work of local scientists.
Those experts, along with another local environmental advocate, will lead a panel discussion moderated by Suncoast Searchlight on April 15 at The Bay Park.
The conversation will offer a rare chance to hear directly from the scientists and advocates studying the region’s most pressing environmental challenges, from microplastics in local waters to the loss of natural habitats, and what those changes mean for the future of the Suncoast.
The free event — dubbed “Beneath the Surface: The Environmental Stories Shaping our Community” — starts at 3 p.m. inside the Bayfront Community Center behind the Municipal Auditorium. Presented in partnership with the Science and Environment Council, it is part of Suncoast Searchlight’s ongoing community engagement series supported by the Gulf Coast Community Foundation.
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Suncoast Searchlight partners with Gigafact to produce weekly fact briefs — concise, 150-word news stories that take real claims circulating online and fact-check them. Each brief offers a direct “yes” or “no” answer to the question or claim, followed by a clear explanation backed up by credible, high-quality sources.
THIS WEEK'S FACT BRIEFS:
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Searchlight Series Presents: Beneath the Surface
Join Suncoast Searchlight and the Science and Environment Council for a conversation about issues shaping our community, from water quality and wildlife to coastal resilience and growth.
April 15 | Doors open at 2:30pm, program is from 3:00-4:30 PM
Bayfront Community Center (Bay Park Conservancy)
Register →
| | HERE'S WHAT ELSE WE RECOMMEND READING THIS WEEK | | |
SELBY GARDENS BOTANIST DISCOVERS THREE NEW PLANT SPECIES
FROM SARASOTA MAGAZINE
Selby Gardens botanist Dr. John L. Clark can’t stop, won’t stop. In 2022, Clark was part of a team that discovered a new plant species called Amalophyllon miraculum—or ″miracle plant”—in an area of Ecuador that botanists had almost entirely written off because of deforestation. In 2025, he and a team of researchers discovered four more new plant species after extensive field research in the rainforests of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Now, Clark has discovered three new species of tropical air plants in the Ecuadorian Andes at the Cerro Candelaria Reserve. The plants, which are members of the genus Glossoloma (Gesneriaceae), were found along a single trail in one day.
READ THE STORY HERE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ENVIRONMENT TOP CONCERNS IN GULF COAST COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SURVEY
FROM ABC7
Affordable housing, protecting the natural environment and helping people in times of crisis are the top concerns identified in the Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s 2025 Regional Scan. The findings are based on input from more than 1,500 residents across Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto counties. Affordable housing ranked first at 57%. Protecting the natural environment followed at 36%, and helping people in times of crisis ranked third at 32%. Residents also pointed to arts and culture, along with parks and recreation, as strengths in the region.
READ/VIEW THE STORY HERE
WHY ONE SOUTH FLORIDA COUPLE IS WAITING ON THE SUPREME COURT BEFORE TRYING FOR ANOTHER CHILD
FROM WLRN VIA WUSF
Sean and Michelle waited years to start a family after coming legally to the United States. They immigrated to Florida from Venezuela, where Sean had served in the military before facing threats from the Hugo Chavez regime. They worked, started a business and had a daughter. But they've been waiting to grow their family. They're waiting on the Supreme Court to decide if President Donald Trump's effort to do away with birthright citizenship is constitutional or not.
READ THE STORY HERE
MANATEE COUNTY WEIGHS ENDING FREE BEACH PARKING ON ANNA MARIA ISLAND ADMID COMMUNITY CONCERNS
FROM PULSE OF MANATEE
Manatee County leaders are in the early stages of discussing whether to eliminate free beach parking on Anna Maria Island, a proposal that has sparked concern among residents and local officials. County staff are evaluating potential changes as part of a broader effort to reduce the financial burden on taxpayers. Officials indicate that a significant portion of beach parking is used by visitors, resulting in ongoing maintenance and operational costs funded by property taxes.
READ THE STORY HERE
THE SUNSHINE SKYWAY BRIDGE IS GOING CASHLESS
FROM WUSF
Over the decades, toll rates for the Sunshine Skyway Bridge have gone up and down like rolling storm waves on Tampa Bay. The current crossing cost for a two-axle vehicle is $1.75, the same toll that was in place when the first cars rolled across the two-lane concrete Skyway when it opened in September 1954. Beginning April 12, motorists won’t be able to use cash or coins, an idea that would have been unthinkable in 1954, or any time in the era of human toll-takers and plastic coin-catching baskets. The Florida Department of Transportation is turning the Skyway into an entirely cashless bridge.
READ THE STORY HERE
FLORIDA NONPROFIT LEADERS REPLACED AFTER ALARMING INVESTIGATION
FROM SARASOTA HERALD-TRIBUNE
Centerstone of Florida has replaced its top administrators in the aftermath of a Sarasota Herald-Tribune investigation that focused on the mishandling of two clients accused of killing three people. Among the four executives no longer employed with the behavioral hospital and addiction center in Bradenton is Dr. Lisa Williams, who was the regional chief executive officer in charge of Florida operations. Williams served as CEO for only 14 months.
READ THE STORY HERE
FPL'S PROFIT MARGINS AMONG HIGHEST AMONG UTILITIES NATIONWIDE, REPORT SAYS
FROM WRLN VIA WUSF
Florida Power & Light's profit margins consistently ranked among the highest in the nation over the past five years and topped other utilities' in 2024 and 2025, with more than a quarter of every dollar in revenue last year retained as profit, according to a new report. The report, released in March by the Energy & Policy Institute, a watchdog organization. The findings do not account for a $7 billion rate hike state regulators approved for FPL in November 2025 that consumer groups characterized as the largest in U.S. history. The rate hike faces a legal challenge in state court.
READ THE STORY HERE
MANATEE COUNTY TO PARTICIPATE IN WHITE HOUSE SUMMIT ON HOMELESSNESS, ADDICTION
FROM ABC7
Manatee County has been selected as one of 25 participants to attend a White House summit on homelessness and addiction next week. Manatee County’s Community Health Program Outreach Case Manager Angie Sciarrone, along with County Commissioner Amanda Ballard, will attend the “Best Practices for Addiction Treatment within Homelessness” summit April 13–14. The summit will convene experts from across the country to identify effective strategies for treating addiction and mental illness among homeless individuals. The insights gathered will help shape a national toolkit to guide communities facing similar challenges.
READ THE STORY HERE
PUSH TO SHRINK NORTH PORT HEADS TO FLORIDA SUPREME COURT
FROM SARASOTA HERALD-TRIBUNE
Residents of the West Villages subdivisions of Wellen Park who are seeking to separate from the city of North Port in Sarasota County will take their case to the Florida Supreme Court after a recent decision by the 2nd District Court of Appeal denied their petition for a new hearing. In a one-sentence ruling, the court simply stated: “Petitioners' Motion for Rehearing and Motion for Rehearing En Banc is denied.”
READ THE STORY HERE
MANATEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT MIGHT FIGHT STARTING TIME MANDATE
FROM EAST COUNTY OBSERVER
Lakewood Ranch High freshman Gabriella Garner has often found herself wanting to put her head down to dull the bright lights in the early morning hours. Garner said many of her classmates are half asleep in the first two classes, with their productivity low. She is talking about the high school's 7:30 a.m. starting time. That could soon change. Florida has set new start times for middle and high schools. It will require middle schools to start no earlier than 8 a.m. and high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m. The school district has considered submitting paperwork to be exempt from the law, though, in order to avoid reorganizing bus routes and changing families’ routines. It would need to demonstrate that changing schedules would cause significant disruption.
READ THE STORY HERE
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DID YOU MISS OUR PREVIOUS NEWSLETTER?
HERE'S WHAT WE SHARED:
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SARASOTA COUNTY SCHOOLS TO CUT TEACHERS AS VOUCHERS DIVERT MILLIONS FROM DISTRICT
First-year teachers across the district could lose their jobs next school year as Sarasota County Schools plans to cut 180 instructional staff positions in response to funding shortfalls.
The staff reductions come as the state diverts millions of dollars to school vouchers for families to pay private school tuition, inflation outpaces state funding for public education, and special COVID-19 earmarked funds dry up. In Sarasota, a county with an aging population, public student enrollment has also flatlined in recent years, meaning less money for schools.
The cuts mirror those at school districts across Florida, which have slashed programming and even closed schools amid mounting budget pressures. In Sarasota, an A-rated school district in a property-rich region that enjoys enthusiastic community support, the roughly 6% reduction in instructional staff has come as a shock.
“We’ve had lulls before,” said Rex Ingerick, president of Sarasota Classified/Teachers Association, the union representing teachers in the district. “We’ve had times where we’ve had some teachers unassigned, but not this level — not this many people.”
Among teachers, those in their first year with the district would be the first to be laid off, according to the union. Another 79 classified staff positions, such as custodians, food service workers and IT professionals, are also slated to be cut.
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SUNCOAST SEARCHLIGHT WINS NATIONAL, FLORIDA JOURNALISM AWARDS
Suncoast Searchlight has earned honors from both a national business journalism contest and a statewide competition, recognizing the newsroom’s investigative and enterprise reporting across a range of topics — including several projects produced in collaboration with other local news organizations.
The newsroom received two awards from the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing, or SABEW, one of the nation’s leading organizations for business journalists.
Suncoast Searchlight’s “Power and Profit” series — an investigation into how developer-controlled special districts finance growth in Florida — won first place in the small newsroom division for explanatory reporting and earned an honorable mention in real estate reporting.
Judges praised the series as “a valuable public service” and “exhaustively researched and clearly written,” highlighting its deep dive into the rapid expansion of special districts and the financial risks they can pose to homeowners.
The newsroom also received multiple honors in the Florida Society of News Editors’ annual contest, which recognizes top journalism across the state. Several of the FSNE honors were for collaborative projects produced with partner organizations, including the Bradenton Herald and the Florida Trident.
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GOLF DEAL FALLOUT DEEPENS DIVISIONS IN THE MEADOWS
Weeks after a controversial decision to lease its golf courses to Benderson Development Co., The Meadows is still grappling with the fallout.
The dispute inside one of Sarasota County’s oldest and largest planned communities has grown beyond the deal itself, spilling into board meetings, neighborhood interactions and competing efforts to influence residents ahead of an ongoing election.
An HOA candidate forum was abruptly canceled. Security was called to a confrontation involving residents and board members. And dueling messages — one from the board, another from a resident-run blog — each accused the other of misleading neighbors.
The conflict in The Meadows is a case study in how homeowner associations can struggle under the weight of high-stakes decisions, turning disagreements among neighbors into broader fights over control, trust and the future of their community.
Florida is one of the most HOA-governed states in the country, with millions of residents living in deed-restricted communities run by elected boards. These associations function as private governments, often wielding authority over finances, land use and daily life — but with less civic participation than their public counterparts.
Experts said that dynamic can make conflict inevitable, especially when decisions reshape the character or value of a community.
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MANATEE COUNTY REVISITS UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT POLICY AMID NONPROFIT CONCERNS
After weeks of silence that left some nonprofit leaders wondering whether the issue had faded, Manatee County commissioners are set to revisit a controversial proposal requiring nonprofits receiving county funding to verify the legal status of the people they serve.
The proposal, which appears on the commission’s Tuesday agenda, would align the county’s grantmaking with a federal law that restricts certain public benefits for people living in the country without legal authorization.
If approved, the measure would require nonprofits to certify that county funds are not used to serve those individuals, a change that could affect at least 86 organizations receiving more than $26 million annually from Manatee County Government.
Nonprofits that don’t comply could lose that funding, which supports programs such as early childhood development, college readiness, shelters, dental care, sexual assault advocacy and addiction recovery.
Exempt from the restriction are programs that provide immunizations, emergency health care, short-term disaster relief and similar services.
The idea was first raised in September and revived again in January, drawing concern from nonprofits and even community leaders who questioned how immigration status would be defined and verified, and warned the proposal could add costs and bureaucracy while discouraging people from seeking help.
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SUNCOAST SEARCHLIGHT ADDS TWO REPORTERS TO EXPAND WATCHDOG, GOVERNMENT COVERAGE
Suncoast Searchlight is expanding its newsroom with the addition of two reporters as the nonprofit continues to grow its coverage across Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties.
Emily Andersen joins the newsroom as a watchdog and investigative reporter, while Christian Casale will cover local government and politics, with a focus on how policy decisions affect residents’ daily lives.
The hires mark a significant step in the newsroom’s effort to deepen its accountability reporting and strengthen coverage of local institutions.
Casale’s position is funded through a grant from the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, supporting expanded reporting on local government at a time when many communities are seeing reduced coverage of public agencies.
“Supporting local, grassroots journalism is essential to ensuring communities have access to the information they need to make informed decisions,” said Phillip Lanham, Gulf Coast Community Foundation President and CEO. “Suncoast Searchlight helps shine a light on issues that matter locally and reinforces the informed civic engagement our community depends on.”
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ICE TO EXPAND FOOTPRINT IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, SEEKING COWORKING SPACES
Employees using co-working spaces around Southwest Florida could soon get new officemates: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel.
As ICE expands operations throughout the country, the agency is seeking flexible working space for its employees in 11 Florida cities, including Sarasota and Bradenton.
The push comes as Florida leads the nation in ICE apprehensions, and local law enforcement cash in on state funding for immigration enforcement – with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office bringing in more than $1.1 million from Florida’s State Board of Immigration Enforcement in February.
The federal agency has identified more cities in Florida than any other state where it is seeking office space, followed by Arizona and California, according to documents posted to a government procurement website.
The focus on Florida reflects how the state has furthered President Donald Trump’s deportation agenda through local cooperation – without high-profile sweeps like those in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Chicago and other prominent blue cities.
The national push would see roughly 300 federal employees placed in flexible office spaces across 90 cities. In a statement, an ICE spokesperson wrote that the agency has increased its national presence by 12,000 “officers and agents on the ground,” but declined to answer questions about its work in Sarasota and Bradenton.
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Suncoast Searchlight is a 501c3 nonprofit news organization whose mission is to produce investigative and explanatory journalism that serves and empowers the residents of Florida’s Suncoast region (Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties). We shine a light on critical issues affecting our community. Through independent reporting and collaboration with diverse media partners, we foster transparency, accountability and an informed citizenry, ensuring that all voices are heard and that the public has access to the information they need to drive meaningful change.
CONTACT US:
Suncoast Searchlight
PO Box 99 Sarasota, FL 34230
(941) 724-4450
| | www.suncoastsearchlight.org |
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