Weekly Newsletter

Friday, Jan. 9, 2025

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We’re here to keep you informed on the local issues that matter most. Each week, we share our latest in-depth reporting, along with the most important stories from around the region, so you stay connected and up to date with what’s happening in your community.

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NEW FROM SUNCOAST SEARCHLIGHT:

GRAN PARADISO'S WATER WAR ENDS, BUT FALLOUT LANDS ON FORMER DIRECTORS

A three-year legal saga between residents of Gran Paradiso and their developer-controlled government has ended — resolving a fight over irrigation water rates that divided the upscale neighborhood and exposed the power imbalance between homeowners and special-purpose districts that control essential services.

The dispute escalated last year when the West Villages Improvement District shut off irrigation to the neighborhood altogether, browning lawns and water-starving plants as the lawsuit dragged on and a trial date loomed.

But the settlement, which was approved in November, came with some stark conditions.

Under the agreement, Gran Paradiso homeowners agreed to surrender their lawsuit, waive legal protections for directors who challenged the district and silence future criticism in exchange for  the district supporting restoration of water service with no guarantee Gran Paradiso will have irrigation anytime soon — terms critics describe as punitive and retaliatory.

Gran Paradiso may also have to transfer a valuable piece of property to the West Villages Improvement District or make a large monetary payment to cover some of the district's legal bills racked up in the dispute, according to written statements to residents.

NEW FROM SUNCOAST SEARCHLIGHT:

THE TALLY: WHAT WE KNOW — AND DON'T KNOW — ABOUT SUNCOAST TEACHER VACANCIES

Teacher shortages have shaped classrooms across Florida in recent years, forcing districts to rely on out-of-field teachers, long-term substitutes and other stopgap measures — especially in hard-to-staff areas like special education.

State officials say the situation is improving. The Florida Department of Education announced last summer that teacher vacancies had dropped 18% from the previous school year, suggesting the worst of the staffing crunch may have passed.

But when a reporter requested detailed, district-by-district vacancy data to understand where shortages persist, the state did not provide it. Instead, the department supplied links to general reports on high-demand teaching areas, leaving key questions about local conditions unanswered.

Data compiled by Florida’s largest school employee union offer a partial picture. An analysis shows teacher vacancies across the state have declined recently, but gaps remain — and limitations in the data make it difficult to compare districts or identify where shortages are most acute and how they are affecting students and classrooms.

Even with recent declines, more than 2,800 teaching positions remained unfilled statewide this year, with needs varying widely by district, school and subject area.

Here’s what we know — and don’t know — about teacher vacancies in the Suncoast and across Florida, and what those gaps mean for students, teachers and school staff.

NEW FROM SUNCOAST SEARCHLIGHT:

SUNCOAST SEARCHLIGHT LAUNCHES 'PUBLIC RECORDS WATCH'

Suncoast Searchlight is launching a new feature called Public Records Watch to take readers behind the scenes of an important — and often invisible — aspect of our reporting. Through this occasional series, we will highlight some of the government records we’re seeking or have obtained and explain why they matter. 

Public records are the backbone of accountability reporting. They help journalists verify facts, uncover information that sources might not otherwise readily provide and can show how decisions are made by people in power. Yet journalists often spend little time, if at all, explaining to readers the process of requesting and negotiating for public records. 

By pulling back the curtain, Public Records Watch aims to make that process more transparent. We want readers to better understand what we’re asking for, what we receive and how those records inform our reporting. If there are records you think the public should see, we want to hear from you — reach out to us here.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US START 2026 STRONG

Because of readers like you, more than $75,000 was raised at year-end to support local investigative reporting. That support keeps our reporting free and accessible, funds public records requests and gives our team the time to dig into the decisions shaping our communities.

It also fuels real conversations. Nearly 200 community members joined us for free events, including a discussion about the future of local news and a panel on development and local power both shaped by our reporting and driven by community questions.

There’s more to come this year, including a community lunch-and-learn, From Tip to Truth: How Investigative Reporting Takes Shape on January 21.

We’re deeply grateful to everyone who gave, shared our work, showed up, or read along. Your support carries this work into 2026 and into our second year of investigative journalism rooted in community partnership.

Ever wonder how a story goes from a quiet tip to a full investigation?

Join Searchlight reporters Alice Herman and Kara Newhouse for an inside look at how they turn tips into deeply reported stories. They will walk through how they follow leads, verify facts and shape reporting that holds power accountable, using real examples from their work.

📅 Save your seat!

Presented as part of the Searchlight Series with Gulf Coast Community Foundation and in partnership with Manatee Community Foundation.

HERE'S WHAT ELSE WE RECOMMEND READING THIS WEEK

TEN MILLION CORALS ARE IN THE PATH OF A FEDERAL DREDGING PROJECT IN FLORIDA

FROM INSIDE CLIMATE NEWS, VIA WUSF

Beneath the surface of one of South Florida’s busiest maritime hubs, Port Everglades, scientists found 10 million corals thriving in and around the main channel traversed daily by cargo and cruise ships. Now, those corals are being threatened by a major federal dredging project. The Port Everglades Navigation Improvements Project is a major federal initiative led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers aimed at deepening and widening the port’s shipping channels. If approved, federal scientists and local conservation groups warn the construction could cause unprecedented damage to corals within the channel and beyond.

READ THE STORY HERE

MEGA DEVELOPMENTS IN MANATEE COUNTY? WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT NEW FLORIDA BILLS

FROM BRADENTON HERALD

Florida lawmakers will consider several new bills this year that could have a major impact on development in Manatee County and across the state, including one that would fast track developments over 10,000 acres. Development remains a hot button issue in Manatee, where many residents feel that growth is happening too fast and intensely — especially in the county’s traditionally agricultural eastern half.

READ THE STORY HERE

A NEW YORK INVESTMENT FIRM WITH VAST LAND HOLDINGS ACROSS NORTH FLORIDA WANTS STATE LAWMAKERS TO GREENLIGHT GIANT DEVELOPMENTS

FROM SEEKING RENTS

Since 2017, companies linked to a multibillion-dollar investment manager in New York have spent at least $230 million buying up more than 80,000 acres across north Florida — amassing giant tracts of largely rural land near Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Panama City. That same investment firm now wants Florida lawmakers to make it much easier to develop that land. Records obtained by Seeking Rents show that executives at Ruane Cunniff — a Manhattan-based firm that manages hedge funds, mutual funds and other investment vehicles — are behind an obscure entity pushing bills in the Florida Legislature this year that would enable giant landowners to have their properties rezoned for high-intensity development without a local public hearing or vote in the communities where the projects would occur.

READ THE STORY HERE

FLORIDA FHP WON'T SETTLE LAWSUITS IN CHASES AND FATAL CRASHES

FROM TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS VIA SARASOTA HERALD-TRIBUNE

The Florida Highway Patrol does not settle lawsuits and has paid “zero dollars” in damages stemming from high-speed chases that ended in fatal crashes, a top official said in October. Col. Gary Howze's statements offer a rare glimpse into the agency’s decision-making, which has remained largely opaque in the wake of multiple high-profile pursuits. TCPalm obtained a transcript of his speech at the Oct. 8 Florida Highway Patrol Retired Personnel Association meeting at the Hilton Melbourne Beach Oceanfront in Melbourne. His statements came amid an ongoing wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Arsenio Más, a truck driver killed in a 2024 pursuit in Port St. Lucie.

READ THE STORY HERE

PALMETTO ROLLOVER CRASH KILLS 18-YEAR-OLD IN STOLEN VEHICLE

FROM SARASOTA HERALD-TRIBUNE

A driver of a stolen vehicle died Monday following a traffic crash in Palmetto. Deputies received an alert from Hillsborough County regarding a stolen vehicle traveling southbound on U.S. 41 near Palmetto. They followed the vehicle, and once additional units arrived, they attempted a traffic stop. The driver initially slowed but then made a U-turn. One-half mile ahead of deputies, the stolen car struck the rear of another vehicle, spun out of control and rolled several times.The driver of the stolen vehicle, identified as 18-year-old Michael Jerome Austin of Ruskin, was later declared dead.

READ THE STORY HERE

SARASOTA SCHOOLS’ ‘FUTURE FOCUSED’ MAKEOVER CREATES RARE UNITY

FROM WSLR

Sarasota schools’ ‘Future Focused’ makeover creates rare unity. The makeover of Sarasota’s public schools has taken on a dynamic of its own, a dynamic that’s going way beyond countering a challenge by for-profit operators asking to move into underused school buildings. Since November, at a dizzying speed—and to the applause of parents and all school board members—the superintendent has been changing the makeup of elementary and middle schools in the county to counter declining enrollment. Yesterday, Terry Connor updated school board members about his “Future Focused Initiative.”

READ/HEAR THE STORY HERE

VENEZUELAN EXILE IN BRADENTON SKEPTICAL OF U.S. MILITARY INTERVENTION

FROM WSLR

In 2010, Luis Velásquez ran as an opposition candidate for the cabildo of the capital city of Caracas. He was elected by landslide, and by 2011, he chaired the council that runs the country’s biggest metropolitan area. The national government eventually removed Velásquez and his opposition peers from the cabildo. And in 2021, a Venezuelan court arraigned him over “treason of the fatherland.” Velásquez did not wait for his hearing. He fled the country with his family and ended up in Bradenton, where he now drives Uber, trying to make a living while helping opposition candidates in Venezuela campaign for office.

READ/HEAR THE STORY HERE

MAN WHO CARRIED PELOSI LECTERN ON JAN. 6 FILES FOR MANATEE COUNTY COMMISSION

FROM ABC7

Adam Johnson, the Parrish man who gained national attention for carrying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s lectern during the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, has filed to run for Manatee County Commission District 6 at large. Johnson filed campaign paperwork on the five-year anniversary of the Capitol attack, according to campaign records. Johnson was sentenced to 75 days in jail and one year of probation after taking a plea deal. He pled guilty to one misdemeanor charge of entering and remaining in a restricted building or ground.

READ/WATCH THE STORY HERE

NEW STRAIN TAKES AIM: FLU CASES SURGE FOR ELDERLY, YOUNG PEOPLE

FROM THE DAILY SUN

As the holidays come to a close, the door to peak flu season is surging open with a vengeance due to a new strain in play. The Florida Department of Health has recorded one flu outbreak in Charlotte County in December, cases continuing to climb to a higher-than-normal number. For HCA, this year’s increase started around Christmas and continues, the atypical strain “influenza A H3” making up the bulk of cases — a strain not stopped by the flu shot this year. Sarasota Memorial Health Care is seeing the same thing. December and January, albeit typically peak months for flu season, have seen a slightly higher number of hospitalized patients who tested positive for flu this season than the same period last year, an SMHC spokesperson said.

READ THE STORY HERE

FLORIDA SUPREME COURT: AT-HOME SPERM DONORS CAN BECOME LEGAL PARENTS

FROM TAMPA BAY TIMES

In a decision that fundamentally alters the landscape of do-it-yourself fertility in Florida, the state Supreme Court ruled that a man providing sperm for at-home artificial insemination does not automatically relinquish his rights as a father. The 4-3 ruling sided with Angel Rivera, a then casino restaurant worker who provided sperm to a married Tampa couple in 2019. Later, when the women divorced, he sought to become the boy’s legal father.

READ THE STORY HERE

DID YOU MISS OUR PREVIOUS NEWSLETTER?

HERE'S WHAT WE SHARED:

SARASOTA COUNTY OFFERED OTHERS FAR LESS FOR SIESTA BEACH LOTS AS HOLDERNESS DEAL LOOMS

Katie Gerhardt remembered when her parents’ Siesta Key properties sat so close to the Gulf that one parcel was entirely underwater and the other was barely dry.

During a violent storm in the early 1980s, she recalled, waves pushed wet sand into a rental home the family owned on the dry lot, leaving Gerhardt to scoop sandy muck out of the house for days afterward.

At the time, the Gulf lapped at the property’s edge. But over the years, sand accumulated through a natural process called accretion — first slowly, then more recently by as much as 7 feet per year.

Today, hundreds of feet of white, Siesta sand stretches all the way to the water.

The family had long since sold the parcel with the rental home, but kept the one once submerged by water and now boasting nothing but beach. 

“I came back out here about 10 years ago, it was like, ‘Wow,’” she said. “‘Look what’s happening.’”

Gerhardt, a retired property appraiser, didn’t think much about the value of the family’s growing beach, calling the sandy lot her family has owned for about 50 years “basically worthless” because county development codes prevent anyone from building there.

So she was stunned — then outraged — to learn that Siesta Key businessman Michael Holderness stood to gain millions of dollars in value by swapping his adjacent beach lots that are nearly identical to hers with prime real estate owned by Sarasota County. The deal is part of a settlement of a property rights lawsuit filed by Holderness’ company, Siesta Beach Lots LLC, against the county — but is on hold after another Siesta Beach resident, Lourdes Ramirez, filed a legal challenge in circuit court to block it.

What angered Gerhardt the most, she said, is that the county is attempting to acquire her family’s beach lot — and at least two others nearby — for a fraction of what Holderness would receive. As recently as last year, the Gerhardt family was offered $30,000 for its parcel, which it rejected.

NEW COLLEGE TUITION HIKE MAY CONTRADICT TRUMP 'COMPACT'

New College of Florida trustees voted Wednesday on a tuition hike — raising questions about whether it would still qualify for a Trump administration agreement barring such increases for the next five years.

The 15% price hike for out-of-state students, which is set to go into effect in fall 2026, could complicate the college’s plans to sign Trump’s “compact,” which offers priority funding to schools willing to adopt a range of ideologically-driven policies — and implement a tuition freeze for American students.

In response to questions from Suncoast Searchlight, a New College spokesperson said the school remains “first in line” to sign the compact and suggested the outlet ask the White House whether it still qualifies. 

The White House did not return a request for comment. 

Since Gov. Ron DeSantis overhauled the leadership of New College in 2023 and helped install former Republican Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran as president, the school — previously known for its progressive student body – has sought to remake itself into a conservative institution. New College has leaned into opportunities to bolster that image publicly, bringing on the rightwing commentator Christopher Rufo as a trustee and hosting roundtable discussions with figures like Tom Homan, Trump’s designated “border czar.” 

An Oct. 27 press release announcing New College’s intention to sign the federal agreement touted some of the changes the school has made in recent years, including disbanding its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming and eliminating Gender Studies from the college’s curriculum. 

DEMOCRATIC GUBERNATORIAL HOPEFUL DAVID JOLLY SPOTLIGHTS EDUCATION IN SARASOTA

Former Republican U.S. Rep. David Jolly, now running a Democratic campaign for Florida governor, signaled during a Sarasota event last week that education would be a priority during his run to put a Democrat in charge of the Sunshine State for the first time this century.

The Tampa-area politician hosted about 20 public education advocates Dec. 11 at the downtown restaurant Rosemary & Thyme in a closed-door gathering attended by Suncoast Searchlight. Jolly was joined by former Democratic U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, herself a former gubernatorial candidate who had served with Jolly in Congress. 

Jolly is campaigning amid rising concerns over the expansion of school vouchers and the implementation of the controversial Schools of Hope law that allows charter operators to occupy space inside under-used public school facilities. 

His stop in Sarasota is no coincidence. 

Sarasota County Schools has emerged as a model for how districts can get out in front of the Schools of Hope law. Facing the prospect of charter operators claiming space inside their schools, district leaders last month pushed through a sweeping reclassification of classroom capacity across multiple campuses — an overhaul approved by the state Department of Education. That move gave the district leverage to deny subsequent co-location requests at Emma E. Booker Elementary and Brookside Middle. 

Sarasota County also has been a flashpoint in Florida’s education wars because of its connection to Moms for Liberty, a conservative parents’ rights organization that has gained national attention for its campaigns against what it characterizes as ideological instruction in public schools. One of the group’s founders, Bridget Ziegler, serves on the Sarasota County School Board, where the organization’s influence has shaped debates over pandemic-era policies, books and curriculum, and race and gender. 

“Sarasota, arguably, is ground zero for much of this debate,” Jolly told Suncoast Searchlight after the event. 



SERIES OF MISCONDUCT CASES SIGNALS SYSTEMIC BREAKDOWN IN MANATEE COUNTY SCHOOLS

An elementary school resource teacher arrested for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse materials and footage of sexual activity with an animal. 

A middle school teacher arrested after allegedly sending a student explicit images on social media.

A high school teacher and football coach arrested twice in one week for allegedly making sexual advances toward teenage students.

In the past two years, the School District of Manatee County has faced a drumbeat of allegations that teachers and staff physically or sexually mistreated students as young as 7 years old. 

At least a dozen incidents have sparked headline-making arrests, costly lawsuits against the district and outcry from parents who contend the administration did not do enough to protect kids.

The district is supposed to vet potential hires through background checks, reference checks and screening questionnaires, weeding out problematic candidates before they reach students. Should warning signs emerge after hiring, the district's policies are supposed to protect kids by requiring staff to report any potential boundary violations — from spending unusual time alone with a student to sending students private letters — to district and state authorities.

But in multiple cases, the district’s safeguards didn’t work as intended. Missed warnings and weak follow-through left students vulnerable, according to a joint-investigation by Suncoast Searchlight and the Bradenton Herald.

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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