Weekly Newsletter

Friday, May 16, 2025

Thank you for subscribing to Suncoast Searchlight's newsletter. 

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.

Enjoying this newsletter thanks to a friend? Subscribe here to get it in your inbox every week.

NEW FROM SUNCOAST SEARCHLIGHT:

NOAA CUTS COULD HARM SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FISHING ECONOMY, THREATEN RED TIDE RESEARCH

Sweeping cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration could imperil Florida’s multibillion-dollar fishing industry and coastal economy, industry leaders and scientists warn — a dire prospect for a region built on tourism, seafood and the health of its waters.

Beyond running the national weather monitoring and alert systems — its most visible role — NOAA also works to prevent overfishing, monitor the coastal environment and support local ocean research. 

For Florida’s Gulf Coast, that means researching red tide, addressing habitat loss and restoring overfished species. Since 2020 alone, NOAA has supported these efforts with more than $35 million in grants and contracts for Suncoast governments and nonprofits, including Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota.

But after U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January, more than 2,000 employees have left NOAA as Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency makes its way through the agency. And internal documents show plans for deep funding cuts — including slashing coastal conservation programs in half, shutting down climate research, and gutting the budget for fisheries management.

“Do you think people want to go to Florida and spend millions of dollars on condos and houses and boats and because they want dirty water, and ugly beaches, and no fish in the water, and no live corals, and no sea grass beds?” said Scott Hickman, the founder of the Charter Fisherman’s Association. “That’s why people go to Florida, right? For the wild beauty.”

NEW FROM SUNCOAST SEARCHLIGHT:

NEARLY HALF OF SUNCOAST FAMILIES CAN'T AFFORD THE BASICS, NEW REPORT FINDS

Across the Suncoast, almost half of all households struggle to make ends meet, according to a new report by the United Way Suncoast and its research partner United for ALICE.

The report, released Monday, evaluated the basic household budget required for different types of families to sustain themselves in their respective county. Researchers calculated the minimum income to meet that budget — known as the ALICE threshold, which stands for asset limited, income constrained, employed.

The ALICE concept reflects a reality that, while 10% of households in DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties fall below the federal poverty level, an additional third of households aren’t earning enough to afford the essentials.

READ THE STORY TO EXPLORE OUR INTERACTIVE DATA CHARTS

NEW FROM SUNCOAST SEARCHLIGHT:

FACT BRIEFS

Suncoast Searchlight is partnering 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.

READ THIS WEEK'S FACT BRIEFS:

Florida lawmakers just banned fluoride from public water. Can the federal government stop them?

Can drivers get a speeding ticket in school zones when the lights aren't flashing?

HERE'S WHAT ELSE WE RECOMMEND READING THIS WEEK

ARE WETLAND CHANGES ILLEGAL? MANATEE SETS UP SHOWDOWN WITH FLORIDA OFFICIALS

FROM BRADENTON HERALD

As Manatee County leaders were poised for a final vote to restore local wetland protections, state officials shocked them with a last-minute opposition. Florida agencies get to review Comprehensive Plan amendments made by county governments. During the months-long process to bring back Manatee County’s wetland buffers, state agencies did not express any concerns, county staff said. But as the final vote to restore the wetland buffers neared, the county received a sudden slew of emails from Florida officials. In what appeared to be a coordinated effort, four state agencies used similar language to describe concerns about the wetland buffers and question whether Manatee County could legally reinstate them.

READ THE STORY HERE

NEW COLLEGE SETTLES PUBLIC RECORDS LAWSUIT; COURT TO RETAIN JURISDICTION TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY COMPLIANCE

FROM THE FLORIDA TRIDENT

A lawsuit alleging violations of Florida’s Public Records Act by New College of Florida has been resolved through a mediated settlement that institutes sweeping reforms aimed at promoting transparency and accountability. Under the terms of the agreement, New College will pay $125,000 in attorney’s fees. All trustees must now use agency-issued phones to conduct official business, and they will be required to complete additional training on Florida’s Public Records Act, with specific emphasis on properly archiving public records. Importantly, the Circuit Court will retain jurisdiction to monitor compliance with the agreement.

READ THE STORY HERE

OBSIDIAN PROJECT DERAILED WITH CITY COMMISSION VOTE

FROM THE SARASOTA NEWS LEADER

In the real estate business, the longstanding maxim has been “Location, location, location.” “Incompatibility, incompatibility, incompatibility” summed up the Sarasota city commissioners’ vote this week on the future of a 327-foot-high condominium complex proposed at 1260 N. Palm Ave. in Sarasota. It took approximately five hours on May 13 — including the remarks of three “affected parties” (a legal term) and 16 members of the public — for the majority of the commissioners to conclude that the Bay Plaza Owners Association was correct in asserting that the structure as designed was not suitable in the chosen location.

READ THE STORY HERE

WELLEN PARK PROTEST: 'WE'VE GOT TO GET THEM TO BACK DOWN'

FROM THE WEST VILLAGES SUN

The protesters along U.S. 41 in front of the Wellen Park Publix knew they weren’t going to change anybody’s mind with a sign. But that wasn’t the goal of the protesters, who aren’t happy with Wellen Park master developer Mattamy Homes. “We want to bring awareness,” said Eric Johnston, as he stood next to his sign in the morning heat Friday, May 9. The roughly 50 people along Tamiami Trail had many grievances with Mattamy Homes and the West Villages Improvement District. Some were upset that irrigation water had been turned off in the large neighborhood of Gran Paradiso. Others were not happy with they call a lack of representation on the West Villages Improvement District board. Only one of the five seats goes to residents.

READ THE STORY HERE

AT DAKIN DAIRY FARMS, FOUR BROTHERS TEND TO COWS, KIN AND A VANISHING WAY OF LIFE

FROM THE OBSERVER

Curious creatures, cows. Curious about us humans. So says Garrett Dakin, who should know, because he owns Dakin Dairy Farms with his three brothers and has been part of his family’s milk business since childhood. A cow’s curiosity only goes so far, though. “They’ll let you get close, but they will not let you touch ’em,” Dakin says. I’m up for the challenge. As an enticement, I pick up a handful of feed and extend it to one of the cows, who’s just finished a milking session. She meanders over, pauses, inches a bit closer, then stops and gives me a long, soulful — curious — stare. Her coat is a ruddy white accented by puzzle pieces of deep brown. A yellow tab with the number 5965 hangs from each ear. I push the feed closer to her, about a foot away. “Go ’head, it’s OK,” I murmur. A cow whisperer. Shortly after, she slowly turns and saunters away, joining the rest of the herd.

READ THE STORY HERE



A SELBY GARDENS BOTANIST JUST HELPED DISCOVER FOUR NEW PLANT SPECIES

FROM SARASOTA MAGAZINE

The botany team at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is at it again. In 2022, Selby Gardens botanist Dr. John L. Clark was also 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. Now, Clark and a team of researchers have discovered four more new plant species after extensive field research in the rainforests of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Part of the family Gesneriaceae, the new species grow as climbing air plants, with slanted, tubular flowers that bloom from clustered stems near the forest floor—a rare kind of growth habit not only for this type of plant, but also in rainforests in general.

READ THE STORY HERE

DISCOVERING THE FIG NEWTONS THAT CREATED ANNA MARIA ISLAND

FROM ABC7

Anna Maria Island was a primitive land in 1891 with lots of mosquitoes and rattlesnakes. But when Charles Roser, the guy who created Fig Newtons, got together with Wil Bean, the son of an Anna Maria Island homesteader, an island tourist destination was born. A tiny, tasty treat that led to all we see on the island today.

​WATCH THE STORY HERE



DID YOU MISS LAST WEEK'S NEWSLETTER?

HERE'S WHAT WE SHARED:

Challenging new development in Sarasota? Be ready to spend a small fortune

Challenging a development in Sarasota doesn’t just take time — it takes money.

For more than two years, residents of Bay Plaza have tried to stop or reshape the Obsidian, a proposed 18-story condo tower that would become the tallest building in downtown Sarasota.

They’ve hired attorneys, enlisted experts and poured more than $100,000 into the fight — a number that would be closer to half a million if not for help from neighbors with professional experience.

And they’re not alone. Across Sarasota County, residents trying to challenge large development projects have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars just to get their concerns formally considered — often with no guarantee of success.

Now, as Bay Plaza’s fight reaches the Sarasota City Commission, the cost of being heard is once again front and center.

Developers gained government status, then got bonds to build big

Across the Suncoast, developers have quietly formed their own local governments — nearly 90 in Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties alone — to finance massive housing projects using tax-exempt municipal bonds.

These special districts, often controlled by the developers and their proxies, allow private companies to raise public money, build roads and sewers and pass the costs on to homebuyers through annual assessments. But while the neighborhoods might boast pristine landscaping and posh amenities, the consequences of this system are far-reaching — including runaway growth, opaque governance and financial risk for residents, a Suncoast Searchlight investigation found.

With limited oversight, developers have used these districts to float billions in bonds — nine times more spending power than the city of Sarasota — while for years retaining majority control of the boards that decide how to use the money.

In some cases, districts have financed extravagant projects like a beach-style swimming lagoon or even a baseball stadium for the Atlanta Braves. Yet if the housing market sours or a project fails, it’s the homeowners — not the builders — who are left footing the bill. During the Great Recession, dozens of local districts collapsed under the weight of unpaid bond debt.

Now, experts warn, the system could buckle again.

Florida officials warn: Buyer beware as developer districts spread across the Suncoast

Buyer beware: That’s the warning from Florida officials as special development districts continue spreading across the Suncoast. A recent Suncoast Searchlight investigation found that developers are forming their own government entities, borrowing billions in public bonds to build infrastructure — and leaving future homeowners to pay it back.

Over the past five years, nearly $3 billion in bonds have been issued by these districts to fund new neighborhoods from Parrish to North Port. But unlike traditional governments, most of these boards remain under developer control for years, with residents having little say over spending or decision-making.



State and local officials told Suncoast Searchlight the system is easy to abuse — and they wouldn’t choose to live in one themselves. But few are pushing for reforms, leaving homeowners with rising fees and limited recourse outside of costly legal fights.



Sarasota commissioners approve paying Arroyo’s legal fees in ethics probe

Sarasota taxpayers will cover the $10,285 legal bill racked up by former City Commissioner Erik Arroyo while defending himself against three ethics complaints filed during his time in office.

City commissioners voted 4-1 on Monday to approve the reimbursement. The complaints, filed by three local residents, accused Arroyo of using his elected position to promote a project without disclosing his business ties to it.

Vice Mayor Debbie Trice cast the lone dissenting vote. She said she was uncomfortable asking taxpayers to pay for what she viewed as Arroyo’s poor judgment.

“So even if somebody acts foolishly,” Trice asked, “we’re on the hook for their legal fees?”

The issue stemmed from a February 2024 commission meeting where developer Jeff Koffman presented a proposal to convert Ken Thompson Park into a Park Golf course. Arroyo had requested the item be added to the agenda and cast the deciding vote to send it to a city advisory board for further review.

But Arroyo had undisclosed business connections to a company affiliated with Koffman’s Park Golf enterprise.

The project was later withdrawn.

GOT A TIP OR STORY IDEA?

Share your tips and story ideas using our online form. Your name and contact info will be kept confidential.

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