Suncoast Searchlight

11/13/2025

News can’t wait — and neither can we.
At Suncoast Searchlight, we need to be ready at any moment to cover breaking stories or dig deep into investigations that matter to our community.

This kind of reporting takes time, skill, and resources — but with your support, we can be prepared for whatever 2026 brings.

If you count on us for timely, trustworthy reporting that keeps our community informed and accountable, now’s the perfect time to give. During our NewsMatch campaign, every donation up to $1,000 is doubled through December 31.

https://suncoastsearchlight.org/donate-now/

11/12/2025

https://suncoastsearchlight.org/two-charters-vie-for-same-sarasota-campuses-under-schools-of-hope/

On the very first day they could, two different charter school operators filed notices Tuesday to compete for unused space on the same Sarasota County public campuses by taking advantage of controversial changes to state law. Mater Academy and Somerset Academy notified the school district they both....

11/10/2025

We’ve reached full capacity for our first Suncoast Searchlight event - A Conversation with former NYT Editor Dean Baquet!

Every seat has now been reserved, but we’ve opened a waitlist for anyone who’d still like to attend if space becomes available.

Join the waitlist by emailing [email protected]

📅 Thursday, November 13 | 10:30 a.m.–Noon
📍 Garden Club of Sarasota
In partnership with Gulf Coast Community Foundation.

11/06/2025

We’re looking for a few extra hands for our Nov. 13 community event with former New York Times editor Dean Baquet!

✅ Help greet guests
✅ Assist with check-in
✅ Or join our clean-up crew

It’s a fun, easy way to be part the biggest (and by that we mean only) community events we’ve hosted yet! And you’ll be helping power conversations that strengthen our community. 👉 Sign up here: https://forms.gle/HRonCxfAmj4QwDydA

11/05/2025

Seats are filling fast! 🌟

We’re about a week away from our first community event — A Conversation with former NYT Editor Dean Baquet — and we’re almost at capacity.

This free event, presented in partnership with Gulf Coast Community Foundation, kicks off our new Suncoast Searchlight Series, connecting neighbors through local journalism and conversation.

📅 Thursday, Nov. 13 | 10:30 a.m. – Noon
📍 Garden Club of Sarasota
🎟️ Free, but seating is limited — reserve yours now!

https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/vmfru7h

11/03/2025

We are a bit late sharing this, but a huge THANK YOU to Florida This Week for having reporter Derek Gilliam on to talk about Sarasota Schools and the 'Schools of Hope' legislation.

11/01/2025

Today we’re kicking off our NewsMatch campaign at Suncoast Searchlight!

There’s never been a more important time to stand up for independent, local news that serves the public good. Every investigation we publish helps our community stay informed, connected, and empowered to take action.

Now through December 31, NewsMatch — together with our local community match fund — will match your new monthly donation 12x or double your one-time gift, up to $1,000.

This is our first NewsMatch campaign, and it’s an incredible opportunity to help fuel high-impact reporting into 2026 and beyond.

We’re proud to be rooted in Florida’s Suncoast, reporting with purpose on the issues that matter most — from growth and development to local government and the environment.

Will you show your support for independent, community-powered journalism today?

https://suncoastsearchlight.org/donate-now/

10/31/2025

Among the schools affected are Alta Vista Elementary, Fruitville Elementary, McIntosh Middle and Venice Middle.

Sarasota County Schools has drawn up a sweeping plan to shrink its empty classroom space — and, in the process, try to shield itself from a new state law that allows charter schools to move into underused public campuses. The strategic plan, which Superintendent Terry Connor is set to present to t...

10/31/2025

The Tally is a new Suncoast Searchlight series that examines issues affecting communities across the Suncoast and Florida through data.

The Tally is a new Suncoast Searchlight series that examines issues affecting communities across the Suncoast and Florida through data. When Eddy Macario, a Bradenton father and house painter, was arrested for driving without a license last spring, he spent a month in Charlotte County jail before be...

10/31/2025

“I am the hotline,” said Rhonda Calahan, who founded Queens of Domestic Violence Awareness. “My phone can ring anytime, day or night. I always answer.”

The buzz of blow dryers and hum of small talk fill Rhonda Calahan’s Sarasota salon most days — until her phone rings. She doesn’t hesitate. She sets down her scissors, wipes her hands and answers, her tone soft but urgent. On the other end might be a woman whispering from a locked

10/31/2025

District data show Sarasota’s public schools operate at a median 82% utilization, nearly identical to the 84% rate at the county’s 14 charter schools.

Florida’s new charter-school law promised to open more classrooms for kids. In Sarasota County, where enrollment has stalled and desks are supposedly sitting empty, it could just end up spreading school resources even thinner. Gov. Ron DeSantis has hailed the new “Schools of Hope” measure as a...

10/24/2025

The event marks a symbolic return for The New York Times in Sarasota. The Times Company once owned the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Suncoast Searchlight is launching a new series of community engagement events aimed at deepening public understanding of the media industry and connecting residents with the journalists who serve them. The series, called The Searchlight Series, is presented in collaboration with Gulf Coast Community...